Tesoro High School opened in 2001 at 1 Tesoro Creek Road in Las Flores, near Rancho Santa Margarita, and is one of six comprehensive high schools in the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD). Its students come from south Orange County communities including Rancho Santa Margarita, Las Flores, Dove Canyon, Coto de Caza, Rancho Mission Viejo, Trabuco Canyon, Mission Viejo, and Ladera Ranch, and enrollment in the 2025-26 school year was 2,051 students. On the U.S. News 2026-27 list, it is No. 103 in California and No. 11 in Orange County (U.S. News 2026-27), a ranking among Orange County public high schools. 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 Tesoro High School Is Structured for College Admissions
Public data point to four features of this school.
First, the school offers many AP courses, and participation is broad. At its grade 8 information night, the school stated that it offers 28 AP courses in the 2026-27 school year, the most in the district. In May 2025, 874 students took 1,906 AP exams, and 92.1% earned a 3 or higher. In the 2024-25 school year, 54% of students took at least one AP course, and 86% of the Class of 2026 have taken an AP course during high school.
Second, honors courses are weighted, but UC does not recognize all of them. District rules grade both Honors and AP courses at A=5, and the 2026-27 course list also marks some career technical courses, such as Accounting, Educational Psychology, and Digital Photography, as weighted. The district course catalog also states that Honors English 1, Honors Biology, and Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry are weighted at school, but UC does not grant honors credit for them.
Third, AP Capstone operates at scale. The district lists it as a signature program of this school. In 2025, 25 students earned the AP Capstone Diploma, and AP Research had 21 exams, all earning a 3 or higher.
Fourth, graduate outcomes fall into two groups. In the Class of 2024, 45% enrolled in four-year universities and 38.9% in two-year colleges, and the schools the School Profile lists as enrolling the most students include Saddleback College, University of Utah, and UC Irvine. On the UC side, for fall 2025, 213 students applied and 139 were admitted, a systemwide admit rate of about 65%; however, UCLA admitted only 10 of 164 applicants, and UC Berkeley admitted 11 of 128.
How to Get Into This School
The conclusion first: Tesoro High School has no entrance exam and no magnet or selective program; eligibility depends only on home address and district approval. The route differs for three types of families.
Route 1: Students Within the Tesoro High School Attendance Area
- Grade 8 students at the feeder schools (Ladera Ranch Middle School and the three K-8 schools Las Flores, Esencia, and Arroyo Vista) move up automatically, with no separate registration
- Grade 9 course selection is completed at the feeder middle school each February to March; placement in English, math, and science follows the district course placement guidelines and grade 8 performance
- Families new to the district first confirm that their address is within the attendance area, then register online and submit two different current utility bills (water, electricity, or gas) to the registrar
Route 2: Students Within the Capistrano Unified School District but Zoned for Another School
- Apply online during the School of Choice window each January. For the 2026-27 school year, the window ran from January 5 to February 1, 2026, and results were sent by email by March 9
- Decisions are not first come, first served; they are based on priority codes (children of district employees, siblings currently enrolled, and similar) and available space, with a lottery when seats are insufficient; there is no appeal process for denials
- Once approved, the school becomes the student's official school of enrollment; the choice cannot be withdrawn and does not need to be renewed each year; the district does not provide bus service
Route 3: Students Outside the District (Including Irvine)
- Apply for an Interdistrict Transfer: first request a release from the district of residence (for Irvine residents, the Irvine Unified School District), then the Capistrano Unified School District reviews the request
- A permit covers only one school year and must be renewed every year; admission depends on space remaining after in-district students are placed, and the district may assign the student to any school with space
- The Capistrano Unified School District does not participate in the Allen Bill (transfers based on a parent's place of employment); a denial may be appealed to the district within 10 calendar days, and then to the Orange County Department of Education within 30 calendar days
