Tustin High School is in the city of Tustin. Founded in 1921, it is one of the Tustin Unified School District’s three comprehensive high schools serving grades 9 through 12. According to the California Department of Education (CDE), enrollment in 2025-26 is 1,520 students, including 357 in grade 9 and 421 in grade 12; 82.6% of students are Hispanic or Latino, 6.4% White and 3.4% Asian, 87.8% are socioeconomically disadvantaged, and 20.4% are English learners. The school is an AVID National Demonstration School and runs the application-based T-Tech engineering academy, a PLTW Biomedical Science pathway and a four-year Model United Nations Leadership Academy; its advanced coursework centers on AP, and it does not offer IB. This page does not rate the school. It answers one question: how a student at this school should plan the four high school years.
How Tustin High School Is Structured for College Admissions
Public data point to four features of Tustin High School.
First, advanced coursework follows a single AP track. The official UC A-G course list for 2026-27 includes 22 AP courses at the school, and the School Profile lists 18; in 2024-25, 261 students took 478 AP exams in 17 subjects, and 69% scored 3 or higher. Honors courses begin in grade 9 with English 1 Honors and Geometry Honors, and most AP courses open in grade 11.
Second, the gap between the school transcript and the UC GPA has to be worked out separately. The school weights every AP and honors course on a 5-point scale, but seven courses labeled honors are not UC-approved honors courses, and one of them, Algebra 2/Trig Honors, usually falls in grade 10, inside the years UC uses to calculate GPA.
Third, just over half of graduates complete the UC A-G courses. Of the 456 students in the Class of 2025 four-year cohort, 437 graduated on time, a graduation rate of 95.8%; 231 of them completed the A-G courses required by UC and CSU, or 52.9% of graduates. Another 71 graduates earned the State Seal of Biliteracy. The School Profile reports that 26% of graduates went on to four-year universities and 52% to community college or technical school.
Fourth, fewer than a quarter of graduates apply to UC, and admission varies widely by campus. For fall 2025, 100 students applied to the University of California, about 23% of the 437 graduates in the same class; 78 were admitted to at least one campus, but UCLA admitted 6 of 56 applicants and UC Irvine 21 of 80.
How to Enroll at Tustin High School
Tustin High School is a comprehensive high school with attendance boundaries and no exam-based program: students inside the attendance area register directly; students zoned to other district schools and students from outside the district, including Irvine, use the district’s School of Choice transfer request; the T-Tech engineering academy has its own written application on campus.
| Where the family lives or which program | How to enroll |
|---|---|
| Inside the attendance area | Students register by Tustin Unified School District attendance area, with no entrance exam; the district's School Locator is the authority on which school an address is assigned to |
| Inside the district, zoned to another school | Students apply through the district's School of Choice transfer request in the Aeries Parent Portal, one request per student per year, which cannot be changed or withdrawn once submitted. The 2027-28 window runs from 8 a.m. on January 4 to 3 p.m. on January 22, 2027; when requests exceed space, the district runs a computer-generated lottery by its priority order, and only requests submitted during the window are eligible |
| Outside the district (including Irvine) | Families submit a School of Choice request in the same January window. The district's priority order places district residents ahead of out-of-district residents. Approved students must submit an Interdistrict Attendance Permit from their home district by May 10, 2027, and the permit is renewed every year; students continuing at the same school do not reapply online, but a change of school, such as moving from middle school to high school, requires a new request. Transfer students are not eligible for district bus transportation |
| T-Tech engineering academy | A separate written application is required, and students reapply every year. Selection weighs the written application, attendance, unweighted GPA, teacher recommendation, A-G compliance, teamwork, work ethic and citizenship, and admission is at the discretion of T-Tech and school administration; the application covers students currently in grades 8 through 11 |
School of Choice timeline for 2027-28
- 8 a.m. January 4 to 3 p.m. January 22, 2027: submit a School of Choice request in the Aeries Parent Portal; one request per student per year, which cannot be changed or withdrawn once submitted
- After the window: when requests exceed space, the district runs a computer-generated lottery by its priority order; only requests submitted during the window are eligible
- By May 10, 2027: approved out-of-district students submit an interdistrict permit from their home district
- Each year after: the interdistrict permit is renewed through the home district; a change of school, such as moving from middle school to high school, requires a new request
Tustin High School UC Admissions Over Twelve Years: Applicants, Admit Rates, and GPA
The data below come from the UC Infocenter of the University of California Office of the President, reported by high school of origin and updated each year. They answer two questions: how many Tustin High School students apply and are admitted each year, and what GPAs admitted students hold. GPA is UC’s weighted, capped GPA, calculated from grade 10 and 11 courses only.
