Fountain Valley High School opened in 1966 in the city of Fountain Valley and is one of six comprehensive high schools in Huntington Beach Union High School District. California Department of Education (CDE) data show 3,059 students enrolled in 2025-26; 55.8% of students are Asian, 18.8% Hispanic and 18.3% White, and 53.6% are socioeconomically disadvantaged. The school’s advanced coursework centers on AP, with 30 AP courses on the UC A-G list, along with a four-year Model United Nations honors sequence, on-campus dual enrollment and nine Career Technical Education pathways. This guide does not rate the school. It answers one question: how should a student at this school plan the four years.
The Shape of College Preparation at Fountain Valley High School
The school’s published data point to four features of Fountain Valley High School.
First, the AP program is large and its scores are concentrated at the top. The 2026-27 UC A-G course list includes 30 AP courses, among them three career-focused courses: AP Networking, AP Cybersecurity and AP Business with Personal Finance. The School Profile reports that in May 2026, 1,038 students took 2,391 AP exams, with 693 scores of 5, 802 scores of 4 and 644 scores of 3, and an overall pass rate of 91%. Measured against 3,059 enrolled students, about one third of students took an AP exam that year.
Second, acceleration and weighting are different things. The accelerated math courses, Accelerated Geometry and Algebra 2 Trig, are not titled honors and so are not weighted courses under district rules; the first UC-weighted math course is Pre-Calculus Honors. The grade 9 courses CP English 1 (H), Honors Biology and World Geography (H) raise the district GPA but are not on the UC-approved honors list.
Third, graduates divide into two groups. The School Profile shows that 53% of the Class of 2026 attended two-year colleges and 43% four-year colleges. CDE data show that 788 of the 814 students in the Class of 2025 cohort graduated on time and 543 completed the A-G courses required by UC and CSU, or 68.9% of graduates; 274 graduates also earned the State Seal of Biliteracy.
Fourth, many students apply to UC, but admissions to the most selective campuses are concentrated among a few. For fall 2025, 309 students applied to UC and 218 were admitted to at least one campus, yet UCLA admitted 19 of 234 applicants, UC Berkeley 15 of 146, and UC San Diego 44 of 249.
How to Enroll at Fountain Valley High School
Fountain Valley High School is a zoned comprehensive high school with no exam-based admission: students who live inside the attendance boundary register directly; students zoned to another district high school use Open Enrollment; students outside the district, including Irvine, need an inter-district transfer. The math placement exam determines placement in accelerated math, not admission.
| Where the family lives | How to enroll |
|---|---|
| Living inside the attendance boundary | Register directly by residence within Huntington Beach Union High School District, with no entrance exam; the district's School Locator confirms the assigned high school, and a ninth grader's high school depends only on home address, not on the middle school attended. Records for 8th graders in Fountain Valley School District, Huntington Beach City School District, Ocean View School District and Westminster School District transfer directly, and the assigned high school sends registration information in August before school starts; 8th graders at private schools complete a New Enrollment Residency Verification Form at their assigned high school |
| Living in the district but zoned to another high school | Apply during the district's Open Enrollment window, which runs from February 2 to March 12, 2027 for 2027-28; students must first pre-enroll and have a district student ID. Approval depends on space, parents provide transportation, students commit to the school for one year, and students already on an open enrollment transfer do not need to reapply; students receiving special education services need final approval from the Executive Director of Special Education, and decisions are final |
| Living outside the district, including Irvine | First obtain an approved Interdistrict Attendance Agreement from the district of residence, then apply online to Huntington Beach Union High School District with a recent transcript, attendance and disciplinary records, and an IEP for special education students; incomplete applications are not considered. The district reviews requests under Board Policy and Administrative Regulation 5116.24 and does not guarantee the requested school, and on August 27, 2026 it announced that Fountain Valley High School was at capacity for inter-district placement for 2026-27. Incoming students currently in Algebra 1 or Geometry must register for the district math placement make-up exam |
| Families new to the district | Bring the most recent transcript or report card, immunization records, the New Enrollment Residency Verification Form (and the Shared Residency Verification Form when applicable), a TB clearance read within the last 60 days and photo identification to the assigned high school; the district office does not register students |
Timeline for incoming ninth graders (fall 2026 entry)
- January 12, 2026, 5:30 p.m.: FVHS Excellence Expo in the school gym, showcasing programs and sports
- March 11, 2026, 5:30 p.m.: 8th Grade Guidance Night, covering course planning and grade 9 course selection
- Spring: 8th graders in Algebra 1 or Geometry take the district math placement exam at their middle school; scores are final after June 4
- June 6 and August 7, 2026: district math placement make-up exams at Ocean View High School, only for students who missed the exam and for out-of-district transfers
- August: the assigned high school sends registration information; within the first three weeks of school, all ninth graders take a math diagnostic exam to confirm placement
For families zoned to another district high school, the 2027-28 Open Enrollment window runs from February 2 to March 12, 2027.
