A public arts high school that offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum, the Ramón C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts is usually referred to as Grand Arts or “VAPA.”
The school’s state-of-the-art campus in Downtown Los Angeles opened in 2009 with an eye-catching sculptural tower, a conical library, large windows and other bold design features that make this public school an “architectural wonder.” Admitted via a lottery system, 400 incoming freshmen take courses in dance, music, theatre and visual arts. Grand Arts is also a community facility for the public, with a 927-seat concert hall, a 250-seat black box theatre and an outdoor amphitheater.
Music courses include vocal and instrumental performance, music theory, music composition, concert band, symphonic band, jazz band, string orchestra, symphonic orchestra, concert choir, vocal jazz, vocal technique and guitar. Extended partnerships with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Opera enrich these course offerings.
Visual Arts students take classes in drawing, ceramics, painting, video production, digital design, photography and life drawing. Students in the Dance Academy take ballet, modern dance, tap, hip-hop, cultural dance, choreography, technical studies, history and performance. Schoolwide events include an annual spring dance and concert along with several plays, musicals and visual art exhibitions.
Ramón C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts
Public High School
|
Grade 9-12
450 N Grand Ave,
Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles Unified School District
School Details
Head of School
Kenneth Martinez
Student Teacher Ratio
17:1
Average SAT Score
1070
Average ACT Score
26
Math Proficiency
14%
Reading Proficiency
45%
Average GPA
3.47
Graduation Rate
95%
Niche Grade
B
A-
B+
C+
B+
B+
B-
Source: Niche
Niche Grade Details
Academics
Average GPA
3.47
Reading Proficiency
45%
Math Proficiency
14%
Teachers
Student Teacher Ratio
17:1
Teachers
66
Full Time Teachers
66
Teachers in First or Second Year
11.3%
College Prep
Average SAT
1070
Math
520
Verbal
560
Average ACT
26
Math
24
English
27
Reading
28
Science
24
Number of AP Courses
15
AP Pass Rate
50.7%
AP Math Enrollment
Very Low
AP Science Enrollment
High
Other AP Enrollment
Very Low
Clubs and Activities
Girls Athletic Participation
Very Low
Boys Athletic Participation
Very Low
GreatSchools Rating
Source: GreatSchools
GreatSchools Rating Details
Test Scores
Math
3.4%
State Average
17.9%
Science
3.2%
State Average
9.9%
Teachers and Staff
Students Per Counselor
288:1
Student Diversity
Female
66.6%
Male
33.4%
Hispanic
68.6%
White
16%
Asian or Pacific Islander
6.1%
Black
6%
Two or more races
3%
Native American
<1%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
<1%
School Rankings
#15
Best HS for the Arts in California
#169
Niche Standout HS in California
Specialty School Programs
AP Programs Offered
Free/Reduced Lunch Offered
Colleges Students are Considering
Students are most interested in or go on to attend these colleges.
University of California - Los Angeles
445 Students
University of Southern California
281 Students
University of California - Berkeley
267 Students
University of California - Irvine
227 Students
California State University - Northridge
218 Students
University of California - Santa Cruz
206 Students
California State University - Long Beach
191 Students
California State University - Los Angeles
190 Students
University of California - San Diego
186 Students
San Francisco State University
184 Students
What Students Want to Study
Niche users from this school are most interested in the following majors.
Psychology
123 Students
Business
103 Students
Dance
71 Students
Film and Video Studies
66 Students
Drama and Theatre Production
61 Students
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
61 Students
Nursing
58 Students
Music Performance
58 Students
Biology
51 Students
Fine Arts
51 Students
This School’s Reviews
Niche Reviews
2/21/2025
This school is mainly for the arts so the academies Dance, Theater, Media, Visual, and Music are filled with a bunch of talented people with amazing talented teachers.
12/19/2024
Great school for those who are into Visual Arts and many different things that involve any type of art such as Dance, Music, and theater.
12/17/2024
They taught me so many social skills I don't think I would have learned anywhere else. It's so easy to find people with your same passion who will motivate and push you to be your best self. Most people are so welcoming and really support each other. Most teachers are incredibly understanding when it comes to needing extra help/ time with assignments.
GreatSchools Reviews
11/8/2024
Teachers at this school play favorites. They dislike some students and favor others and everyone knows it. I wouldn't go here. The counselors are terrible. They never reply to messages and are rude. This place is basically a mess and I wouldn't recommend it unless your a student who never needs any...
10/12/2024
I've been here for almost two years. It was fun at first until everything began to feel repetitive. A lot of the students here don't seem to care much about the arts that they came here for, either. There are always fights going on and people vaping in the bathrooms. The music conservatory is cool a...
3/13/2024
I agree with the previous poster about the counselors being terrible. They do not help the kids achieve and actually are rude and neglectful. The school is a mess with new principals and other admin staff and teachers coming and going. The academics are sub par with AP classes even being a joke. Thi...
11/30/2023
The school is clean and modern. The students are accepting and super creative. The teachers are great!! But the academic counselors are not good. I was warned about this prior to coming to this school by another family with older students who attend the theater academy. I was told that that counselo...
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Homes For Sale
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Average Home Value
$705,509
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10,018 Sq Ft
% Renters
91%
Average Household Income
$96,672
% of College Grads
50.5%
Median Age
39
Average House Size
1,569 Sq Ft
% Commercial Property
92.8%
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Choice Schools
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Arts District Park
Grand Park
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Arts District Dog Park
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- Parking Lot
South Park Commons
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Spring Street Park
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- Playground
Grand Hope Park
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LA Live Dog Park
- Camping
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Los Angeles Plaza Park
- Events
- Amusement Rides
- Multi-Purpose Field
Venice Hope Park
- Picnic Area
- Playground
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Ramón C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts is a public school for students in grades 9-12 in Los Angeles, CA and is served by the Los Angeles Unified School District in California. The school has a total enrollment of 1,145 and maintains a student-teacher ratio of 17:1. Academic records show that 14% of students achieve proficiency in math, and 45% are proficient in reading. Ramón C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts has received feedback and ratings, with a Niche grade of B+ and a GreatSchools Rating of 6 out of 10. The average GPA is 3.47, the graduation rate is 95%, and average standardized test scores include an SAT score of 1070 and an ACT score of 26. The average home value in this area is $705,509. Discover additional schools in the area, like Downtown Magnets High School, Academic Leadership Community Miguel Contreras Learning Complex, Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez High, and more. Learn more about what Los Angeles has to offer, and browse homes for sale and for rent near Ramón C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts.