University High School versus Northwood High School

You guys are really getting carried away. The mindset that seems to pervade many individuals here reminds me of people whose children interview to attend certain "fancy" schools in Los Angeles, eg. Marlboro. A safe and stable home environment has far more to do with scholastic success... than whether University offers 3 more AP classes than Irvine, etc.
 
Current 2008, Northwood High is ranked 382 while University High School is rank #152. What are the chances that Northwood High would outrank University High as the #1 high school in Irvine in the next 10 - 15 years?. Go! Go! Northwood. 15 years from now, that is where i was to send my kids to High School. I hear from everybody that the high school is gorgeous. I am definitely going to visit next i take a trip out to Irvine.
 
[quote author="Bubblegum" date=1211346173]What happened to Woodbridge? Is Woodbridge the worst performing HS in IUSD?



University High #152

Northwood #382

Irvine #755



Although I don't really think their testing methodology of using a ratio of AP tests taken divided by number of graduating senors is an true indicator of performance, but rather of curriculum. I guess it's bragging rights one way or another. Looks like E&E;column is the number of students passing one or more AP tests...</blockquote>


On the new California API scores released yesterday, Woodbridge actually scored higher than Irvine HS, yet it did not make the Newsweek list. Go figure.



<u>API Scores:</u>

Irvine HS 827

Woodbridge HS 839

Northwood HS 858

University HS 881



Like was stated by GUII, you are not going to go wrong with any of these schools.
 
Northwood is the best looking campus.

Irvine is the most down to earth campus.

Woodbridge is the most sporty campus.

University is the most college-like campus.



You decide which trait you like the best.

Personally, I would not choose Uni.

Irvine is very middle class.

Northwood is a little flashy.

Woodbridge is okay.
 
It's official: University is better than Northwood which is not as good as Irvine High. That's what the Register says, so it must be true.



<a href="http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/education/article_2048639.php">OC's Best High Schools</a>



<a href="http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/education/article_2052898.php">Middle College</a> in Santa Ana came out ahead of Northwood, Woodbridge & Irvine High so maybe it's time to reconsider avoiding buying a home in Santa Ana.
 
Academics may be important, but that's only one aspect in choosing where to live. For instance, any of the schools below is an excellent place to send your kids. But each school has different traits depending on its location. I think that parents move to Irvine for its excellent schools whereas others move to Newport for its affluence and proximity to the coast.



Uni is a highly academic school and it provides exposure to a neighboring UC.

Northwood has an astounding facility.

Woodbridge has strong athletics team.

Irvine High is diverse and is more down to earth.

Corona del Mar has a private school-like environment.

And Fountain Valley has very good standards.



School Name SAT Score % Free Meals % Minority API

University High 1861 6.7 56 881

Northwood High 1762 1.9 51.4 858

Woodbridge High 1721 5.8 43.3 839

Irvine High 1714 7.5 55.8 827

Corona del Mar High 1698 2.2 13.7 863

Fountain Valley High 1656 7.7 53.8 821
 
I just saw on the Register website <a href="http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_2100591.php">that there is a fire behind Uni High. </a> Anybody in the area have news?
 
<blockquote>I?m reminded of another joke. . . albeit a popular one. What do UCLA and USC students have in common? They all got into USC. </blockquote>
College admissions in the last few years have been that UCLA(or the UCs) admits top kids from each high school, so it's better to go to an easier high school if you want to go to UCLA/UCB. USC pays more attention to SAT scores. This year there are kids that got into UCLA/UCB but were rejected from USC(low SAT).

My kid graduated from Uni recently. I don't think Uni teachers are that great. Most kids have tutor because they don't teach anything at Uni. Also you don't have to live at a Uni boundary in order to go to Uni.
 
[quote author="WestparkRenter" date=1219651223]<blockquote>I?m reminded of another joke. . . albeit a popular one. What do UCLA and USC students have in common? They all got into USC. </blockquote>
College admissions in the last few years have been that UCLA(or the UCs) admits top kids from each high school, so it's better to go to an easier high school if you want to go to UCLA/UCB. USC pays more attention to SAT scores. This year there are kids that got into UCLA/UCB but were rejected from USC(low SAT).

