TVT Community Day School is a TK-12 Jewish community day school in Irvine, formerly known as Tarbut V’Torah. Holocaust survivor Irving Gelman founded the school in 1991, and the current Middle and Upper School campus opened at 5 Federation Way in 2002, across the street from UC Irvine. According to the Upper School Profile 2026-27, the school enrolled 802 students as of August 11, 2026, including 236 in the high school and 58 in the Class of 2027. The school runs a dual curriculum: alongside college-preparatory courses, students take Jewish Studies every year. This page covers the high school (grades 9-12); admission, tuition by division and programs for TK through grade 8 are on the Kindergarten to Grade 8 page. This page does not rate the school; it answers two questions: how to gain admission, and how to plan the four years after enrolling.
UC A-G refers to the 7 categories of high school courses (a through g) required by the University of California and California State University; UC recognizes only the courses listed on a school’s A-G list. AP is the College Board’s Advanced Placement program, and honors courses are advanced courses designed by the school. The ISEE is the Independent School Entrance Examination.
How the High School at TVT Community Day School Works
The public data point to four features of the high school at TVT Community Day School.
First, Jewish Studies and Hebrew are built into the schedule. Students take one Jewish Studies course in each of grades 9 through 12, for 40 credits; the 30-credit world language requirement may be met with Hebrew or Spanish. On the UC A-G list for 2026-27, the Jewish Studies courses are all category g (college-preparatory elective): they count toward UC subject requirements, but UC does not weight them.
Second, the course offerings are broad and finely leveled. The UC A-G list for 2026-27 registers 108 courses at the school, 40 of them UC-certified honors courses. The Upper School Profile 2026-27 lists 24 AP courses and 26 honors courses, with AP Environmental Science, AP Music Theory, and AP Studio Art not offered that year. Mathematics includes a competition-oriented Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) sequence and runs as high as Multivariable Calculus.
Third, the school publishes a fairly complete set of academic data. The 2026-27 Profile reports a mean GPA of 3.67 unweighted and 4.00 weighted for the Classes of 2025 and 2026, average SAT scores of 690 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and 692 in Math, an average ACT score of 27.5, and a 97% AP pass rate; the school does not rank students. The Profile does not state which classes or how many test takers the test averages cover, nor the year and definition behind the AP pass rate.
Fourth, the University of California is one of the main application destinations, but admits to the most selective campuses are few. Official UC data show that in fall 2025, 32 students applied to UC and 19 were admitted to at least one campus; 27 applied to UC Los Angeles and 3 were admitted, and 20 applied to UC Berkeley, with fewer than 3 admitted (not published by UC). The colleges where the Class of 2026 enrolled, as published by the school, include private and public universities in and outside California as well as institutions overseas.
How to Apply to TVT Community Day School
TVT admits students to the Middle and Upper School for grades 6 through 11 through a single process, and high school applicants follow the same steps. The steps below follow the Apply page for 2027-28.
Application Steps (Grades 6-11)
- Submit the online inquiry form, after which the school invites the family to schedule a campus tour; the Middle & Upper School Open House is on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., during a regular school day
- Submit the online application through the admissions portal from October 1, 2026, and pay the nonrefundable application fee
- Upload every supporting document listed in the admissions portal
- Families seeking financial aid apply separately on the Clarity platform (opening December 1 for new families); the school reviews aid applications only after the admission application is complete
- Register for the ISEE with school code 054346; the testing company sends scores directly
- Once materials are complete, the admissions office schedules an interview or a Shadow Day
- Submit the application and all documents by February 1, 2027, the priority deadline for all grades; new-family financial aid applications are due the same day
- Check the decision in myTVT in late February; within 10 business days of acceptance, return the enrollment contract online with a nonrefundable enrollment deposit or initial payment
| Entrance test | Applicants to grades 6 through 11 must take the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Examination); TVT's ISEE school code is 054346, and scores must be sent directly by the testing company. The FAQ page states that test scores are one part of the evaluation, and that student visits, report cards, teacher questionnaires, and faculty feedback carry equal weight |
|---|---|
| Application timeline | For 2027-28: the online application opens October 1, 2026; February 1, 2027 is the priority deadline for all grades (application and all supporting documents), and new-family financial aid applications are due the same day. After the deadline, the school continues rolling admission while space remains |
| Decisions and enrollment | Decisions for grades 6 through 11 are posted in myTVT in late February; families return the enrollment contract online within 10 business days of acceptance with a nonrefundable enrollment deposit or initial payment. After March, the school continues rolling admission while space remains |
| Open house | The Middle & Upper School Open House (for families exploring grades 6-12) is on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., held during a regular school day so visitors can see real classes; campus tours can also be scheduled separately |
| Application materials | Online inquiry form; Online application and application fee (nonrefundable; amount not listed on the website); All supporting documents listed in the admissions portal (the full list is in the portal); Official ISEE scores sent by the testing company (school code 054346); Report cards and teacher questionnaires (listed in the FAQ as part of the evaluation); Interview or Shadow Day (scheduled once materials are complete) |
