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Rank California high schools by UC outcomes — statewide or within a county. Click any school to view its full profile.

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🏆 Top 10 in Imperial County — UC Reach

Imperial County · 2025 · ≥50 seniors
What is UC Reach? UC Reach = unique top-6 UC admits ÷ senior class size — the share of a school's entire graduating class that reaches the six most selective UCs (Berkeley, UCLA, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Irvine, Davis). It's a better gauge of school-wide success than admit rate, which only reflects the handful of students who applied.
Why it beats admit rate: if 6 students apply to the top UCs and all get in, that's a 100% admit rate — but at a 1,000-senior school it's a UC Reach of just 0.6% (6 ÷ 1,000). By contrast, a school where 250 of 1,000 seniors land a top-UC admit has a 25% UC Reach — far stronger, even though its admit rate is lower.
Why some schools are over 100%? Out of every 100 seniors at these schools, the class is generating more than 100 admissions to the six most selective UCs — meaning the typical strong student is getting in at multiple top campuses (UCLA + UCSD, or Berkeley + UCSB + Irvine, for example). It's a rare achievement: fewer than 1% of California high schools clear 100% UC Reach.
1 Southwest High School · El Centro 13.2% 2 Calexico High School · Calexico 11.9% 3 Holtville High School · Holtville 11.8% 4 Brawley Union High School · Brawley 11.7% 5 Imperial High School · Imperial 10.2% 6 Central Union High School · El Centro 9.6%

Leaderboards by type — Imperial County (2025)

Top and bottom schools by UC Reach, split public/charter vs private (≥50 seniors). Scoped to Imperial County — change the County filter above to rescope.

▲ Top 10 Public + Charter

Imperial County

1
Southwest High School
El Centro · Public
 13.2%
2
Calexico High School
Calexico · Public
 11.9%
3
Holtville High School
Holtville · Public
 11.8%
4
Brawley Union High School
Brawley · Public
 11.7%
5
Imperial High School
Imperial · Public
 10.2%
6
Central Union High School
El Centro · Public
 9.6%

▲ Top 10 Private

Imperial County

Not enough schools in Imperial County for this list.

▼ Bottom 10 Public + Charter

Imperial County

1
Central Union High School
El Centro · Public
 9.6%
2
Imperial High School
Imperial · Public
 10.2%
3
Brawley Union High School
Brawley · Public
 11.7%
4
Holtville High School
Holtville · Public
 11.8%
5
Calexico High School
Calexico · Public
 11.9%
6
Southwest High School
El Centro · Public
 13.2%

▼ Bottom 10 Private

Imperial County

Not enough schools in Imperial County for this list.

🎯 Specialized high schools — Imperial County · 2025

Top UC Reach for schools with senior classes of 25–99. These are typically magnet programs, specialized charters, and small Catholic preps — too small to compare cleanly against comprehensive public high schools, but the most UC-effective small schools in California are here.

▲ Top 10 Small Public + Charter

Imperial County

1
Calipatria High School
Calipatria · Public
 8.1%

▲ Top 10 Small Private

Imperial County

1
Vincent Memorial Catholic Hs
Calexico · Private
 18.9%

Top 10 by individual UC campus — Imperial County · 2025

Where each UC campus lands its admits, as a share of each high school's senior class. Same 50-senior floor.

Top 10 — UCB Reach

UC Berkeley

1
Central Union High School
El Centro · Public
 1.1%
2
Southwest High School
El Centro · Public
 0.9%
3
Calexico High School
Calexico · Public
 0.7%

Top 10 — UCLA Reach

UCLA

1
Brawley Union High School
Brawley · Public
 1.0%
2
Imperial High School
Imperial · Public
 0.9%
3
Calexico High School
Calexico · Public
 0.8%
4
Southwest High School
El Centro · Public
 0.7%

Top 10 — UCSD Reach

UC San Diego

1
Calexico High School
Calexico · Public
 4.5%
2
Holtville High School
Holtville · Public
 4.2%
3
Brawley Union High School
Brawley · Public
 4.1%
4
Southwest High School
El Centro · Public
 4.0%
5
Imperial High School
Imperial · Public
 3.8%
6
Central Union High School
El Centro · Public
 3.3%

