This page addresses one question: how Mater Dei High School students fare when they apply to the University of California (UC). All data come from UC Infocenter, published by the University of California Office of the President. They are reported by source high school, with the school type set to California private high schools, and cover twelve years of fall admission from 2014 to 2025 across nine undergraduate campuses. The college destination list published by the school itself appears on the overview page; for all UC figures, the official data on this page are authoritative.
| Fall 2025 | Mater Dei High School students |
|---|---|
| UC systemwide | 261 applied, 171 admitted, 60 enrolled; admission rate 66% |
| UC Berkeley | 125 applied, 19 admitted; admitted average GPA 4.08 |
| UCLA | 201 applied, 17 admitted; admitted average GPA 4.30 |
| UC San Diego | 176 applied, 35 admitted; admitted average GPA 4.26 |
| UC Irvine | 157 applied, 43 admitted; admitted average GPA 4.16 |
| Data scope | GPA is the UC weighted, capped GPA, counting only A-G courses from grades 10 and 11; the systemwide row counts students, so a student who applies to several campuses is counted once |
Twelve-Year Trend: More Applicants, a Higher Bar for Admission
The chart below plots, year by year, the average GPA of Mater Dei High School students admitted to each campus. It shows the GPAs that admitted students actually earned; it is not an admission cutoff.
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.
Over the twelve years, both the number of UC applicants and the number admitted from this school increased. In fall 2014, 198 students applied to UC and 91 were admitted; in fall 2025, 261 applied and 171 were admitted. The average GPA of admitted students rose from 3.88 to 3.97 over the same period.
The largest changes occurred at the popular campuses. Combining three years at a time, Mater Dei High School students had an admission rate of 15% at UCLA from 2016 to 2018 (488 applications and 73 admissions), which fell to 9% from 2023 to 2025 (572 applications and 52 admissions). Over the same periods, UC San Diego fell from 30% to 21% and UC Berkeley from 13% to 10%. During the same time, the systemwide admission rate actually rose from 50% to 60%. The additional admissions came mainly from three campuses, UC Riverside, UC Santa Cruz and UC Merced: on a three-year basis, admissions there rose from 91, 86 and 43 to 141, 127 and 65, respectively, while admissions at UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Irvine and UC Davis all declined.
Year-by-Year Data by Campus
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 Mater Dei High School students who applied to, were admitted by and enrolled at each campus, along with GPA. Use the buttons to switch metrics.
Official UC data · By high school of origin · 2014–2025
Year-by-year data for the top six UC campuses
Darker shading indicates higher values. The bottom row shows the change from 2014 to 2025.
From 2014 to 2025, the admit rate for Mater Dei High School applicants to UC Los Angeles fell from 17% to 8%, and to UC Berkeley rose from 14% to 15%; the rate at UC Irvine held steady (27% to 27%).
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 | 19 (15%) | 17 (8%) | 35 (20%) | 44 (26%) | 43 (27%) | 29 (37%) |
| 2024 | 10 (10%) | 17 (10%) | 30 (19%) | 34 (24%) | 37 (26%) | 22 (34%) |
| 2023 | 7 (5%) | 18 (9%) | 40 (23%) | 29 (17%) | 45 (29%) | 32 (33%) |
| 2022 | 7 (4%) | 18 (8%) | 28 (14%) | 31 (16%) | 39 (23%) | 29 (30%) |
| 2021 | 20 (14%) | 18 (9%) | 49 (27%) | 30 (18%) | 83 (48%) | 32 (37%) |
| 2020 | 9 (8%) | 23 (14%) | 44 (31%) | 38 (28%) | 33 (23%) | 32 (45%) |
| 2019 | 19 (15%) | 22 (12%) | 44 (26%) | 38 (23%) | 54 (35%) | 31 (33%) |
| 2018 | 10 (9%) | 27 (15%) | 43 (30%) | 35 (24%) | 46 (30%) | 41 (48%) |
| 2017 | 18 (14%) | 20 (12%) | 41 (32%) | 29 (22%) | 47 (34%) | 28 (39%) |
| 2016 | 18 (16%) | 26 (17%) | 27 (26%) | 35 (28%) | 49 (40%) | 32 (42%) |
| 2015 | 17 (20%) | 19 (13%) | 31 (28%) | 20 (19%) | 30 (27%) | 16 (28%) |
| 2014 | 11 (14%) | 23 (17%) | 23 (21%) | 30 (27%) | 27 (27%) | 21 (37%) |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▲ 14% → 15% | ▼ 17% → 8% | ▼ 21% → 20% | ▼ 27% → 26% | ▲ 27% → 27% | ▼ 37% → 37% |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 125 | 201 | 176 | 168 | 157 | 79 |
| 2024 | 100 | 174 | 159 | 143 | 144 | 64 |
| 2023 | 132 | 197 | 176 | 173 | 153 | 96 |
| 2022 | 161 | 239 | 194 | 195 | 173 | 96 |
| 2021 | 146 | 211 | 180 | 166 | 172 | 86 |
| 2020 | 110 | 161 | 144 | 137 | 146 | 71 |
| 2019 | 130 | 180 | 169 | 162 | 156 | 94 |
| 2018 | 115 | 176 | 141 | 144 | 154 | 85 |
| 2017 | 129 | 161 | 130 | 133 | 139 | 72 |
| 2016 | 113 | 151 | 105 | 126 | 123 | 76 |
| 2015 | 84 | 149 | 112 | 106 | 110 | 57 |
| 2014 | 80 | 137 | 108 | 112 | 99 | 57 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▲ 80 → 125 | ▲ 137 → 201 | ▲ 108 → 176 | ▲ 112 → 168 | ▲ 99 → 157 | ▲ 57 → 79 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 6 | 15 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 6 |
| 2024 | 4 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 15 | 4 |
| 2023 | 6 | 12 | 9 | 4 | 21 | — |
| 2022 | 4 | 12 | 6 | 8 | 19 | 7 |
| 2021 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 36 | 3 |
| 2020 | 3 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 13 | 5 |
| 2019 | 9 | 15 | 4 | 5 | 25 | 3 |
| 2018 | — | 20 | 12 | 3 | 22 | 3 |
| 2017 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 12 | 6 |
| 2016 | 4 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 6 |
| 2015 | 8 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 4 |
| 2014 | 7 | 15 | — | 6 | — | — |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▼ 7 → 6 | 15 → 15 | — | ▲ 6 → 9 | — | — |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 4.08 | 4.30 | 4.26 | 4.23 | 4.16 | 4.17 |
| 2024 | 4.19 | 4.23 | 4.23 | 4.26 | 4.15 | 4.09 |
| 2023 | 4.12 | 4.20 | 4.19 | 4.27 | 4.21 | 4.23 |
| 2022 | 3.91 | 4.29 | 4.26 | 4.28 | 4.21 | 4.20 |
| 2021 | 4.16 | 4.20 | 4.24 | 4.28 | 4.16 | 4.17 |
| 2020 | 4.23 | 4.15 | 4.21 | 4.21 | 4.11 | 4.15 |