| Interview or Shadow Day | Once materials are complete, the admissions office contacts the family to schedule an interview or a Shadow Day, a full day in which the applicant spends time with current students, meets faculty, and attends classes |
| Siblings | Qualified siblings of current students receive priority but must meet the same admission criteria |
| Hebrew | Hebrew knowledge is not required for admission; Middle and Upper School students are placed in Hebrew classes by proficiency (FAQ page) |
| Grade 12 transfers | The Middle and Upper School process on the Apply page covers grades 6 through 11 only and does not say whether grade 12 transfers are accepted |
| Tuition (2026-27) | 2026-27 tuition is $47,385 for the high school (grades 9-12), $41,085 for grades 6-8, and $37,285 for TK through grade 5. Textbooks and supplies are included in tuition |
| Other fees | Other charges in the 2026-27 Tuition & Fee Schedule: a $910 activity fee for grades 9-11, a $1,045 activity fee for grade 12 (including grad night and cap and gown), $110 per AP exam, $255 to $465 per sport, and $5,175 per year for the optional Learning Lab; costs for the grade 11 Poland and Israel trip and grade 9-12 Immersion programs are listed as to be determined; kosher lunch from Flik Dining costs $8 to $10. Students in grades 8-12 must bring a laptop to school daily |
| Payment options | Tuition may be paid in a single payment, or in 3 payments (April, July, October), 9 payments (April through December), or 11 payments (April through February) at no additional cost; a 10% initial tuition payment is due when the enrollment agreement is signed. Families on a deferred payment plan must buy the Tuition Protection Plan (TPP), and it is recommended for families paying in full; TPP costs $355 per student and must be purchased at enrollment |
| Financial assistance | All financial assistance is need-based, assessed through the third-party Clarity platform, and must be renewed each year; Clarity charges a processing fee that the website does not list. The Upper School Profile 2026-27 reports more than $5.8 million in need-based assistance this year to 37% of families; the Affording TVT page states more than $5 million each year and 33% of families. For families receiving aid, some auxiliary fees (such as Learning Center and athletics fees) are reduced by the same percentage |
| Financial aid timeline | New families: the application opens December 1 and is due February 1, and awards are posted in myTVT in late February or early March together with the admission decision and enrollment contract. Returning families: the application opens in early November, is due December 1, and awards are released February 1. Aid applications are reviewed only after the admission application is complete. When parents are divorced, separated, or remarried, all parents, including stepparents, must submit Clarity applications and documents; families whose finances change suddenly after an award (divorce, job loss, investment losses) may file an appeal |
| Aid and admission | The FAQ page states that TVT does not consider a family's financial circumstances in making admission decisions |
| International students | The Admissions, Apply, and FAQs pages make no mention of international students, the Form I-20, or ESL courses; families should ask the admissions office whether students on F-1 visas can enroll |
Three points need clarification. First, the FAQ page states that test scores are one part of the evaluation and that student visits, report cards, teacher questionnaires, and faculty feedback carry equal weight, so materials beyond the ISEE deserve the same care. Second, February 1 is a priority deadline rather than a final one: the school continues rolling admission while space remains, but new-family financial aid applications are also due that day, so families who need aid should not wait until after the deadline. Third, the website does not list the application fee or the Clarity processing fee, so families may want to confirm them with the admissions office before applying.
The application dates and EDUBUS advisor review from the school library appear below.
Application TimelinePublished on the school website
- Online application for 2027-28 opensOpens
- Middle and upper school open house
- Lower school open house
- Priority deadline (application and new-family financial aid); decisions in late February for grades 6-11 and early March for TK-5Deadline
Jewish Studies and Traditions at TVT Community Day School: What Families Who Are Not Jewish Should Know
This section on TVT Community Day School answers the question Chinese American families ask most often: for a family that is not Jewish, which courses and activities are part of school life.
| Religious identity and course requirements | A pluralistic Jewish school; the FAQ page states that it welcomes families of all faiths, and families who are not Jewish are encouraged to take part in school traditions and celebrations. Jewish Studies is required every year, with 40 credits needed to graduate (one course in each of grades 9-12); the 30-credit world language requirement may be met with Hebrew or Spanish, and students who do not take Hebrew must show Hebrew reading proficiency or complete a 15-hour Hebrew Reading course and pass a reading test |
|---|---|
| Daily traditions | The school gathers every Friday morning for Kabbalat Shabbat, led by students; it celebrates more than 10 Jewish holidays each year; kosher lunches supervised by a mashgiach are available schoolwide |
| Jewish Studies and UC A-G | On the UC 2026-27 A-G list, the grade 9-12 Jewish Studies courses and the introductory Foundations of Judaism course are all category g (college-preparatory elective) and are not weighted by UC; the two honors Jewish Studies courses in grades 9 and 10 are not weighted at the school either |
| Daily schedule | Middle and Upper School hours are 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:45 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. on Friday; students may study in the library until 4:30 p.m. or use aftercare at the adjacent Merage Jewish Community Center (FAQ page) |
| Grade 11 trip | Grade 11 students study the Holocaust and the history of Israel for a full year, with a three-week trip to Israel and Poland planned for the end of the year. The Upper School Profile 2026-27 states that, because of ongoing hostilities in the region, the Class of 2027 could not visit Israel and instead traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to learn about Jewish heritage in Latin America |
The four years of Jewish Studies build by grade. The course catalog describes them as follows.
