2024 Best High Schools in San Diego

• La Jolla, CA•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.6 out of 5  110 reviews

Parent: This was our family’s first year at Bishops and our experience has been phenomenal!The level of academic rigor is impressive. The teachers not only teach students at the highest level but they encourage them to step outside of their comfort zone and explore new ways of looking at things. One of my sons went from being an extremely shy kid to applying for a Head Ambassador position and the other encouraged by his teacher to write for the school newspaper. The sports teams provide more than athletics as they foster tight-knit bonds between the players and bar none mentoring from the coaches. We all felt warmly welcomed into the Bishops community from the start. As a parent I was given multiple opportunities to volunteer and be a part of this lovely community. Having our children attend this school was the best decision we’ve ever made!... Read 110 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 800

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• San Diego, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.44 out of 5  98 reviews

Senior: Francis Parker School helps its students prepare for college in a way that no other school in San Diego can. The intense academic rigor that it offers gives students a realistic preparation for college and also helps them learn personal skills for time management and organization. However, Francis Parker should also figure out a way to be more understanding of student's workload. The workload is extremely intense and oftentimes many students feel alienated and misunderstood by teachers who just assign busy work with little to no measurable benefit.... Read 98 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,312

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• La Jolla, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.29 out of 5  164 reviews

Junior: My time at La Jolla Country Day School has been a journey filled with growth, learning, and a deep sppreciation for the diverse and supportive community that defines this institution. The school's strong emphasis on diversity has been a highlight, where it created a environment for minority people like me to find a safe place by creating clubs that people with different background can relate to. The most memorable part of my experience has been the genuine care and support from my teachers. They've made a huge difference in my life, providing guidance and encouragement every stap of the way. In addition, they go above and beyond to make sure that each student feels motivated and supported, and some of them have really became more than just my teachers. However, no experience is perfect. I do feel that our schol spirit could be improved. A more lively and engaged school spirit would bring us closer together, creating a more unified and enthusiastic student body.... Read 164 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,157

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• San Diego, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.9 out of 5  49 reviews

Alum: As a student who has experienced Cambridge from the beginning of Kindergarten Prep to throwing up my cap at graduation, I can firmly say that Cambridge as a community of faith, living, and learning has been an experience that has helped me develop not just academically, but also socially and spiritually. Each and every faculty member truly believes in Cambridge's mission and vision, and is more than willing to go above and beyond the textbooks and PowerPoints to help each student learn not just what the answers are, but why they are true and how to approach similar questions. Every class becomes integrated with others, whether it be memorizing the history of the world through learning songs during the elementary grades to studying the life of Isaac Newton and his studies while tackling calculus in highschool. The curriculum is purposefully challenging and thought-provoking, with the results being well worth it.... Read 49 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 392

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• San Dieguito Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.28 out of 5  646 reviews

Junior: I really appreciate CCA for the academic growth and achievement it has fostered within me. However, if I were to give my honest recommendations to prospective freshmen, I would advise them to stay from the cliquey, depressing, and selfish environment encapsulated end after end at CCA. It truly feels like everyone is here simply to bust through as many AP classes as possible; in addition, few teachers seem to throughly understand the pressure and demands of being a student here, assigning excessive homework and overall lacking in content and effort. We will take a test once administered by AP exams but graded on the school curve. This is disheartening to everyone who goes here and ruins much of the hope and light students used to have. Again, there is much I have to thank and am grateful for from this school, however, it is necessary to seriously review all aspects of CCA before fully committing.... Read 646 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,336

• Student-teacher ratio 27:1

• San Dieguito Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.07 out of 5  497 reviews

Alum: My experience at Torrey Pines High School was transformative and deeply enriching. As a student, I found myself immersed in a vibrant academic environment that fostered intellectual curiosity and personal growth. The school's commitment to excellence was evident in its rigorous curriculum, dedicated faculty, and wide array of extracurricular opportunities. Academically, I was challenged to think critically, Whether in advanced placement courses, honors programs, or elective classes, I felt supported by knowledgeable teachers who encouraged me to push the boundaries of my understanding and strive for excellence. Beyond the classroom, Torrey Pines High School offered a plethora of extracurricular activities, clubs, and sports teams that allowed me to explore my interests, develop leadership skills, and form lifelong friendships. From participating in academic competitions to volunteering in the community, I found opportunities to grow both academically and personally... Read 497 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,614