My kid graduated from Uni recently. I don't think Uni teachers are that great. Most kids have tutor because they don't teach anything at Uni. Also you don't have to live at a Uni boundary in order to go to Uni.</blockquote>


I interact with some of the smartest people and none of them really graduated from the top notch high schools including myself. All these petty comparison between HS is just another bragging right for the parents rather than for the interest of the students.



Stop sending your kids to the expensive commercial tutor program and spend some time with your kids because the time your kids spent with you he or she will remember for life and the time with the tutors is just another thing "my parent made me do". When the kids do not succeed it is not the schools, teachers, tutors, or inferior laptops it is the parents lack of involvement in their life.
 
<blockquote>When the kids do not succeed it is not the schools, teachers, tutors, or inferior laptops it is the parants lack of involvement in their life. </blockquote>


Sorry to disagree with you. In this particular case, it's not the lack of parents involvement but rather it's the teachers whose relying on the Uni academic reputation and can't teach, heck they don't even know the subject well, they did not major the subject that they are teaching in college. I just want to warn other parents not to have this pay top price for a house that's in the Uni boundary for this false assumption.

I also don't know what you mean by "the kids do not succeed", what is your definition of "not succeed"? Going to a community college?
 
It's been awhile since I was in high school so maybe it's changed, but there's a huge difference between the honors/AP classes and the regular "college-prep" classes. For example, while the honors English class was reading Shakespeare, Antigone, Beowulf and other nonsense, the "dummie" class got to read The Outsiders and Catcher in the Rye.
 
[quote author="WestparkRenter" date=1219731871]<blockquote>When the kids do not succeed it is not the schools, teachers, tutors, or inferior laptops it is the parants lack of involvement in their life. </blockquote>


Sorry to disagree with you. In this particular case, it's not the lack of parents involvement but rather it's the teachers whose relying on the Uni academic reputation and can't teach, heck they don't even know the subject well, they did not major the subject that they are teaching in college. I just want to warn other parents not to have this pay top price for a house that's in the Uni boundary for this false assumption.

I also don't know what you mean by "the kids do not succeed", what is your definition of "not succeed"? Going to a community college?</blockquote>


"not suceed" means not meeting the goal of parents or students.
 
As a former college eduaction, I can say, sometimes its not the teacher or parents. Sometimes the student just don't understand and they need more help. Do I slow down the entire class, flunk the student or spend and inordinate amount of time on one student?



Plus, I must say alot of Irvine Students I see are very classist, on top of that, I see alot of young people who SO medicated, its a wonder they can get MOVE.



But that's just my observation.

good luck

-bix
 
Looking back, does anyone really care which high school you attended? Do you ever wish you attended x over y because you would have been that much more ahead in college? When people ask which high school I attended, it's purely to figure out if we have any mutual friends or do you know so and so... Same thing with undergraduate college. IMO, preparing someone for college, is preparing them to live on their own, managing priorities, making decisions, and being independent. High School curriculum rarely teaches those topics, parents do. Teach your kids to cook, clean, manage finances, understand choices and priorities, and foster self esteem to know they can achieve their goals. They may not get straight A's, but I'll sleep better knowing they can take care of themselves.
 
Bubblegum,



Well put. Everyday day skills are what the kids need for the rest of their lives. Kids can't cook because the parents did everything for them including wiping their behind so they can concentrate in studying. We are seeing a huge increase in "everyday necessity" restaurants where the focus is not ambiance and leaving a tip. Those who can't cook will eat at these restaurants more frequently and allow them to stretch their budget a little more. This group will try to stay away from fast foods but eat at a "transitional hybrid" restaurant frequently where one can order in line while the bus boy/server also brings the food to the table in retaining some tradition of a classy establishment.