Jewish Studies (Grades 9-12)
- Grade 9: Jewish Studies 9 (Ways of Belonging) or the honors section: explores the question of who is a Jew through texts such as the Books of Ruth and Jonah, ending with a personal theology paper
- Grade 10: Jewish Studies 10 (Ways of Living, Thinking, and Creating) or the honors section: the first serious study of the Talmud
- Grade 11: Jewish Studies 11 (Ways of Responding): the Holocaust and the founding of the State of Israel, in preparation for the end-of-year trip
- Grade 12: Jewish Studies 12 (Ways of (Re)acting and Interacting): Jewish ethics, Jewish life in college and responses to antisemitism, writing a d'var Torah, and presenting a personal theology to the school community
- Students new to TVT may take Foundations of Judaism in place of the grade-level Jewish Studies course
EDUBUS assessment: because Jewish Studies takes one course every year, it affects the schedule more than the religious activities do. Students in grades 9 through 12 may take up to eight courses per year; under the graduation requirements, English, history and social science, Jewish Studies, math, science, and world language usually take one slot each in grades 9 through 11, leaving about two slots for AP courses and electives. The course catalog states that Jewish Studies aims to help every student, whatever their faith or level of observance, form their own understanding of Jewish tradition, and the website states that students are not expected to observe Judaism in the same way. Even so, families who are not Jewish should accept the every-year requirement before applying.
Choosing TVT Community Day School: Total Tuition, Commute, and Campus Visits
This section on TVT Community Day School answers four questions parents often ask before deciding whether to apply: what kind of family the school suits, how to estimate the cost, how students get to school from Irvine neighborhoods, and what to ask during a visit.
What Kind of Family the School Suits
TVT suits families who live in Irvine, share the school’s values, and are willing to take part in Jewish traditions. The school runs from TK through grade 12, and the middle and high schools share one campus, so students who attend in grades 6 through 8 usually have the smoothest transition into high school courses. For students strong in science and math, the AoPS math sequence and the engineering and computer science courses are the main strengths. Families should consider in advance that the school has no Chinese course, offering only Hebrew and Spanish; that the website does not say whether international students are accepted; and that the school does not offer AP World History, AP Microeconomics, AP Physics 2, or AP Computer Science Principles.
Estimating the Cost
At 2026-27 rates, high school tuition is $47,385 per year, or $189,540 over four years (before annual increases). Beyond tuition, students in grades 9 through 11 pay a $910 activity fee each year and seniors pay $1,045; AP students pay $110 per exam; athletes pay $255 to $465 per sport; and the grade 11 trip cost is listed as to be determined on the fee schedule. All financial assistance is need-based, and the Profile reports more than $5.8 million awarded this year to 37% of families. EDUBUS recommends that families seeking aid complete both the admission application and the Clarity application by February 1.
Commuting from Irvine
The Middle and Upper School is at 5 Federation Way in Irvine, across the street from UC Irvine. The website has no school bus or transportation section, so families need to arrange their own drop-off and pickup. Middle and Upper School classes run from 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, with dismissal at 2:50 p.m. on Friday; students may study in the library until 4:30 p.m. or use aftercare at the adjacent Merage Jewish Community Center. Actual drive times depend on traffic, so families should test the commute once during school hours.
Questions to Ask During a Campus Visit
- International students: whether students on F-1 visas are accepted and whether the school issues the Form I-20.
- Grade 12 transfers: the published application process covers grades 6 through 11 only.
- The amounts of the application fee and the Clarity processing fee.
- Class size: the website publishes only an 8:1 student-teacher ratio.
- AP offerings: the Profile lists AP Music Theory and AP Studio Art as not offered in 2026-27, while the course catalog does not.
- Whether Honors Physics is weighted at the school: the Profile and course catalog disagree.
- Jewish holiday closures and the cost of the grade 11 trip.
Comparable Schools
Among private high schools in and near Irvine that have EDUBUS guides, the main differences from TVT are religious affiliation and entrance testing. The details below come from each school’s guide.
| School | Affiliation | Grades | Entrance test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Academy Irvine | Nonreligious | 7-12 | Interview and writing sample |
| Crean Lutheran High School | Lutheran | 9-12 | No written entrance test |
| Sage Hill School | Nonreligious | 7-12 | ISEE or SSAT |
| Pacifica Christian High School, Orange County | Christian | 9-12 | ISEE |
| Mater Dei High School | Catholic | 9-12 | HSPT |
Among these schools, Sage Hill School also requires an entrance test (the ISEE or SSAT) and co-hosts Coastline Case Studies with TVT each year for grade 11 families; Pacific Academy Irvine and Crean Lutheran High School are also in Irvine. For tuition and courses at each school, see its own guide.
TVT Community Day School Year-by-Year UC Data: Applicants, Admission Rates, and GPA
The data below on TVT Community Day School come from the UC Infocenter of the University of California Office of the President, reported by source high school with the school type set to California private high school, and updated annually. UC still reports the school under its former name, Tarbut V’Torah, with high school code 051269. The data answer two questions: how many TVT students apply and are admitted each year, and what GPAs admitted students hold. GPA is the UC weighted, capped GPA, counting only courses from grades 10 and 11. UC does not publish categories with fewer than 5 applicants or fewer than 3 admits or enrollees; these appear as “—” in the tables.
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: UC Berkeley, UC Los Angeles, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine, and UC Davis. The table lists, year by year, the number of TVT students who applied, were admitted, and enrolled at each campus, along with average GPA; use the buttons to switch metrics. Cells shown as — are data UC did not publish because the numbers were too small.
From 2014 to 2025, the admit rate for TVT Community Day School applicants to UC Los Angeles fell from 24% to 11%.