- Parents are responsible for transportation and child care
| Attendance-area enrollment | Tesoro High School enrolls students by attendance area. Grade 8 students who live within the attendance area and attend a feeder school (Ladera Ranch Middle School, or the three K-8 schools Las Flores, Esencia, and Arroyo Vista) move up automatically, with no exam and no separate application; each February to March, the school completes grade 9 course selection at the feeder schools. Families new to the Capistrano Unified School District must first confirm that their address is within the attendance area, then register online and submit two different current utility bills (water, electricity, or gas) to the registrar as proof of residence |
|---|---|
| Entrance exam and placement | Tesoro High School has no entrance exam and no magnet or selective program. Grade 9 placement in English, math, and science is determined by the district course placement guidelines (CUSD Course Placement Guidelines) based on grade 8 performance; grade 8 fourth-quarter grades also count and may result in a lower placement |
| Process for the 2026-27 school year | Process for enrollment in the 2026-27 school year: the in-district School of Choice application window ran from January 5 to February 1, 2026, with results sent by email by March 9; grade 9 course selection ran from February 16 to March 1, 2026; registration materials were picked up July 21 to 23, grade 9 walk-through registration was on August 4, new student orientation was on August 17, and school started on August 18. The district has not yet published the dates for the 2027-28 school year |
| Information sessions and tours | The grade 8 Titan Showcase information night was held on campus on January 12, 2026, from 4:30 to 8:00 p.m., and a separate parent information night was held at Ladera Ranch Middle School on January 14; individual or small-group campus tours can also be scheduled by calling (949) 234-5310 |
| In-district school choice | Students who live within the Capistrano Unified School District but are zoned for a different school may apply to transfer during the School of Choice window each January. Each student may apply to only one school per year; decisions are not first come, first served but are based on priority codes (children of district employees, continuing enrollment, siblings currently enrolled) and available space, with a lottery when seats are insufficient. Once approved, the school becomes the student's official school of enrollment; the choice cannot be withdrawn and does not need to be renewed each year. There is no appeal process for denials. The district does not provide bus service for School of Choice students, and parents are responsible for transportation |
| Transfers from outside the district | Students who live outside the Capistrano Unified School District (including Irvine residents) must go through an Interdistrict Transfer: they first request a release from their district of residence, then the Capistrano Unified School District reviews the request, and the student may enroll only after both districts approve. A permit covers one school year and must be renewed each year; admission depends on space remaining after in-district students are placed, and the district may assign the student to a school with space, which is not guaranteed to be Tesoro High School. The district states explicitly that it does not participate in the Allen Bill (transfers based on a parent's place of employment). Permits for grade 10 and below may be revoked for poor attendance, behavior, or academic performance; a denial may be appealed to the district within 10 calendar days, and if the decision is upheld, to the Orange County Department of Education within 30 calendar days. Parents are responsible for transportation and child care |
| Requirements to remain enrolled after School of Choice | After School of Choice approval, a student may be returned to the school of residence for poor attendance, persistent tardiness, a parent's failure to arrange transportation, poor academic performance or behavior, or moving out of the district; the School of Choice decision does not determine CIF athletic eligibility, and families of athletes must confirm eligibility separately with CIF or the school athletic director |
Four Differences From the Five Irvine High Schools
When parents of students at the five Irvine public high schools compare schools, they most often apply Irvine Unified School District rules by default. The table below lists the four most common differences.