Fountain Valley High School UC Admissions: Twelve Years of Applicants, Admits and GPA
The data below come from the UC Infocenter maintained by the University of California Office of the President, reported by source school and updated each year. They answer two questions: how many Fountain Valley High School students apply to and are admitted by UC each year, and what GPAs admitted students hold. GPA is UC’s weighted, capped GPA, which counts only coursework from grades 10 and 11.
The ten lines are hard to tell apart where they overlap. Hover over any campus name below to highlight that campus’s trend; click to keep it highlighted, and click again to clear it.Tap any campus name below to highlight that campus’s trend; tap again to clear it.
Official UC data · By high school of origin · 2014–2025
Year-by-Year Data for Six Leading UC Campuses
Families pay closest attention to Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Irvine and Davis. The table lists Fountain Valley High School applicants, admits, enrollees and average GPA at each of these campuses by year; use the buttons to switch measures.
From 2014 to 2025, the admit rate for Fountain Valley High School applicants to UC Los Angeles fell from 18% to 8%, and to UC Berkeley fell from 22% to 10%; the rate at UC Irvine fell from 32% to 26%.
This table has five data views. Use the buttons below to view admits, applicants, enrollees, admit GPA, and applicant GPA; the button for the current view is highlighted in yellow.
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 15 (10%) | 19 (8%) | 44 (18%) | 38 (26%) | 72 (26%) | 39 (42%) |
| 2024 | 13 (10%) | 19 (9%) | 49 (23%) | 43 (30%) | 61 (23%) | 33 (42%) |
| 2023 | 18 (10%) | 20 (8%) | 64 (25%) | 42 (25%) | 91 (29%) | 39 (36%) |
| 2022 | 14 (8%) | 20 (8%) | 39 (15%) | 34 (20%) | 84 (26%) | 33 (28%) |
| 2021 | 7 (5%) | 24 (10%) | 54 (22%) | 38 (21%) | 64 (21%) | 44 (43%) |
| 2020 | 15 (15%) | 16 (9%) | 57 (29%) | 45 (28%) | 79 (31%) | 27 (36%) |
| 2019 | 10 (9%) | 17 (9%) | 51 (25%) | 38 (23%) | 91 (34%) | 25 (30%) |
| 2018 | 7 (5%) | 18 (8%) | 65 (27%) | 44 (23%) | 108 (35%) | 42 (29%) |
| 2017 | 8 (9%) | 17 (10%) | 55 (27%) | 39 (28%) | 87 (32%) | 37 (38%) |
| 2016 | 14 (22%) | 20 (16%) | 65 (42%) | 35 (32%) | 90 (46%) | 29 (38%) |
| 2015 | 12 (12%) | 17 (11%) | 58 (33%) | 46 (32%) | 55 (26%) | 32 (32%) |
| 2014 | 19 (22%) | 27 (18%) | 57 (37%) | 41 (32%) | 73 (32%) | 35 (40%) |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▼ 22% → 10% | ▼ 18% → 8% | ▼ 37% → 18% | ▼ 32% → 26% | ▼ 32% → 26% | ▲ 40% → 42% |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 146 | 234 | 249 | 146 | 278 | 92 |
| 2024 | 129 | 221 | 209 | 143 | 261 | 78 |
| 2023 | 174 | 253 | 256 | 166 | 314 | 108 |
| 2022 | 168 | 256 | 263 | 169 | 317 | 117 |
| 2021 | 139 | 233 | 241 | 183 | 303 | 103 |
| 2020 | 101 | 169 | 196 | 160 | 257 | 75 |
| 2019 | 108 | 180 | 206 | 164 | 265 | 84 |
| 2018 | 131 | 228 | 239 | 194 | 305 | 145 |
| 2017 | 89 | 167 | 206 | 139 | 268 | 97 |
| 2016 | 63 | 122 | 156 | 110 | 195 | 77 |
| 2015 | 98 | 149 | 177 | 146 | 212 | 99 |