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 | — | 3 (11%) | 10 (36%) | 9 (39%) | 5 (29%) | 7 (47%) |
| 2024 | 3 (14%) | 3 (10%) | 9 (30%) | 10 (43%) | 9 (39%) | 7 (50%) |
| 2023 | 3 (14%) | — | 3 (12%) | 6 (26%) | 5 (33%) | 6 (38%) |
| 2022 | — | — | 4 (27%) | 4 (22%) | 4 (57%) | 6 (55%) |
| 2021 | 5 (42%) | — | — | 5 (28%) | 4 (44%) | 5 (42%) |
| 2020 | 7 (35%) | 3 (12%) | 6 (33%) | 4 (24%) | 4 (29%) | 6 (46%) |
| 2019 | 6 (67%) | — | — | — | — | 5 (71%) |
| 2018 | 4 (24%) | 5 (26%) | 5 (38%) | 3 (21%) | 3 (33%) | 4 (31%) |
| 2017 | 6 (30%) | 7 (28%) | 8 (42%) | 12 (50%) | 5 (83%) | 8 (38%) |
| 2016 | 5 (28%) | 7 (30%) | 6 (32%) | 9 (50%) | 5 (45%) | 9 (50%) |
| 2015 | 5 (31%) | 6 (30%) | 6 (29%) | 9 (39%) | 4 (36%) | 5 (25%) |
| 2014 | 3 (18%) | 5 (24%) | 6 (40%) | 10 (67%) | — | 9 (60%) |
| Change, 2014–2025 | — | ▼ 24% → 11% | ▼ 40% → 36% | ▼ 67% → 39% | — | ▼ 60% → 47% |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 20 | 27 | 28 | 23 | 17 | 15 |
| 2024 | 21 | 30 | 30 | 23 | 23 | 14 |
| 2023 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 15 | 16 |
| 2022 | 13 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 7 | 11 |
| 2021 | 12 | 18 | 12 | 18 | 9 | 12 |
| 2020 | 20 | 25 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 13 |
| 2019 | 9 | 14 | 9 | 13 | 6 | 7 |
| 2018 | 17 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 9 | 13 |
| 2017 | 20 | 25 | 19 | 24 | 6 | 21 |
| 2016 | 18 | 23 | 19 | 18 | 11 | 18 |
| 2015 | 16 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 11 | 20 |
| 2014 | 17 | 21 | 15 | 15 | 5 | 15 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▲ 17 → 20 | ▲ 21 → 27 | ▲ 15 → 28 | ▲ 15 → 23 | ▲ 5 → 17 | 15 → 15 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | — | — | 3 | — | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — | — | — | 4 | — |
| 2023 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 2017 | — | 5 | — | — | — | — |
| 2016 | — | 4 | — | 5 | — | 3 |
| 2015 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Change, 2014–2025 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | — | — | 4.21 | 4.22 | 4.26 | 4.17 |
| 2024 | — | — | 4.24 | 4.22 | 4.19 | 4.21 |
| 2023 | — | — | — | 4.21 | 4.17 | 4.21 |
| 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | 4.22 |
| 2021 | 4.09 | — | — | 4.16 | — | 4.09 |
| 2020 | 4.19 | — | 4.18 | — | — | 4.11 |
| 2019 | 4.15 | — | — | — | — | 3.97 |
| 2018 | — | 4.20 | 4.23 | — | — | — |
| 2017 | 4.16 | 4.16 | 4.18 | 4.14 | 4.17 | 4.14 |
| 2016 | 4.22 | 4.23 | 4.26 | 3.99 | 4.20 | 4.07 |
| 2015 | 4.19 | 4.21 | 4.21 | 4.09 | — | 4.19 |
| 2014 | — | 4.07 | 4.21 | 4.08 | — | 4.12 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | — | — | ▼ 4.21 → 4.21 | ▲ 4.08 → 4.22 | — | ▲ 4.12 → 4.17 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 4.05 | 4.08 | 4.07 | 4.06 | 4.02 | 4.04 |
| 2024 | 4.12 | 4.14 | 4.12 | 4.07 | 4.09 | 4.03 |
| 2023 | 4.12 | 4.13 | 4.10 | 4.11 | 4.05 | 4.08 |
| 2022 | 4.11 | 4.17 | 4.13 | 4.07 | 4.19 | 4.09 |
| 2021 | 4.04 | 4.04 | 4.00 | 4.01 | 4.07 | 3.99 |
| 2020 | 4.08 | 4.06 | 4.07 | 4.02 | 4.01 | 4.03 |
| 2019 | 4.05 | 4.01 | 3.80 | 3.92 | 3.81 | 3.83 |
| 2018 | 4.00 | 3.98 | 3.93 | 3.89 | 3.82 | 3.88 |
| 2017 | 4.08 | 4.10 | 3.97 | 4.04 | 4.10 | 3.95 |
| 2016 | 4.07 | 4.04 | 4.04 | 3.87 | 4.01 | 3.97 |
| 2015 | 3.99 | 4.06 | 4.00 | 3.94 | 3.99 | 3.93 |
| 2014 | 4.06 | 3.98 | 4.06 | 3.96 | 3.97 | 4.00 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▼ 4.06 → 4.05 | ▲ 3.98 → 4.08 | ▲ 4.06 → 4.07 | ▲ 3.96 → 4.06 | ▲ 3.97 → 4.02 | ▲ 4.00 → 4.04 |
Applications and Admissions by Campus, Most Recent Year
| UC campus (fall 2025) | Applicants | Admits | Admit rate | Enrollees | Admit GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | 20 | — | — | — | — |
| UC Los Angeles | 27 | 3 | 11% | — | — |
| UC San Diego | 28 | 10 | 36% | 3 | 4.21 |
| UC Davis | 15 | 7 | 47% | — | 4.17 |
| UC Irvine | 17 | 5 | 29% | — | 4.26 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 23 | 9 | 39% | — | 4.22 |
| UC Merced | — | — | — | — | — |
| UC Riverside | — | — | — | — | — |
| UC Santa Cruz | 7 | 4 | 57% | — | — |
College Lists Published by TVT Community Day School
Everything in this section comes from the list TVT publishes in the Upper School Profile 2026-27. The school compiles the list itself: it names the 222 colleges and universities that admitted graduates from the last four classes, marks in bold those where at least one member of the Class of 2026 enrolled, and does not publish counts by college.