| Item | This school | Five Irvine high schools |
|---|---|---|
| Admission | Enrollment by Capistrano Unified School District attendance area; in-district students zoned elsewhere apply through School of Choice, approved by priority code and available space, with a lottery when seats are insufficient; students outside the district need an Interdistrict Transfer, renewed every year | Irvine Unified School District enrollment by home address |
| Math system (Integrated Math or traditional algebra sequence) | Traditional algebra sequence: Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2 or Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry, Honors Precalculus, and then AP Calculus | Integrated Math I / II / III |
| Whether honors courses are weighted | Weighted: both Honors and AP courses are graded A=5, B=4, C=3, and some career technical courses are also weighted; UC does not grant honors credit for three of the honors courses | Not weighted: only AP courses and some fourth- and fifth-year world language courses add weight |
| Whether grade 9 students can take AP | Yes: AP Human Geography is offered only in grade 9, and students who completed Geometry in middle school may also take AP Computer Science Principles | Generally no; only Woodbridge High School offers AP Human Geography |
Twelve Years of UC Application Data: Applicants, Admit Rates, and GPA
The following data come from UC Infocenter, published by the University of California Office of the President. The data are reported by high school of origin and updated annually. They answer two questions: how many Tesoro High School students apply to and are admitted by the University of California each year, and what GPA admitted students hold. GPA is the UC weighted, capped GPA, which counts only courses taken in 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
Parents focus most on six campuses: Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Irvine, and Davis. The table lists, by year, the number of Tesoro High School students who applied to, were admitted by, and enrolled at each campus, along with their average GPA. Use the buttons to switch metrics.
From 2014 to 2025, the admit rate for Tesoro High School applicants to UC Los Angeles fell from 22% to 6%, and to UC Berkeley fell from 21% to 9%; the rate at UC Irvine fell from 34% to 22%.
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 | 11 (9%) | 10 (6%) | 36 (22%) | 44 (29%) | 34 (22%) | 39 (36%) |
| 2024 | 14 (15%) | 13 (10%) | 26 (17%) | 40 (30%) | 37 (31%) | 23 (27%) |
| 2023 | 15 (12%) | 12 (7%) | 41 (23%) | 40 (25%) | 49 (34%) | 40 (37%) |
| 2022 | 8 (7%) | 16 (10%) | 22 (14%) | 29 (19%) | 39 (28%) | 30 (31%) |
| 2021 | 19 (19%) | 16 (11%) | 45 (31%) | 44 (29%) | 37 (28%) | 35 (40%) |
| 2020 | 21 (23%) | 24 (17%) | 41 (31%) | 50 (38%) | 38 (29%) | 37 (41%) |
| 2019 | 11 (12%) | 17 (13%) | 31 (24%) | 33 (28%) | 43 (34%) | 21 (30%) |
| 2018 | 14 (18%) | 13 (10%) | 37 (31%) | 34 (30%) | 45 (40%) | 29 (40%) |
| 2017 | 17 (20%) | 14 (13%) | 26 (25%) | 33 (31%) | 32 (37%) | 21 (38%) |
| 2016 | 16 (23%) | 17 (20%) | 35 (42%) | 35 (40%) | 32 (43%) | 22 (37%) |
| 2015 | 21 (28%) | 27 (27%) | 37 (39%) | 34 (34%) | 36 (42%) | 26 (38%) |
| 2014 | 16 (21%) | 21 (22%) | 30 (29%) | 37 (36%) | 30 (34%) | 23 (35%) |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▼ 21% → 9% | ▼ 22% → 6% | ▼ 29% → 22% | ▼ 36% → 29% | ▼ 34% → 22% | ▲ 35% → 36% |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 128 | 164 | 164 | 151 | 154 | 109 |
| 2024 | 92 | 134 | 151 | 135 | 121 | 85 |
| 2023 | 126 | 168 | 177 | 162 | 144 | 108 |
| 2022 | 113 | 165 | 156 | 152 | 141 | 98 |
| 2021 | 99 | 151 | 147 | 152 | 134 | 87 |
