Terra Nova High School: UC admissions

Pacifica · San Mateo CountyPublic high school

This page shows how students from Terra Nova High School did when they applied to the University of California. It is not the admission rate for getting into Terra Nova High School itself.

In fall 2025, 48 students from Terra Nova High School applied to the University of California and 36 (75%) were admitted to at least one campus. The most popular choice was UC Davis with 33 applicants. The hardest campus to get into was UC San Diego (5 of 30 admitted, 17%), and the easiest was UC Merced (94%). Admitted students had an average UC GPA (weighted, capped) of 3.98.

What stands out

Its rate of admission to at least one UC campus (75%) was about the same as the San Mateo County average (75%). Between 2021 and 2025, UC Davis got harder for Terra Nova High School students (37% → 24% admitted), while UC Santa Cruz got easier (47% → 63%). Its applicants were admitted at lower rates than the overall applicant pool at UC Davis, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and UC Santa Cruz.

Fall 2025 results by campus

CampusAppliedAdmittedAdmit rateAll applicants’ rateEnrolledAvg GPA appliedAvg GPA admitted
Any UC campus483675%—133.853.98
UC Berkeley21——11%—4.00—
UC Davis33824%44%43.954.26
UC Irvine27——29%—3.94—
UC Los Angeles22——9%—3.95—
UC Merced161594%94%—3.833.89
UC Riverside151280%87%—3.833.99
UC San Diego30517%28%—3.864.29
UC Santa Barbara29517%38%—3.904.31
UC Santa Cruz322063%72%33.824.07

“All applicants’ rate” is the campus admit rate across all freshman applicants that year, including out-of-state and international.

Five-year trend

Campus20212022202320242025
Any UC campus67% (35/52)66% (31/47)68% (25/37)82% (31/38)75% (36/48)
UC Berkeley19% (5/27)— (—/25)— (—/19)26% (6/23)— (—/21)
UC Davis37% (10/27)28% (7/25)14% (3/21)30% (9/30)24% (8/33)
UC Irvine— (—/21)— (—/24)— (—/15)33% (8/24)— (—/27)
UC Los Angeles— (—/30)12% (3/25)— (—/17)24% (5/21)— (—/22)
UC Merced100% (9/9)100% (8/8)100% (8/8)100% (7/7)94% (15/16)
UC Riverside86% (6/7)86% (6/7)100% (8/8)100% (6/6)80% (12/15)
UC San Diego23% (7/30)— (—/28)— (—/21)54% (13/24)17% (5/30)
UC Santa Barbara18% (6/34)27% (8/30)26% (5/19)52% (16/31)17% (5/29)
UC Santa Cruz47% (14/30)43% (13/30)59% (16/27)72% (21/29)63% (20/32)

Admit rate, with admitted / applied in parentheses.

Where would your GPA land?

Enter your GPA to compare yourself with students from Terra Nova High School who were admitted to each campus.

Other San Mateo County high schools

All San Mateo County schools →

Source: University of California Office of the President, UC Information Center, Admissions by source school. Freshman counts are fall terms; transfer counts are the academic year starting that fall. Average GPAs are UC’s weighted, capped high school GPA (transfer GPA for colleges). “—” means UC suppressed a small count. This site is independent and not affiliated with the University of California. Admit rates describe past applicants, not any individual student’s chances.