| 2014 | 87 | 150 | 155 | 129 | 230 | 88 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▲ 87 → 146 | ▲ 150 → 234 | ▲ 155 → 249 | ▲ 129 → 146 | ▲ 230 → 278 | ▲ 88 → 92 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 5 | 15 | 12 | 5 | 36 | 9 |
| 2024 | — | 15 | 17 | — | 30 | 4 |
| 2023 | 8 | 15 | 17 | 6 | 54 | 5 |
| 2022 | 7 | 15 | 13 | 3 | 50 | 7 |
| 2021 | — | 18 | 14 | — | 30 | 9 |
| 2020 | 3 | 12 | 23 | 6 | 49 | — |
| 2019 | 7 | 8 | 19 | 8 | 54 | — |
| 2018 | — | 12 | 16 | 9 | 68 | — |
| 2017 | 3 | 12 | 12 | 7 | 48 | 4 |
| 2016 | 3 | 16 | 18 | 8 | 45 | 4 |
| 2015 | 3 | 10 | 19 | 7 | 24 | 3 |
| 2014 | 9 | 15 | 17 | 11 | 25 | 6 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▼ 9 → 5 | 15 → 15 | ▼ 17 → 12 | ▼ 11 → 5 | ▲ 25 → 36 | ▲ 6 → 9 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 4.24 | 4.24 | 4.27 | 4.27 | 4.23 | 4.22 |
| 2024 | 4.30 | 4.28 | 4.25 | 4.27 | 4.20 | 4.22 |
| 2023 | 4.23 | 4.31 | 4.27 | 4.25 | 4.24 | 4.22 |
| 2022 | 4.25 | 4.25 | 4.24 | 4.30 | 4.24 | 4.27 |
| 2021 | 4.33 | 4.31 | 4.29 | 4.28 | 4.28 | 4.17 |
| 2020 | 4.23 | 4.26 | 4.24 | 4.18 | 4.11 | 4.18 |
| 2019 | 4.10 | 4.29 | 4.26 | 4.23 | 4.15 | 4.21 |
| 2018 | 4.29 | 4.36 | 4.21 | 4.18 | 4.15 | 4.21 |
| 2017 | 4.31 | 4.28 | 4.19 | 4.12 | 4.17 | 4.18 |
| 2016 | 4.28 | 4.25 | 4.15 | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.12 |
| 2015 | 4.30 | 4.25 | 4.18 | 4.07 | 4.17 | 4.17 |
| 2014 | 4.25 | 4.21 | 4.21 | 4.07 | 4.18 | 4.14 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▼ 4.25 → 4.24 | ▲ 4.21 → 4.24 | ▲ 4.21 → 4.27 | ▲ 4.07 → 4.27 | ▲ 4.18 → 4.23 | ▲ 4.14 → 4.22 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 4.00 | 3.95 | 3.90 | 3.85 | 3.89 | 3.92 |
| 2024 | 4.01 | 3.94 | 3.93 | 3.88 | 3.91 | 3.98 |
| 2023 | 4.00 | 3.97 | 3.99 | 3.96 | 3.92 | 4.01 |
| 2022 | 4.10 | 4.05 | 4.02 | 4.06 | 4.00 | 4.06 |
| 2021 | 4.05 | 3.99 | 3.93 | 3.93 | 3.91 | 3.94 |
| 2020 | 3.98 | 3.98 | 3.91 | 3.84 | 3.86 | 3.81 |
| 2019 | 4.01 | 3.97 | 3.91 | 3.88 | 3.85 | 3.87 |
| 2018 | 4.03 | 3.90 | 3.88 | 3.84 | 3.82 | 3.84 |
| 2017 | 3.96 | 3.94 | 3.84 | 3.73 | 3.77 | 3.84 |
| 2016 | 4.00 | 3.88 | 3.83 | 3.74 | 3.73 | 3.76 |
| 2015 | 3.91 | 3.82 | 3.79 | 3.71 | 3.71 | 3.73 |
| 2014 | 3.97 | 3.80 | 3.83 | 3.63 | 3.67 | 3.74 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▲ 3.97 → 4.00 | ▲ 3.80 → 3.95 | ▲ 3.83 → 3.90 | ▲ 3.63 → 3.85 | ▲ 3.67 → 3.89 | ▲ 3.74 → 3.92 |
Applicants and Admits by Campus in the Latest Year
| UC campus (fall 2025) | Applicants | Admits | Admit rate | Enrollees | Admit GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | 146 | 15 | 10% | 5 | 4.24 |
| UC Los Angeles | 234 | 19 | 8% | 15 | 4.24 |
| UC San Diego | 249 | 44 | 18% | 12 | 4.27 |
| UC Davis | 92 | 39 | 42% | 9 | 4.22 |
| UC Irvine | 278 | 72 | 26% | 36 | 4.23 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 146 | 38 | 26% | 5 | 4.27 |
| UC Merced | 103 | 101 | 98% | — | 3.92 |
| UC Riverside | 180 | 159 | 88% | 22 | 3.96 |
| UC Santa Cruz | 54 | 35 | 65% | — | 4.02 |
Fountain Valley High School GPA Weighting: The District Transcript and UC