| 2020 | 92 | 139 | 131 | 131 | 131 | 90 |
| 2019 | 89 | 136 | 131 | 118 | 125 | 69 |
| 2018 | 79 | 130 | 119 | 115 | 113 | 72 |
| 2017 | 86 | 107 | 105 | 107 | 87 | 56 |
| 2016 | 70 | 84 | 84 | 87 | 75 | 60 |
| 2015 | 74 | 99 | 96 | 100 | 86 | 69 |
| 2014 | 77 | 97 | 105 | 102 | 88 | 65 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▲ 77 → 128 | ▲ 97 → 164 | ▲ 105 → 164 | ▲ 102 → 151 | ▲ 88 → 154 | ▲ 65 → 109 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 9 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 7 |
| 2024 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 17 | — |
| 2023 | 5 | 10 | 13 | 9 | 18 | 5 |
| 2022 | 4 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 16 | 5 |
| 2021 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 14 | 8 | 6 |
| 2020 | 10 | 11 | 7 | 16 | 11 | — |
| 2019 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 13 | 15 | 3 |
| 2018 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 11 | — |
| 2017 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 8 | 4 |
| 2016 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 6 | — |
| 2015 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 7 |
| 2014 | 13 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 4 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▼ 13 → 9 | 8 → 8 | ▲ 7 → 12 | ▲ 7 → 8 | ▲ 6 → 12 | ▲ 4 → 7 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 4.25 | 4.32 | 4.29 | 4.31 | 4.24 | 4.22 |
| 2024 | 4.23 | 4.22 | 4.26 | 4.28 | 4.14 | 4.25 |
| 2023 | 4.26 | 4.23 | 4.28 | 4.29 | 4.27 | 4.27 |
| 2022 | 4.26 | 4.25 | 4.26 | 4.29 | 4.24 | 4.24 |
| 2021 | 4.21 | 4.29 | 4.26 | 4.25 | 4.28 | 4.25 |
| 2020 | 4.29 | 4.30 | 4.26 | 4.20 | 4.20 | 4.20 |
| 2019 | 4.26 | 4.30 | 4.29 | 4.16 | 4.18 | 4.24 |
| 2018 | 4.24 | 4.27 | 4.25 | 4.25 | 4.20 | 4.25 |
| 2017 | 4.24 | 4.28 | 4.22 | 4.13 | 4.20 | 4.18 |
| 2016 | 4.23 | 4.30 | 4.22 | 4.13 | 4.20 | 4.22 |
| 2015 | 4.26 | 4.32 | 4.28 | 4.18 | 4.19 | 4.18 |
| 2014 | 4.18 | 4.27 | 4.22 | 4.14 | 4.19 | 4.16 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▲ 4.18 → 4.25 | ▲ 4.27 → 4.32 | ▲ 4.22 → 4.29 | ▲ 4.14 → 4.31 | ▲ 4.19 → 4.24 | ▲ 4.16 → 4.22 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 4.09 | 4.07 | 4.05 | 4.06 | 4.04 | 4.07 |
| 2024 | 4.06 | 4.05 | 3.99 | 3.99 | 3.99 | 4.02 |
| 2023 | 4.12 | 4.07 | 4.06 | 4.05 | 4.04 | 4.06 |
| 2022 | 4.09 | 4.05 | 4.00 | 4.01 | 3.97 | 4.01 |
| 2021 | 4.06 | 4.02 | 3.99 | 3.98 | 3.95 | 4.04 |
| 2020 | 4.07 | 4.05 | 4.01 | 3.96 | 3.95 | 4.00 |
| 2019 | 4.02 | 4.01 | 3.98 | 3.93 | 3.96 | 3.91 |
| 2018 | 4.10 | 4.02 | 3.99 | 3.97 | 3.96 | 3.95 |
| 2017 | 4.04 | 4.00 | 3.85 | 3.84 | 3.80 | 3.92 |
| 2016 | 3.99 | 4.01 | 3.97 | 3.86 | 3.92 | 3.89 |
| 2015 | 4.06 | 4.02 | 3.96 | 3.88 | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| 2014 | 4.00 | 3.98 | 3.85 | 3.82 | 3.81 | 3.87 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▲ 4.00 → 4.09 | ▲ 3.98 → 4.07 | ▲ 3.85 → 4.05 | ▲ 3.82 → 4.06 | ▲ 3.81 → 4.04 | ▲ 3.87 → 4.07 |
Applications and Admissions by Campus, Most Recent Year
| UC campus (fall 2025) | Applicants | Admits | Admit rate | Enrollees | Admit GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | 128 | 11 | 9% | 9 | 4.25 |
| UC Los Angeles | 164 | 10 | 6% | 8 | 4.32 |
| UC San Diego | 164 | 36 | 22% | 12 | 4.29 |
| UC Davis | 109 | 39 | 36% | 7 | 4.22 |
| UC Irvine | 154 | 34 | 22% | 12 | 4.24 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 151 | 44 | 29% | 8 | 4.31 |
| UC Merced | 40 | 39 | 98% | — | 4.00 |
| UC Riverside | 77 | 73 | 95% | 7 | 4.05 |
| UC Santa Cruz | 71 | 60 | 85% | 4 | 4.10 |
GPA Weighting Rules: Honors Courses Add Weight, but UC Does Not Recognize All of Them
