School Profile
Founded in 1999, Pacific Collegiate School is a college preparatory public charter school for grades 7-12 located in Santa Cruz, California, and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Due to our rigorous graduation requirements, we attract a highly motivated group of students who flourish in the school's academically challenging environment.
PCS has an open admissions policy: admission in all grades is non-selective, and is determined through public implementation of a once-a-year lottery. Current enrollment is 553 in grades 7-12; there are 84 seniors in the Class of 2020. 40 full and part-time professionals make up the teaching faculty, 67% with advanced degrees. The student/teacher ratio is 20/1.
Awards & Rankings
PCS is committed to preparing our students to succeed in college. While our curriculum was not designed for the purpose of earning high rankings, PCS has been recognized over the years by organizations which rank high schools according to the college preparedness of its students.
Some highlights:
- Ranked #1 public high school in the Greater Santa Cruz Area, #10 public high school in California, #22 charter high school in the nation, and #95 public high schools nationwide by U.S. News & World Report
- Designated a Gold Ribbon School in 2017 by the California Department of Education
- Designated a California distinguished School in 2021 by the California Department of Education
- Ranked as "One of America's Most Challenging High Schools" by The Washington Post
For more detailed information about our program please see our School Profile (PDF).
