Los Alamitos High School is the Los Alamitos Unified School District’s public comprehensive high school for grades 9 through 12 in the city of Los Alamitos, serving students from Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Rossmoor, Surfside and neighboring communities. Enrollment in 2025-26 is 2,809 students, including 689 in grade 9 and 711 in grade 12; 38.7% of students are White, 32.1% Hispanic or Latino and 14% Asian, and 14.3% are socioeconomically disadvantaged. The school’s advanced coursework is built on AP, with no IB program, alongside eight Career Technical Education pathways that include PLTW Biomedical Science and Engineering. This page does not rate the school. It answers one question: how should a student at this school plan the four years?
How Los Alamitos High School Is Structured for College Admissions
The school’s published data point to four features.
First, AP is the only advanced track, and participation is broad. The 2026-27 Curriculum Handbook lists 27 AP courses, and the School Profile states that 45% of students take at least one AP course. In 2025-26, 1,060 students took 2,491 AP exams, 91.6% scored 3 or higher, and 258 earned AP Scholar with Distinction. The school has no IB program.
Second, the school GPA and the UC GPA weight courses in much the same way. The school puts only AP courses and UC-recognized honors courses on a 5.0 scale, so the core honors courses of grades 9 and 10 (English I and II Honors, Geometry Honors, Algebra II/Trigonometry and Chemistry of the Earth Honors) earn no extra points in either the school GPA or the UC GPA. The weighted GPA families see on the transcript follows logic close to UC’s.
Third, A-G completion is high, and competition concentrates at the top of the GPA range. Of the 778 students in the Class of 2025 four-year cohort, 755 graduated on time, a 97.0% graduation rate, and 619 of them completed the UC and CSU A-G courses, 82.0% of graduates. The Class of 2026 weighted GPA cutoff was 4.30 for the top 10% and 3.98 for the top 25%, and 229 graduates reached an academic weighted GPA of 3.85 or higher.
Fourth, many students apply to UC, and the most selective campuses admit few of them. For fall 2025, 260 students applied to the University of California, a 75.0% systemwide admit rate; but UCLA admitted 19 of 185 applicants and UC Berkeley 23 of 139, and admit rates at all six of Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Irvine and Davis were below 36%.
How to Enroll at Los Alamitos High School
Los Alamitos High School has no exam-based program: students living within Los Alamitos Unified School District enroll by address; out-of-district students, including Irvine residents, need an interdistrict permit, and can only apply for grades 9 and 10.
| Family situation | How to enroll |
|---|---|
| Living within Los Alamitos Unified School District | Enroll by address, with no entrance exam. Registration requires two proofs of residency from different categories (mortgage statement, title, rental agreement, utility bill dated within 90 days, etc.), plus parent ID, birth verification, immunization records and transcripts. The district assigns schools by address |
| Living outside the district (including Irvine) | First obtain a release from the district of residence, then submit the approved permit to Los Alamitos Unified with transcripts, attendance and discipline records, recent state test results and any IEP, 504, GATE or AP information, plus two online forms. For 2026-27 the district processed permits from March 2, 2026 in order of receipt; because of volume, decisions may not arrive until mid-May or early June |
| Out-of-district students entering grades 11-12 | The district is not accepting new interdistrict applications for grades 11 and 12, so out-of-district families need to apply before grade 9 or 10 |
| Current interdistrict students | Students continuing at the same school need not renew, but moving into grade 9 at a new school requires a new agreement; the district reviews every permit annually and lists eleven grounds for denial, non-renewal or revocation. When a school is impacted, a permit student may be reassigned to another district school; denials can be appealed to the district within 10 calendar days and then to the county office of education within 30 days |
Interdistrict permit steps for new out-of-district students (2026-27)
- Request an interdistrict release from the district of residence (Irvine Unified for Irvine residents); students coming from private school or entering school for the first time also need one
- Send the approved permit to Los Alamitos Unified (IDTRequest@losal.org) or deliver it to the District Office; for 2026-27 permits were date-stamped and processed from March 2, 2026
- Submit middle and high school transcripts and the current report card, attendance and discipline records, recent state test results and any IEP, Section 504, GATE or AP information, and complete two online district forms
- Wait for a decision: because of volume, new applicants may not hear until mid-May or early June; a denial can be appealed to the district within 10 calendar days and then to the county office of education within 30 days
- After approval, register on the school's registration day: in 2026 the grade 9 date was July 30, after completing data confirmation in the Aeries parent portal
Los Alamitos High School UC Admissions Over Twelve Years: Applicants, Admit Rates, and GPA
The data below come from the UC Office of the President’s UC Infocenter, reported by source high school and updated every year. They answer two questions: how many Los Alamitos High School students apply and are admitted each year, and what GPA admitted students hold. GPA is UC’s weighted, capped GPA, which counts only courses 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 the Top Six UC Campuses
Families pay most attention to Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Irvine and Davis. The table lists, year by year, how many Los Alamitos High School students applied to, were admitted by and enrolled at each campus, and their average GPA. Use the buttons to switch measures.