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
Parents focus most on six campuses: Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Irvine, and Davis. The table below lists, by year, the number of Tustin High School students who applied, were admitted, and enrolled at each campus, along with average GPA. Use the buttons to switch metrics.
From 2014 to 2025, the admit rate for Tustin High School applicants to UC Los Angeles rose from 5% to 11%; the rate at UC Irvine fell from 30% 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 | — | 6 (11%) | 18 (26%) | 16 (30%) | 21 (26%) | 13 (54%) |
| 2024 | — | 5 (6%) | 31 (38%) | 18 (35%) | 27 (28%) | 15 (45%) |
| 2023 | 4 (9%) | 5 (6%) | 11 (13%) | 16 (33%) | 17 (16%) | 10 (30%) |
| 2022 | 11 (25%) | 6 (7%) | 16 (22%) | 17 (31%) | 13 (13%) | 16 (36%) |
| 2021 | 7 (14%) | 9 (10%) | 26 (29%) | 17 (29%) | 16 (13%) | 11 (28%) |
| 2020 | 7 (17%) | 7 (11%) | 13 (18%) | 17 (37%) | 17 (16%) | 12 (33%) |
| 2019 | 8 (18%) | 4 (4%) | 15 (17%) | 17 (21%) | 30 (22%) | 13 (33%) |
| 2018 | 11 (18%) | 7 (7%) | 24 (26%) | 20 (21%) | 31 (19%) | 19 (35%) |
| 2017 | 4 (9%) | 5 (7%) | 16 (32%) | 14 (27%) | 45 (41%) | 12 (30%) |
| 2016 | 8 (24%) | 8 (14%) | 15 (35%) | 13 (32%) | 31 (38%) | 6 (21%) |
| 2015 | 14 (32%) | 12 (18%) | 15 (20%) | 18 (29%) | 27 (24%) | 11 (20%) |
| 2014 | 3 (8%) | 3 (5%) | 6 (13%) | 14 (34%) | 22 (30%) | 12 (43%) |
| Change, 2014–2025 | — | ▲ 5% → 11% | ▲ 13% → 26% | ▼ 34% → 30% | ▼ 30% → 26% | ▲ 43% → 54% |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 34 | 56 | 68 | 53 | 80 | 24 |
| 2024 | 40 | 86 | 81 | 52 | 95 | 33 |
| 2023 | 46 | 84 | 88 | 49 | 109 | 33 |
| 2022 | 44 | 87 | 72 | 54 | 97 | 45 |
| 2021 | 50 | 89 | 90 | 58 | 126 | 39 |
| 2020 | 41 | 64 | 73 | 46 | 107 | 36 |
| 2019 | 44 | 91 | 87 | 82 | 135 | 39 |
| 2018 | 62 | 100 | 92 | 95 | 160 | 55 |
| 2017 | 44 | 67 | 50 | 52 | 111 | 40 |
| 2016 | 33 | 57 | 43 | 41 | 81 | 29 |
| 2015 | 44 | 65 | 74 | 62 | 112 | 54 |
| 2014 | 36 | 58 | 46 | 41 | 73 | 28 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▼ 36 → 34 | ▼ 58 → 56 | ▲ 46 → 68 | ▲ 41 → 53 | ▲ 73 → 80 | ▼ 28 → 24 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | — | — | 3 | — | 15 | 3 |
| 2024 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 | — |
| 2023 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | 10 | — |
| 2022 | 4 | 5 | — | 5 | 6 | 3 |
| 2021 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | — |
| 2020 | — | 3 | — | 5 | 9 | — |
| 2019 | 6 | — | — | — | 13 | — |
| 2018 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 4 |
| 2017 | — | 3 | 4 | 3 | 22 | — |
| 2016 | 7 | — | 3 | — | 12 | — |
| 2015 | 8 | 8 | — | 4 | 5 | — |
| 2014 | 3 | — | 3 | — | 12 | 3 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | — | — | 3 → 3 | — | ▲ 12 → 15 | 3 → 3 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | — | 4.28 | 4.22 | 4.25 | 4.15 | 4.08 |
| 2024 | — | 4.32 | 4.18 | 4.19 | 4.16 | 4.10 |
| 2023 | — | 4.26 | 4.18 | 4.26 | 4.22 | 4.21 |
| 2022 | 4.23 | 4.22 | 4.19 | 4.22 | 4.23 | 4.22 |
| 2021 | 4.19 | 4.26 | 4.17 | 4.19 | 4.24 | 4.10 |
| 2020 | 4.28 | 4.25 | 4.22 | 4.15 | 4.08 | 4.17 |
| 2019 | 4.17 | — | 4.19 | 4.16 | 4.11 | 4.15 |
| 2018 | 4.25 | 4.29 | 4.23 | 4.24 | 4.20 | 4.08 |
| 2017 | — | 4.24 | 4.16 | 4.03 | 4.10 | 4.06 |
| 2016 | 4.05 | 4.28 | 4.18 | 4.09 | 4.09 | 4.17 |
| 2015 | 4.21 | 4.10 | 4.23 | 4.07 | 4.14 | 4.04 |
| 2014 | — | — | 4.13 | 4.02 | 4.14 | 4.00 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | — | — | ▲ 4.13 → 4.22 | ▲ 4.02 → 4.25 | ▲ 4.14 → 4.15 | ▲ 4.00 → 4.08 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 3.93 | 3.83 | 3.73 | 3.76 | 3.76 | 3.84 |
