John F. Kennedy High School
8281 Walker Street, La Palma, CA 90623View on map
- Public
- La Palma
- 527 seniors
- 1,992 students
John F. Kennedy High School is a public high school in La Palma (Anaheim Union High) with 527 seniors. In fall 2025, 76% of its 140 University of California applicants were admitted, compared with a county median of 76%. Its students applied most often to UC Irvine (UCI), UC Los Angeles (UCLA), and UC San Diego (UCSD). 53% of the class of 2023 completed the A–G courses UC requires.
UC admit rate
76%
107 of 140 applicants, fall 2025
Seniors admitted to a UC
20%
107 of 527 seniors
Seniors who applied to UC
27%
140 of 527 seniors
UC Los Angeles (UCLA) admit rate
6.3%
6 of 95 applicants, fall 2025
UC Berkeley (Cal) admit rate
8.9%
4 of 45 applicants, fall 2025
Campus by campus, fall 2025
The share of this school's applicants each campus admitted, beside the campus's rate for everyone else. Hardest campus first.
University of California
John F. Kennedy High School applicants did better than all California applicants at 2 of 9 campuses, about the same at 2 and worse at 5.
- Los AngelesAbout the same
6%
6 of 95 admitted
This school6%All CA10%
Admitted students' average GPA 4.21 (all applicants 3.84)
- Berkeley5 pts lower
9%
4 of 45 admitted
This school9%All CA13%
Admitted students' average GPA — (all applicants 3.95)
- Irvine10 pts lower
12%
16 of 129 admitted
This school12%All CA22%
Admitted students' average GPA 4.12 (all applicants 3.78)
- San Diego8 pts lower
17%
16 of 92 admitted
This school17%All CA25%
Admitted students' average GPA 4.18 (all applicants 3.83)
- Santa Barbara7 pts lower
25%
17 of 67 admitted
This school25%All CA32%
Admitted students' average GPA 4.20 (all applicants 3.84)
- Davis8 pts lower
29%
11 of 38 admitted
This school29%All CA37%
Admitted students' average GPA 4.05 (all applicants 3.76)
- Santa CruzAbout the same
71%
20 of 28 admitted
This school71%All CA71%
Admitted students' average GPA 3.89 (all applicants 3.72)
- Riverside8 pts higher
96%
87 of 91 admitted
This school96%All CA87%
Admitted students' average GPA 3.78 (all applicants 3.75)
- Merced4 pts higher
100%
38 of 38 admitted
This school100%All CA96%
Admitted students' average GPA 3.79 (all applicants 3.79)
Fall 2025. A student admitted to several campuses counts once at each one. All CA is the campus’s admit rate that fall for applicants from every California high school. Within 3 points counts as about the same. GPA is the UC-calculated GPA (weighted, capped).
California State University
John F. Kennedy High School applicants did better than the campus overall at 1 of 4 campuses, about the same at 3.
- Long BeachAbout the same
47%
85 of 179 admitted
This school47%Overall47%
- PomonaAbout the same
77%
74 of 96 admitted
This school77%Overall74%
- Fullerton8 pts higher
94%
168 of 178 admitted
This school94%Overall87%
- San MarcosAbout the same
95%
18 of 19 admitted
This school95%Overall96%
Fall 2025. A student admitted to several campuses counts once at each one. Overall is the campus’s admit rate for all its applicants, from federal IPEDS data (fall 2023, the latest published). Within 3 points counts as about the same.
Where graduates go
Class of 2023 (497 graduates), the latest published by fall 2025, within 12 months of graduating.
Any college
84%
417 of 497 graduates
UC or CSU
24%
119 graduates
Community college
54%
269 graduates
| Destination | Graduates | Share |
|---|---|---|
| UC | 40 | 8% |
| CSU | 79 | 16% |
| CA private college | 17 | 3% |
| Out of state | 12 | 2% |
| Community college | 269 | 54% |
| Not enrolled | 80 | 16% |
| Enrolled in college | 417 | 84% |
| Total | 497 | 100% |
How each student group compares
Compare college-going across student groups
- Gender: Male, Female
- Race & ethnicity: Hispanic or Latino, Asian, White, Filipino, Two or more races, Black or African American
- Student need: Low-income, Students with disabilities, English learners, Homeless
Advanced Placement
17
AP courses offered
2023–24 school year · US Dept. of Education Civil Rights Data Collection
35
AP class sections
Counts every section taught, so it is larger than the number of different AP courses.
26% of students are in AP courses
2024–25 school year · California School Accountability Report Card
44%
of graduating seniors passed at least two AP exams or courses
225 of 507 graduates
A score of 3 or higher on exams or a C- or better in courses. Not comparable with the exam-only share.
2025–26 school year · California Department of Education (College/Career Indicator)
25%
of graduating seniors scored 3 or higher on at least two AP exams
128 of 502 graduates
2023–24 school year · California Department of Education (College/Career Indicator)
Subject areas
- English: 7 classes
- Fine and performing arts: 3 classes
- Foreign language: 2 classes
- Mathematics: 4 classes
- Science: 5 classes
- Social science: 14 classes
Academic context
State test (CAASPP), juniors tested in 2026, and the share of low-income students. A–G is the class of 2023. The tick is the county median.
- Juniors meeting the English standard 75%County median 65%
- Juniors meeting the math standard 41%County median 41%
- Juniors exceeding the English standard 40%County median 33%
- Juniors exceeding the math standard 18%County median 21%
- Low-income students 59%County median 58%
- Graduates completing courses 53%County median 57%