Data Analysis
The Domestic Shift: Analyzing UC Berkeley’s Top In-State Feeder Schools
By Data Team | Published May 4, 2026 | Updated June 23, 2026
Following the 2022 state legislative mandate to systematically reduce nonresident undergraduate enrollment to 18%, the University of California, Berkeley has recalibrated its domestic admissions strategy for the 2024 and 2025 cycles. Our data analysis indicates a stabilization of yields in traditional Bay Area public strongholds, offset by an expansion into Southern California's independent preparatory pipelines to maintain cohort yield rates.
This report isolates the Top 25 Public and Top 25 Private domestic feeder high schools for the University of California, Berkeley. By tracking application volume against admission and yield percentages, and cross-referencing with California Department of Finance budget compacts, this analysis identifies which regional pipelines are strengthening amidst structurally mandated shifts in admissions criteria.
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Geographic Reallocation: Santa Monica High School recorded 67 admissions in 2025, surpassing historic Bay Area schools like Lowell and Dougherty Valley. This correlates with UC-wide initiatives to distribute admissions more evenly across the state's diverse metropolitan regions.
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Independent School Stability: Valley Christian (Cerritos) and St. Ignatius College Prep maintained top positions in the private sector across both cycles. The data demonstrates that established independent schools have adapted efficiently to the UC system's test-blind admissions framework.
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Volume vs. Yield: Large public schools frequently exhibit admission rates below 15% alongside high application volumes, seen at Dougherty Valley with an 8.1% admit rate in 2025. In contrast, specialized private academies frequently command admit rates exceeding 20%, reflecting differences in institutional counseling resources and applicant self-selection.
2024 to 2025: Analyzing Application, Admission, and Yield Shifts
The 2025 admissions cycle revealed distinct volatility among historic pipeline schools when measured against the 2024 baseline. While total application volumes from these top 50 institutions remained stable, the University of California, Berkeley systematically reallocated admission offers. This reallocation generated distinct changes to school-specific admit rates and subsequent yield percentages.
Analyzing the year-over-year dataset highlights three distinct enrollment behaviors. We cross-referenced these internal shifts with the UCOP Undergraduate Admissions summaries to verify broader institutional trends across the state.
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Admit Rate Compression at Legacy Feeders: Berkeley reduced admission offers at historic feeder schools. Admissions from Lowell High School dropped from 93 students (20.1% admit rate) in 2024 down to 42 students (11.6% admit rate) in 2025. Similarly, the university compressed Archbishop Mitty’s admit rate from 15.9% to 6.7%.
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Stable Volume, Shifting Outcomes: Top feeder schools produced consistent application volumes, yet realized lower aggregate acceptances. Dougherty Valley maintained nearly identical application numbers year-over-year (539 versus 542) but witnessed its admit rate drop from 10.6% to 8.1%. This data illustrates the university's strategy to disperse domestic cohort allocations across a wider array of high schools rather than relying heavily on concentrated applicant pools.
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Yield Percentage Disparities: Yield rates—the percentage of admitted students who choose to enroll—highlighted distinct regional behaviors. Bay Area public schools like Irvington High School achieved an 83.9% yield in 2025. In contrast, Southern California independent schools frequently yielded below 40%, reflecting overlapping admittances with Top 25 National Universities and subsequent geographic attrition.
Top 25 California Public High Schools
Public high schools supply the vast majority of UC Berkeley's in-state enrollment, satisfying the legislative requirement to prioritize California taxpayers. According to the 2022-23 California State Budget Act, the UC system is mandated to replace 900 nonresident undergraduate students with California residents annually. This mandate compresses out-of-state admissions while simultaneously expanding domestic pipelines. Cross-referencing institutional admissions data with the California Department of Education's DataQuest repository highlights a geographic shift in these resident expansions.
While traditional Bay Area application volumes remain at historic highs, Berkeley has increased admission offers across the Los Angeles basin to balance regional representation. For instance, Dougherty Valley High School output over 530 applications in both cycles analyzed, yet maintained a sub-12% admission rate. This compares directly to rising acceptance figures in Southern California cohorts like Santa Monica High School, which secured a 25.9% admit rate in 2025.
