California Academy of Mathematics and Science: Full Guide

Location: Carson, CA

Are you a student or parent at California Academy of Mathematics and Science? Want to understand how to get the most out of high school?

We've written the best guide to California Academy of Mathematics and Science available. Here we'll cover:

Breakdowns of student ethnicity, gender, and family income
How safe California Academy of Mathematics and Science is to attend
SAT/ACT/AP scores earned by California Academy of Mathematics and Science students
Which AP/IB classes you can take at California Academy of Mathematics and Science
Every sports team you can join at California Academy of Mathematics and Science

Let's get started!

Basic Information

California Academy of Mathematics and Science is a public school, supporting grades 9 to 12 . It's located in Carson, CA in Los Angeles County.

Based on its location, California Academy of Mathematics and Science is classified as a school in a small city. Here's the location on a map:

Contact Information

Mailing address:

California Academy of Mathematics and Science
1000 E. Victoria St.
Carson, CA 90747-0001

Phone number: 3102432025

California Academy of Mathematics and Science homepage: http://lbcams.schoolloop.com/

Principal: Christopher Brown
Email the principal: [email protected]

Student Demographics

Student Enrollment

The total enrollment at California Academy of Mathematics and Science is 677 students, making it a somewhat large high school, in the top half of all California high schools by size.

As a mid-sized high school, California Academy of Mathematics and Science strikes the balance between size and comfort. There will be enough students to provide a diversity of experiences, like clubs and sports, for you to join. But it'll be small enough that you'll likely get to know most people in your class.

Growth in Student Body Size

Is California Academy of Mathematics and Science growing or shrinking? This will help you see trends in where the school is headed.

From our calculations, the enrollment at California Academy of Mathematics and Science has increased over the past few years. We calculate this by comparing enrollment in grades 9 to 12.

	Male Students	Female Students	All Students
9^th grade	87	93	180
10^th grade	78	90	168
11^th grade	82	81	163
12^th grade	80	86	166

As you can see in the table above, the freshman class is 14 students larger than the senior class. This suggests that the school is growing in size and taking on more students.

There are a few reasons this could be happening. The city of Carson could be growing in population, thus sending more students into California Academy of Mathematics and Science. Alternatively, California Academy of Mathematics and Science could be relaxing its student policies and taking in more students.

Gender Split

Are there more boys or girls at California Academy of Mathematics and Science?

From our statistics, California Academy of Mathematics and Science has a 49:51 split between male and female students in the high school grades.

California Academy of Mathematics and Science has a balanced male-female ratio that's largely representative of the general population in Los Angeles County. Since the student body is roughly half and half, it should feel like there are equal numbers of boys and girls in your classes.

This usually means that California Academy of Mathematics and Science doesn't strongly select for either males or females, unlike other schools that have a large majority of males or females.

Ethnicity Breakdown

What's the racial diversity at California Academy of Mathematics and Science? Does one ethnicity make up most of the student body, or is it fairly balanced?

From our statistics, California Academy of Mathematics and Science has a diverse student body. No single ethnicity composes more than 50% of all students, which means you'll be surrounded by a diverse set of students in class. Only a third of California schools show this much diversity.

The most common ethnicity at California Academy of Mathematics and Science is Hispanic. In California, 51.5% of all students are Hispanic, making it the most common ethnicity. Even though California Academy of Mathematics and Science is relatively diverse, students of Hispanic descent are the most common ethnicity here.

	Percentage	Number
American Indian/Alaska Native	0.1%	1
Asian	28.2%	191
Hispanic	41.5%	281
Black	13.7%	93
White	11.9%	81
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander	1.1%	8
Two or more races	3.2%	22

High schools usually reflect the population in the surrounding area, so the ethnicities of students likely resembles those of Carson. If you'd like to see how other nearby schools look in diversity, just google "[name of school] prepscholar" to find our guide to that specific school.