| 2024 | 3.84 | 3.76 | 3.78 | 3.79 | 3.75 | 3.78 |
| 2023 | 3.81 | 3.84 | 3.76 | 3.81 | 3.76 | 3.77 |
| 2022 | 3.96 | 3.88 | 3.89 | 3.88 | 3.82 | 3.87 |
| 2021 | 3.92 | 3.86 | 3.78 | 3.77 | 3.74 | 3.69 |
| 2020 | 3.86 | 3.84 | 3.80 | 3.79 | 3.72 | 3.76 |
| 2019 | 3.87 | 3.91 | 3.87 | 3.77 | 3.78 | 3.83 |
| 2018 | 3.90 | 3.80 | 3.78 | 3.76 | 3.69 | 3.68 |
| 2017 | 3.93 | 3.85 | 3.87 | 3.74 | 3.77 | 3.69 |
| 2016 | 3.90 | 3.78 | 3.80 | 3.72 | 3.73 | 3.65 |
| 2015 | 3.80 | 3.72 | 3.65 | 3.65 | 3.62 | 3.65 |
| 2014 | 3.83 | 3.78 | 3.77 | 3.72 | 3.67 | 3.78 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▲ 3.83 → 3.93 | ▲ 3.78 → 3.83 | ▼ 3.77 → 3.73 | ▲ 3.72 → 3.76 | ▲ 3.67 → 3.76 | ▲ 3.78 → 3.84 |
Applications and Admissions by Campus, Most Recent Year
| UC campus (fall 2025) | Applicants | Admits | Admit rate | Enrollees | Admit GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | 34 | — | — | — | — |
| UC Los Angeles | 56 | 6 | 11% | — | 4.28 |
| UC San Diego | 68 | 18 | 26% | 3 | 4.22 |
| UC Davis | 24 | 13 | 54% | 3 | 4.08 |
| UC Irvine | 80 | 21 | 26% | 15 | 4.15 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 53 | 16 | 30% | — | 4.25 |
| UC Merced | 33 | 33 | 100% | — | 3.70 |
| UC Riverside | 57 | 47 | 82% | — | 3.76 |
| UC Santa Cruz | 33 | 25 | 76% | — | 3.91 |
Tustin High School GPA Weighting: The School Transcript and the UC Standard
| School weighting rule | The School Profile states that the school calculates GPA on a weighted four-point system: in standard courses an A earns 4 points, a B 3 and a C 2; AP and honors courses are weighted, with an A earning 5 points, a B 4 and a C 3. The district course catalog likewise gives 5 points for an A, 4 for a B and 3 for a C in AP, IB and all honors (H) courses |
|---|---|
| Weighted courses | All AP courses; All honors courses, including Model United Nations courses labeled H or Honors |
| UC standard | The district course catalog states that universities decide which courses qualify for honors credit. UC weights only the honors courses on its approved A-G list, and only courses taken in grades 10 and 11 |
| Honors courses UC does not weight | On the official UC A-G list, seven Tustin High School courses labeled honors are not UC-approved honors courses: English 1 (H), Algebra 1 Honors, Geometry (H), Algebra 2/Trig Honors, Cultural Geography MUN I Honors, Global Issues Model UN II Honors and Comparative Gov and Politics Model UN IV Honors. They are weighted on the school transcript but count as standard courses in UC admission |
| Class rank | The School Profile states that, in accordance with Tustin Unified School District practice, the school does not rank students; it provides percentile ranges when universities or scholarship organizations request them |
| Credit recovery | Students who earn a D or F in most courses may take part in credit recovery (D-Validation). Once a course is recovered, the original course stays on the transcript but no longer counts toward credits or GPA |
| Repeated courses | Under district rules, a course repeated beyond the maximum credit allowed earns no additional credit; when a student repeats a course to improve the grade, credit is given for the higher grade |
| Coursework outside the United States | Courses taken outside the United States appear on the Tustin High School transcript only as P (pass) or F (fail), and the school encourages students to send their original records directly to colleges |
The school honors courses that UC approves and weights in admission are listed below (in addition to every AP course):
- English 2(H)
- English 3 (H)
- World History H
- World History/MUN II(H)
- United States Foreign Policy Model UN III Honors
- Pre-Calculus (H)
- Chemistry H
- Spanish 4 (H)
- French 4 (H)
- Latin 4 (H)
- Emergency Medical Technician (H)
- Six more career technical education and arts honors courses, such as Advanced Media Arts Portfolio and Pharmacy Technician Internship
This rule shapes course choices in grades 10 and 11. Under the district course catalog’s placement recommendations, students who complete Algebra 1 in grade 8 take Geometry Honors in grade 9 and Algebra 2/Trig Honors in grade 10. Grade 9 grades do not enter the UC GPA, so the lack of UC weight for Geometry Honors matters little; Algebra 2/Trig Honors in grade 10, however, falls inside UC’s calculation window and adds no weight. English 2 Honors, Chemistry Honors and World History Honors in the same grade are all UC-approved. The course list and each course’s UC weighting appear on Courses and Course Selection.
Tustin High School Four-Year Timeline
Grade 8
- Jan 4-22District School of Choice window (January 4 to 22, 2027, for 2027-28), submitted in the Aeries Parent Portal
- SpringThe district holds grade 9 course selection; placement draws on grade 8 grades and district and state assessments
- SpringStudents interested in T-Tech submit a written application for the grade 9 Introduction to Engineering Design course
- By May 10Approved out-of-district students submit an interdistrict permit from their home district (2027)
Grade 9
- Start of yearMs. Acosta counsels all grade 9 students; college and career exploration begins in Naviance
- WednesdaysA 35-minute College and Career Readiness (CCR) period
- All yearModel United Nations students attend at least four conferences a year
- SpringSelect grade 10 courses: English 2 Honors calls for a B or better in English 1 Honors or an A in English 1; T-Tech students reapply
Grade 10
- All yearThe UC GPA starts counting in grade 10; Algebra 2/Trig Honors is not on the UC honors list, while Chemistry Honors and English 2 Honors are
- SpringSelect grade 11 courses: AP English Language, AP U.S. History, AP Chemistry and AP Physics 1 open in grade 11
- SpringA B or better in Algebra 2/Trig Honors is recommended for Pre-Calculus Honors, which determines whether AP Calculus BC is possible in grade 12
Grade 11
- FallJuniors register online for the PSAT/NMSQT
- Sep 15-Nov 3AP exam registration (2025-26 dates); $160 per exam on or after November 3
- All yearStudents with a GPA of 3.5 or higher may apply to the National Honor Society
- MayAP exams (May 4 to 15 in 2026)
- SummerT-Tech juniors can apply for industry summer internships
Grade 12
- FallSubmit UC and CSU applications; private college recommendation requests need a brag sheet first and at least two school weeks
- During the yearOne semester each of government and economics; AP U.S. Government and AP Microeconomics are also semester courses
- SpringThe school notes that some community colleges let graduating seniors register early, with applications usually opening in late winter and spring
- All yearPaper transcripts are free at the school office; electronic transcripts go through Parchment for a fee
Three points determine the direction: course selection in the spring of grade 8, which sets whether grade 9 math starts with Algebra 1 or Geometry Honors; course selection in the spring of grade 9, which decides which weighted courses fill the first year UC counts; and course selection in the spring of grade 10, since AP English Language, AP U.S. History, AP Chemistry and AP Physics 1 all open in grade 11 and the Algebra 2/Trig Honors grade decides whether Pre-Calculus Honors follows.