| 2019 | 4.17 | 4.24 | 4.19 | 4.13 | 4.06 | 4.13 |
| 2018 | 4.19 | 4.21 | 4.18 | 4.20 | 4.11 | 4.11 |
| 2017 | 4.05 | 4.18 | 4.20 | 4.17 | 4.19 | 4.08 |
| 2016 | 4.12 | 4.22 | 4.14 | 4.08 | 4.10 | 4.11 |
| 2015 | 4.05 | 4.14 | 4.16 | 4.06 | 4.05 | 4.08 |
| 2014 | 3.78 | 4.10 | 4.12 | 4.00 | 4.10 | 3.98 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▲ 3.78 → 4.08 | ▲ 4.10 → 4.30 | ▲ 4.12 → 4.26 | ▲ 4.00 → 4.23 | ▲ 4.10 → 4.16 | ▲ 3.98 → 4.17 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 3.97 | 3.95 | 3.87 | 3.90 | 3.85 | 3.86 |
| 2024 | 3.93 | 3.90 | 3.86 | 3.87 | 3.83 | 3.83 |
| 2023 | 3.94 | 3.92 | 3.89 | 3.86 | 3.86 | 3.87 |
| 2022 | 3.97 | 3.97 | 3.91 | 3.93 | 3.89 | 3.92 |
| 2021 | 3.95 | 3.93 | 3.89 | 3.92 | 3.88 | 3.86 |
| 2020 | 4.02 | 3.93 | 3.89 | 3.89 | 3.87 | 3.89 |
| 2019 | 3.89 | 3.85 | 3.80 | 3.76 | 3.73 | 3.76 |
| 2018 | 3.98 | 3.89 | 3.75 | 3.79 | 3.72 | 3.78 |
| 2017 | 3.89 | 3.85 | 3.78 | 3.72 | 3.70 | 3.75 |
| 2016 | 3.85 | 3.78 | 3.71 | 3.63 | 3.68 | 3.72 |
| 2015 | 3.84 | 3.73 | 3.69 | 3.57 | 3.58 | 3.62 |
| 2014 | 3.71 | 3.69 | 3.64 | 3.56 | 3.60 | 3.66 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▲ 3.71 → 3.97 | ▲ 3.69 → 3.95 | ▲ 3.64 → 3.87 | ▲ 3.56 → 3.90 | ▲ 3.60 → 3.85 | ▲ 3.66 → 3.86 |
Five-Year Totals: Admission Rate, Yield and GPA Gap
In a single year, differences between campuses are easily magnified by chance. The table below combines the counts for the five years from 2021 to 2025 and then calculates admission and enrollment rates. The last column shows how much higher the average GPA of admitted students was than that of applicants, which indicates the part of the Mater Dei High School applicant pool each campus selects from.
| UC campus | Applicants | Admits | Admit rate | Enrollees | Yield rate | Admit GPA minus applicant GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Systemwide | 1305 | 743 | 57% | 317 | 43% | +0.15 |
| UC Berkeley | 664 | 63 | 9% | 26 | 41% | +0.14 |
| UC Los Angeles | 1022 | 88 | 9% | 62 | 70% | +0.31 |
| UC San Diego | 885 | 182 | 21% | 39 | 21% | +0.35 |
| UC Davis | 421 | 144* | 34% | 20 | 14% | +0.30 |
| UC Irvine | 799 | 247 | 31% | 102 | 41% | +0.31 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 845 | 168 | 20% | 29 | 17% | +0.37 |
| UC Merced | 109 | 99* | 91% | — | 0% | +0.08 |
| UC Riverside | 320 | 232 | 73% | 30 | 13% | +0.18 |
| UC Santa Cruz | 353 | 199* | 56% | 4 | 2% | +0.25 |
Three points stand out in this table. First, the five-year admission rate at both UC Berkeley and UCLA was 9%, making them the two most selective campuses for this school. Second, UC Irvine is the UC campus where the most Mater Dei High School students ultimately enrolled, with 102 over five years, 40 more than the 62 at UCLA. Third, UC Merced had a five-year admission rate as high as 91%, but enrollment in every year was fewer than 3 and was left blank by UC: most admitted students enrolled elsewhere.