ScopeThe Upper School Profile 2026-27 lists 222 colleges and universities that admitted graduates from the last four classes, and marks in bold those where at least one member of the Class of 2026 enrolled. The school does not publish admission or enrollment counts by college, so the lists below show names only. University of California admissions and enrollment follow the official UC data on this page, so UC campuses from the school list are not repeated here. Source: Upper School Profile 2026-27 (College Acceptances & Matriculations) ↗
Class of 2026: colleges where at least one graduate enrolled (excluding UC campuses)
- Stanford University
- Duke University
- University of Chicago
- Washington University in St Louis
- University of Michigan
- University of Virginia
- University of Southern California
- New York University
- Harvey Mudd College
- Brandeis University
- George Washington University
- Southern Methodist University
- University of Maryland
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- University of Miami
- Indiana University Bloomington
- Pennsylvania State University
- University of Colorado Boulder
- University of Denver
- Loyola Marymount University
- Chapman University
- Fairfield University
- Arizona State University
- University College London
- Bocconi University
- Istituto Marangoni Milan
- Santa Barbara City College
- Cuesta College
Selected colleges from the four-year admissions list (admitted, but no Class of 2026 enrollment)
- Yale University
- Columbia University
- Cornell University
- Brown University
- Northwestern University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Rice University
- Vanderbilt University
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Emory University
- Tufts University
- Williams College
- University of Toronto
- McGill University
- King's College London
The value of this list lies beyond UC. Colleges where the Class of 2026 enrolled include private universities such as Stanford University, Duke University, the University of Chicago, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Southern California, and New York University; out-of-state public universities such as the University of Michigan, the University of Virginia, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and University College London and Bocconi University in Italy. The enrollment list also includes two community colleges. Because the school publishes no counts by college, no admission rate can be inferred. All UC applications, admissions, and enrollment follow the official UC data on this page.
Academic Data Published by TVT Community Day School
This section on TVT Community Day School lists the test results and National Merit data published in the Upper School Profile 2026-27 and explains how each is defined.
| SAT and ACT | Standardized test averages in the Upper School Profile 2026-27: SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 690, SAT Math 692, and ACT composite 27.5. The school does not state which classes or how many test takers are included; the SAT total of 1382 is the sum of the two section averages |
|---|---|
| GPA distribution | GPA distribution for the Classes of 2025 and 2026 in the Upper School Profile 2026-27: highest cumulative GPA 4.74, mean GPA 3.67 unweighted and 4.00 weighted; the school does not rank students |
| National Merit | Upper School Profile 2026-27: since joining the National Merit program, TVT students have earned 8 National Merit Scholar awards, 22 Finalist and 23 Semifinalist recognitions, 72 Commended recognitions, and 7 National Hispanic Scholar awards; 10 students in the Class of 2027 are being recognized. The College Counseling page states that 117 students have been recognized by the National Merit program, which matches the sum of Finalists, Semifinalists, and Commended students |
| Number of AP courses | The Upper School Profile 2026-27 lists 24 AP courses and 26 honors courses, and marks AP Environmental Science, AP Music Theory, and AP Studio Art as not offered in 2026-27. The Upper School page states 22 AP courses. The UC 2026-27 A-G list registers 23 AP courses: it adds AP 2-D Art and Design, omits AP Environmental Science, and lists AP Physics C Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism separately |
| AP pass rate | The Upper School Profile 2026-27 states a 97% AP pass rate, and the TVT at a Glance page states 96%. Neither gives the year, the number of exams, or whether a pass means a score of 3 or higher |
| Faculty degrees | The Upper School Profile 2026-27 states that 85% of Upper School faculty hold advanced degrees; the TVT at a Glance page states 67% of faculty schoolwide |
National Merit is the National Merit Scholarship Program, which selects students based on grade 11 PSAT/NMSQT scores. The school publishes cumulative totals since it began participating, not figures for a single class, so they should not be compared directly with single-class figures from other schools.