| District weighting rule | The district transcript GPA first assigns A 4, B 3, C 2, D 1 and F 0 points, then adds weight for each weighted course passed; the district Planning Guide says the formula approximates one extra grade point per weighted course. The 2026-27 School Profile states that grades of C- or higher in honors and AP courses earn one additional grade point |
|---|---|
| Which courses are weighted | Under district rules, a weighted course must have Honors, AP or IB in its title, and every honors course must be approved by the district. Accelerated courses without those words in the title, such as Accelerated Geometry and Algebra 2 Trig, are not weighted courses |
| What the district GPA covers | The district GPA counts every course in grades 9-12, including physical education, and weighted courses taken in grade 9 also earn the extra point. The district transcript shows four GPAs; the academic GPA counts only college-prep courses in grades 10-12 |
| Class rank | Class rank and commencement recognition are based on the weighted GPA for all courses in grades 9-12, including physical education; rank is printed on the transcripts issued in August, February and June of the senior year |
| Graduation honors | Based on cumulative GPA after the seventh semester: 4.40 or higher earns Summa Cum Laude, and 4.00 to 4.39 earns Magna Cum Laude |
| UC GPA | UC admission uses UC's own GPA: only A-G courses from grades 10 and 11 count, and only UC-approved honors courses, AP courses and transferable community college courses earn an extra point for each grade of C or better, for up to eight semesters |
| Repeating courses | A course with a D or F may be repeated, and the higher grade is used in GPA, while both grades remain on the transcript; courses with a C or higher may not be repeated. Math and world languages are an exception: a C or better in the next-level course validates a D or F in the earlier course |
| Credit/no credit | District, UC, CSU and NCAA policies all require graduation and admission requirements to be completed for a letter grade, not credit/no credit |
These courses are UC-approved and weighted in UC admission:
- All AP courses
- CP English 2 Honors
- World History Honors (Model United Nations)
- U.S. History MUN Honors
- U.S. Government MUN Honors
- Economics Honors (Model United Nations)
- Pre-Calculus (H)
- Chemistry Honors
- Honors Advanced Robotics 1 and Honors Robotics 2
- Honors Business Entrepreneurship
- Honors Graphic Arts
- Adv Music Hn (Advanced Music Honors)
- Ad Drm Prd/Thr (advanced drama production)
These courses are titled honors and weighted in the district GPA but not by UC; all are mainly grade 9 courses:
- CP English 1 (H)
- Biology (H) A/B (Honors Biology)
- World Geography (H)
- World Geography Honors MUN
The School Profile and the Course Guide both list Honors Physics (grades 11-12), but the 2026-27 UC A-G list includes only Physics, with no separate honors physics course; families should confirm with a counselor whether UC weights it. The full course list with UC weighting for each course is on Courses and Course Selection.