Tustin High School Clubs and Academic Activities
On Tustin High School’s 2024-25 club list, the clubs related to academics and college preparation are:
- Engineering Club (T-Tech students working on projects outside class)
- Tustin High Robotics (competes in the VEX Robotics Competition, VRC)
- Femineers (encourages young women to take STEM courses)
- BioMed Club
- Youths in Law (mock trial and debate)
- Future Business Leaders of America
- Chess Club
- French Club
- A Thousand Words (photojournalism and poetry)
- Key Club (community service)
- National Honor Society (open to juniors and seniors with a GPA of 3.5 or higher; 30 hours of community service required)
- California Scholarship Federation
The school’s signature academic activity is Model United Nations: rather than a club, it is a four-year credit-bearing course sequence, students attend at least four conferences a year, and the school hosts its own Model UN conference every year. On the STEM side, T-Tech students have an Engineering Club, and the Robotics club competes in the VEX Robotics Competition (VRC). The club list includes no math, physics or computer science competition club.
Tustin High School Signature Programs
- T-Tech Academy of Technology and Engineering: Tustin High School's engineering elective program works with the Project Lead The Way (PLTW) engineering curriculum and Coastline ROP. The application lists the course sequence as Introduction to Engineering Design in grade 9, Product Design & Engineering in grade 10, Principles of Engineering in grade 11 and Engineering Design and Development in grade 12 (the capstone, which requires the two prior upper-level courses), and the school states that all T-Tech classes are UC-approved. Juniors can apply for summer internships at engineering, software and manufacturing companies. Students must apply in writing every year.
- Model United Nations Leadership Academy: Begun as a club in 1991, it is now a four-year course sequence in the History-Social Science department: Model UN I in grade 9, Model UN II in grade 10 (which can be combined with world history), Model UN III in grade 11 and Model UN IV in grade 12, all labeled honors. Students attend at least four conferences a year, mostly on weekends, and those who complete three years and a Capstone project receive an MUN honor cord at graduation. The school hosts a Model UN conference every year. The program description states that it is open to all students and that an honors track is recommended but not required.
- PLTW Biomedical Science: A four-course PLTW sequence: Principles of Biomedical Science, Human Body Systems, Medical Interventions and Biomedical Innovation, covering human body systems, the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, and bioinformatics, with the last course serving as the capstone. A BioMed Club brings in healthcare professionals.
- AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination): Tustin High School is an AVID National Demonstration School. AVID is an academic elective for grades 9 to 12 built on writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization and reading; students join tutorial groups led by college tutors and go on college visits, and the school states that AVID students take at least one AP or honors course by senior year.
- Irvine Valley College CCAP Dual Enrollment: Through a CCAP agreement, Irvine Valley College (IVC) teaches college courses on the Tustin High School campus; the School Profile lists Dance 77, Human Development (HD 7 and HD 15), Criminal Law (AJ 4), Paralegal Studies (AJ 116), Kinesiology 85 and Sign Language 21 and 22, and students earn both high school and college credit. The school covers tuition and books for on-campus CCAP courses; for general dual enrollment courses, families pay book and health fees.
- Career Technical Education (CTE) Pathways: The School Profile lists CTE pathways in Bio Medical Technology, Engineering, Software Engineering, Graphic Design, Visual Imagery, Media Arts and Robotics, and pathway completers earn a cord at graduation; 21% of Class of 2025 graduates completed at least one pathway. The school website also lists Applied Medical and Music Technology pathways.
- Coastline ROP Career Courses: The district partners with Coastline ROP to offer career technical courses after school and in the summer, and states that ROP courses earn credit and can meet UC A-G requirements. On-campus ROP courses include Culinary Arts (advanced or internship) and Emergency Medical Responder; on-campus ROP classes require students to be at least sophomores, and off-campus ROP classes require students to be at least 16.