• Student-teacher ratio 26:1

• Poway Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.03 out of 5  720 reviews

Senior: I never attended school on-campus but I do an independent study program through Westview. I've attended school events and seminars and from those experiences I have seen they take student safety and wellness seriously. State tests, college prep and academic support are major programs and resources provided by the school. Many parents are involved with fundraisers, events and student body structure. Although Westview staff and student leadership take ethnic and cultural diversity seriously, I feel there could be more education and school spirit. I would like to see more ethnic clubs and dances as electives or extracurriculars.... Read 720 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,257

• Student-teacher ratio 25:1

• Encinitas, CA•

• Private School•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 4.82 out of 5  57 reviews

Parent: Simply stated: The Grauer School provides opportunity. In this small, collaborative environment, students are allowed to pursue their academic dreams through Socratic teaching; travel the world on bi-annual expeditions; and explore interests and passions through a diverse arts program, sports, and clubs. This school will meet and support your student on whatever path they choose and wherever the journey takes them. As a mother of a high schooler { '27} & an alum {'21}, I can't imagine enrolling my student anywhere else.... Read 57 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 160

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• La Jolla, CA•

• Public School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.17 out of 5  329 reviews

Junior: The Preuss School UCSD is a middle school and high school that has lots of resources for first generation low income students that attend. Most of these students are people of color and the first in their families to go into college, so it is important that they have some sort of guide when reaching higher academia. I believe the Preuss School has bridged the educational gap between racial minorities and their white counterparts, however due to recent administration replacements, a lot of change has come with it. There is not as much discipline as there used to be especially with the younger generations coming into Preuss, but teachers have nonetheless been supportive of their students and always encouraging us even through the hardest times we undergo. The sense of community and the tight-knit family that is fostered is unlike any other school I have experienced.... Read 329 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 839

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• La Mesa, CA•

• Public School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.26 out of 5  867 reviews

Junior: As a junior, I would consider my time at Helix Charter High School to be fairly beneficial. Throughout the duration of these three years, I have faced several meaningful experiences with my teachers and staff. Not only that, but I feel as though my school is one that has done an exceptional job preparing me to become as ready as one could be in order to transition from high school into college in an organized and sophisticated manner. This spring break, I went on a once in a lifetime opportunity to partake on a trip that Helix offers, known as "C4me". C4me has allowed me to narrow down what I desire in a college, and further engaged me to be more excited, rather than nervous, for college. Furthermore, other not-as-exciting experiences, such as me having my first seizure here have made me realize the immense support and great foundation in which Helix provides for its students. Therefore, I am lucky enough to say that Helix has changed me in so many ways, and I am so grateful to attend!... Read 867 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,502

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• Poway Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.06 out of 5  449 reviews

Senior: Del Norte has a phenomenal set of counselors and staff. The counselors are always there to support you via walk-in or appointment, and they always find ways to help wherever they can; whether that be college applications, troubles with peers, or issues with a schedule. They're all super sweet, understanding, and phenomenal individuals who have stuck with me since day one. The new principal is phenomenal, and a wonderful speaker. He's always willing to help and will go out of his way to help students with whatever they need, especially students who request name/gender changes in transcripts/gradebooks. The staff is also very good about resolving problems, they always make sure to listen to all sides of the story and talk through it. I will say however that Del Norte is very academically competitive, which leads to a lot of tension in the air & between students. On the positive side of this, Del Norte does a decent job at providing mental health services, though more could be better. :)... Read 449 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,531

• Student-teacher ratio 27:1

• San Diego, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.23 out of 5  283 reviews