The table below shows the weighted GPA distribution for the 777 students in the Class of 2027, as published in the 2026-27 School Profile. This class entered grade 12 in fall 2026 and applies for fall 2027 admission.
| Weighted GPA | Students and share |
|---|---|
| 4.4 and above | 93 students (12.0%) |
| 4.0 to 4.39 | 126 students (16.2%) |
| 3.5 to 3.99 | 194 students (25.0%) |
| 3.0 to 3.49 | 147 students (18.9%) |
| 2.5 to 2.99 | 109 students (14.0%) |
| 2.0 to 2.49 | 64 students (8.2%) |
| Below 2.0 | 44 students (5.7%) |
Fountain Valley High School Four-Year Timeline
Grade 8
- JanuaryFVHS Excellence Expo (January 12 in 2026)
- Feb 2-Mar 12District Open Enrollment window (2027-28)
- March8th Grade Guidance Night and grade 9 course selection (March 11 in 2026)
- SpringStudents in Algebra 1 or Geometry take the district math placement exam at their middle school; scores final after June 4
- Jun 6, Aug 7Math placement make-up exams (2026, Ocean View High School)
- AugustAssigned high school sends registration information
Grade 9
- SummerSummer reading and assignments for honors and AP courses
- First 3 weeksMath diagnostic exam to confirm placement
- All yearOne semester of Health plus a one-semester exploratory elective
- SpringCourse planning presentation and grade 10 course selection; English Honors 2 and AP European History have grade requirements
- MayAP Human Geography exam for students in the course
Grade 10
- OctoberPSAT/NMSQT (optional; sign up in September)
- By NovemberDecide with AP teachers which AP exams to take
- SpringGrade 11 course selection: AP English Language, AP U.S. History, Pre-Calculus Honors and AP science all depend on grade 10 grades
- MayAP exams
Grade 11
- OctoberPSAT/NMSQT, which determines National Merit eligibility
- By NovemberConfirm AP exam registrations
- MarchFuture Senior Night (March 25 in 2026)
- MayAP exams; the UC GPA covers coursework through the end of grade 11
Grade 12
- From SeptemberRequest private college recommendation letters by deadline (earliest September 18)
- Every TuesdayCollege application workshops in the library
- Oct 1-Nov 30UC and CSU applications
- Aug, Feb, JunClass rank printed on transcripts
- By January 31Students selected by UC submit verification documents
Three decisions shape the path. In the spring of grade 8, the math placement exam and the March guidance night determine whether grade 9 math starts at Algebra 1, Geometry, Accelerated Geometry or Algebra 2 Trig, and whether English and biology are taken at the honors level. In the spring of grade 9, course selection decides access to CP English Honors 2, AP European History and Chemistry Honors in grade 10, all based on grade 9 grades. In the spring of grade 10, course selection decides grade 11 access to AP English Language, AP U.S. History, Pre-Calculus Honors and AP science, and grade 11 grades go directly into the UC GPA.
Fountain Valley High School Clubs and Academic Activities
The school's club list sits in files that only district accounts can open, so no complete public list is available. The 2026-27 School Profile lists Model United Nations, National Honor Society, Science Olympiad and the Baron News student newspaper among its special programs. The school’s STEAM page also has sections for Robotics, Esports and the CyberPatriot cybersecurity competition, and it does not describe a math competition team.
The most structured academic activity is Model United Nations: there is one MUN honors course in each of grades 9 through 12, each with at least four conferences a year, and the school hosts the BaronMUN conference.
Fountain Valley High School Signature Programs
- Model United Nations (MUN): The school runs Model United Nations as a four-year honors sequence: World Geography Honors/MUN in grade 9, World History Honors/MUN in grade 10, U.S. History Honors/MUN in grade 11, and Government and Economics Honors/MUN in grade 12, with at least four conferences each year. Students must take World Geography Honors/MUN in grade 9 to continue in grade 10. The four MUN courses in grades 10-12 are all on the UC-approved honors list. The school also hosts the BaronMUN conference, held on November 14, 2026.
