University High School versus Northwood High School

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"Are the people on this blog so rich and live such lavish lives that they look down upon UCI?"



Um, you are missing the point entirely. I have nothing personal against UCI but was just originally making a comment about calling UCI a "competitive school". Competitiveness is a relative term, but no one disputes that UCI is academically an inferior school to at least three schools in the UC system.



UCI has indeed been very important to the development of the city of Irvine and TIC was very foresighted to offer the land for (nearly) free to the UC.



I don't know how "rich" and "lavish lives" got into this, but it seems to me you have some issues (perhaps related to having made the decision to turn down UCLA?) to work out over your alma mater.
 
I once told a UCI female friend that I thought it was a shame that they put the University so close to the ocean, and that they should have put it up where Northwood is. . . she about hit the ceiling.
 
<p>Yeah, nice cars. Did you see the silver one in the background? </p>

<p>So you have to be rich to have an opinion on the buildings at UCI?</p>
 
OK, so USC has as students porn stars, whereas UCI students <a href="http://laist.com/2007/11/13/sociology_of_sexuality.php">are relegated to listening to them</a>?
 
I was never proud of being accepted to UCI. I never boasted that I went there. Even today I think UCLA is a better school. But I was an Honor student in high school and had greater aspirations for college. But now that I work in the public sector, I realize that the majority of high school students aren't qualified to be admitted to great schools. Even at University High or Northwood High, only about 25% of the graduates are qualified for UCI. Yes folks, half of the graduates from these fine schools don't go straight to a 4 year college. And for those who do, only 25% of the graduates qualify for a UC school. So... in the general public, and I'm not talking about the bloggers on this site, UCI is a very competitive school. For all of those who are dying to send their kids to Uni or Northwood, bear in mind that only 1 in 4 will actually be admitted to UCI or a better school. Irvine has great schools, but don't expect too much.
 
"Yes folks, half of the graduates from these fine schools don't go straight to a 4 year college."



Wrong. At University High, 63% of the 2006 graduates went straight to a 4-year college. At Northwood High, 71% of the 2007 graduates went straight to a 4-year college. Information is from the schools themselves at:

http://www.iusd.org/uhs/uhsprofile.pdf&http://www.northwoodhigh.org/static/information/NHSProfile/nhsprofile.pdf



"And for those who do, only 25% of the graduates qualify for a UC school."



This is wrong in two ways. First, its grammatically wrong, as I assume you meant "25% of all the graduates qualify for a UC school" instead of "25% of all the students who went to a 4-year college qualify for a UC school", which is what your sentence implies. In fact, I assume you really meant "25% of all the graduates were *accepted* to a UC school", as being "qualified" is difficult to quantitively measure, unless you mean that they meant the minimum admittance standards for the UC. If you really meant "qualified", I guarantee you than over 90% of the graduates from both high schools meet the UC qualifications.



Second, its factually wrong, because even if you meant "accepted to a UC", 48% of the 2006 University High graduates were accepted to a UC school. This number is likely an underestimation of the % that could be accepted, however, as some students either do not want to attend a public university or are of such high caliber that they don't even bother applying to a UC school even as a backup.



"Irvine has great schools, but don't expect too much."



Um, Irvine's public schools are consistently rated as being some of the best in the *country*. I'll quote wikipedia on University HIgh:



On November 29, 2007 University High School ranked 76th Best High School in the country out of over 18,000 public schools that were ranked.[1] Being in the top 100, University High School is considered a "Gold Medal School".

In May 1987, University High School was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as an exemplary school in the Secondary School Recognition Program. In 1988 and 1992, Uni was similarly recognized as a California State Distinguished School. University was accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) for six years in 2004.

The school has consistently made Newsweek's list of Top High Schools.[2] In 2005, the school ranked 117th out of the top 1000 high schools.[3] In Newsweek's 2006 list, the school ranked 156th out of 1,200 top high schools,[4] and in 2007, Uni was ranked 186th.[5]
 
First post so be nice..



I grew up in Irvine, graduated from Uni and went to both UCI and UCLA. I figured I'd post to help anyone who had questions regarding these schools.



In my opinion, both Northwood and Uni have equivalent test scores. My only worry about Northwood would be that since it is a new school, there could be a chance that its high scores are an early aberration, while Uni has had a tract record of high performance. However, the Northwood HS campus is much newer and better looking than the concrete bunkers that UNI has. In the end, I purchased in QH because 1) it was in the Uni disctrict, 2) closer to the ocean and thus (hopefully) more likely to hold its value, 3) its in a beautiful area, especially now when the hills are green.



My experience at Uni was great. Back then it was less asian, if 30% asian is considered a big diff from the 48% it is now. Regardless, I took all the AP courses and honor courses and still did decently well to get a scholarship to UCLA. I also took classes at UCI while at Uni (I'm not sure if that program is still available now) and those classes I took were easier than the AP classes at Uni. The only problem I see with Uni, and I guess Northwood too, is the lack of diversification in the student body. The % of asians in the AP classes is much higher than 50%. Offhand, I'd say the AP Calc, AP physics, AP Chem classes were close to 75% asian if not more.