| Weighting rule | Semester GPA is calculated on a 4.0 scale (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0); Honors and AP courses are graded A=5, B=4, C=3, D=1, F=0. The 2026-27 course list uses a # symbol to mark every course that earns one extra grade point; in addition to Honors and AP courses, these include some career technical (CCA) courses |
|---|---|
| Weighted courses | All Honors courses; All AP courses; Career technical (CCA) courses marked # on the course list, such as Accounting, Educational Psychology, Sports Medicine Advanced, Environmental Field Studies, and Digital Photography |
| Courses weighted at school without UC honors credit | Honors English 1; Honors Biology; Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry |
| How the two measures differ | The district course catalog notes separately for each course whether it is weighted by the district and whether UC grants honors credit. The three courses above are weighted at school, but UC does not grant honors credit for them when calculating GPA; the first two are taken in grade 9 and so already fall outside the UC GPA, which counts only grades 10 to 11, while Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry is affected if taken in grade 10 or 11 |
| D grades and physical education | Weighting applies only to A, B, and C grades; a D earns 1 point on both scales. The academic GPA excludes physical education, which counts only in determining athletic eligibility |
| Class rank | The school does not publish individual class rank. The 2025-26 School Profile does not list decile ranges and publishes only the schoolwide academic GPA distribution: 46% at 4.0 or higher, 18% from 3.5 to 3.99, 16% from 3.0 to 3.49, 17% from 2.0 to 2.99, and 3% below 2.0 |
| Valedictorians | All graduates with a cumulative academic GPA (excluding physical education) of 4.0 or higher are named valedictorians; the calculation includes progress grades from week 12 of the spring semester of grade 12, and the student with the highest academic GPA receives the Scholar of Scholars award. Students who reach 4.0 after that point wear white gowns at commencement but are not listed as valedictorians |
| Repeating a course | The 2021-22 School Profile states that a repeated course is marked "r" on the transcript, credit is not granted twice, and the GPA uses the higher of the two grades. The 2025-26 School Profile does not restate this rule |
| Outside courses | The district course catalog allows a maximum of 10 credits per high school year for courses taken outside the district; these credits may be used only for advancement or elective credit and cannot satisfy core graduation requirements in English, math, science, or social science, and the request must be submitted and signed at least two weeks before the course begins. Each community college semester unit converts to 3⅓ high school credits. The catalog does not state whether grades from outside the district count in the school GPA |
This rule shapes course selection and also sets the strategic difference from Irvine high schools. In the Irvine Unified School District, honors courses are not weighted, so school GPAs in grades 9 to 10 do not differ much; at Tesoro High School, Honors English I and Honors Biology are graded at A=5 starting in grade 9. The school GPA and the UC GPA, however, are two different things: UC counts only grades 10 to 11, and the district catalog states that Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry does not receive UC honors credit. For a student who takes this course in grade 10, the school GPA rises as a result, but the UC GPA does not.