Here is a realistic example for a well known chain restaurants who found the niche for this type of demographic:



Pei Wei is the quick turn over profit center for Paul Fleming (PF Chang). 4 turn over?s per evening at an average rate of $18/person for PF Chang while Pei Wei's remarkable 12 turns at $12/person yield a higher profit as well as the dining area's densely packed tables also added additional occupancy capacity.



PF Chang's bar generates quite a bit of revenue to make up for the off set. The strategy is to make the patrons wait so they can have a few more drinks.



Markets like Trader Joes and Whole Foods are stocking more ready made dinners to take home. Some retails just specialize in packaging fresh ingredients for the menu of the day where families have a monthly meal plan.



Chinese Foods are often required freshly prepared ingredients but the chefs manage to invent alternatives for the growing demand of Chinese can't cook. My posting on dumplings generated some interesting posts by Acpme and Momopi. Frozen dumplings, wontons, BBQ pork buns, pot stickers and etc are just a few of the ways the Asians are coping with the needs of cultural foods.



The current generation is changing the way we live. Retails, restaurants and market must also need to adjust to the changing need of our lifestyle.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1220065755]Bubblegum,



Well put. Everyday day skills are what the kids need for the rest of their lives. Kids can't cook because the parents did everything for them including wiping their behind so they can concentrate in studying. We are seeing a huge increase in "everyday necessity" restaurants where the focus is not ambiance and leaving a tip. Those who can't cook will eat at these restaurants more frequently and allow them to stretch their budget a little more. This group will try to stay away from fast foods but eat at a "transitional hybrid" restaurant frequently where one can order in line while the bus boy/server also brings the food to the table in retaining some tradition of a classy establishment.





Here is a realistic example for a well known chain restaurants who found the niche for this type of demographic:



Pei Wei is the quick turn over profit center for Paul Fleming (PF Chang). 4 turn over?s per evening at an average rate of $18/person for PF Chang while Pei Wei's remarkable 12 turns at $12/person yield a higher profit as well as the dining area's densely packed tables also added additional occupancy capacity.



PF Chang's bar generates quite a bit of revenue to make up for the off set. The strategy is to make the patrons wait so they can have a few more drinks.



Markets like Trader Joes and Whole Foods are stocking more ready made dinners to take home. Some retails just specialize in packaging fresh ingredients for the menu of the day where families have a monthly meal plan.



Chinese Foods are often required freshly prepared ingredients but the chefs manage to invent alternatives for the growing demand of Chinese can't cook. My posting on dumplings generated some interesting posts by Acpme and Momopi. Frozen dumplings, wontons, BBQ pork buns, pot stickers and etc are just a few of the ways the Asians are coping with the needs of cultural foods.



The current generation is changing the way we live. Retails, restaurants and market must also need to adjust to the changing need of our lifestyle.</blockquote>


You are a random, random person. :)
 
So how does Aliso Niguel High compare to Northwood and Uni High? It is a lot less competitive, more well rounded student compared to the SAT warriors at Uni-High? If a student is in the top 5% at Aliso compared to top 5% at Northwood and Uni, does this student have the same chances to get into UCLA or Berkeley even though Aliso may be a less competitive school? Do the UC admission staff even care that the applicant is from Aliso Niguel compared to Uni?



I guess my question is if it really makes a big difference if one's student attend University High compared to Aliso Niguel in getting accepted to the top UC schools?
 
Your kid has better chance of being accepted to UCLA/UCB from Aliso Viejo. My kid SAT scores are in the top 1% but she started out with top 1%. FYI, she also had straight As from Rancho middle school. But for the UCs, GPA is still the most important thing(at least until they change the admission criteria), they tend to ignore SAT scores(because SAT scores favor the wealthy). They are doing this to bypass Prop 209, so they only pick top 10% of each high school. I personally think this is the right thing to do( because kids can't control where they live). If their parents are poor they go to lower performing schools. Most of her friends who went to lower performing high schools(much lower than Aliso Viejo) got into UCLA and UCB.
 
Back
Top