- Dual Enrollment: Through its partnership with Golden West College, Coastline College and Orange Coast College, the school offers more than 15 tuition-free dual enrollment classes a year, according to the School Profile, taught on campus during the regular bell schedule for both high school and college credit. The school's dual enrollment page lists AP English Language DE (ENGL C1000, two-year program), AP English Literature DE (ENGL C1003, requires AP English Language DE), Precalculus DE (MATH G170), US History DE (HIST C1001 and C1002) and US Government DE (POLS C1000). The AP English dual enrollment sections are not open to students on a period 0-4 schedule.
- Golden West College Concurrent Enrollment: Students may also enroll on their own in online or campus courses at any California community college for college credit; courses on Golden West College's approved list also earn high school credit, but students may enroll only in courses that match their current grade level, and spring college courses in the senior year cannot replace a high school course needed for graduation. Students apply to Golden West College (about 24 to 48 hours to process), submit a parent consent form and a concurrent enrollment release form (3 to 5 business days), and then register in MyGWC.
- Advanced Placement (AP): AP is the College Board's program of college-level courses. The 2026-27 UC A-G list includes 30 AP courses at the school, among them three career-focused AP courses: AP Networking, AP Cybersecurity and AP Business with Personal Finance. In May 2026, 1,038 students took 2,391 AP exams, and the School Profile reports an overall pass rate of 91%.
- Career Technical Education (CTE): The Course Guide lists nine two-year CTE pathways and three non-CTE pathways. Students who complete a pathway sequence in order with a pathway GPA of 3.0, no honor code violations and good citizenship receive a CTE honor cord at graduation.
- CTE pathwaysCulinary Arts, Digital Media, Fashion, Entrepreneurship, Legal Practices, Software & Systems, Honors Robotics & Engineering, Cybersecurity, Emergency Response
- Non-CTE pathwaysNursing, Health Careers, Psychology
- STEM activities: The School Profile lists Science Olympiad among the school's special programs, and the school's STEAM page has sections for Robotics, Esports and the CyberPatriot cybersecurity competition. Honors Robotics 1 and 2 are UC-approved honors courses.
- Performing Arts: The choir, marching band and orchestra programs rehearse, perform and compete year-round. The marching band is the Royal Regiment, which the school history says represented California in the 1981 presidential inaugural parade. Advanced Music Honors requires an audition, and all students in the Troubadours choir receive weighted credit.
- AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination): AVID is offered in each of grades 9-12 by application and counts as a UC A-G "g" elective.
- Student media: The Baron Banner newspaper and BaronNews.com are produced by the Journalism: News class, which requires instructor permission and earns elective credit only; the school also offers BBN video broadcasting and yearbook.
- District Academic Recognition: Huntington Beach Union High School District has three levels of academic recognition, honored at commencement and noted on the transcript. The highest, Scholar with Distinction, requires meeting UC admission requirements, an A-G GPA of 3.6 or higher, three years of the same world language, four years of math with the fourth beyond Algebra 2 Trig, three years of lab science, four AP courses, one year of visual and performing arts or CTE, and no honor code violations.
Fountain Valley High School Counseling and College Services
| Counselor assignments | The school website assigns counselors by student last name: A-D Alex Johnson, E-K Olivia Smart, N-O Phuong Pham-Le, P-S Monica Hamilton and T-Z Marilyn Wong; students with last names L-M are asked for now to contact another counselor, while the 2026-27 School Profile lists Julia Bui. The school also has Registrar Michaela Wakeman and College/Career Specialist Chanelle Perez |
|---|---|
| Four-year planning and course selection | Counselors build a four-year academic plan with students and families. Each spring the school gives course planning presentations by grade on graduation requirements, A-G requirements, transcripts and course selection; each grade's course request worksheet, course descriptions and prerequisites are in the school's Course Guide |
| College applications | For UC and CSU applications, the school recommends launching the application through CaliforniaColleges.edu so that courses and grades import automatically. College application workshops are held every Tuesday in the library. UC randomly selects some applicants for verification, notifies them in mid-December, and cancels applications that do not respond by January 31, 2027 |
| Recommendation letters | Students applying only to UC and CSU do not need a counselor letter or transcript. Students applying to private colleges must give at least three weeks' notice, not counting holidays, by completing the recommendation request form with an uploaded brag sheet, and must waive their FERPA rights in the Common App. Request deadlines by application deadline are: September 18 for QuestBridge (October 1), October 2 for November 1, October 22 for November 15, October 31 for December 1, December 1 for January 1-8, and December 11 for January 15 |
| Transcripts | Official transcripts are ordered through Parchment; the first two are free, later copies carry a fee, processing takes up to five business days, and orders are not processed during school breaks. Current students can view unofficial transcripts in Aeries |
| Standardized testing | The school gives the PSAT/NMSQT every October, open to 10th and 11th graders who sign up in September through the school's Student Store; junior-year scores determine National Merit eligibility. UC does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission or scholarships, and CSU has discontinued their use in admission. The school's SAT/ACT (CEEB) code is 050964 |
Grade levels and prerequisites for each course are on Courses and Course Selection, the math sequence is on Math Pathway, and AP choices are on Choosing AP Courses.