Income Level of California Academy of Mathematics and Science Families

What are the family incomes of students at California Academy of Mathematics and Science? To determine this, we look at the number of students who qualify for free or reduced lunches, a classification by the US federal government.

To qualify for a reduced price meal, family income needs to be below 185% of the federal poverty guidelines. For a family of 4, this means an income of around $45,000 or below.

To qualify for a free meal, family income needs to be below 130% of the federal poverty guidelines. For a family of 4, this means an income of around $32,000 or below.

The lower the percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced price meals, the higher the income levels are likely to be.

At California Academy of Mathematics and Science, 15.6% of students qualify for reduced-price lunches, and 31.1% qualify for free lunches.

This means California Academy of Mathematics and Science has a below average level of poverty. With most students not qualifying for free or reduced price lunches, California Academy of Mathematics and Science is below average among California schools in poverty level. The income level of families in Carson is thus likely to be relatively high.

	Number	Percent
Reduced-price lunches	106	15.6%
Free lunches	211	31.1%
Do not qualify for reduced-price or free lunches	360	53.1%

As with ethnicity, this likely reflects the surrounding community in Carson and doesn't speak much about the school itself.

California Academy of Mathematics and Science is in the middle 50% of schools by income level. Generally, higher income level schools are better-funded and have a higher quality range of classes and activities. California Academy of Mathematics and Science is likely in the middle of the pack in this regard and will give you a good set of options to try.

If you have any interests that California Academy of Mathematics and Science doesn't cover, look to your local community for activities, or to the Internet for self-study AP classes.

Exclusive: Want to learn how to improve your SAT score by 160 points? image description

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

School Safety

How safe is California Academy of Mathematics and Science to attend? Can you expect a lot of conflict as a student here?

To study this, we look at disciplinary data for two types of incidents at California Academy of Mathematics and Science: referrals to law enforcement (when incidents are reported to police), and arrests.

These are the most serious disciplinary actions available to school administration and are more severe than suspensions or expulsions. Suspensions are often discretionary and can be given just for being disruptive in class. In contrast, law enforcement referrals and arrests often indicate incidents that put the safety of other California Academy of Mathematics and Science students at risk.

In the school year of 2011-2012, there were 0 referrals to law enforcement, and 0 school-related arrests. This is out of a total enrollment of 660 students.

To put this into perspective, most California schools (59% of them) reported 0 law enforcement referrals and arrests.

Compare this school with other high schools in the same school district, using the following table:

Long Beach Unified School District Safety

School Name	Total Referred	Total Arrests	Enrollment
Jordan High	0	0	3589
Lakewood High	0	0	4051
Millikan High	0	0	4057
Polytechnic High	0	0	4732
Reid High	0	0	330
Wilson High	0	0	4144

Academic Performance

Now we get to a major aspect of assessing a high school: academic performance. How good of an education will you get at California Academy of Mathematics and Science? Will you be competitive for college? Will you have access to advanced classes?

We've compiled everything we could find about California Academy of Mathematics and Science's academics here.

Standardized Testing

Next, we'll look at another major piece of high school academics: standardized testing performance for California Academy of Mathematics and Science students. These are tests that are administered to large populations of students for comparison purposes.

Let’s start by taking a look at the data for nationally administered standardized tests.

SAT Scores

As you probably know, the SAT is a critical test used for college admissions. The higher the score you get, the better your academic performance compared to students nationwide, and the easier it is to get into top colleges.

We did in-depth research and found the average California Academy of Mathematics and Science SAT scores.

The average composite SAT score is a 1730 out of 2400, compared to a national average of 1500. Each year, roughly 261 at California Academy of Mathematics and Science take the SAT.

This is a very high average SAT score, putting California Academy of Mathematics and Science in the top 10% of all California high schools. The average student at California Academy of Mathematics and Science is already scoring in the 75th percentile nationwide or higher - in fact, 84% of students score above the national average. The top students will likely be competing in the top tier nationwide.

