Palo Alto High School

Palo Alto High School

Public High School | Grade 9-12
50 Embarcadero Rd,  Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto Unified School District
4.0
3.6
1,992 Students
A+
Niche Grade

School Details

Head of School
Kim Diorio
Student Teacher Ratio
17:1
Average SAT Score
1410
Average ACT Score
31
Math Proficiency
84%
Reading Proficiency
88%
Average GPA
3.67
Graduation Rate
95%

Niche Grade

A+
Academics
A+
Teachers
A+
College Prep
B-
Administration
B+
Resources/Facilities
A-
Clubs and Activities
A-
Sports
B-
Food
Source: Niche
Niche Grades

Niche grades and rankings are calculated using dozens of public data sets and millions of reviews. Niche data scientists and user researchers rigorously analyze data and user opinions to assess the key aspects of K-12 Schools, Colleges, and Places to Live. Every month, millions of students and families use the Niche grades and report cards to find the right school or neighborhood.

Niche Grade Details

Academics
Average GPA
3.67
Reading Proficiency
88%
Math Proficiency
84%
Teachers
Student Teacher Ratio
17:1
Teachers
119
Full Time Teachers
119
Teachers in First or Second Year
4.5%
College Prep
Average SAT
1410
Math
720
Verbal
690
Average ACT
31
Math
30
English
31
Reading
31
Science
31
Number of AP Courses
26
AP Pass Rate
94.8%
AP Math Enrollment
Very High
AP Science Enrollment
Very High
Other AP Enrollment
Very High
Clubs and Activities
Girls Athletic Participation
Average
Boys Athletic Participation
Average

GreatSchools Rating

10
Test Scores
6
Equity
9
College Readiness
Source: GreatSchools
GreatSchools Rating
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology

GreatSchools Rating Details

Test Scores

Math
53.2%
State Average
17.9%
Science
33.4%
State Average
9.9%
GreatSchools Test Scores Rating
GreatSchools
The Test Score Rating reflects annual state test results for this school compared with scores statewide.

Teachers and Staff

Students Per Counselor
422:1

Student Diversity

Male
52.5%
Female
47.4%
Asian or Pacific Islander
36%
White
35.1%
Hispanic
14.3%
Two or more races
11.1%
Black
2.2%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
1.1%
Native American
<1%
Interested in learning more about homes nearby? Reach out to Betzahire Pelayo, an experienced agent in this school's attendance zone.

School Rankings

#9 Best Public HS in California
#11 Best College Prep Public HS in California
#47 Best HS For Stem in California
Source: Niche

Specialty School Programs

AP Programs Offered
IB Programs Offered
Free/Reduced Lunch Offered
Athletics Program

Colleges Students are Considering

Students are most interested in or go on to attend these colleges.
University of California - Los Angeles 514 Students
University of California - Berkeley 441 Students
University of Southern California 391 Students
University of California - San Diego 372 Students
University of California - Santa Barbara 372 Students
University of California - Davis 351 Students
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 313 Students
Stanford University 279 Students
University of California - Irvine 269 Students
New York University 250 Students

What Students Want to Study

Niche users from this school are most interested in the following majors.
Business 256 Students
Psychology 244 Students
Computer Science 204 Students
Biology 158 Students
Economics 142 Students
Political Science and Government 104 Students
Pre-Medicine Studies 82 Students
Sociology 81 Students
Engineering 79 Students
Environmental Science 70 Students

This School’s Reviews

Niche Reviews
4.0 309 Reviews
5.0 Freshman
8/7/2024
Great school for getting ready for College or Graduation. Great school for getting ready for College or Graduation.
4.0 Junior
8/5/2024
Paly is a great school with incredible academics and produces many of the brightest students. However, being a student there takes a huge toll on mental health and it's difficult to balance school and life with the large pressure to go to a great university from parents, community, staff, and peers.
4.0 Senior
4/23/2024
Overall my experience at Palo Alto High School has been positive. There are many resources provided to help you succeed academically, and the school is clearly eager to help aid you in achieving whatever goals and ambitions you have by supporting you and listening to student feedback and input.
See All Niche Reviews
GreatSchools Reviews
3.6 18 Reviews
5.0 parent
6/15/2024
Great high school right next to Stanford University. Wonder and balanced academic environment
Read Full Review
1.0 parent
3/6/2024
If you have any choice in the matter, I strongly advise you not to send your teenager to Palo Alto high school. The level of toxic stress at this school, exacerbated by miserable teachers, and under- educated administrators, is a recipe for distress amongst the students. The students grade-shame eac...
Read Full Review
5.0 student
2/24/2024
Many of the older reviews are extremely outdated. The students are very welcoming to new students, most of the teachers are willing to help and answer questions in class or outside of class time, and the school provides extensive student rights, as can be seen by their journalism program, which is o...
Read Full Review
4.0 other
8/7/2023
Pretty good teachers although they can be fairly eccentric at times, and staff-student interactions are often pleasant. My time here fostered some new passions and made me very prepared for college. Admin can be pretty out of touch with the wants and needs of students and teachers. Unfortunately, I'...
Read Full Review
See More GreatSchools Reviews

Agents Specializing in Attendance Zone

  • Betzahire Pelayo

    Betzahire Pelayo

    Keller Williams Palo Alto

    (650) 618-2827

    26 Total Sales

    3 in Attendance Zone

    $1.7M - $3.8M Price Range

    Betzahire Pelayo
     Section Image
  • Nikil Balakrishnan

    Nikil Balakrishnan

    Responds Quickly

    Realty World Premier Properties

    (669) 666-6717

    9 Total Sales

    1 in Attendance Zone

    $3,050,000 Price

    Nikil Balakrishnan
     Section Image
  • Michael Ramos

    Michael Ramos

    Momentum Realty

    (669) 206-1707

    271 Total Sales

    2 in Attendance Zone

    $980K - $4M Price Range

    Michael Ramos
     Section Image
  • Susan Sims

    Susan Sims

    The Agency

    (650) 885-9151

    28 Total Sales

    3 in Attendance Zone

    $1.9M - $3.6M Price Range

    Susan Sims
     Section Image
  • Mark Palermo

    Mark Palermo

    Compass

    (650) 977-1442

    78 Total Sales

    1 in Attendance Zone

    $2,565,000 Price

    Mark Palermo
     Section Image
  • Daniel Xi

    Daniel Xi

    Coldwell Banker Realty

    (562) 449-4817

    293 Total Sales

    3 in Attendance Zone

    $1M - $3.8M Price Range

    Daniel Xi
     Section Image
See All Agents

Map

Attendance Zone

Homes for Sale

See All Homes

Homes for Rent

See All Homes For Rent

Additional Schools in the Area

California Santa Clara County Palo Alto 94301
Palo Alto High School
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
Betzahire Pelayo
Betzahire Pelayo
Keller Williams Palo Alto
Agent experienced in this area
Section Image