Top 10 — UCSB Reach

UC Santa Barbara

1
Southwest High School
El Centro · Public
 2.9%
2
Central Union High School
El Centro · Public
 2.8%
3
Brawley Union High School
Brawley · Public
 2.8%
4
Imperial High School
Imperial · Public
 2.3%
5
Calexico High School
Calexico · Public
 2.0%

Top 10 — UCI Reach

UC Irvine

1
Holtville High School
Holtville · Public
 3.4%
2
Imperial High School
Imperial · Public
 3.2%
3
Southwest High School
El Centro · Public
 2.6%
4
Brawley Union High School
Brawley · Public
 2.3%
5
Calexico High School
Calexico · Public
 2.1%
6
Central Union High School
El Centro · Public
 1.1%

Top 10 — UCD Reach

UC Davis

1
Holtville High School
Holtville · Public
 4.2%
2
Southwest High School
El Centro · Public
 2.2%
3
Calexico High School
Calexico · Public
 1.7%
4
Brawley Union High School
Brawley · Public
 1.5%
5
Central Union High School
El Centro · Public
 1.3%

Beyond UC Reach — more lenses on Imperial County

UC Reach measures who gets in. These lenses measure the upstream pipeline (A-G), the downstream outcome (UC graduation), the capacity that drives the pipeline (counselors), reliability over time (consistency), grade-11 academic preparation (CAASPP SBAC ELA & Math), and private-school financial strength. Click any school for its full profile.

Top 10 — A-G Completion

% of graduates meeting UC/CSU course requirements · 2024-25 cohort

1
Holtville High School
Holtville · Public
 86.2%
2
Calipatria High School
Calipatria · Public
 50.7%
3
Southwest High School
El Centro · Public
 50.0%
4
Brawley Union High School
Brawley · Public
 47.0%
5
Central Union High School
El Centro · Public
 45.2%
6
Imperial High School
Imperial · Public
 43.9%
7
Calexico High School
Calexico · Public
 32.9%
8
San Pasqual Valley High School
Winterhaven · Public
 24.4%

Top 10 — UC 6-Yr Grad Rate

% of UC entrants who finished in 6 years · cohort N ≥ 20

1
Southwest High School
El Centro · Public
 88.9%
2
Calexico High School
Calexico · Public
 88.0%
3
Central Union High School
El Centro · Public
 76.7%

Top 10 — Best Counselor Capacity

Lowest students-per-counselor (ASCA target 250:1) · public/charter, ≥500 students

1
Holtville High School
Holtville · Public
 252:1
2
Southwest High School
El Centro · Public
 314:1
3
Barbara Worth Junior High
· Public
 335:1
4
Central Union High School
El Centro · Public
 337:1
5
Brawley Union High School
Brawley · Public
 347:1
6
Calexico High School
Calexico · Public
 386:1
7
Imperial High School
Imperial · Public
 483:1
8
William Moreno Junior High
· Public
 573:1
9
Wilson Jr. High
· Public
 608:1
10
Enrique Camarena Jr. High
· Public
 639:1

Top 10 — Most Consistent

Lowest UC Reach std-dev across 5 years (above-CA-median mean)

1
Calexico High School
avg 14.5% · σ 2.13
 σ 2.13
2
Southwest High School
avg 17.6% · σ 5.49
 σ 5.49
3
Holtville High School
avg 21.2% · σ 5.68
 σ 5.68
4
Vincent Memorial Catholic Hs
avg 22.2% · σ 11.66
 σ 11.66

Top 10 — SBAC ELA met/exceeded

% Met or Exceeded Standard · Grade 11 CAASPP · public/charter · tested ≥30

1
Brawley Union High School
Brawley · n=402 · 2025
 65%
2
Imperial High School
Imperial · n=333 · 2025
 60%
3
Holtville High School
Holtville · n=138 · 2025
 56%
4
Southwest High School
El Centro · n=432 · 2025
 53%
5
Calexico High School
Calexico · n=596 · 2025
 50%
6
Calipatria High School
Calipatria · n=84 · 2025
 49%
7
Central Union High School
El Centro · n=431 · 2025
 48%
8
San Pasqual Valley High School
Winterhaven · n=51 · 2025
 37%
9
Desert Oasis High (continuation)
· n=68 · 2025
 22%
10
Desert Valley High (continuation)
· n=94 · 2025
 17%

Top 10 — SBAC Math met/exceeded

% Met or Exceeded Standard · Grade 11 CAASPP · public/charter · tested ≥30

1
Brawley Union High School
Brawley · n=403 · 2025
 27%
2
Imperial High School
Imperial · n=334 · 2025
 24%
3
Holtville High School
Holtville · n=139 · 2025
 21%
4
Southwest High School
El Centro · n=432 · 2025
 21%
5
Central Union High School
El Centro · n=432 · 2025
 19%
6
Calexico High School
Calexico · n=607 · 2025
 18%
7
Calipatria High School
Calipatria · n=87 · 2025
 15%
8
Desert Valley High (continuation)
· n=94 · 2025
 14%
9
San Pasqual Valley High School
Winterhaven · n=49 · 2025
 6%
10
Valley Academy
· n=44 · 2025
 2%

Top 10 — Private Net Assets

Wealthiest CA private high schools · IRS Form 990 · latest fiscal year

No private-school 990 data for this filter.

Reach momentum — biggest gains & declines over time ⓘ

≥50 seniors · earliest→latest year

Which schools are moving a growing — or shrinking — share of their graduating class into the six most selective UCs. Reflects the current county/type filter.

▲ Biggest gains

SchoolThen → NowΔ
Holtville High School
Holtville · Public
 8% '18 → 12% '25 +4.3pp
Imperial High School
Imperial · Public
 8% '18 → 10% '25 +2.0pp
Brawley Union High School
Brawley · Public
 11% '18 → 12% '25 +0.6pp
Central Union High School
El Centro · Public
 10% '18 → 10% '25 +-0.6pp
Calexico High School
Calexico · Public
 15% '18 → 12% '25 +-2.9pp
Southwest High School
El Centro · Public
 16% '18 → 13% '25 +-3.0pp

▼ Biggest declines

SchoolThen → NowΔ
Southwest High School
El Centro · Public
 16% '18 → 13% '25 -3.0pp
Calexico High School
Calexico · Public
 15% '18 → 12% '25 -2.9pp
Central Union High School
El Centro · Public
 10% '18 → 10% '25 -0.6pp
Brawley Union High School
Brawley · Public
 11% '18 → 12% '25 0.6pp
Imperial High School
Imperial · Public
 8% '18 → 10% '25 2.0pp
Holtville High School
Holtville · Public
 8% '18 → 12% '25 4.3pp

Demand momentum — biggest gaps vs the county baseline ⓘ

grade-12 enrollment Δ vs. county · ≥80 students

The demographic tide is shrinking CA enrollment ~10% over 7 years statewide, so absolute decline alone is noise. The gap vs the county baseline is the actionable signal — schools losing share faster than their demographic floor are the ones to watch. Reflects the current county/type filter.

▲ Outperforming the county the most

SchoolSchool · CountyGap
Imperial High School
Imperial · Imperial · Public  Best in class
 +39.6% vs +9.3% +30.3pp
Holtville High School
Holtville · Imperial · Public  Strong demand
 +19.2% vs +9.3% +9.9pp
Brawley Union High School
Brawley · Imperial · Public  Strong demand
 +17.7% vs +9.3% +8.5pp
Central Union High School
El Centro · Imperial · Public  Tracking
 +7.5% vs +9.3% -1.8pp
Southwest High School
El Centro · Imperial · Public  Weak at the gate
 -0.6% vs +9.3% -9.9pp
Calexico High School
Calexico · Imperial · Public  Sharp downturn
 -6.0% vs +9.3% -15.3pp