Because the SAT measures academic ability, this is a good sign that you're surrounded by high-achieving peers. If you can keep up with your classmates at California Academy of Mathematics and Science - or even exceed them - you'll have a great shot at getting into very competitive colleges.

Here's a breakdown of SAT scores by section:

Average SAT Scores (2013-2014)

Source	Critical Reading	Math	Writing	Composite
California Academy of Mathematics and Science	569	596	570	1730
California	498	510	496	1504
United States	495	511	484	1490

Note that the SAT has since changed to a 1600 scale, but the trends above for your high school are likely to continue. Just use this guide to convert between the old 2400 scale and the new 1600 scale.

To learn more about SAT percentile rankings, read our guide on what SAT percentiles really mean.

How good is 1730 as an SAT score? Find out with our complete 1730 SAT score guide, including which colleges you can get into with a 1730 or any other SAT score!

Exclusive: Want to learn how to improve your SAT score by 160 points? image description

ACT Scores

In California, the ACT is less popular than the SAT. Fewer students take the ACT, and typically these students are more motivated and academically prepared for college. Therefore, it's harder to compare California Academy of Mathematics and Science ACT scores with the rest of the country.

At California Academy of Mathematics and Science, the average ACT composite score was 26, compared to the nationwide average of 20. Each year, roughly 103 out of 677 total students take the ACT.

This is very good performance, putting California Academy of Mathematics and Science in the top 25% of high schools in California by ACT score. Nationwide, a 24 on the ACT is 74th percentile, so most ACT test takers at California Academy of Mathematics and Science are well above average.

Since the ACT is designed to gauge what you learn in school, high ACT scores are are a good indication that you'll get a great education and be surrounded by other students who value academic achievements.

Here are the average English, Math, Reading, and Science scores for California Academy of Mathematics and Science compared to California and the US:

Average ACT Scores

Source	English	Math	Reading	Science
California Academy of Mathematics and Science	27	27	26	26
California	21.8	22.8	22.3	21.7
United States	20.3	20.9	21.3	20.8

Scores provided are for the 2013-14 school year.

Find out more about percentile rankings and the ACT in this article.

Every individual is different. What counts as a good ACT score for you? Learn more with this article!

Exclusive: Want to learn how to improve your ACT score by 4 points? image description

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and ACT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

Free eBook: 5 Tips to 4+ Points on the ACT

Advanced Placement (AP)

Advanced Placement (AP) classes are college-level courses that are an additional academic challenge may give California Academy of Mathematics and Science students credit for college.

Here's what we're looking for: high average AP test scores as well as high AP passing rates.

AP Scores

Every year, roughly 216 students in grades 9-12 at California Academy of Mathematics and Science take 402 AP exams. It's important to understand how students score on the AP - earning a 3, 4, or 5 on the AP test means passing the test and often earning college credit.

The average score of all AP exams taken at California Academy of Mathematics and Science is 2.9 out of 5.

This score puts California Academy of Mathematics and Science at average performance. For AP tests, the passing score is considered a 3, and the number of students who pass and don't pass are roughly even. This performance places California Academy of Mathematics and Science in the top 50% of schools for AP tests.

It's great that California Academy of Mathematics and Science offers an AP program so you have the opportunity to take courses at a college level. Even though roughly half of all AP students here don't get a passing grade, half do - so with motivated studying throughout the year, you'll be able to beat the average.

We have specific data on how many students got a 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 (out of 5) on AP exams in the chart below:

AP Test-Taking Statistics

Another way to gauge the quality of a school's AP program is to see how many AP students actually took AP exams at California Academy of Mathematics and Science. If a lot of students enroll in AP courses but don't actually take the AP tests, it can be a sign that students don't feel adequately prepared to take the test, or the school isn't encouraging students to take the exams enough.

At California Academy of Mathematics and Science, there is a total enrollment of 202 in AP courses (a student taking more than one AP course counts more than once).