Applications and Admissions by Campus, Most Recent Year
| UC campus (fall 2025) | Applicants | Admits | Admit rate | Enrollees | Admit GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | 125 | 19 | 15% | 6 | 4.08 |
| UC Los Angeles | 201 | 17 | 8% | 15 | 4.30 |
| UC San Diego | 176 | 35 | 20% | 7 | 4.26 |
| UC Davis | 79 | 29 | 37% | 6 | 4.17 |
| UC Irvine | 157 | 43 | 27% | 11 | 4.16 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 168 | 44 | 26% | 9 | 4.23 |
| UC Merced | 34 | 31 | 91% | — | 3.72 |
| UC Riverside | 75 | 60 | 80% | 5 | 3.89 |
| UC Santa Cruz | 67 | 45 | 67% | — | 3.99 |
Comparison with Other Orange County High Schools
How do Mater Dei High School students compare with students from other high schools covered on this site at the same UC campus? The chart below places the 12 Orange County private high schools covered on this site alongside 10 leading public high schools in Irvine and Orange County, showing three-year combined admission rates for 2023 to 2025. Private high schools are listed first, and schools are arranged by name. Use the buttons to switch campuses.
Combined 2023–2025, the admit rate for Mater Dei High School applicants to the UC system as a whole was 60% (434 / 729); the median for the public high schools featured on this site was 76%.
- Crean Lutheran High SchoolPrivate82%361 / 439
- Fairmont Preparatory AcademyPrivate81%245 / 304
- JSerra Catholic High SchoolPrivate60%226 / 378
- Mater Dei High SchoolPrivate60%434 / 729
- Orange Lutheran High SchoolPrivate63%221 / 352
- Pacific Academy IrvinePrivate89%59 / 66
- Pacifica Christian High School, Orange CountyPrivate79%46 / 58*
- Rosary AcademyPrivate68%97 / 142
- Sage Hill SchoolPrivate80%281 / 353
- Santa Margarita Catholic High SchoolPrivate66%385 / 586
- Servite High SchoolPrivate61%139 / 228
- Whittier Christian High SchoolPrivate63%48 / 76
- Arnold O. Beckman High SchoolPublic75%844 / 1130
- Irvine High SchoolPublic76%534 / 703
- La Quinta High SchoolPublic70%549 / 780
- Laguna Beach High SchoolPublic58%196 / 337
- Northwood High SchoolPublic79%892 / 1135
- Orange County School of the ArtsPublic79%619 / 788
- Oxford AcademyPublic77%389 / 503
- Portola High SchoolPublic77%852 / 1103
- Sunny Hills High SchoolPublic76%680 / 895
- Tesoro High SchoolPublic62%379 / 611
- Troy High SchoolPublic79%916 / 1155
- University High SchoolPublic77%786 / 1022
- Woodbridge High SchoolPublic73%608 / 838
Combined 2023–2025, the admit rate for Mater Dei High School applicants to UC Berkeley was 10% (36 / 357); the median for the public high schools featured on this site was 13%.
- Crean Lutheran High SchoolPrivate18%54 / 304
- Fairmont Preparatory AcademyPrivate16%37 / 226*
- JSerra Catholic High SchoolPrivate14%26 / 186
- Mater Dei High SchoolPrivate10%36 / 357
- Orange Lutheran High SchoolPrivate14%20 / 141*
- Pacific Academy IrvinePrivate18%9 / 50*
- Pacifica Christian High School, Orange CountyPrivate16%4 / 25*
- Sage Hill SchoolPrivate19%56 / 297*
- Santa Margarita Catholic High SchoolPrivate18%57 / 325
- Servite High SchoolPrivate7%7 / 105*
- Arnold O. Beckman High SchoolPublic13%92 / 719
- Irvine High SchoolPublic10%50 / 491
- La Quinta High SchoolPublic8%26 / 329*
- Laguna Beach High SchoolPublic13%28 / 209*
- Northwood High SchoolPublic14%121 / 851
- Orange County School of the ArtsPublic17%92 / 556
- Oxford AcademyPublic14%46 / 340
- Portola High SchoolPublic12%94 / 808
- Sunny Hills High SchoolPublic14%75 / 526
- Tesoro High SchoolPublic12%40 / 346
- Troy High SchoolPublic13%107 / 840
- University High SchoolPublic12%94 / 798
- Woodbridge High SchoolPublic14%74 / 539
Combined 2023–2025, the admit rate for Mater Dei High School applicants to UC Los Angeles was 9% (52 / 572); the median for the public high schools featured on this site was 8%.