▼ Underperforming the county the most

SchoolSchool · CountyGap
Calexico High School
Calexico · Imperial · Public  Sharp downturn
 -6.0% vs +9.3% -15.3pp
Southwest High School
El Centro · Imperial · Public  Weak at the gate
 -0.6% vs +9.3% -9.9pp
Central Union High School
El Centro · Imperial · Public  Tracking
 +7.5% vs +9.3% -1.8pp
Brawley Union High School
Brawley · Imperial · Public  Strong demand
 +17.7% vs +9.3% +8.5pp
Holtville High School
Holtville · Imperial · Public  Strong demand
 +19.2% vs +9.3% +9.9pp
Imperial High School
Imperial · Imperial · Public  Best in class
 +39.6% vs +9.3% +30.3pp

GPA Performance — over/under their predicted UC admit rate ⓘ

6 schools eligible · 2025

Each dot is one school. The diagonal is the per-campus GPA expectation — points above it admit students at higher rates than their GPA mix predicts; points below admit at lower rates. Schools need ≥30 top-6 UC applications and data across ≥3 campuses to appear.

▲ Top 10 outperformers

School GPA Actual Δ vs exp.
Imperial High School
Imperial · Public
 4.03 46.1% +25.1pp
Brawley Union High School
Brawley · Public
 3.96 41.4% +20.9pp
Calexico High School
Calexico · Public
 3.77 28.8% +8.7pp
Holtville High School
Holtville · Public
 3.75 33.3% +6.8pp
Southwest High School
El Centro · Public
 3.77 25.1% +4.5pp
Central Union High School
El Centro · Public
 3.68 28.0% +3.9pp

▼ Top 10 underperformers

School GPA Actual Δ vs exp.
Central Union High School
El Centro · Public
 3.68 28.0% 3.9pp
Southwest High School
El Centro · Public
 3.77 25.1% 4.5pp
Holtville High School
Holtville · Public
 3.75 33.3% 6.8pp
Calexico High School
Calexico · Public
 3.77 28.8% 8.7pp
Brawley Union High School
Brawley · Public
 3.96 41.4% 20.9pp
Imperial High School
Imperial · Public
 4.03 46.1% 25.1pp

Full rankings — every Imperial County high school by UC Reach

Sortable by any column. Click a column header to sort. Click any school row to open its profile.

6 schools · 2025 data · 2 hidden (under 100 seniors)
Show all schools (no floor) Compare selected schools →
# School County Seniors ⓘ Total Enroll ⓘ UC Reach ⓘ App Reach ⓘ Admit Rate ⓘ Yield ⓘ Selective Reach ⓘ Elite Reach ⓘ Raw Apps ⓘ Raw Admits ⓘ
1
Southwest High School
El Centro · Public  Weak at the gate
 Imperial 454 1,846 13.2% 52.6% 25.1% 33.3% 11.0 1.5 239 60
2
Calexico High School
Calexico · Public  Sharp downturn
 Imperial 707 2,746 11.9% 41.3% 28.8% 21.4% 10.2 1.6 292 84
3
Holtville High School
Holtville · Public  Strong demand
 Imperial 119 516 11.8% 52.9% 22.2% — 7.6 — 63 14
4
Brawley Union High School
Brawley · Public  Strong demand
 Imperial 393 1,863 11.7% 31.8% 36.8% 23.9% 10.2 1.0 125 46
5
Imperial High School
Imperial · Public  Best in class
 Imperial 343 1,439 10.2% 28.3% 36.1% 28.6% 10.2 0.9 97 35
6
Central Union High School
El Centro · Public  Tracking
 Imperial 460 2,006 9.6% 41.7% 22.9% 20.4% 8.3 1.1 192 44
UC Reach = top-6 UC admits ÷ senior class size. Where UCOP has not published unique-student totals, campus admits are summed — students admitted to more than one of the 6 campuses are counted at each, so values above 100% indicate strong students winning multiple competitive UC offers. Schools with fewer than 100 seniors are excluded from the leaderboard by default — a small cohort with one strong year can otherwise dominate. See methodology →