Admissions Essentials · UC admissions data
Best high schools in Merced for UC admissions
From fall 2023 to fall 2025, the 3 published high schools in Merced sent 755 applicants to the University of California, and 653 were admitted to at least one campus (86%). Among schools with at least 100 applicants, Golden Valley High School had the highest rate, 89% (250 of 282).
SourceUniversity of California Information Center, Admissions by source school, fall 1994 to fall 2025.
Merced high schools ranked by UC admit rate
Share of applicants admitted to at least one UC campus, fall 2023 to fall 2025. A school has its own page when the University of California printed both applicants and admits for at least 3 fall terms, including at least 2 falls from 2023 to 2025, and at least 30 applicants in those window years. A city page ranks those schools when the city has at least 3 of them, not counting online schools, and they are not already the whole county. A rate on this page counts only the years in which UC printed both the applicants and the admits.
| Rank | School | Type | Applied | Any UC | Berkeley | UCLA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golden Valley High School | Public | 282 | 89% | 17% | 10% |
| 2 | El Capitan High School | Public | 295 | 88% | 24% | 16% |
| 3 | Merced High School | Public | 178 | 81% | 22% | Not published |
Merced combined
The 3 schools above added together, fall 2023 to fall 2025: 3 public and 0 private. The county and California rows count every school UC lists, published here or not.
| Applicants from | To | Applied | Admitted | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced | Any UC campus | 755 | 653 | 86% |
| Merced | UC Berkeley | 349 | 74 | 21% |
| Merced | UCLA | 227 | 29 | 13% |
| Merced County | Any UC campus | 2,225 | 1,932 | 87% |
| California | Any UC campus | 393,310 | 283,716 | 72% |
Merced high schools ranked by UC Berkeley admit rate
3 of the city’s published schools have a UC Berkeley figure. A rate built on a handful of applicants moves a long way with one student, so the counts sit beside it.
| Rank | School | Admitted | UC Berkeley |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Capitan High School | 35 of 145 | 24% |
| 2 | Merced High School | 19 of 88 | 22% |
| 3 | Golden Valley High School | 20 of 116 | 17% |
How to get into UC Berkeley: the GPA and SAT of admitted applicants
Merced high schools ranked by UCLA admit rate
2 of the city’s published schools have a UCLA figure. A rate built on a handful of applicants moves a long way with one student, so the counts sit beside it.
| Rank | School | Admitted | UCLA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Capitan High School | 19 of 122 | 16% |
| 2 | Golden Valley High School | 10 of 105 | 10% |
How to get into UCLA: the GPA and SAT of admitted applicants
Questions
- What are the best high schools in Merced for UC admissions?
- By the share of applicants admitted to at least one UC campus from fall 2023 to fall 2025, among schools with at least 100 applicants, the highest in Merced were Golden Valley High School (89%, 250 of 282), El Capitan High School (88%, 259 of 295) and Merced High School (81%, 144 of 178). A school's rate reflects who chose to apply as much as the school itself.
- What is the UC acceptance rate for high schools in Merced?
- 86%. The 3 published high schools in Merced sent 755 applicants from fall 2023 to fall 2025, and 653 were admitted to at least one UC campus. Every high school in Merced County together, as UC counts them, had 87%; 2 of the 3 ranked schools in Merced were above that.
- Which high school in Merced gets the most students into UC Berkeley?
- El Capitan High School, with 35 admitted of 145 applicants from fall 2023 to fall 2025. All of Merced's published high schools together sent UC Berkeley 349 applicants and 74 were admitted (21%). Among schools with at least 30 UC Berkeley applicants, El Capitan High School had the highest rate, 24% (35 of 145).
- Which high school in Merced gets the most students into UCLA?
- El Capitan High School, with 19 admitted of 122 applicants from fall 2023 to fall 2025. All of Merced's published high schools together sent UCLA 227 applicants and 29 were admitted (13%). Among schools with at least 30 UCLA applicants, El Capitan High School had the highest rate, 16% (19 of 122).
- Which high school in Merced sends the most UC applicants?
- El Capitan High School, with 295 applicants from fall 2023 to fall 2025. Of the 3 published schools in Merced, 3 are public and 0 are private.
How to cite
Aristo Scholars, "Best high schools in Merced for UC admissions," https://aristoscholars.com/uc-chances/city/merced, updated October 31, 2026. Figures from the University of California Information Center, Admissions by source school, fall 1994 to fall 2025.
A school’s rate is not one student’s chance
These figures average every application a school sent, and they depend on who chose to apply. To read one profile, use Chance Me, start with a Specialist, or ask on the forum.