- Crean Lutheran High SchoolPrivate11%39 / 370
- Fairmont Preparatory AcademyPrivate9%25 / 266
- JSerra Catholic High SchoolPrivate13%38 / 283
- Mater Dei High SchoolPrivate9%52 / 572
- Orange Lutheran High SchoolPrivate9%25 / 267
- Pacific Academy IrvinePrivate10%6 / 58*
- Rosary AcademyPrivate6%6 / 103*
- Sage Hill SchoolPrivate13%44 / 327
- Santa Margarita Catholic High SchoolPrivate13%57 / 455
- Servite High SchoolPrivate9%15 / 164*
- Whittier Christian High SchoolPrivate6%3 / 52*
- Arnold O. Beckman High SchoolPublic7%67 / 922
- Irvine High SchoolPublic8%46 / 597
- La Quinta High SchoolPublic6%32 / 539
- Laguna Beach High SchoolPublic13%33 / 262
- Northwood High SchoolPublic9%85 / 972
- Orange County School of the ArtsPublic17%120 / 692
- Oxford AcademyPublic10%43 / 434
- Portola High SchoolPublic8%75 / 952
- Sunny Hills High SchoolPublic8%57 / 684
- Tesoro High SchoolPublic8%35 / 466
- Troy High SchoolPublic9%91 / 983
- University High SchoolPublic8%75 / 885
- Woodbridge High SchoolPublic10%67 / 678
Combined 2023–2025, the admit rate for Mater Dei High School applicants to UC San Diego was 21% (105 / 511); the median for the public high schools featured on this site was 21%.
- Crean Lutheran High SchoolPrivate31%122 / 391
- Fairmont Preparatory AcademyPrivate22%60 / 274*
- JSerra Catholic High SchoolPrivate24%64 / 267
- Mater Dei High SchoolPrivate21%105 / 511
- Orange Lutheran High SchoolPrivate19%47 / 245*
- Pacific Academy IrvinePrivate24%14 / 59*
- Pacifica Christian High School, Orange CountyPrivate16%6 / 38*
- Rosary AcademyPrivate23%21 / 91*
- Sage Hill SchoolPrivate20%64 / 322*
- Santa Margarita Catholic High SchoolPrivate24%104 / 440
- Servite High SchoolPrivate18%29 / 164*
- Whittier Christian High SchoolPrivate19%10 / 54*
- Arnold O. Beckman High SchoolPublic18%171 / 951
- Irvine High SchoolPublic15%94 / 620
- La Quinta High SchoolPublic34%205 / 599*
- Laguna Beach High SchoolPublic21%49 / 236*
- Northwood High SchoolPublic16%168 / 1019
- Orange County School of the ArtsPublic32%184 / 577
- Oxford AcademyPublic24%98 / 411
- Portola High SchoolPublic15%146 / 981
- Sunny Hills High SchoolPublic22%161 / 739
- Tesoro High SchoolPublic21%103 / 492
- Troy High SchoolPublic18%177 / 991
- University High SchoolPublic18%165 / 913
- Woodbridge High SchoolPublic22%157 / 717
Combined 2023–2025, the admit rate for Mater Dei High School applicants to UC Irvine was 28% (125 / 454); the median for the public high schools featured on this site was 32%.