The table below shows the schoolwide academic GPA distribution published in the 2025-2026 School Profile, which can be used to judge roughly where the student stands at this school.
| Academic GPA range | Share of students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 or higher | 46% |
| 3.5 to 3.99 | 18% |
| 3.0 to 3.49 | 16% |
| 2.0 to 2.99 | 17% |
| Below 2.0 | 3% |
Four-Year Timeline
Grade 8
- JanuaryTitan Showcase information night (January 12, 2026); the in-district School of Choice window for students zoned elsewhere (January 5 to February 1, 2026)
- February to MarchComplete grade 9 course selection at the middle school (February 16 to March 1, 2026); School of Choice results are sent by March 9
- From MarchOut-of-district families apply for an Interdistrict Transfer: first request a release from the district of residence, then the Capistrano Unified School District reviews the request
- SummerStudents may take Health or A-G Geometry in summer to accelerate in math, registering through their middle school
Grade 9
- Late JulyPick up registration materials (July 21 to 23, 2026); students who do not meet the honors standard may request a move up at walk-through registration on August 4
- AugustNew student orientation on August 17, first day of school on August 18, and drop requests accepted from August 20
- SeptemberRequests to move down a level are reviewed from September 16; Club Rush is September 22 to 24
- FebruarySelect grade 10 courses: Honors English II or AP Seminar, AP European History, and Honors Chemistry or AP Chemistry
Grade 10
- September to OctoberAP exam registration runs from September 1 to October 30; SAT School Day on October 5 is open to all students
- SeptemberStudents in grades 10 to 12 may apply to the National Honor Society, which requires a GPA of 3.6 or higher
- FebruarySelect grade 11 courses: AP English Language, AP US History, and Honors Precalculus or AP Calculus
Grade 11
- OctoberPSAT/NMSQT on October 19, for grade 11 only; registration closes October 5
- SpringCalifornia state testing (CAASPP / SBAC); English results can be used toward the State Seal of Biliteracy
- FebruarySelect grade 12 courses: AP English Literature, AP Macroeconomics and American Government, and AP Research
Grade 12
- October 16Deadline to request counselor recommendation letters for college applications due in November or December
- October to NovemberThe UC and CSU application window listed at the school information night is October 1 to November 30
- November 13Deadline to request counselor recommendation letters for college applications due in January or later
- MayAP exams (May 3 to 14, 2027); after confirming admission, send the final transcript through Parchment
Three milestones actually determine the direction: the School of Choice window and Interdistrict Transfer application in January of grade 8, which decide whether the student can enroll; the summer walk-through registration day before grade 9, which is the only chance to move up for students not placed in honors courses based on grade 8 performance; and the decision during grade 10 course selection on whether to pursue AP Capstone (starting with AP Seminar), which determines whether the student can complete AP Research in grade 12.
Clubs and Academic Competitions
The school’s fall 2026-27 club list includes 126 clubs, and its academic and technology clubs cover science olympiads, humanities and debate, and business.
- Science Olympiad
- Academic Decathlon (OCAD)
- USABO
- ChemQuest
- Microbiology Club
- BioVerge
- Biology Careers Society (BCS)
- Marine Science
- Math Club
- Tesoro Computer Science Club
- AI Game Development
- Applied Engineering Club
- Tesoro Rocket Club
- CGI & 3D Modeling Club
- Tesoro Speech and Debate
- Tesoro Mock Trial
- Tesoro Model United Nations (MUN)
- History Bowl Club
- National History Day (NHD)
- Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
- Wealth Minds Club (WMC)
- Shark Tank Club
- Women in Business
- Tesoro Medical Society (TMS)
- Youth Civic Leaders
- The Titan Tribune Newspaper
Competition activity beyond the club list is as follows.
