Before applications open in August, rising seniors in the Class of 2026 might find it worth exploring how last year’s graduates from high schools across the Coachella Valley fared in the University of California admissions process.
Although the Class of 2025 is the most recent group to go through the process, the UC system has not yet released admissions data for that cohort. The data is released each spring and reflects the previous fall’s applicant pool — meaning the latest figures are from the Class of 2024.
The numbers show how students from each comprehensive high school from Coachella Valley Unified, Desert Sands Unified, and Palm Springs Unified school districts fared that year, including how many applied, were admitted, and enrolled.
More: Which University of California schools are College of the Desert students most enrolling in?
Here’s how local public high schools stacked up in UC admissions for the Class of 2024:
UC system admits more than 70% of applicants from the Coachella Valley’s public schools
More than 950 seniors from the comprehensive high schools across the Coachella Valley applied to at least one UC campus for admission for the fall 2024 term — and more than 70% were accepted.
Palm Desert High School and La Quinta High School had the highest number of applicants, with 134 and 132 students, respectively. Each high school saw more than 100 students admitted, and nearly half went on to enroll.
Desert Mirage High School had one of the highest admission rates at 81%, while West Shores High School had the highest overall, with 20 of 22 students admitted.
The UC system does not report data for high schools with fewer than five applicants or fewer than three students admitted or enrolled at any individual campus.
How many local seniors from the Coachella Valley were admitted to UC Berkeley?
The University of California, Berkeley, admitted only a small share of seniors from the Coachella Valley who applied for fall 2024. Most high schools had admit rates under 25%, with La Quinta High School seeing just five admits out of 47 applicants. Cathedral City High School had the most enrollees, with six students ultimately choosing Berkeley. West Shores High School had the highest admit rate at 43%, though with only seven applicants.
How many local seniors from the Coachella Valley were admitted to UC Davis?
UC Davis admitted a majority of Coachella Valley students who applied for the fall 2024 term, with several high schools seeing acceptance rates above 50%.
Rancho Mirage High School had the highest admit rate at 83.33%, followed by Palm Springs High School at 70% and Desert Hot Springs High School at 75%. Palm Desert High School had the most applicants locally, with 52 students, 32 of whom were admitted.
La Quinta High School saw 39 applicants, with 17 admitted and three enrolling — the highest number of enrollees reported across the valley. Some schools, such as Cathedral City and Coachella Valley high schools, had admit rates in the 40% range, while Desert Mirage and Indio high schools were closer to 35% or lower.
How many local seniors from the Coachella Valley were admitted to UC Irvine?
Shadow Hills High School had the highest admission rate for UC Irvine in the Coachella Valley for fall 2024, with half of its 44 applicants accepted. Most other local high schools saw admission rates in the 20% to 30% range.
Palm Desert High School had the most applicants locally, with 96 students applying and 30 admitted. La Quinta High School followed closely with 83 applicants and 23 admits. Desert Mirage High School had 73 applicants — the third most — but just 16 were admitted, a 22% admission rate.
How many local seniors from the Coachella Valley were admitted to UCLA?
The University of California, Los Angeles remained a highly selective option for students applying for fall 2024, with admit rates at nearly every public high school in the Coachella Valley hovering around 10% or lower.
Palm Desert High School had the most applicants locally, with 85 seniors submitting applications and 10 receiving admission offers. Six students ultimately enrolled. Palm Springs High School followed with 56 applicants and a slightly higher admit rate at 12.5%, with six students enrolling as well.
La Quinta High School had one of the lowest admission rates in the Coachella Valley at just 5.33%, with four of its 75 applicants accepted. Desert Hot Springs High School had one of the strongest yields — four students were admitted and all four enrolled.
How many local seniors from the Coachella Valley were admitted to UC Merced?
UC Merced had the highest admission rates among UC campuses for students in the Coachella Valley applying for fall 2024, with most local high schools seeing acceptance rates above 85%.
La Quinta and Palm Desert high schools both had 100% admit rates, with all applicants accepted. Desert Mirage and Indio high schools also saw exceptionally high admission rates, above 90%. Palm Springs High School had the highest reported number of enrollees, with four students choosing to attend.
How many local seniors from the Coachella Valley were admitted to UC Riverside?
UC Riverside, the closest UC campus to the Coachella Valley, admitted a strong majority of applicants — making it one of the most accessible options for local students.
Palm Desert High School had the highest admission rate at 84%, with 48 of 57 applicants accepted. La Quinta, Desert Mirage and Coachella Valley high schools also saw admission rates above 73%. Desert Mirage High School had the most enrollees reported, with 12 students choosing to attend.
How many local seniors from the Coachella Valley were admitted to UC San Diego?
UC San Diego admitted between 24% and 50% of Coachella Valley applicants for fall 2024, depending on the high school.
La Quinta High School had the highest admit rate at 50%, followed closely by Rancho Mirage and Palm Springs high schools. Palm Desert High School had the most applicants, with 103 students applying and 38 admitted.
How many local seniors from the Coachella Valley were admitted to UC Santa Barbara?
Shadow Hills High School had the highest admission rate to UC Santa Barbara among schools in the Coachella Valley for fall 2024, with 50% of its 30 applicants accepted. Palm Desert High School had the most students admitted, with 34 of 80 applicants accepted and five enrolling.
La Quinta High School had the largest applicant pool after Palm Desert, but only 29% were admitted.
How many local seniors from the Coachella Valley were admitted to UC Santa Cruz?
Palm Desert High School had the highest admission rate to UC Santa Cruz among schools in the Coachella Valley for fall 2024, with 75% of its 56 applicants accepted. La Quinta and Palm Springs high schools followed closely behind, with admission rates of 63.64% and 66.67%, respectively.
Cathedral City High School also had a strong admission rate of just under 61%. Most other valley schools had rates between 34% and 53%.
Does your high school affect your chances of getting into a UC?
Not exactly. The UC system does not give preference based on which high school a student attends. What matters is how students have taken advantage of the academic and extracurricular opportunities available to them. Students, however, can strengthen their chances of being admitted into the UC system by applying to multiple UC campuses.
Applying to a UC? Here’s what you need to know
Students only need to submit one application for all UC campuses they wish to apply to. The fall 2026 application opens on Friday, Aug. 1 — and students can submit their applications between Wednesday, Oct. 1 and Sunday, Nov. 30. (The California State University system follows a similar timeline, with the priority application filing period open from Wednesday, Oct. 1, through Tuesday, Dec. 2.)
The application includes sections for academic history, test scores, activities and awards, as well as the personal insight questions. SAT and ACT scores are not considered, but AP and IB scores may still be relevant.
OneFuture Coachella Valley, in partnership with the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and Edison International, will host a college fair from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18 at the Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa in Rancho Mirage.
Jennifer Cortez covers education in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at jennifer.cortez@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Where were UC admissions strongest in the Coachella Valley?