TVT Community Day School GPA Weighting: The School’s Rules and UC’s Rules
This section on TVT Community Day School answers the question parents most often get wrong: how the school and UC each weight the same transcript. First, the rules on each side.
| School grading and weighting | The school uses a 4-point scale with pluses and minuses: A (93-100) 4, A- 3.67, B+ 3.33, B 3, B- 2.67, C+ 2.33, C 2, C- 1.67, D+ 1.33, D 1, D- 0.67, F 0. AP courses and the designated honors courses in the Profile add 1 point to the course grade; honors courses marked as unweighted add nothing. The school does not rank students |
|---|---|
| Courses weighted at the school | All AP courses; Weighted honors courses: English 10 Honors (UC title: Honors British Literature), Chemistry Honors, Biology Honors, Science Research Honors, Sustainability Honors, Honors Analog and Digital Electronics, Honors Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Honors Machine Learning and Robotics (not offered in 2026-27), Multivariable Calculus, Linear Algebra with Differential Equations (not offered in 2026-27), and Hebrew 4 through 9 Honors |
| Honors courses not weighted at the school | Honors courses the Profile marks as not weighted at the school: Algebra 1 Honors, Algebra 2 / Trigonometry Honors, the two AoPS math courses, Honors Early Modern History, English 9 Honors, Geometry Honors, Honors Jewish Studies 9 and 10, and Honors Video and Media Production |
| UC weighting rules | UC counts only A-G grades earned from the summer after grade 9 through the summer after grade 11, without pluses or minuses (every A counts as 4). Only courses marked honors on the A-G list (AP and UC-certified honors courses) earn an extra point, up to 1 point per course per semester and up to 8 points across grades 10 and 11, with no more than 4 in grade 10; D and F grades earn no extra point |
| UC-certified honors courses at this school | On the UC 2026-27 A-G list, the school has 40 UC-certified honors courses: 23 AP courses and 17 UC-certified honors courses |
| Weighted by UC but not by the school | Honors Video and Media Production is a UC-certified honors course (category f), but the Profile marks it as not weighted at the school; it is the only course UC weights that the school does not |
Checked course by course against the official UC A-G list, the following courses carry an honors label in the school’s course titles but are not on UC’s list of certified honors courses, so they count as regular courses in UC applications.
| School honors course | Subject and notes |
|---|---|
| Honors English 9 | English; a grade 9 course, not weighted at the school, and not counted in the UC GPA in any case |
| Honors Early Modern History | History; a grade 9 course (also open to new students without a prior world history course), not weighted at the school |
| Honors Physics | Science; a grade 9 course with the UC transcript abbreviation Honors Conceptual Physics. The Profile's honors list does not mark it as unweighted, and the course catalog does not mark it as weighted; the two documents disagree |
| Algebra 1 Honors | Mathematics; listed for grades 7 and 8 in the Middle School catalog, not weighted at the school |
| Honors Geometry | Mathematics; not weighted at the school. If taken in grade 10, it counts in the UC GPA without an honors point |
| Honors Algebra 2 / Trigonometry | Mathematics; not weighted at the school. On the honors math track it is often taken in grade 10, where it counts in the UC GPA without an honors point |
| Jewish Identity / Thinking Jewishly - Honors (Honors Jewish Studies 9 and 10) | Category g college-preparatory elective; not weighted at the school |
At TVT this list matters less than at most schools, because the school does not weight these courses either: the two systems largely agree. The year to watch is grade 10. Students on the honors math track often take Geometry Honors or Algebra 2 / Trigonometry Honors in grade 10, and those grades count in the UC GPA without an honors point; the UC-weighted options that year are mainly English 10 Honors and Chemistry Honors, and accelerated students may also take AP Precalculus, AP European History, or AP Physics 1. The school lists the AoPS math courses at the honors level but does not weight them, and UC treats them as regular courses; students who choose AoPS gain deeper mathematical training rather than GPA points.
TVT Community Day School: Four-Year Timeline
Applying: the year before enrollment
- October 1Online application for 2027-28 opens (2026)
- October 8Middle & Upper School Open House at 9:30 a.m. (2026, on a school day)
- December 1Financial aid application (Clarity) opens for new families
- February 1Priority deadline for the application, all documents, and new-family financial aid (2027)
- Once materials are completeISEE scores received (school code 054346); interview or Shadow Day
- Late FebruaryDecisions for grades 6-11 posted in myTVT; financial aid awards arrive with the enrollment contract in late February or early March
- Within 10 business days of acceptanceReturn the enrollment contract online with a nonrefundable enrollment deposit or initial payment
Grade 9
- All yearEnglish 9, Early Modern History, Jewish Studies 9, physics (Conceptual Physics or Honors Physics), and math by placement; A-G courses begin to count toward UC subject requirements, but grade 9 grades are not part of the UC GPA
- During the yearPSAT 8/9; families may attend PSAT Score Back Night
- Last two weeks of the yearImmersion courses
- All yearCommunity service (at least 100 hours over four years)
Grade 10
- All yearFirst year of the UC GPA, with up to 4 UC honors points this year; English 10 Honors and Chemistry Honors are weighted at the school and by UC
- All yearJewish Studies 10 begins serious study of the Talmud
- During the yearPSAT, with the option of the SAT or ACT; Sophomore Kickstart and individual counseling meetings
Grade 11
- During the yearPSAT/NMSQT (the National Merit qualifying test)
- All yearLast year counted in the UC GPA; Jewish Studies 11 covers the Holocaust and the history of Israel
- All yearJunior Jumpstart, Coastline Case Studies, and Financial Aid Night; SAT and ACT
- End of the yearIsrael and Poland trip (the Class of 2027 went to Buenos Aires, Argentina, instead)
Grade 12
- SummerThree-day Summer Application Institute: Common App, essays, and mock interviews
- All yearIndividual meetings with the counseling team; Jewish Studies 12, including writing a d'var Torah and presenting a personal theology to the school
- FallUC and CSU applications, with deadlines as published by the University of California each year; SAT and ACT still available at school
Three milestones shape the path. The first is grade 8 math placement: whether a student takes Algebra 1, Geometry Honors, or an AoPS course in grade 8 largely determines whether AP Calculus BC or Multivariable Calculus is within reach by grade 12. The second is grade 10, the first year of the UC GPA, when English 10 Honors and Chemistry Honors are weighted at the school and by UC. The third is grade 11: Jewish Studies 11 and the end-of-year trip take considerable time, and the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, and ACT fall in the same year, so test preparation should be scheduled early.