- Science Olympiad: the school website states that the school has competed every year since it opened in 2001
- Academic Decathlon: a student club fields a team in the Orange County competition
- Wealth Minds Club: the club description states that it competes in the Wharton School KWHS Investment Competition
- Athletics: Titan Showcase 2026 states that in its 24 years the school has won more than 85 league championships, 13 CIF championships, and 2 CIF academic championships
The current list does not include the following: DECA business competition club; Science Bowl club; CyberPatriot cybersecurity competition club; a school robotics team (FTC and FRC robotics are offered as district CCA after-school courses and are not on the club list). On the 2026-27 list, the only math club is Math Club, and its description does not mention competition training; students who want to take part in these competitions need to do so through outside programs.
Signature Programs
- AP Capstone: The district course catalog lists AP Capstone as a signature program of this school. Students first take AP Seminar (grades 10 to 12) and then AP Research. In 2025, 25 students earned the AP Capstone Diploma and 1 earned the AP Seminar and Research Certificate; AP Research had 21 exams that year, all earning a 3 or higher
- College & Career Advantage (CCA): Career technical education in the district is offered through CCA. During the school day, this school offers six pathways: Design, Visual & Media Arts; Performing Arts; Business & Entrepreneurship; Sports Medicine; Environmental Resources & Sustainability; and Teaching & Education. More pathways are offered as after-school classes at other district high schools. Some CCA courses are weighted like honors courses, and some are articulated with Saddleback College for college credit. Students who complete two consecutive courses in the same pathway (a concentrator course plus a capstone course) are pathway completers, wear an orange cord at graduation, and receive a special notation on the state transcript
- Honors Science: The school's science department page describes Honors Biology and Honors Chemistry as college preparatory science courses unique to this school, which prepare students for later AP science courses through additional technical labs and projects
- Saddleback College Dual Enrollment and College @ Capo: District students may take Saddleback College courses free of charge, and some courses are taught on this campus. High school students may earn only elective credit, which cannot satisfy graduation requirements; grades remain permanently on the college transcript and may count in the UC and CSU A-G GPA. A Saddleback College counselor is stationed in the school's college and career center every Wednesday; in the spring of grade 12, students may take Counseling 100, which meets once a week and earns both high school and college credit
- Performing Arts: According to Titan Showcase 2026, the school has five levels of choir and three levels of orchestra, and its instrumental music program is the largest in the district; wind ensemble, jazz, marching band (Titan Regiment), winter guard, and drumline are all part of the course schedule. Most advanced choir and orchestra sections require an audition
- Grade 9 Transition Support: Upper-grade students serve as mentors in grade 9 homerooms (the IMPACT peer program); block days include a daily 40-minute Titan Time period in which students can meet one-on-one with their teachers for help; student volunteers provide free tutoring in the library after school
How to Use the Counseling Office
| Counselors and platform | Four academic counselors are assigned by student last name, along with one student support counselor, one College & Career Counselor (the district Futureology program), one career guidance technician, and one registrar. The school uses CaliforniaColleges.edu to begin applications to UC, CSU, the Common App, and community colleges; the College & Career Counselor offers one-on-one appointments on college selection, applications and essays, financial aid, and SAT / ACT planning |
|---|---|
| Recommendation letters | Counselor recommendation letters are requested through a form on the school website: for college applications due in November or December, requests must be submitted by October 16, 2026; for applications due in January or later, by November 13. UC and CSU do not accept recommendation letters |
| On-campus testing | The PSAT/NMSQT is given on campus as a digital test on Monday, October 19, 2026, for grade 11 only; the fee is $40, and registration runs from August 18 to October 5. SAT School Day is held on campus on October 5, 2026, and is open to all students, with a $70 fee; another session will take place in March 2027, date to be determined. The school does not host weekend SAT administrations. AP exams take place May 3 to 14, 2027 |
| Schedule changes after school starts | School starts on August 18 for the 2026-27 school year, and drop requests may be submitted through the district online form beginning August 20; requests to move from Honors or AP to the regular level are reviewed beginning September 16 (the fourth week of school) |
| Transcripts | Unofficial transcripts are available in the Aeries student and parent portal; official transcripts can be requested only through Parchment. Applicants to UC and CSU do not need to send transcripts in advance; the final transcript is sent after admission and confirmation of enrollment |
| Community college dual enrollment | Saddleback College courses are free for district students; to register, students must complete the CCCApply application, the one-time Saddleback form, and the district outside-course form (required for every course each semester). These courses earn elective credit only, and the college transcript is permanent |
For the grades offered and prerequisites of each course, see Courses and Course Selection; for math pathways, see Math Pathways; for choosing AP courses, see AP Courses and Pass Rates. For a comparison with the five Irvine public high schools, see the Irvine Unified School District High School Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Irvine students attend Tesoro High School?