From 2014 to 2025, the admit rate for Los Alamitos High School applicants to UC Los Angeles fell from 22% to 10%, and to UC Berkeley fell from 20% to 17%; the rate at UC Irvine fell from 42% to 32%.
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 | 23 (17%) | 19 (10%) | 47 (25%) | 53 (31%) | 63 (32%) | 43 (35%) |
| 2024 | 18 (12%) | 15 (7%) | 45 (20%) | 72 (36%) | 80 (38%) | 56 (41%) |
| 2023 | 23 (18%) | 17 (9%) | 36 (19%) | 44 (27%) | 45 (24%) | 27 (29%) |
| 2022 | 24 (18%) | 18 (9%) | 25 (12%) | 44 (25%) | 54 (30%) | 28 (31%) |
| 2021 | 25 (21%) | 26 (13%) | 43 (25%) | 40 (23%) | 64 (35%) | 49 (45%) |
| 2020 | 22 (23%) | 18 (12%) | 44 (30%) | 47 (36%) | 42 (30%) | 40 (46%) |
| 2019 | 21 (21%) | 22 (13%) | 36 (23%) | 35 (26%) | 58 (37%) | 22 (31%) |
| 2018 | 19 (16%) | 25 (14%) | 56 (31%) | 37 (22%) | 65 (37%) | 34 (32%) |
| 2017 | 18 (16%) | 31 (17%) | 63 (37%) | 35 (25%) | 67 (41%) | 45 (46%) |
| 2016 | 20 (22%) | 23 (16%) | 39 (28%) | 42 (31%) | 52 (35%) | 33 (37%) |
| 2015 | 22 (25%) | 15 (12%) | 38 (31%) | 31 (30%) | 40 (32%) | 23 (29%) |
| 2014 | 21 (20%) | 27 (22%) | 44 (36%) | 28 (25%) | 52 (42%) | 29 (39%) |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▼ 20% → 17% | ▼ 22% → 10% | ▼ 36% → 25% | ▲ 25% → 31% | ▼ 42% → 32% | ▼ 39% → 35% |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 139 | 185 | 188 | 172 | 195 | 122 |
| 2024 | 146 | 205 | 221 | 201 | 211 | 135 |
| 2023 | 126 | 188 | 185 | 166 | 190 | 94 |
| 2022 | 135 | 203 | 206 | 178 | 182 | 91 |
| 2021 | 117 | 195 | 174 | 173 | 185 | 110 |
| 2020 | 94 | 147 | 148 | 129 | 140 | 87 |
| 2019 | 98 | 168 | 156 | 134 | 155 | 71 |
| 2018 | 116 | 177 | 180 | 171 | 174 | 105 |
| 2017 | 116 | 185 | 170 | 142 | 163 | 97 |
| 2016 | 90 | 146 | 138 | 136 | 148 | 89 |
| 2015 | 87 | 127 | 123 | 104 | 126 | 78 |
| 2014 | 105 | 121 | 123 | 110 | 125 | 75 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▲ 105 → 139 | ▲ 121 → 185 | ▲ 123 → 188 | ▲ 110 → 172 | ▲ 125 → 195 | ▲ 75 → 122 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 9 | 9 | 13 | 8 | 20 | 4 |
| 2024 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 33 | 12 |
| 2023 | 9 | 15 | 13 | 7 | 10 | — |
| 2022 | 17 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 19 | — |
| 2021 | 13 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 16 | 12 |
| 2020 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 5 |
| 2019 | 9 | 16 | 9 | 4 | 17 | — |
| 2018 | 11 | 10 | 14 | 8 | 11 | 4 |
| 2017 | 6 | 16 | 19 | 11 | 13 | 7 |
| 2016 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 7 |
| 2015 | 13 | — | 8 | 7 | 10 | 6 |
| 2014 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 5 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▼ 11 → 9 | ▼ 11 → 9 | ▲ 9 → 13 | ▲ 6 → 8 | ▲ 11 → 20 | ▼ 5 → 4 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 4.29 | 4.31 | 4.28 | 4.30 | 4.21 | 4.22 |