- Crean Lutheran High SchoolPrivate50%190 / 377
- Fairmont Preparatory AcademyPrivate29%78 / 273
- JSerra Catholic High SchoolPrivate37%67 / 183*
- Mater Dei High SchoolPrivate28%125 / 454
- Orange Lutheran High SchoolPrivate26%61 / 231
- Pacific Academy IrvinePrivate39%24 / 62*
- Pacifica Christian High School, Orange CountyPrivate30%11 / 37*
- Rosary AcademyPrivate33%29 / 89*
- Sage Hill SchoolPrivate53%142 / 268*
- Santa Margarita Catholic High SchoolPrivate36%128 / 356
- Servite High SchoolPrivate20%32 / 163*
- Whittier Christian High SchoolPrivate15%10 / 67*
- Arnold O. Beckman High SchoolPublic34%345 / 1016
- Irvine High SchoolPublic29%187 / 647
- La Quinta High SchoolPublic25%182 / 729
- Laguna Beach High SchoolPublic33%55 / 167*
- Northwood High SchoolPublic32%331 / 1044
- Orange County School of the ArtsPublic50%277 / 555
- Oxford AcademyPublic42%195 / 464
- Portola High SchoolPublic32%330 / 1021
- Sunny Hills High SchoolPublic28%230 / 813
- Tesoro High SchoolPublic29%120 / 419
- Troy High SchoolPublic27%275 / 1030
- University High SchoolPublic31%275 / 885
- Woodbridge High SchoolPublic32%227 / 719
Combined 2023–2025, the admit rate for Mater Dei High School applicants to UC Santa Barbara was 22% (107 / 484); the median for the public high schools featured on this site was 28%.
- Crean Lutheran High SchoolPrivate41%134 / 328*
- Fairmont Preparatory AcademyPrivate29%67 / 232*
- JSerra Catholic High SchoolPrivate23%63 / 273*
- Mater Dei High SchoolPrivate22%107 / 484
- Orange Lutheran High SchoolPrivate28%67 / 236*
- Pacific Academy IrvinePrivate40%20 / 50*
- Pacifica Christian High School, Orange CountyPrivate32%12 / 38*
- Rosary AcademyPrivate25%19 / 75*
- Sage Hill SchoolPrivate50%158 / 313*
- Santa Margarita Catholic High SchoolPrivate24%103 / 432
- Servite High SchoolPrivate16%22 / 138*
- Whittier Christian High SchoolPrivate24%12 / 49*
- Arnold O. Beckman High SchoolPublic31%242 / 790
- Irvine High SchoolPublic24%122 / 504
- La Quinta High SchoolPublic26%90 / 346*
- Laguna Beach High SchoolPublic26%65 / 251
- Northwood High SchoolPublic24%212 / 870
- Orange County School of the ArtsPublic42%221 / 523
- Oxford AcademyPublic35%97 / 280*
- Portola High SchoolPublic26%220 / 857
- Sunny Hills High SchoolPublic29%173 / 604
- Tesoro High SchoolPublic28%124 / 448
- Troy High SchoolPublic35%280 / 796
- University High SchoolPublic28%232 / 825
- Woodbridge High SchoolPublic31%189 / 603
Combined 2023–2025, the admit rate for Mater Dei High School applicants to UC Davis was 35% (83 / 239); the median for the public high schools featured on this site was 35%.
- Crean Lutheran High SchoolPrivate61%166 / 271
- Fairmont Preparatory AcademyPrivate42%80 / 191*
- JSerra Catholic High SchoolPrivate36%55 / 151*
- Mater Dei High SchoolPrivate35%83 / 239*
- Orange Lutheran High SchoolPrivate40%51 / 128*
- Pacific Academy IrvinePrivate46%23 / 50*
- Pacifica Christian High School, Orange CountyPrivate59%17 / 29*
- Rosary AcademyPrivate57%28 / 49*
- Sage Hill SchoolPrivate42%91 / 219*
- Santa Margarita Catholic High SchoolPrivate40%106 / 263
- Servite High SchoolPrivate32%29 / 92*
- Whittier Christian High SchoolPrivate29%10 / 35*
- Arnold O. Beckman High SchoolPublic32%201 / 629
- Irvine High SchoolPublic35%160 / 458
- La Quinta High SchoolPublic42%74 / 177*
- Laguna Beach High SchoolPublic32%50 / 158*
- Northwood High SchoolPublic34%259 / 753
- Orange County School of the ArtsPublic49%159 / 323
- Oxford AcademyPublic51%102 / 201*
- Portola High SchoolPublic35%245 / 698
- Sunny Hills High SchoolPublic42%193 / 459
- Tesoro High SchoolPublic34%102 / 302*
- Troy High SchoolPublic39%271 / 699
- University High SchoolPublic32%218 / 687
- Woodbridge High SchoolPublic36%179 / 492
This chart requires careful interpretation. In 2025, 261 Mater Dei High School students applied to UC, while the 12 private high schools covered on this site had between 16 and 261 UC applicants. The more applicants a school has, the wider its grade distribution and the more students apply to popular campuses, so its overall admission rate is naturally lower. What the chart shows is that “at this school, students with average grades also apply to UC actively”; it cannot be treated directly as a comparison of teaching quality.