TVT Community Day School: Clubs and Academic Competitions
The Upper School Profile 2026-27 lists 17 signature clubs and organizations; the school does not publish a total club count, including:
- Associated Student Body (ASB)
- California Scholarship Federation (CSF)
- National Honor Society (NHS)
- Math Team
- Science Olympiad
- VEX Robotics
- Stem Racing (listed in the FAQ as the STEM F1 Racing Team)
- Model United Nations (MUN)
- Mock Trial
- Law Review (High School Law Review)
- Investment Club
- Wall Street Rookies
- The Lions' Pride Newspaper
- Environmental Association
- Jewish Student Union
- TVT Cares
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
The teams that train regularly and compete are listed below (compiled from the Profile and the website).
- Math Team: all three divisions have one, the website describes the Upper School team as repeat champions, and students compete in contests such as the AMC
- Science Olympiad
- VEX Robotics
- Stem Racing
- Model United Nations (MUN) and Mock Trial
Mathematics is the school’s strongest competition area: the website states that all three divisions have math teams, that students take part in more than 15 math competitions, including AMC 8/10, Math Olympiad, MATHCOUNTS, and Math Kangaroo, and that middle school students have qualified for the AIME. The website does not publish a list of specific awards.
TVT Community Day School: Signature Programs
- Immersions: During the last two weeks of the school year, underclassmen leave their regular classes for experiential, interdisciplinary courses; options listed in the Profile for the past year include creative writing, international service work in Costa Rica, investing, mindfulness, strength conditioning and nutrition, and tabletop game design. Students seeking the Gold Distinction diploma must complete one Immersion in each of grades 9 and 10
- Grade 11 Israel and Poland trip: Grade 11 Jewish Studies covers the Holocaust and the history of Israel for a full year, with a three-week trip to Israel and Poland planned for the end of the year. Because of regional hostilities, the Class of 2027 could not visit Israel and traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina, instead. The trip cost is listed as to be determined on the 2026-27 fee schedule
- Mathematics and competitions: Math courses are arranged by stage, not age, and there is a competition-oriented Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) course sequence that the department describes as proof-based and focused on competition-level problems. All three divisions have math teams, and the website states that students take part in more than 15 math competitions, including AMC 8/10, Math Olympiad, MATHCOUNTS, and Math Kangaroo
- Engineering and computer science: Courses run from computer-aided design, Python programming, and Structural Engineering to Honors Analog and Digital Electronics, Honors Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, and AP Computer Science A; the campus includes the Arnold Shapiro Arts & Engineering Center and the Sheila and Eric Samson Innovation Center, completed in 2017
- Service learning (Tikkun Olam): Students complete at least 100 hours of community service across grades 9-12, through the Tikkun Olam day of service, service-based Immersions, and outside programs
- Gold Distinction diploma: Beyond the 290-credit graduation requirement, students who earn 310 credits, take four years of each of six core subjects (including Hebrew), complete 36 hours of service each year, and earn semester grades of C or above receive a diploma with Gold Distinction
CIF teams listed in the Profile: in the fall, coed cross country, girls golf, girls tennis, and girls volleyball; in the winter, boys soccer, girls soccer, boys basketball, and cheerleading; in the spring, baseball, boys tennis, boys golf, girls beach volleyball, boys volleyball, and coed track and field. The TVT at a Glance page states 13 athletic teams.
Schools to CompareNearby private high schools, nearest first
Sage Hill School
Pacific Academy (Irvine Campus)
Pacifica Christian High School, Orange County
Mater Dei High School
Newport Christian School
Ronald Reagan Secondary SchoolMaking Use of College Counseling at TVT Community Day School
This section on TVT Community Day School explains what the school’s college counseling team provides and when to use each service.
| Counseling team | The Upper School Profile 2026-27 lists Director of College Counseling Johnathan Rastello, Associate Director Stefanie Miller, and Testing Coordinator and Counseling Services Assistant Megan Broderick; the student-to-counselor ratio is 26:1 |
|---|---|
| Grade-by-grade process | College counseling begins in grade 8 with Curriculum Night and a course selection coffee; grade 9 brings course selection guidance and the PSAT 8/9; grade 10 adds individual meetings with the counseling team and Sophomore Kickstart; grade 11 includes individual meetings, Junior Jumpstart, and Financial Aid Night; grade 12 starts with the Summer Application Institute and continues with individual support all year. Parents contribute to the college list through meetings and questionnaires |
| Testing at school | PSAT 8/9 in grade 9; the PSAT in grade 10, with the option of the SAT or ACT; the PSAT, SAT, and ACT in grade 11; and SAT and ACT administrations remain available in grade 12 (College Counseling page) |
| College planning platform | The college planning platform is Scoir |
| Signature events | Grade 11 families attend Coastline Case Studies, held each year by TVT, Sage Hill School, and St. Margaret's Episcopal School: students and parents act as a mock admissions committee guided by college representatives, then meet representatives from more than 80 colleges. In the summer before grade 12, students return for the three-day Summer Application Institute to work on the Common App, draft essays, and practice interviews with counselors and college representatives |
| Recommendations and transcripts | The website does not describe the process for recommendation letters or sending transcripts |
Scoir is a college planning platform widely used in American high schools, where students take career and interest assessments and build college lists. Admission, tuition and programs for TVT’s Lower School and Middle School are on this guide’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 page. For each course’s A-G category and UC weighting, see Courses and Course Planning; for math tracks, see Math Pathway; and for AP courses and the school’s gaps, see AP Courses and Course Strategy.