| 2024 | 4.26 | 4.35 | 4.32 | 4.29 | 4.21 | 4.25 |
| 2023 | 4.29 | 4.27 | 4.26 | 4.24 | 4.26 | 4.25 |
| 2022 | 4.21 | 4.28 | 4.28 | 4.29 | 4.25 | 4.27 |
| 2021 | 4.29 | 4.30 | 4.32 | 4.28 | 4.26 | 4.23 |
| 2020 | 4.30 | 4.32 | 4.29 | 4.21 | 4.17 | 4.25 |
| 2019 | 4.16 | 4.25 | 4.26 | 4.25 | 4.16 | 4.28 |
| 2018 | 4.28 | 4.27 | 4.26 | 4.25 | 4.19 | 4.25 |
| 2017 | 4.29 | 4.24 | 4.21 | 4.14 | 4.19 | 4.15 |
| 2016 | 4.22 | 4.20 | 4.18 | 4.09 | 4.10 | 4.12 |
| 2015 | 4.21 | 4.31 | 4.19 | 4.11 | 4.16 | 4.19 |
| 2014 | 4.25 | 4.23 | 4.18 | 4.10 | 4.13 | 4.16 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▲ 4.25 → 4.29 | ▲ 4.23 → 4.31 | ▲ 4.18 → 4.28 | ▲ 4.10 → 4.30 | ▲ 4.13 → 4.21 | ▲ 4.16 → 4.22 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 4.08 | 4.02 | 3.98 | 3.98 | 3.95 | 3.98 |
| 2024 | 4.12 | 4.06 | 4.04 | 4.02 | 4.00 | 4.09 |
| 2023 | 4.06 | 4.01 | 3.99 | 3.99 | 3.95 | 4.01 |
| 2022 | 4.10 | 4.05 | 4.04 | 4.02 | 4.01 | 4.07 |
| 2021 | 4.10 | 4.04 | 4.00 | 3.96 | 3.98 | 4.00 |
| 2020 | 4.08 | 4.01 | 3.97 | 3.93 | 3.92 | 3.97 |
| 2019 | 4.08 | 4.00 | 3.96 | 3.91 | 3.92 | 3.96 |
| 2018 | 4.04 | 4.00 | 3.97 | 3.89 | 3.90 | 3.94 |
| 2017 | 4.05 | 3.98 | 3.95 | 3.87 | 3.88 | 3.93 |
| 2016 | 3.94 | 3.84 | 3.83 | 3.79 | 3.76 | 3.81 |
| 2015 | 3.99 | 3.86 | 3.87 | 3.75 | 3.79 | 3.90 |
| 2014 | 3.91 | 3.91 | 3.87 | 3.70 | 3.79 | 3.81 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▲ 3.91 → 4.08 | ▲ 3.91 → 4.02 | ▲ 3.87 → 3.98 | ▲ 3.70 → 3.98 | ▲ 3.79 → 3.95 | ▲ 3.81 → 3.98 |
Applications and Admissions by Campus, Most Recent Year
| UC campus (fall 2025) | Applicants | Admits | Admit rate | Enrollees | Admit GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | 139 | 23 | 17% | 9 | 4.29 |
| UC Los Angeles | 185 | 19 | 10% | 9 | 4.31 |
| UC San Diego | 188 | 47 | 25% | 13 | 4.28 |
| UC Davis | 122 | 43 | 35% | 4 | 4.22 |
| UC Irvine | 195 | 63 | 32% | 20 | 4.21 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 172 | 53 | 31% | 8 | 4.30 |
| UC Merced | 52 | 51 | 98% | — | 3.84 |
| UC Riverside | 114 | 108 | 95% | 9 | 3.95 |
| UC Santa Cruz | 106 | 84 | 79% | 17 | 4.01 |
Los Alamitos High School GPA Weighting: The School Scale and the UC Standard
| School weighting rule | The school GPA uses a 4.0 scale, and AP courses and select UC-recognized honors courses are weighted on a 5.0 scale: in college-prep courses an A earns 4 points, B 3, C 2, D 1 and F 0; in weighted honors and AP courses an A earns 5, B 4, C 3, D 1 and F 0. Plus and minus grades appear on the transcript but do not change grade points |
|---|---|