UCI is a great school, UCLA is better. I think having a great sports program is really important for Alumni. For that reason, if my kid had to decide between UCI and USC, I'd be more willing to let her go to *gulp* goto USC....god forbid if she doesn't get into UCLA.



Go Bruins!

Hope this helps
 
<p>IAD, thanks for the specifics. "Ninety-four percent of the 2006 UHS graduates entered post-secondary institutions of which 63% entered four-year universities and colleges." That comes out to 59%. I roughly guessed 50%. </p>



<p align="left">"Forty-eight percent of the students in the Class of ’06 were accepted to the University of California (UC)." I had initially meant to say 25% to UCI. Out of 48%, I can assume that 15-18% might only qualify for a less competitive UC - such as Riverside or Santa Cruz. Once again, only an estimation.</p>

<p align="left">"And for those who do, only 25% of the graduates qualify for a UC school." Sentence may be misleading, but I did state out of the graduates, not just out those who decide to go to a 4 year. Also, "a UC school" meant UCI.</p>

<p align="left">So let's summarize, around 40% of Uni students do not go to a 4 year college? Plus another 10% only go to Cal State level college. Does that mean that half of the graduates would go to a Cal State or less? 48% qualify for a UC. So how many would qualify for UCI or above? Maybe 30-33%?</p>

<p align="left">My point is, you guys have been attacking UCI, yet praising University. But are you aware that most (roughly 2/3) of Uni graduates do not even qualify for UCI? [My numbers are only estimates.]</p>

<p align="left">If UCI is such a mediocre school, then what does that say about the 2/3 of Uni students who won't even qualify for UCI?</p>

<p align="left">Uni is one of the best high schools in Orange County. To me, it's like an extension of UCI. But at least half the graduates will not even be accepted to a UC. That's actually a pretty good number to me, but I fear it might disappoint many who read this blog.</p>

<p align="left">Hey, I guessed around 10% lower than the actual numbers. That's not bad, right? Besides, I don't fully trust the information from the school itself anyways. It has all the incentives to inflate their numbers. </p>



<p align="left"> </p>
 
Regarding QHBhruins comments about the AP classes having so many asians and Uni/northwood lacking diversification - i dont want to make this a race issue, but i always find it interesting when the majority is not white, people tend to point out the high percentage of whatever that minority is. I bet if the AP classes mentioned by QHBruin were 75% white, it would likely not be pointed out. Please dont interpret this as me saying that QHBruin is racist, I just think its interesting how its pointed out. Kind of like when most people tell a story and say "Oh there was this black (or hispanic) guy", but if he were white, the would say "Oh there was this guy"
 
Okay HST, I admit I read the profile wrong and it is indeed 59% of the Uni High graduates going to a 4-year college. I suppose if you only go by that measure (which is, IMO, an exceedingly important one), Northwood is a better school with 71% going to a 4-year college.



I never claimed that UCI is a mediocre school, it is one of the 2nd-tier of top public universities in the country. I did part of my medical training at UCI and am proud of it.



Anyway, to the OP, sorry to have jacked your thread. In the end, the difference between Northwood and University High, at least from an academic standpoint, is probably insignificant and other factors will count more towards a decision between getting your children into one or the other.
 
<p>Go to Northwood because it is safe, secluded, and beautiful. Think of all the property tax that goes to building and maintaining it.</p>

<p>Go to University because it is nationally recognized as a top high school.</p>

<p>IMO, both schools are not diverse at all. </p>

<p>Beckman is actually a good school that is also very diverse, situated in a good neighborhood (even though I don't like TUSD administrators).</p>

<p>I have an uncle who is a doctor and an aunt who is a dentist. They feel very fortunate to have learned Spanish and interacted with Hispanics while in school, because many of their current patients are Hispanics.</p>
 
Uhh, so because these 2 schools are not diverse. And that your relatives were fortunate to learn Spanish and interact with Hispanics while in school. Are you implying, these students won't learn Spanish to the level of your relatives?
 
I dont think HS was implying anything, just making a statement. But ill answer your question. They may learn it, but the more you speak it, which you probably will, if you are around hispanics, the more fluent you will be. So to answer your question reason. Uhh, YES.
 
re: QHbruin's comment about diversity




maybe it seems the majority of asian parents are clamoring to put their kids in uni and northwood but as the younger generations get older, there's definitely a growing sentiment of not wanting our children to grow up in a bubble within a bubble (i.e., staying exclusively inside the asian community in irvine/socal) i certainly have other friends, many of whom are starting to have children, who share the same views. and for that reason they would prefer <em>not</em> to have their kids go to uni and uci.
 
re: learning Spanish



I had 4 years of Spanish in high school, but I learned more Spanish during the four months I worked in the food service industry. High school taught (or tried to teach) me how to write grammatically correct sentences, but a summer job helped learn all of the necessary slang one needs to know.
 
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