2024 Top 25 Public High Schools
| School | Apply | Admit | Admit % | Enroll | Yield % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. LOWELL HIGH SCHOOL San Francisco, SF |
462 | 93 | 20.1% | 64 | 68.8% |
| 2. DOUGHERTY VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL San Ramon, Contra Costa |
539 | 57 | 10.6% | 45 | 78.9% |
| 3. CUPERTINO HIGH SCHOOL Cupertino, Santa Clara |
293 | 52 | 17.7% | 39 | 75.0% |
| 4. DUBLIN HIGH SCHOOL Dublin, Alameda |
462 | 56 | 12.1% | 39 | 69.6% |
| 5. CARLMONT HIGH SCHOOL Belmont, San Mateo |
283 | 50 | 17.7% | 36 | 72.0% |
| 6. ARCADIA HIGH SCHOOL Arcadia, Los Angeles |
329 | 61 | 18.5% | 34 | 55.7% |
| 7. DIAMOND BAR HIGH SCHOOL Diamond Bar, Los Angeles |
309 | 58 | 18.8% | 34 | 58.6% |
| 8. HENRY M GUNN SENIOR HIGH SCHL Palo Alto, Santa Clara |
294 | 57 | 19.4% | 33 | 57.9% |
| 9. PALO ALTO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL Palo Alto, Santa Clara |
268 | 49 | 18.3% | 33 | 67.3% |
| 10. LYNBROOK HIGH SCHOOL San Jose, Santa Clara |
323 | 39 | 12.1% | 32 | 82.1% |
| 11. DEL NORTE HIGH SCHOOL Crescent City, Del Norte |
247 | 39 | 15.8% | 30 | 76.9% |
| 12. DAVIS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL Davis, Yolo |
233 | 40 | 17.2% | 29 | 72.5% |
| 13. ABRAHAM LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL Los Angeles, Los Angeles |
299 | 45 | 15.1% | 28 | 62.2% |
| 14. CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL San Ramon, Contra Costa |
330 | 48 | 14.5% | 28 | 58.3% |
| 15. MONTA VISTA HIGH SCHOOL Cupertino, Santa Clara |
289 | 43 | 14.9% | 28 | 65.1% |
| 16. MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL El Monte, Los Angeles |
255 | 40 | 15.7% | 28 | 70.0% |
| 17. LOS ALTOS HIGH SCHOOL Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles |
278 | 41 | 14.7% | 26 | 63.4% |
| 18. NORTHWOOD HIGH SCHOOL Irvine, Orange |
279 | 42 | 15.1% | 26 | 61.9% |
| 19. SARATOGA HIGH SCHOOL Saratoga, Santa Clara |
195 | 41 | 21.0% | 26 | 63.4% |
| 20. EVERGREEN VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL San Jose, Santa Clara |
332 | 41 | 12.3% | 24 | 58.5% |
| 21. MILPITAS HIGH SCHOOL Milpitas, Santa Clara |
268 | 36 | 13.4% | 24 | 66.7% |
| 22. AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL Fremont, Alameda |
300 | 33 | 11.0% | 23 | 69.7% |
| 23. IRVINGTON HIGH SCHOOL Fremont, Alameda |
328 | 34 | 10.4% | 23 | 67.6% |
| 24. LELAND HIGH SCHOOL San Jose, Santa Clara |
189 | 31 | 16.4% | 23 | 74.2% |
| 25. MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL Fremont, Alameda |
369 | 39 | 10.6% | 23 | 59.0% |
2025 Top 25 Public High Schools
| School | Apply | Admit | Admit % | Enroll | Yield % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. SANTA MONICA HIGH SCHOOL Santa Monica, Los Angeles |
259 | 67 | 25.9% | 38 | 56.7% |
| 2. BERKELEY HIGH SCHOOL Berkeley, Alameda |
319 | 73 | 22.9% | 37 | 50.7% |
| 3. CARLMONT HIGH SCHOOL Belmont, San Mateo |
288 | 45 | 15.6% | 32 | 71.1% |
| 4. DIAMOND BAR HIGH SCHOOL Diamond Bar, Los Angeles |
299 | 54 | 18.1% | 32 | 59.3% |
| 5. DOUGHERTY VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL San Ramon, Contra Costa |