Of AP-taking students, 161 took AP tests for ALL AP courses. 24 students took AP tests for SOME AP Courses, and 22 took AP courses but took NO tests.

This is good test participation. Most AP students at California Academy of Mathematics and Science take the AP test for every one of their AP courses, outnumbering the students who take some or no AP exams. This is a good sign that students feel confident enough to take tests for all AP courses available to them, which reflects well on the teachers and course material. California Academy of Mathematics and Science can continue to improve by reducing the number of students who take AP exams for some or none of their courses, but it's in a good state.

Note: The most recent data we have available is from 2012, so the statistics may have changed since then. Most likely, however, the trends are likely to continue - above average schools are likely to stay above average, and below average schools are likely to stay below average.

AP Passing Rates

For AP students at California Academy of Mathematics and Science who take the exam, it's important to know how they do. Here we have specific data on how many students got a passing grade (a 3 or above) on all, some, or none of the AP exams that they took.

Of all AP test takers, 92 students passed every AP test they took, which is a fantastic job. 35 students passed some but not all AP exams, and 42 students didn't pass ANY AP exam they took.

This is very strong performance. The majority of California Academy of Mathematics and Science students pass ALL the AP tests they take - an impressive feat, especially if students take multiple AP exams each year!

Overall, this points to a strong AP program at California Academy of Mathematics and Science: across all AP course offerings, teachers are able to prepare students well for the exam. There are still some students who fail some or all of their exams, but this is a good starting point to improve from. You'll have a strong foundation to learn from throughout high school.

To find out the passing rates for specific AP courses at California Academy of Mathematics and Science, you'll have to talk to your guidance counselor (who can then help you find that information). For instance, one AP Calculus teacher may have an above-90% passing rate, while another might only have a 50% passing rate. If you can, you'll want to take the class with the teacher who has more students get a 3 or above on the AP exam.

Find out more about the average score for each AP subject here.

State Tests

As of 2014, eleventh graders attending California Academy of Mathematics and Science must take standardized tests in English/Language Arts and Math as part of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). These align with the new Common Core standards and are called the "Smarter Balanced" tests.

If California Academy of Mathematics and Science students meet or exceed state standards, they're academically prepared to graduate high school and go to college. Specifically, we care about the percentage of students who meet or exceed state standards. The larger this number, the higher the preparation of students at California Academy of Mathematics and Science.

English/Language Arts

At California Academy of Mathematics and Science, 98% of students meet or exceed state standards in English/Language Arts.

This is considered excellent and puts California Academy of Mathematics and Science in the top 5% of all high schools in California for English/Language Arts. The vast majority of California Academy of Mathematics and Science students easily meet state standards, and many of them are likely well above average. Students here are very well prepared academically.

English/Language Arts Test Results (2015)

Read more about what’s measured in each ELA area score here.

Math

The other major test taken for state assessments is Math. Across the state, Math performance is generally lower than English/Language Arts performance, so it's natural for this number to be lower.

At California Academy of Mathematics and Science, 93% of students meet or exceed state standards in Math. This is considered well below average and puts California Academy of Mathematics and Science in the bottom 25% of all high schools in California. The vast majority of California Academy of Mathematics and Science students don't meet state standards, and only a small percentage pass.

Math Test Results (2015)

Read more about what’s measured in each Math area score, go here.

Academic Offerings

In addition to the standard high school curriculum, many high schools like California Academy of Mathematics and Science offer advanced coursework as part of the Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) programs.

Brief Intro to AP/IB

AP and IB courses are designed at the difficulty level of college introductory classes. There are several important benefits to taking advanced coursework at California Academy of Mathematics and Science. First, taking more advanced classes shows colleges that you're committed to challenging yourself academically, and that you're one of the more advanced students at California Academy of Mathematics and Science. Taking AP/IB classes also raises your weighted GPA and makes you a stronger college applicant.

