Admissions Essentials · UC admissions data
Best high schools in Santa Cruz for UC admissions
From fall 2023 to fall 2025, the 4 published high schools in Santa Cruz sent 765 applicants to the University of California, and 546 were admitted to at least one campus (71%). Among schools with at least 100 applicants, Pacific Collegiate School had the highest rate, 80% (149 of 186).
SourceUniversity of California Information Center, Admissions by source school, fall 1994 to fall 2025.
Santa Cruz 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 | Pacific Collegiate School | Public | 186 | 80% | 24% | 10% |
| 2 | Georgiana Bruce Kirby Prep High School | Private | 55 | 69% | 29% | Not published |
| 3 | Harbor High School | Public | 199 | 69% | 17% | 10% |
| 4 | Santa Cruz High School | Public | 325 | 68% | 15% | 10% |
Santa Cruz combined
The 4 schools above added together, fall 2023 to fall 2025: 3 public and 1 private. The county and California rows count every school UC lists, published here or not.
| Applicants from | To | Applied | Admitted | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | Any UC campus | 765 | 546 | 71% |
| Santa Cruz | UC Berkeley | 418 | 73 | 17% |
| Santa Cruz | UCLA | 378 | 37 | 10% |
| Santa Cruz County | Any UC campus | 2,267 | 1,585 | 70% |
| California | Any UC campus | 393,310 | 283,716 | 72% |
Santa Cruz high schools ranked by UC Berkeley admit rate
4 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 | Georgiana Bruce Kirby Prep High School | 5 of 17 | 29% |
| 2 | Pacific Collegiate School | 18 of 76 | 24% |
| 3 | Harbor High School | 19 of 115 | 17% |
| 4 | Santa Cruz High School | 31 of 210 | 15% |
How to get into UC Berkeley: the GPA and SAT of admitted applicants
Santa Cruz high schools ranked by UCLA admit rate
3 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 | Harbor High School | 6 of 59 | 10% |
| 2 | Pacific Collegiate School | 12 of 123 | 10% |
| 3 | Santa Cruz High School | 19 of 196 | 10% |
How to get into UCLA: the GPA and SAT of admitted applicants
Questions
- What are the best high schools in Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz were Pacific Collegiate School (80%, 149 of 186), Harbor High School (69%, 137 of 199) and Santa Cruz High School (68%, 222 of 325). 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 Santa Cruz?
- 71%. The 4 published high schools in Santa Cruz sent 765 applicants from fall 2023 to fall 2025, and 546 were admitted to at least one UC campus. Every high school in Santa Cruz County together, as UC counts them, had 70%; 1 of the 4 ranked schools in Santa Cruz was above that.
- Which high school in Santa Cruz gets the most students into UC Berkeley?
- Santa Cruz High School, with 31 admitted of 210 applicants from fall 2023 to fall 2025. All of Santa Cruz's published high schools together sent UC Berkeley 418 applicants and 73 were admitted (17%). Among schools with at least 30 UC Berkeley applicants, Pacific Collegiate School had the highest rate, 24% (18 of 76).
- Which high school in Santa Cruz gets the most students into UCLA?
- Santa Cruz High School, with 19 admitted of 196 applicants from fall 2023 to fall 2025. All of Santa Cruz's published high schools together sent UCLA 378 applicants and 37 were admitted (10%). Among schools with at least 30 UCLA applicants, Harbor High School had the highest rate, 10% (6 of 59).
- Which high school in Santa Cruz sends the most UC applicants?
- Santa Cruz High School, with 325 applicants from fall 2023 to fall 2025. Of the 4 published schools in Santa Cruz, 3 are public and 1 is private.
How to cite
Aristo Scholars, "Best high schools in Santa Cruz for UC admissions," https://aristoscholars.com/uc-chances/city/santa-cruz, 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.