542 | 44 | 8.1% | 32 | 72.7% |
| 6. ABRAHAM LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL Los Angeles, Los Angeles |
305 | 52 | 17.0% | 30 | 57.7% |
| 7. ARCADIA HIGH SCHOOL Arcadia, Los Angeles |
371 | 51 | 13.7% | 29 | 56.9% |
| 8. LOWELL HIGH SCHOOL San Francisco, San Francisco |
363 | 42 | 11.6% | 29 | 69.0% |
| 9. CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL San Ramon, Contra Costa |
346 | 47 | 13.6% | 28 | 59.6% |
| 10. MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL Fremont, Alameda |
316 | 43 | 13.6% | 28 | 65.1% |
| 11. CUPERTINO HIGH SCHOOL Cupertino, Santa Clara |
294 | 36 | 12.2% | 27 | 75.0% |
| 12. DUBLIN HIGH SCHOOL Dublin, Alameda |
435 | 40 | 9.2% | 27 | 67.5% |
| 13. MIRA COSTA HIGH SCHOOL Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles |
271 | 47 | 17.3% | 27 | 57.4% |
| 14. TROY HIGH SCHOOL Fullerton, Orange |
299 | 52 | 17.4% | 27 | 51.9% |
| 15. IRVINGTON HIGH SCHOOL Fremont, Alameda |
319 | 31 | 9.7% | 26 | 83.9% |
| 16. PALO ALTO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL Palo Alto, Santa Clara |
285 | 41 | 14.4% | 26 | 63.4% |
| 17. LYNBROOK HIGH SCHOOL San Jose, Santa Clara |
314 | 34 | 10.8% | 25 | 73.5% |
| 18. MISSION SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL San Francisco, San Francisco |
76 | 34 | 44.7% | 25 | 73.5% |
| 19. MONTA VISTA HIGH SCHOOL Cupertino, Santa Clara |
321 | 33 | 10.3% | 25 | 75.8% |
| 20. MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL El Monte, Los Angeles |
275 | 35 | 12.7% | 25 | 71.4% |
| 21. PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HS Rolling Hills Estat, Los Angeles |
236 | 42 | 17.8% | 25 | 59.5% |
| 22. LELAND HIGH SCHOOL San Jose, Santa Clara |
189 | 31 | 16.4% | 24 | 77.4% |
| 23. EVERGREEN VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL San Jose, Santa Clara |
309 | 32 | 10.4% | 22 | 68.8% |
| 24. LOS ALTOS HIGH SCHOOL Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles |
272 | 35 | 12.9% | 22 | 62.9% |
| 25. MOUNTAIN HOUSE HIGH SCHOOL Mountain House, San Joaquin |
262 | 30 | 11.5% | 22 | 73.3% |
Public Feeder Geographic Distribution
Bay Area Public Detail
Los Angeles Public Detail
Top 25 California Private High Schools
While public high schools provide bulk volume, private and parochial schools demonstrate highly concentrated admission pipelines. The 2024 and 2025 datasets indicate a statistically significant representation from specialized independent academies. Institutions like Valley Christian, Saint Ignatius, and Bishop O'Dowd consistently deliver large admitted cohorts relative to their total graduating class sizes.
When evaluating these trends against external metrics from the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), the data suggests that well-resourced private institutions—which average an 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio—have successfully adapted their college counseling frameworks. This resource allocation correlates directly with higher aggregate admit rates and stable yield percentages across top-tier independent schools.
2024 Top 25 Private High Schools
| School | Apply | Admit | Admit % | Enroll | Yield % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. SAINT FRANCIS HIGH SCHOOL La Canada, Los Angeles |
291 | 56 | 19.2% | 28 | 50.0% |
| 2. SAINT IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREP SC San Francisco, San Francisco |
185 | 38 | 20.5% | 22 | 57.9% |
| 3. VALLEY CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL Cerritos, Los Angeles |
223 | 30 | 13.5% | 22 | 73.3% |
| 4. ARCHBISHOP MITTY HIGH SCHOOL San Jose, Santa Clara |
195 | 31 | 15.9% | 21 | 67.7% |
| 5. BELLARMINE COLLEGE PREPARATORY San Jose, Santa Clara |
159 | 33 | 20.8% | 19 | 57.6% |
| 6. NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL Belmont, San Mateo |
287 | 48 | 16.7% | 19 | 39.6% |
| 7. BISHOP ODOWD HIGH SCHOOL Oakland, Alameda |
174 | 28 | 16.1% | 15 | 53.6% |
| 8. HARVARD-WESTLAKE SCHOOL Studio City, Los Angeles |
171 | 33 | 19.3% | 14 | 42.4% |
| 9. LICK-WILMERDING HIGH SCHOOL San Francisco, San Francisco |
91 | 27 | 29.7% | 12 | 44.4% |
| 10. BASIS INDEPENDENT SILICON VALLEY San Jose, Santa Clara |
86 | 20 | 23.3% | 11 | 55.0% |
| 11. CHAMINADE COLLEGE PREPARATORY West Hills, Los Angeles |
102 | 28 | 27.5% | 11 | 39.3% |
| 12. HARKER UPPER SCHOOL San Jose, Santa Clara |
167 | 28 | 16.8% | 11 | 39.3% |
| 13. LOYOLA HIGH SCHOOL OF LOS ANGELES Los Angeles, Los Angeles |
150 | 24 | 16.0% | 11 | 45.8% |
| 14. SANTA MARGARITA CATHOLIC HS Rancho San Margarit, Orange |
119 | 25 | 21.0% | 11 | 44.0% |
| 15. ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN HIGH SCHOOL San Francisco, San Francisco |
83 | 19 | 22.9% | 9 | 47.4% |
| 16. CREAN LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL Irvine, Orange |
96 | 16 | 16.7% | 9 | 56.3% |
| 17. QUARRY LANE SCHOOL Dublin, Alameda |
66 | 15 | 22.7% | 9 | 60.0% |
| 18. SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL PREP San Francisco, San Francisco |
105 | 14 | 13.3% | 9 | 64.3% |
| 19. POLYTECHNIC SCHOOL Pasadena, Los Angeles |
58 | 12 | 20.7% | 8 | 66.7% |
| 20. THE KINGS ACADEMY Sunnyvale, Santa Clara |
70 | 16 | 22.9% | 8 | 50.0% |
| 21. THE NUEVA SCHOOL San Mateo, San Mateo |
91 | 24 | 26.4% | 8 | 33.3% |
| 22. WINDWARD SCHOOL Los Angeles, Los Angeles |
54 | 12 | 22.2% | 8 | 66.7% |
| 23. CARONDELET HIGH SCHOOL Concord, Contra Costa |
59 | 12 | 20.3% | 7 | 58.3% |
| 24. CROSSROADS SCHOOL FOR ARTS & SCI Santa Monica, Los Angeles |
73 | 17 | 23.3% | 7 | 41.2% |
| 25. DE LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL Concord, Contra Costa |
62 | 8 | 12.9% | 7 | 87.5% |
2025 Top 25 Private High Schools
| School | Apply | Admit | Admit % | Enroll | Yield % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. VALLEY CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL Cerritos, Los Angeles |
246 | 37 | 15.0% | 28 | 75.7% |
| 2. SAINT IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREP SC San Francisco, San Francisco |
199 | 32 | 16.1% | 21 | 65.6% |
| 3. BISHOP ODOWD HIGH SCHOOL Oakland, Alameda |
139 | 37 | 26.6% | 19 | 51.4% |
| 4. SAINT FRANCIS HIGH SCHOOL La Canada, Los Angeles |
274 | 30 | 10.9% | 16 | 53.3% |
| 5. ARCHBISHOP MITTY HIGH SCHOOL San Jose, Santa Clara |
210 | 14 | 6.7% | 12 | 85.7% |
| 6. HARKER UPPER SCHOOL San Jose, Santa Clara |
169 | 26 | 15.4% | 12 | 46.2% |
| 7. BASIS INDEPENDENT SILICON VALLEY San Jose, Santa Clara |
93 | 13 | 14.0% | 11 | 84.6% |
| 8. BELLARMINE COLLEGE PREPARATORY San Jose, Santa Clara |
160 | 20 | 12.5% | 11 | 55.0% |
| 9. ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN HIGH SCHOOL San Francisco, San Francisco |
116 | 19 | 16.4% | 10 | 52.6% |
| 10. NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL Belmont, San Mateo |
251 | 26 | 10.4% | 10 | 38.5% |
| 11. HARVARD-WESTLAKE SCHOOL Studio City, Los Angeles |
180 | 29 | 16.1% | 9 | 31.0% |
| 12. LICK-WILMERDING HIGH SCHOOL San Francisco, San Francisco |
100 | 19 | 19.0% | 9 | 47.4% |
| 13. WEBB SCHOOLS Claremont, Los Angeles |
69 | 17 | 24.6% | 9 | 52.9% |
| 14. CARONDELET HIGH SCHOOL Concord, Contra Costa |
73 | 16 | 21.9% | 8 | 50.0% |
| 15. GEFFEN ACADEMY AT UCLA Los Angeles, Los Angeles |