Senior: As a senior, I have been grateful to have been presented with various opportunities to be involved at my school community. It is a place of learning, hardship and intelligence where everyone is encouraged to work hard in order to be prepared to thrive in college and in their future endeavors. This school has taught me to hold my morals close to my heart, to be able to be a moldable individual who can shine in whatever situation they are placed in, and to always give the best of their efforts.... Read 283 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,640

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• San Diego, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.26 out of 5  31 reviews

Parent: So far we have had a great experience at SDJA after our child's first year in the Lower School. All of the families in the class have become close and include a diverse cross section of the Jewish community. At a party hosted by one of the parents, the teacher was invited, and the kids swarmed around her like she was a celebrity. Regarding the review and hearing some other people's experience about not having a Jewish mother was a source of concern going in. I can say so far that I have seen no signs of this, and my atheist non-Jewish wife has been fully embraced by the other mothers in the class whom she considers good friends. My own father is not Jewish, so I am sensitive to these issues. My daughter loves the Jewish content - something we never pushed on her. It is a beautiful sight seeing these kids of such diverse Jewish backgrounds singing together at Shabbat. Hopefully, the next year will go as well.... Read 31 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 569

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Coronado Unified, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.15 out of 5  261 reviews

Junior: Coronado High school is a great public school. The curriculum is challenging. The teachers are supportive. The buildings are clean and well kept. I really enjoy the 4x4 schedule, as it allows me to leave school at 1:50 pm instead of 3:30 pm. The learning is quite fast paced. Since my school is pretty small compared to nearby high schools, I feel as if we have a stronger sense of community. Coronado high school is a welcoming, encouraging, and terrific school. I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else. However, I wish we had more unique classes to choose from, such as culinary class. I also wish we had some other APs, such as AP microeconomics.... Read 261 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,045

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• San Diego, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.33 out of 5  24 reviews

Junior: Even those who are fully immersed in the Waldorf School system often question why they’re paying for what seems to be a small social circle and a phone-free campus. But Waldorf is much more. The feeling of smallness reflects the developmental stages of kids who go from loving the intimacy to taking advantage of it, to despising it, to respecting it again. Waldorf is an education aware of development and growth. Sometimes it feels as if the school doesn’t change with us, but at other times it fully bends to take care of the individual need. I was given an opportunity at an internship, and the faculty worked around the schedule to allow that internship to become part of my school-day education. In my junior year at the Waldorf School of San Diego I’ve begun to feel highly respected by teachers to the point that my future does not seem out of my hands. I’ve been given the stepping stones to be true to myself, and confident in my abilities, all over the map due to their broad exposures.... Read 24 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 273

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Grossmont Union High, CA•

• 11-12

• •
  Rating 4.17 out of 5  146 reviews

Alum: The staff are very flexible and will make really close connections with you. It's a great way to get ahead and ready for college.... Read 146 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 49

• Student-teacher ratio 25:1

• Poway Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.14 out of 5  408 reviews

Junior: The student body is generally nice and I have not encountered very many issues with fighting or bullying, although those issues still exist. I have yet to encounter a teacher that is flat-out mean, though many can be eccentric, but most are nice and usually accommodating. The size of the school can be somewhat inaccessible especially when you have two classes that are across campus from each other, and you often have to walk far to reach a gender neutral bathroom. When it is raining students will have to walk in the rain in order to get to classes. I do not drive yet but I have heard of many issues with the parking lot. Extracurriculars are plentiful and there are many classes to choose from when inputting course requests. Other counselors may be more helpful but I have found that my counselor is not very helpful. College prep is not really talked about with juniors, besides what AP classes can do.... Read 408 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,865

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• San Diego, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  290 reviews

Senior: The Academy of Our Lady of Peace is an appealing and well constructed highschool. The campus is gorgeous and it does truly hold a lot of opportunities for the students. For example, their are many leadership roles anyone can apply to, they have a wide range of sports such as archery and E-sports, and lastly OLP has a lot of resources and online sources that are free to the student body that aid in homework and projects. One part of this school experience that, in my opinion, does need a little more help is electing the administration and teachers. Although most teachers and administrators are always willing to help and aid any student, some teachers use questionable tactics and harsh grading. I believe that the executive board who is electing teachers and administrators should look more in depth on how these teachers are teaching and communicating to their students in a supportive and affective way.... Read 290 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 750