| Weighted courses | All AP courses; The six weighted honors courses listed in the School Profile: French IV (H), Japanese IV (H), Spanish IV (H), ASL IV (H), Computer Integrated Manufacturing (H) and PLTW Medical Interventions (H) |
| Unweighted honors courses | The School Profile lists ten honors courses as unweighted: Algebra II/Trigonometry, English I (H), English II (H), Geometry (H), French II (H), French III (H), Japanese III (H), Spanish II (H), Spanish III (H) and Chemistry of the Earth (H). They earn no extra points in the school GPA and are not on the UC-approved honors list |
| GPAs on the transcript | Transcripts report five GPAs: total GPA (all courses), academic GPA (excluding non-academic courses), grades 10-12 academic GPA (also excluding grade 9 coursework), weighted GPA and unweighted GPA. Transcript designations: AP, H (honors), * (non-academic), + (college prep), r (repeated) and CR/NC (credit/no credit) |
| Class rank | The school does not report a precise rank, but calculates a decile or percentile rank from the top based on overall weighted GPA |
| UC and CSU GPA | UC and CSU calculate GPA only from A-G courses taken in grades 10 and 11 (including the summers after grades 9 and 11), without plus or minus. Honors points are capped at eight semesters from UC-approved honors courses, all AP courses and transferable college courses, with no more than four semesters from grade 10 |
| Repeats | D and F grades in A-G courses must be repeated or validated, and UC and CSU use the best grade; repeating a course already passed to raise the grade earns no additional five credits |
| College courses | College courses do not count for high school credit or graduation requirements, are not calculated into the high school GPA and do not appear on the high school transcript; they are kept on a separate college transcript |
Weighted GPA cutoffs for the 707 graduates of the Class of 2026, as published in the School Profile:
| Position | Weighted GPA |
|---|---|
| Top 10% | 4.30+ |
| Top 20% | 4.07+ |
| Top 25% | 3.98+ |
| Top 50% | 3.60+ |
These rules shape course choices in grades 10 and 11. Following the grade levels in the Curriculum Handbook, a student who finished Algebra I in middle school takes Geometry Honors in grade 9 and Algebra II/Trigonometry in grade 10, and neither is weighted; English I and II Honors are unweighted as well. In grade 10, then, course rigor shows up in the UC GPA mainly through AP World History, AP Chemistry, AP Precalculus and the AP computer science courses; in world languages, level-four honors courses are weighted in both the school GPA and the UC GPA, and Spanish IV Honors and ASL IV Honors open in grade 10. UC categories and weighting for each course are on Courses and Course Selection.
Los Alamitos High School Four-Year Timeline
Grade 8
- From MarchInterdistrict permits open for out-of-district students (March 2 for 2026-27); decisions may take until mid-May or early June
- SpringRegister one-on-one with a counselor: parents review the handbook and sign, students submit requests in Aeries, and math placement follows the Algebra I and Geometry Honors prerequisites
- July 30Grade 9 registration day (2026): complete data confirmation in the Aeries parent portal first, then collect schedules, books and a Chromebook
Grade 9
- Week 2Add/drop window with no transcript notation; drops from week 3 leave a W
- By week 6Deadline to move down from AP or honors to college prep
- During the yearComplete the 18-hour health module in PE; G.W.A.M. freshman retreats
- SpringChoose grade 10 courses: AP World History is grade 10 only, and AP Chemistry and AP Precalculus open in grade 10
Grade 10
- FallThe school recommends the on-campus PSAT and PreACT
- From grade 10CSF semesters begin to count toward Gold Sealbearer status
- SpringChoose grade 11 courses: AP English Language and AP US History, with AP Calculus and AP Statistics opening in grade 11
Grade 11
- OctoberPSAT/NMSQT, used for National Merit, with no make-up
- Nov 6-13AP exam payment and registration deadlines (2026); a $40 late fee applies after November 6
- Jan-FebCommunity college night (January) and junior College Information Night (February)
- SpringNHS nomination and selection; the school recommends taking the SAT or ACT
- Apr-MayCAASPP state testing; AP exams (May 3-14, 2027)
Grade 12
- Aug-SepCollege mini series; senior College Information Night in September
- FallVisits from 80+ college representatives; submit UC, CSU and Common App applications, with counselors sending the seventh-semester transcript to Common App schools
- Oct-NovFinancial aid information nights
- SpringAcademic Honors eligibility is first checked at the 12-week progress report; career cord portfolios are due in April and service logs in May; request the final transcript at the Records Office
Three decisions set the direction. Registration in the spring of grade 8 decides whether grade 9 math starts with Algebra I, Geometry Honors or Algebra II/Trigonometry. Registration in the spring of grade 9 sets grade 10: AP World History is offered only in grade 10, and AP Chemistry requires an A in both semesters of Honors Chemistry in grade 9. Registration in the spring of grade 10 sets grade 11, when AP English Language, AP US History, AP Calculus and AP Statistics open, and that year’s schedule makes up most of the UC GPA.
Los Alamitos High School Clubs and Academic Activities
The School Profile reports more than 130 student clubs and organizations. The representative organizations it lists, and the academic group linked from the school website, are:
- Academic Decathlon
- Science Olympiad
- Model United Nations (linked from the school website)
- California Scholarship Federation (CSF)
- National Honor Society (NHS)
- ASB Student Government
- Rotary Interact
- G.W.A.M. (Griffins With A Mission, freshman retreats led by juniors and seniors)
The school does not publish its full club list, and neither the School Profile nor the website describes a math, physics or computer science competition club. The school also recognizes academic achievement at graduation: Academic Honors is the school's highest graduation honor: students must meet A-G requirements, earn a 3.85 academic GPA (excluding PE) and have no D or F in any course; National Honor Society candidates with a cumulative weighted GPA of 3.8 or higher after the fifth semester are nominated by faculty and selected in the spring of junior year, and must keep a 3.8 to remain eligible.