Tustin High School Counseling and College Services
| Counselor assignments | The counseling team is organized as follows: Ms. Acosta works with all grade 9 students; other students are assigned by last name to Ms. Williams (A to Garcia), Ms. Hagstrom (Garcilazo to Orantes) and Ms. Swanson (Ordonez to Z); Ms. Bassoco is the intervention counselor; and the team also has a counseling technician and a counseling secretary. Viridiana Garcia runs the College and Career Center |
|---|---|
| College planning | Counselors use Naviance from grade 9 for college and career exploration, and students also sign up for campus college visits there. The school's four-year course plan worksheet requires at least six classes a year in grades 9 through 11 and at least five in grade 12 |
| CCR period | Every Wednesday, a 35-minute College and Career Readiness (CCR) period covers college and career planning for all students |
| Letters of recommendation | UC and CSU applications do not require letters of recommendation. Students applying to private colleges that require letters must first give a brag sheet to administrators and counselors and allow at least two school weeks |
| Standardized tests | The school code for the SAT and ACT is 053570. Juniors register for the PSAT/NMSQT through an online form |
| Transcripts | Paper transcripts are requested at the school office free of charge; electronic transcripts are sent through Parchment for a fee |
| Community college dual enrollment | The dual enrollment process has five steps: apply to Irvine Valley College through OpenCCCApply, complete the CCAP form with parent approval, get an enrollment code from the College and Career Center, enroll in the course through IVC's MySite, and take the class and check grades in Canvas; IVC course grades do not appear in Aeries until the final grade is submitted |
See Courses and Course Selection for each course’s UC area and weighting, the Math Pathway for math routes, and AP Courses for choosing AP combinations.
Tustin High School College Planning Guide: Frequently Asked Questions
Can Irvine families transfer to Tustin High School?
Tustin High School accepts transfer requests from outside its district. The school belongs to the Tustin Unified School District, and Irvine families living outside the district can apply during the January School of Choice window; for 2027-28 it runs from 8 a.m. on January 4 to 3 p.m. on January 22, 2027, through the Aeries Parent Portal, with one request per student per year. When seats run short, the district runs a computer-generated lottery by its priority order, with district residents ahead of out-of-district residents. Approved students must submit an interdistrict permit from their home district, such as Irvine Unified, by May 10, 2027, and transfer students are not eligible for district bus service.
Irvine families ask: do Tustin High School honors courses count as weighted in both the school GPA and the UC GPA?
Tustin High School weights AP and honors courses on a 5-point scale on its transcript: an A earns 5 points, a B 4 and a C 3. UC uses a different list. On the official UC A-G list, seven of the school's honors courses are not UC-approved honors courses, including English 1 (H), Algebra 1 Honors, Geometry (H), Algebra 2/Trig Honors and three Model UN honors courses (I, II and IV), so UC counts them as standard courses. English 2(H), English 3 (H), World History H, Pre-Calculus (H) and Chemistry H are UC-approved. The school does not rank students.
How do Tustin High School students do when applying to UC, for Irvine families comparing schools?
Tustin High School had 100 students apply to the University of California for fall 2025; 78 were admitted to at least one campus, and 28 enrolled. By campus, UC Irvine admitted 21 of 80 applicants, UC San Diego 18 of 68, UCLA 6 of 56 and UC Santa Barbara 16 of 53; UC Berkeley had 34 applicants, and UC withheld the admit count because the numbers are small. The data come from the University of California Office of the President's UC Infocenter.
How can a student from an Irvine family apply to the T-Tech engineering academy at Tustin High School?
Tustin High School's T-Tech engineering academy requires a written application every year, stating the grade-level course the student wants and why, with a parent signature. The course sequence is Introduction to Engineering Design in grade 9, Product Design & Engineering in grade 10, Principles of Engineering in grade 11 and Engineering Design and Development in grade 12. Selection weighs the written application, attendance, unweighted GPA, teacher recommendation, A-G compliance, teamwork, work ethic and citizenship. The school website does not publish a deadline, so families should confirm it with a counselor or the T-Tech instructor.
How do students join Tustin High School's Model United Nations program, for Irvine families looking at activities?
Tustin High School's Model United Nations Leadership Academy is a four-year course sequence in the History-Social Science department, with Model UN I through IV taken in grades 9 through 12. The school's course sequence document states that the program is open to all students and that an honors track is recommended but not required; students attend at least four conferences a year, and those who complete three years and a Capstone project receive an honor cord. Of the four courses, only United States Foreign Policy Model UN III Honors and the combined World History/MUN II (H) course are weighted by UC.
Can Irvine-area students take Irvine Valley College courses at Tustin High School?
Tustin High School students can take Irvine Valley College (IVC) courses on campus. The school offers dual enrollment courses there under a CCAP agreement; the School Profile lists courses in dance, human development, criminal law, paralegal studies, kinesiology and sign language, students earn both high school and college credit, and the school covers tuition and books for on-campus CCAP courses. Students first apply to IVC, then complete the CCAP form with parent approval, and enroll through IVC's MySite.