61 | 19 | 31.1% | 8 | 42.1% |
| 16. PROVIDENCE HIGH SCHOOL Burbank, Los Angeles |
47 | 12 | 25.5% | 8 | 66.7% |
| 17. SANTA MARGARITA CATHOLIC HS Rancho San Margarit, Orange |
98 | 20 | 20.4% | 8 | 40.0% |
| 18. BAY SCHOOL OF SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco, San Francisco |
59 | 9 | 15.3% | 7 | 77.8% |
| 19. CROSSROADS SCHOOL FOR ARTS & SCI Santa Monica, Los Angeles |
86 | 15 | 17.4% | 7 | 46.7% |
| 20. FAIRMONT PREPARATORY ACADEMY Anaheim, Orange |
93 | 19 | 20.4% | 7 | 36.8% |
| 21. LOYOLA HIGH SCHOOL OF LOS ANGELES Los Angeles, Los Angeles |
151 | 25 | 16.6% | 7 | 28.0% |
| 22. OAKWOOD SCHOOL Morgan Hill, Santa Clara |
73 | 14 | 19.2% | 7 | 50.0% |
| 23. POLYTECHNIC SCHOOL Pasadena, Los Angeles |
59 | 16 | 27.1% | 7 | 43.8% |
| 24. FLINTRIDGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL La Canada, Los Angeles |
72 | 17 | 23.6% | 6 | 35.3% |
| 25. FRANCIS PARKER SCHOOL San Diego, San Diego |
73 | 11 | 15.1% | 6 | 54.5% |
Private Feeder Geographic Distribution
Bay Area Private Detail
Los Angeles Private Detail
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on our analysis of UC Berkeley's domestic admissions shifts, here are answers to common questions regarding in-state feeder pipelines.
The 2022 state legislative mandate required the University of California system to systematically reduce nonresident undergraduate enrollment to 18%, replacing 900 nonresident students with California residents annually.
Berkeley High School had the highest number of admits with 73 students, followed closely by Santa Monica High School with 67 admits.
Despite maintaining similar application volumes (539 versus 542 applications), Dougherty Valley's admit rate dropped from 10.6% in 2024 to 8.1% in 2025 as the university dispersed its domestic cohort allocations across a wider array of high schools.
Valley Christian High School (Cerritos) and Bishop O'Dowd High School tied for the highest number of private school admits in 2025, each with 37 admitted students.
While public schools provide the vast bulk volume of enrolled students to satisfy state mandates, top private independent schools demonstrate highly concentrated admission pipelines, often commanding admit rates exceeding 20% due to dedicated counseling resources and applicant self-selection.
Data Sources
The admissions data and metrics referenced throughout this report are derived directly from the official University of California analytics repository. Admit and Yield percentages are calculated internally by Chicardgo School's data desk. Demographic context regarding state budget compacts relies on the California Department of Finance and the California Department of Education.
- Admissions by Source School (First-Year Undergraduates) - UC Information Center
- Undergraduate Admissions Summaries - UC Office of the President (UCOP)
- DataQuest: Public School Demographics - California Department of Education (CDE)
- 2022-23 State Budget Act: Higher Education Compact - California Department of Finance
- Institutional Data & Member Directory - California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS)
Further Reading
Legislative Pressures Have Fundamentally Restructured The Enrollment: UC Berkeley’s In-State Expansion and Out-of-State Retreat
Legislative pressures have fundamentally restructured UC Berkeley's domestic undergraduate enrollment, this report is featuring UCB's 2016-2025 demographic shifts, capacity planning, and new geographic feeder patterns.
Where UC Berkeley Admits Enroll Instead
A granular look at the matriculation decisions of students accepted to UC Berkeley, detailing the primary competitor institutions capturing cross-admitted talent.
On The Path to Debt-Free UC, Berkeley's Need-Based System is Heavily Relying on Gift Aid, Strategically Shifting Away From Traditional Merit Awards
A quantitative breakdown of UC Berkeley's Education Financing Model (EFM) for the 2024-25 cycle. Explore how $506 million in institutional, state, and federal gift aid mathematically suppresses the $48,574 sticker price to a $10,486 net cost for lower-income cohorts.