TVT Community Day School: Frequently Asked Questions
What tests do Irvine families need for the TVT Community Day School high school, and when is the deadline?
Applicants to grades 6 through 11 must take the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Examination); TVT's ISEE school code is 054346, and scores must be sent directly by the testing company. Once materials are complete, the student also attends an interview or a Shadow Day, a full day spent in classes with current students. The online application for 2027-28 opens October 1, 2026, and February 1, 2027 is the priority deadline for all grades. Decisions for grades 6 through 11 are posted in late February, and rolling admission continues while space remains. The website does not say whether grade 12 transfers are accepted.
Can a student from an Irvine family that is not Jewish attend TVT Community Day School, and are religion courses required?
Yes. The FAQ page states that the school welcomes families of all faiths and encourages families who are not Jewish to take part in school traditions and celebrations, and Hebrew knowledge is not required for admission. Jewish Studies is a graduation requirement, however: one course in each of grades 9 through 12, for 40 credits. The 30-credit world language requirement may be met with Spanish; students who do not take Hebrew must show Hebrew reading proficiency or complete a 15-hour Hebrew Reading course and pass a reading test. The school holds Kabbalat Shabbat every Friday morning, and Friday dismissal is at 2:50 p.m.
How much does one year in the TVT Community Day School high school cost an Irvine family?
High school (grades 9-12) tuition for 2026-27 is $47,385, with textbooks and supplies included. The 2026-27 Tuition & Fee Schedule adds a $910 activity fee for grades 9-11, a $1,045 activity fee for grade 12, $110 per AP exam, and $255 to $465 per sport; the optional Learning Lab costs $5,175 per year, and costs for the grade 11 trip and Immersion programs are listed as to be determined. Families on a payment plan must buy the $355-per-student Tuition Protection Plan. All financial assistance is need-based and assessed through Clarity, and the Profile reports that 37% of families receive aid this year.
Irvine families often ask: are all honors courses at TVT Community Day School weighted in UC applications?
No, but the school's own weighting and UC's largely agree. According to the UC A-G list for 2026-27, the school has 40 UC-certified honors courses (23 AP courses and 17 UC-certified honors courses). UC does not weight English 9 Honors, Honors Early Modern History, Geometry Honors, Algebra 2 / Trigonometry Honors, or Honors Jewish Studies 9 and 10, and the school Profile marks these courses as unweighted at the school as well. There are two exceptions: UC weights Honors Video and Media Production while the school does not, and UC does not weight Honors Physics, which the school's two documents mark inconsistently.
Irvine families want to know: where do TVT Community Day School graduates go to college?
According to the Upper School Profile 2026-27, 90% of the 51 graduates in the Class of 2026 will attend four-year colleges. The school marks in bold the colleges where at least one member of the Class of 2026 enrolled, including Stanford University, Duke University, the University of Chicago, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Michigan, the University of Virginia, the University of Southern California, and New York University, but it does not publish counts by college. UC figures come from official University of California data: in fall 2025, 32 students applied to UC, 19 were admitted to at least one campus, and 7 enrolled.
Irvine families ask: what GPA is needed to apply to UC from TVT Community Day School?
According to official UC Infocenter data by source high school, admitted TVT students in fall 2025 had average weighted GPAs of 4.26 at UC Irvine, 4.22 at UC Santa Barbara, 4.21 at UC San Diego, and 4.17 at UC Davis; UC Los Angeles admitted 3 students and UC Berkeley fewer than 3, and UC did not publish their GPAs. This is the UC weighted, capped GPA for grades 10 and 11, with extra points only for UC-certified honors and AP courses. Year-by-year data appear in the UC section of this page and on the UC admissions page.
Is there a school bus from Irvine neighborhoods to TVT Community Day School?
The TVT website has no school bus or transportation section, and the fee schedule lists no transportation fee, so families need to arrange their own drop-off and pickup. The Middle and Upper School is at 5 Federation Way in Irvine, across the street from UC Irvine; Middle and Upper School students are dismissed at 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and at 2:50 p.m. on Friday, and they may study in the library until 4:30 p.m. or use aftercare at the adjacent Merage Jewish Community Center. Families should time the commute once during school hours when visiting.
Can international students in Irvine apply to TVT Community Day School?
The website does not say. The TVT Admissions, Apply, and FAQs pages make no mention of international students, the Form I-20, or ESL courses, so families should ask the admissions office directly whether students on F-1 visas can enroll. The only world languages offered are Hebrew and Spanish; there is no Chinese course.