They can apply, but admission is not guaranteed. Irvine residents belong to the Irvine Unified School District, so attending Tesoro High School requires an Interdistrict Transfer: the family first requests a release from the Irvine Unified School District, then the Capistrano Unified School District reviews the request, and the student may enroll only after both districts approve. A permit covers only one school year and must be renewed every year; the Capistrano Unified School District approves requests based on space remaining after in-district students are placed, may assign the student to any school with space, and states explicitly that it does not participate in the Allen Bill, which allows transfers based on a parent's place of employment. Parents are responsible for transportation and child care.
Are honors courses weighted in the GPA at Tesoro High School?
Yes, and this is the largest difference in rules between Tesoro High School and the five Irvine public high schools. According to the Tesoro High School 2025-2026 School Profile, both Honors and AP courses are graded A=5, B=4, C=3, D=1, and the 2026-27 course list also marks some career technical courses as weighted. Honors courses in the Irvine Unified School District are not weighted. Note that three courses, Honors English 1, Honors Biology, and Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry, are weighted at school, but UC does not grant honors credit for them when calculating GPA.
Where does Tesoro High School rank in U.S. News?
According to the U.S. News 2026-27 Best High Schools list compiled by the Orange County Department of Education on September 1, 2026, Tesoro High School is No. 103 in California, No. 692 nationally, and No. 11 in Orange County (U.S. News 2026-27), a ranking among Orange County public high schools. On the same list, the Irvine Unified School District schools rank as follows in California: Portola High School No. 61, University High School No. 64, and Northwood High School No. 97.
What GPA does a Tesoro High School student need to apply to the University of California?
According to official data from the University of California Office of the President, reported by high school of origin, the average weighted GPA of Tesoro High School students admitted for fall 2025 was: UCLA 4.32, UC Santa Barbara 4.31, UC San Diego 4.29, UC Berkeley 4.25, UC Irvine 4.24, and UC Davis 4.22. This is the UC weighted, capped GPA, which counts only courses taken in grades 10 to 11; it is not an admission cutoff. Twelve years of year-by-year data appear in the UC data section of this page.
Where do Tesoro High School graduates go after high school?
According to the Tesoro High School 2025-2026 School Profile, 45% of the Class of 2024 enrolled in four-year universities, 38.9% in two-year colleges, and 16.2% chose other paths; 73% of those continuing their education stayed in California. The schools the School Profile lists as enrolling the most students that year include Saddleback College, University of Utah, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and San Diego State University. Official UC data show that for fall 2025, 213 Tesoro High School students applied to the University of California, and 139 were admitted to at least one campus.
Can grade 9 students take AP courses at Tesoro High School?
Yes, and this is another difference from Irvine. At Tesoro High School, AP Human Geography is offered only in grade 9 and requires concurrent enrollment in Honors English 1 or meeting its entry standard; in 2025, 114 exams were taken in this course. Grade 9 students who completed Geometry in middle school may also take AP Computer Science Principles. In the Irvine Unified School District, grade 9 students generally do not take AP courses; only Woodbridge High School offers AP Human Geography to them.