Los Alamitos High School Signature Programs
- Advanced Placement (AP): AP is the College Board's program of college-level courses. The 2026-27 Curriculum Handbook lists 27 AP courses, with AP Cybersecurity and AP Business with Personal Finance added in fall 2026. According to the School Profile, 1,060 students took 2,491 AP exams in 2025-26, and 91.6% scored 3 or higher.
- PLTW Biomedical Science: Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is a project-based STEM curriculum. The Biomedical pathway runs from Human Body Systems (grades 10-12, formerly Human Anatomy and Physiology) to Medical Interventions Honors (grades 11-12); both count toward UC A-G area d, and the honors course is weighted in both the school GPA and the UC GPA.
- PLTW Engineering: Introduction to Engineering Design (grades 9-12), Principles of Engineering (grades 10-12) and Computer Integrated Manufacturing Honors (grades 11-12) are taken in sequence; the final course is weighted in both the school GPA and the UC GPA.
- Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways: The 2026-27 School Profile lists eight CTE pathways. The Class of 2026 had 207 CTE completers, and 68% of graduates took at least one CTE course.
- Biomedical and Sports MedicinePLTW Biomedical Science; Sports Medicine & Therapy (grades 9-12) followed by Advanced Sports Medicine (grades 10-12)
- Emergency Response (ROP)Fire Technology, Emergency Medical Responder and Emergency Medical Technician (grades 11-12, age 17 by the start date), offered on campus by North Orange County ROP
- Engineering and Computer SciencePLTW Engineering; AP Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science A and AP Cybersecurity
- Film and Television Production and Technical TheatreFilm and Television Production, then Griffin News or Focus Studios; Technical Theatre I and II
- Business and EntrepreneurshipLaunched in fall 2026; AP Business with Personal Finance belongs to this pathway
- Cypress College Dual Enrollment: Students can take free Cypress College dual enrollment courses whose credit may transfer to a CSU or UC campus, in fall, spring and summer, with seats filled first-come, first-served. Students submit the Cypress College general application and a Dual Enrollment Special Admit Form, then register through MyGateway after approval. College coursework is kept on a separate college transcript and does not count toward Los Alamitos High School credit, GPA or transcript.
- Performing and visual arts: According to the School Profile, 24% of students took part in at least one performing arts program in 2025-26, with 894 enrollments across instrumental music, choir, dance and drama and another 870 in visual arts. The School Profile lists the SoundFX and Soundtrax choirs as Grand National Champions. Most advanced choir, band and dance courses require an audition.
- Career Pathway Cords: Students who complete five semesters of courses in one career pathway (three semesters of industry-related and two of subject-related classes, with B- or better), log 10 hours of career experience and submit a resume and presentation can wear a colored cord at graduation; an overall 2.0 GPA is required. Pathways cover arts and communication, communications and human services, health sciences, and science and technology.
Los Alamitos High School Counseling and College Services
| Counseling team | Six academic counselors (Marianne Schaeffer also serves as the college and career counselor), plus wellness and social-emotional counselors and school psychologists; the College and Career Center adds a college and career guidance technician and a work-based learning technician |
|---|---|
| College and Career Center | The College and Career Center is downstairs in the STEM Building: more than 80 college representatives visit each fall (juniors and seniors only); a mini series runs in August and September, College Information Night for seniors in September, financial aid nights in October and November, a community college night in January for juniors and seniors, and College Information Night for juniors in February |
| Registration | Each spring students meet one-on-one with a counselor to register; parents review the Curriculum Handbook and sign the Schedule Page beforehand, and students submit requests in Aeries. Requests are prioritized, not guaranteed, so alternates are required, and courses with low enrollment or no credentialed teacher may be cancelled |
| On-campus testing | PSAT and PreACT are given on campus in the fall, and the school recommends both in grades 10 and 11; the junior-year October PSAT is used for National Merit and has no make-up date. The school is an SAT test site but not an ACT site, and recommends the SAT or ACT in the spring of junior year. CEEB code 051508 |
| Transcripts | For Common App applicants, counselors send the seventh-semester transcript automatically; final (eighth-semester) transcripts are not sent automatically and must be requested at the Records Office. Graduates order electronic transcripts through Parchment or mail a request for paper official transcripts ($3 each) |
| Community college dual enrollment | Cypress College dual enrollment is free and credit may transfer to CSU or UC; students must arrange concurrent college courses with a counselor in advance, and college grades do not appear on the high school transcript |
UC categories and weighting for each course are on Courses and Course Selection, the math routes on Math Pathway, and AP grade levels and combinations on Choosing AP Courses.