Fountain Valley High School College Planning Guide: Frequently Asked Questions
Can Irvine families transfer to Fountain Valley High School?
Fountain Valley High School belongs to Huntington Beach Union High School District, so Irvine families cannot use the district's Open Enrollment. They must first obtain an approved Interdistrict Attendance Agreement from their district of residence, such as Irvine Unified, and then apply online to Huntington Beach Union High School District with a recent transcript and attendance and disciplinary records. The district does not guarantee the requested school, and on August 27, 2026 it announced that Fountain Valley High School was at capacity for inter-district placement for 2026-27; families should watch district notices for later years.
Irvine families ask: are honors courses weighted in both the district GPA and the UC GPA at Fountain Valley High School?
Fountain Valley High School weights honors and AP courses in the district GPA; the School Profile says grades of C- or higher earn one additional grade point, including courses taken in grade 9. UC counts only grades 10 and 11 and weights only UC-approved courses: CP English 1 (H), Honors Biology, World Geography (H) and World Geography Honors MUN are not on the UC list, while CP English 2 Honors, World History Honors, U.S. History MUN Honors, Chemistry Honors, Pre-Calculus Honors and all AP courses are. Accelerated Geometry and Algebra 2 Trig are not titled honors, so neither the district nor UC weights them.
How do Fountain Valley High School students do in UC admissions, for Irvine families comparing options?
Fountain Valley High School had 309 students apply to the University of California for fall 2025; 218 were admitted to at least one campus and 107 enrolled. By campus, UC Irvine admitted 72 of 278 applicants, UC San Diego 44 of 249, UCLA 19 of 234, UC Berkeley 15 of 146, and UC Santa Barbara 38 of 146. The average GPA of admitted students was 4.27 at UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara and 4.24 at UCLA and UC Berkeley. The data come from the UC Infocenter of the University of California Office of the President.
Where do Fountain Valley High School graduates go, for Irvine families asking?
Fountain Valley High School's 2026-27 School Profile reports that 53% of the Class of 2026 attended two-year colleges, 43% attended four-year colleges, and 4% entered the workforce, the military or other plans; the school says more than 90% of graduates continue to higher education. CDE data show a four-year cohort graduation rate of 96.8% for the Class of 2025, with 68.9% of graduates completing the A-G courses required by UC and CSU.
How many periods and classes does Fountain Valley High School have, a question Irvine families ask?
Fountain Valley High School runs a seven-period day (periods 0 through 6); on the regular bell schedule, period 0 starts at 7:28 a.m. and period 6 ends at 3:16 p.m. The 2026-27 School Profile says students typically take six classes in grades 9 and 10 and five in grades 11 and 12, each worth 5 credits per semester, and Huntington Beach Union High School District requires 220 credits to graduate. Students may not request two math or two science courses during registration.
Can Irvine families' children take dual enrollment courses at Fountain Valley High School?
Fountain Valley High School partners with Golden West College, Coastline College and Orange Coast College to offer tuition-free dual enrollment courses on campus during the regular schedule, earning both high school and college credit. The school's page lists AP English Language DE, AP English Literature DE, Precalculus DE, US History DE and US Government DE. Students may also take concurrent enrollment courses on their own at Golden West College, and courses on its approved list also earn high school credit.