Private High School Students Should Take Two Steps Before Using These Data
EDUBUS recommendation: use official UC data to position the student
- Recalculate the GPA under UC rules: count only A-G courses from grades 10 and 11 and add weight only for UC-approved honors courses. Mater Dei High School has 15 school honors courses that UC does not weight; the full list appears in the weighting section of the overview page
- Compare the recalculated UC GPA with the average GPA of admitted students at each campus on this page: a GPA 0.1 or more above the average can be treated as a match, a GPA near or slightly below it as a reach, and campuses where the GPA is clearly above the admitted average as safer choices
- Then review the five-year admission rates: at UC Berkeley and UCLA, the five-year rates are both around one in ten, so even a GPA at the admitted average leaves room that must be filled by activities, essays and choice of major
For applications and admissions by campus, this page is authoritative; for the school’s admissions, tuition and courses, see the overview, and for honors and AP course planning, see Courses and Course Selection and AP Courses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine families often ask: how many Mater Dei High School students does UC admit each year?
According to official University of California data from UC Infocenter by source high school, 261 Mater Dei High School students applied to the University of California for fall 2025, 171 were admitted to at least one campus, and 60 ultimately enrolled. Over the five years from 2021 to 2025 combined, there were 1,305 applications and 743 admissions, a systemwide admission rate of 57%.
How should Irvine families estimate the difficulty of applying to UC Berkeley and UCLA from Mater Dei High School?
Multi-year totals are more reliable than a single year. From 2021 to 2025, Mater Dei High School students submitted 664 applications to UC Berkeley with 63 admissions, an admission rate of 9%, and 1,022 applications to UCLA with 88 admissions, also an admission rate of 9%. Students admitted to these two campuses in 2025 had average UC weighted, capped GPAs of 4.08 and 4.30, respectively.
Irvine families want to know: which UC campus do most Mater Dei High School students ultimately attend?
According to official UC enrollment counts for the five years from 2021 to 2025 combined, the campus where the most Mater Dei High School students enrolled was UC Irvine, with 102 students, followed by UCLA with 62 and UC San Diego with 39. Enrollment at UC Santa Cruz and UC Merced was left blank by UC in several years because the counts were fewer than 3.
The UC admission rate at Mater Dei High School is lower than at Irvine public high schools. How should Irvine families interpret this?
Admission rates also reflect the composition of the applicant pool. Mater Dei High School is large, with more than two hundred students applying to UC each year; its grade distribution is wider than at small private schools, and a high share of applicants apply to Berkeley and Los Angeles, so the overall admission rate cannot be treated directly as a comparison of teaching quality. A more useful approach is to look at where students with grades similar to the student's own were admitted: the admitted-student GPA by campus on this page serves as that reference.
Irvine families ask: can the Mater Dei High School GPA be compared directly with the UC GPA shown here?
Not directly. The school weights all honors and AP courses, while UC counts only grades 10 and 11, adds weight only for UC-approved honors courses, allows at most 4 extra points in grade 10, and caps the total extra points. Mater Dei High School has 15 school honors courses that are not on the list of UC-approved honors courses, so for the same transcript, the UC GPA is often lower than the weighted GPA the school reports. Recalculate the GPA under UC rules first, then compare it with the admitted-student GPAs on this page.