Los Alamitos High School College Planning Guide: Frequently Asked Questions
Can Irvine families transfer their children to Los Alamitos High School?
Los Alamitos High School belongs to Los Alamitos Unified School District, so Irvine families must request an interdistrict transfer: obtain a release from Irvine Unified, then submit the approved permit to Los Alamitos Unified with transcripts, attendance and discipline records and recent state test results. For 2026-27 the district processed permits from March 2, 2026 in order of receipt, and decisions may not arrive until mid-May or early June. The district is not accepting new interdistrict applications for grades 11 and 12, so Irvine families considering a transfer need to apply before grade 9 or 10.
Can an interdistrict permit to Los Alamitos High School be revoked, as Irvine families often ask?
Los Alamitos High School's district, Los Alamitos Unified, reviews every interdistrict permit each year and lists eleven grounds for denial, non-renewal or revocation, including unsatisfactory scholarship, citizenship or attendance, false information, lack of space at the grade level, impacted programs the student needs and suspension for discipline. When a school is impacted, a permit student may be reassigned to another district school. Students continuing at the same school do not need to renew each year, but moving into grade 9 at a new school requires a new agreement.
Irvine families ask: do Los Alamitos High School honors courses add weight to the GPA?
Los Alamitos High School weights only AP courses and select UC-recognized honors courses on a 5.0 scale; all other courses use a 4.0 scale, and plus or minus grades do not change grade points. The 2026-27 School Profile lists just six weighted honors courses: French IV, Japanese IV, Spanish IV and ASL IV Honors, Computer Integrated Manufacturing Honors and PLTW Medical Interventions Honors. English I and II Honors, Geometry Honors, Algebra II/Trigonometry and Chemistry of the Earth Honors are unweighted in the school GPA and count as standard courses for UC.
How do Los Alamitos High School students do when applying to UC, for Irvine families comparing schools?
Los Alamitos High School had 260 students apply to the University of California for fall 2025; 195 were admitted to at least one campus and 91 enrolled. By campus, UC Irvine admitted 63 of 195 applicants, UC San Diego 47 of 188, UCLA 19 of 185, UC Santa Barbara 53 of 172 and UC Berkeley 23 of 139. The average GPA of admitted students was 4.31 at UCLA, 4.30 at UC Santa Barbara and 4.29 at UC Berkeley. The data come from the UC Office of the President's UC Infocenter.
Where do Los Alamitos High School graduates go, for Irvine families weighing outcomes?
Los Alamitos High School's 2026-27 School Profile reports that 90% of the 707 graduates in the Class of 2026 were college bound: 71% to four-year colleges and 19% to two-year colleges, with nine more entering service academies or the military. The weighted GPA cutoff for the top 10% of the class was 4.30, for the top 25% 3.98 and for the top 50% 3.60. California Department of Education data show a 97.0% four-year graduation rate for the Class of 2025, with 82.0% of graduates completing the UC and CSU A-G courses.
What academic clubs and competitions does Los Alamitos High School offer, for Irvine families looking at activities?
Los Alamitos High School reports more than 130 student clubs and organizations in its School Profile. The representative academic organizations it lists include Academic Decathlon, Science Olympiad, the California Scholarship Federation (CSF) and the National Honor Society (NHS), and the school website links to the Model United Nations club site. The school does not publish its full club list and does not describe any math or computer science competition club.