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Rancho Santa Fe, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.93 out of 5  15 reviews

Works Here: I am so lucky to work at High Bluff Academy as a math and drama teacher, as well as the co-coordinator for social events. HBA is unlike any other school in that it is full of teachers who LOVE what they do and the priority is the students' wellbeing and learning. At HBA, every single student can succeed because we provide a strong support system, both academically and socially, as well as small class sizes. The administration at HBA is always looking for new ways to inspire and involve our students in activities to expand their intellectual horizons, like our new Logic & Philosophy elective and our amazing Friday lunches made by the cooking class. All in all, I can't speak highly enough about this amazing learning environment. Any student would love to be part of our HBA community.... Read 15 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 42

• Student-teacher ratio 3:1

• San Diego Unified, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.6 out of 5  661 reviews

Senior: Scripps Ranch High School is an interesting school. Some of the teachers really suck. For instance, they had a biology teacher teach advanced physics, and they had no idea what they were doing. There are also some teachers at the school who don't teach, and tell you to do the work. On the other hand there are many great teachers who make sure you know what you are doing in the class. Aside from the teachers, the clubs at the school are decent. Some people participate but not a lot. I participated in garden club for 3 years and I am currently the VP of the club. The garden club was a fairly big club, but this year ASB never communicated to the clubs about forms and such, so many people didn't know about clubs. Some things I would like to see changed at Scripps would be another exit out of the school and more plants around campus. Another exit would prevent students from having to wait 15-25 mins to get out of school. Having more plants around campus would just make everything nicer.... Read 661 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,984

• Student-teacher ratio 28:1

• San Dieguito Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.33 out of 5  515 reviews

Junior: It has been very fun going to school at San Dieguito High School Academy. There is definitely a focus on the culture, mostly focusing on liberal arts with many artsy electives to choose from. Even with this art focus, I have enjoyed my science and math experience.... Read 515 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,089

• Student-teacher ratio 25:1

• Escondido, CA•

• Public School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.02 out of 5  211 reviews

Senior: This school has been amazing all four years of my career there. I loved the staff there and the administration help clubs financially and in recruiting. Great School!... Read 211 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 927

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Sweetwater Union High, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  562 reviews

Senior: My overall experience at Olympian High School was enjoyable. I fostered healthy relationships with peers and teachers throughout my four years. I also joined several clubs, most notably our school dance team. The school has an extremely supportive staff and positive student environment. The worst parts about Olympian are the occurrence of littering and the variety of school lunch food. One of my favorite aspects of Olympian High was the care and attention that teachers gave students to both their academic success and emotional wellbeing. Overall, I enjoyed being a student at Olympian.... Read 562 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,341

• Student-teacher ratio 24:1

• Poway Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.92 out of 5  593 reviews

Junior: My experience so far at Rancho Bernardo High School as been good I love campus life and the amount of people that I get to meet here. My teachers, administration and peers are so nice and I love the fact that I can be open enough to share my feeling and tell them whatever I feel and be open about things I have been going through. In my opinion I think my favorite thing about my school has to be athletic life I love making friends and being apart of the sport of my choice no matter how gruelling it might be at times. Something that I would like to change in my school is sensitivity because although we have a nice and diverse community there are always statements passed in the hallways that seem very offesive and targeted to another person and I just do not think that its nice or fair to speak without thinking when making certain remarks because even if you consider someone your friend there are just somethings you shouldn't voice out loud regardless of the person.... Read 593 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,318

• Student-teacher ratio 26:1

• San Diego, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.67 out of 5  6 reviews

Alum: Small class size and dedicated caring teachers lead to indicate attention for every student. Excellent academics and college prep, with multiple ap courses in every subject. Students are very friendly and connected to each other.... Read 6 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 43

• Student-teacher ratio 3:1