Furthermore, many colleges will accept your California Academy of Mathematics and Science AP/IB coursework as college coursework. In some cases, you'll be able to skip introductory-level classes and move to more advanced classes. In other cases, you'll be able to avoid having to take required courses and might even be able to graduate earlier than the standard 4 years. Often this will require you to pass the AP test, getting a score of 3 or above.

So what advanced courses does California Academy of Mathematics and Science offer?

AP Courses

California Academy of Mathematics and Science offers AP courses in 7 subjects.

This is a relatively low number of AP subjects, putting California Academy of Mathematics and Science in the bottom 50% of California schools offering AP courses. You'll likely be able to take the most popular courses like Calculus, English, and US History, but you won't have most other subjects available.

The total number of AP subjects is 38, so California Academy of Mathematics and Science is missing most. If you want to take any AP courses not being offered at California Academy of Mathematics and Science, ask your counselor for ideas on how to cover the gap. If you're a strong student, you might consider transferring schools to access a more advanced curriculum.

Of course, keep in mind that even though California Academy of Mathematics and Science doesn't offer many AP courses, it might teach the ones it does offer quite well. You can see student performance in the AP score analysis section above.

The following AP courses were offered at California Academy of Mathematics and Science during 2015-2016:

Course Title
Calculus AB
Calculus BC
English Literature and Composition
Psychology
Spanish Language and Culture
Statistics
United States History

Sports Teams

Finally, we'll cover which sports teams are available at California Academy of Mathematics and Science. Sports are an integral part of many students' high school experiences. The more sports that are available, and the more levels supported (Frosh, JV, Varsity), the more likely you'll be able to participate in a sport at California Academy of Mathematics and Science.

By the way, the California Academy Of Mathematics And Science mascot is the Rebels. Go Rebels!

California Academy of Mathematics and Science fields 8 teams for girls' sports. This is a relatively number that puts California Academy of Mathematics and Science in the bottom 50% of California schools that offer girls' sports. This is understandable - sports teams are expensive to support, and many schools would rather put those resources elsewhere. If you participate in a sport that California Academy of Mathematics and Science doesn't offer, consider joining a local non-school team to get practice and compete.

And now for the boys: California Academy of Mathematics and Science fields 10 teams for boys' sports. This relatively number puts California Academy of Mathematics and Science in the bottom 50% of California schools that offer boys' sports. Sports teams are expensive to support, and California Academy of Mathematics and Science may not be able to offer the full range of options. If you participate in a sport that California Academy of Mathematics and Science doesn't offer, consider joining a local non-school team to get practice and compete.

Boys Teams	Girls Teams
Basketball Var JV Fr	Basketball Var JV Fr
	Fieldhockey Var JV Fr
Tennis Var JV Fr	Tennis Var JV Fr
Wrestling Var JV Fr
Volleyball Var JV Fr	Volleyball Var JV Fr
Baseball Var JV Fr
Trackfield Var JV Fr	Trackfield Var JV Fr
Soccer Var JV Fr	Soccer Var JV Fr

What’s Next?

Want to get more useful information about high school classes and preparing for colleges? Our blog has a ton of articles and advice on topics ranging from coursework and GPA to letters of recommendation, extracurriculars, and much more!

Ready to bulk up your schedule and maximize your college preparedness? Read all about the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs.

Not quite in high school yet, but eager to get started? We've also got information for younger students interested in advanced learning opportunities, both in and out of school.

If You Liked Our Advice...

Visit our blog for free strategy guides on college admissions and test prep.

Our experts have written hundreds of useful articles on improving your SAT score and getting into college. You'll definitely find something useful here.

Visit our blog now.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get FREE strategies and guides sent to your email. Learn how to ace the SAT/ACT and get into college, with exclusive tips and insights that we share with our private newsletter subscribers.

Get Free SAT Tips to Boost Your Score

You should definitely follow us on social media. You'll get updates on our latest articles right on your feed. Follow us on all of our social networks:

Follow @PrepScholar