Top 50 California High Schools in 1996

The following table lists the top 50 California high schools in 1996. The Rank column shows the school's 95 ranking as the first number and the 96 ranking as the second. For example, San Marino High School was ninth in 95, fifth in 96. Its cumulative SAT average was 1087 in 95, and 1203 in 96. The last column shows the number of students tested and class size for 1996 only.

Schools that are highlighted increased their SAT scores by at least 100 points. In 1996, the SAT was recalibrated to make 1000 the average SAT score as opposed to 900. Any school on this list that is not highlighted, saw its composite SAT slip between 1995 and 1996.

Most improved schools on the top 50

Thanks to Jim Gong at jimg@hpoetc32.sj.hp.com for building the table.

RankNAMEVerbalMathCombinedCA-% # Tested/Total
1/1WHITNEY HIGH (CERRITOS)568/664665/6921233/1356100/100163/167
2/2GUNN (HENRY M.) HIGH515/597623/6361138/123392.3/90.9233/257
3/3PALO ALTO HIGH528/597609/6211137/121892.2/89.8245/262
4/4SARATOGA HIGH514/584602/6311116/121590.5/89.6195/214
9/5SAN MARINO HIGH (LA)463/552624/6511087/120388.1/88.7222/251
7/6LYNBROOK HIGH492/569611/6291103/119889.4/88.3222/297
14/7LOWELL HIGH (SF)484/577593/6161077/119387.3/88.0553/573
5/8PIEDMONT HIGH518/578595/6071113/118590.2/87.4136/155
15/9ACALANES HIGH (LAFAYETTE)508/586564/5961072/118286.9/87.2206/261
6/10MONTA VISTA HIGH483/551628/6301111/118190.1/87.1348/427
13/11CAMPOLINDO HIGH (MORAGA) 500/580578/5981078/117887.4/86.9160/192
10/12MIRAMONTE HIGH (ORINDA)504/577583/6001087/117788.1/86.8190/217
8/12UNIVERSITY HIGH (IRVINE)486/565606/6121092/117788.5/86.8362/471
28/14MISSION SAN JOSE (FREMONT)463/566575/6081038/117484.1/86.6319/411
21/15LOS GATOS HIGH497/573561/5941048/116785.0/86.1244/356
11/15LA CANADA HIGH489/562595/6051084/116787.9/86.1232/280
24/17DOS PUEBLOS (SANTA BARBARA) 472/566572/5971044/116384.6/85.8126/314
87/18CUPERTINO HIGH440/551554/607994/115880.6/85.4130/305
12/19PALOS VERDES HIGH484/549599/6031083/115287.8/85.0554/639
36/20CORONA DEL MAR (NEWPORT)471/559557/5891028/114883.3/84.7200/254
19/21DAVIS SENIOR HIGH490/562569/5851059/114785.8/84.6303/399
44/22FOOTHILL HIGH (SANTA ANA)465/554553/5901018/114482.5/84.4228/372
68/23TROY HIGH (ORANGE)454/550550/5901004/114081.4/84.1168/329
23/24SUNNY HILLS HIGH (ORANGE)462/535584/6021046/113784.8/83.8354/442
31/25HOMESTEAD HIGH463/534572/5991035/113383.9/83.6249/380
26/25LELAND HIGH466/546575/5871041/113384.4/83.6275/393
16/25LOS ALTOS HIGH488/552581/5811069/113386.7/83.6181/278
17/28TORREY PINES HIGH (DEL MAR) 489/554577/5781066/113286.4/83.5380/423
32/29MOUNTAIN VIEW476/541559/5901035/113183.9/83.4181/277
29/29LAGUNA HILLS HIGH473/546565/5851038/113184.2/83.4240/342
27/29LA JOLLA SENIOR486/564554/5671040/113184.3/83.4281/348
240/32SWETT (JOHN) HIGH (C.C.)429/568498/561927/112975.2/83.3 21/105
40/33MONTE VISTA (DANVILLE)473/554549/5741022/112882.8/83.2341/422
66/34DANA HILLS HIGH466/556539/5691005/112581.5/83.0214/469
33/34SAN LUIS OBISPO HIGH485/560550/5651035/112583.9/83.0138/268
18/34NORTHGATE HIGH495/554570/5711065/112586.3/83.0267/350
147/37CARMEL HIGH454/562511/560965/112278.3/82.793/144
39/38RIO AMERICANO HIGH477/549546/5721023/112182.9/82.7215/352
65/39EL DORADO HIGH460/555545/5651005/112081.5/82.6128/355
34/39ARCADIA SENIOR HIGH440/519591/6011031/112083.6/82.6555/790
30/41SOUTH PASADENA SENIOR HIGH464/530572/5871036/111784.0/82.4229/310
22/41REDWOOD HIGH (MARIN)477/547570/5701047/111784.9/82.4187/232
45/43CALABASAS HIGH (LA)472/550544/5661016/111682.4/82.3237/305
103/44SANTA MONICA HIGH447/540538/572985/111279.9/82.0269/587
54/45IRVINE HIGH444/533565/5781009/111181.8/81.9326/524
110/46UKIAH HIGH457/546526/564983/111079.7/81.9122/349
106/46MORRO BAY HIGH464/558521/552985/111079.9/81.9 64/196
61/46CORONADO HIGH464/547541/5631005/111081.5/81.9113/159
200/49JULIAN HIGH (SAN DIEGO)452/546489/563941/110976.3/81.8 21/49
141/49GRANADA HIGH (ALAMEDA)438/540531/569969/110978.6/81.8117/296

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