Location: Saratoga, CA
Are you a student or parent at Prospect High School? Want to understand how to get the most out of high school?
We've written the best guide to Prospect High available. Here we'll cover:
- Breakdowns of student ethnicity, gender, and family income
- How safe Prospect High is to attend
- SAT/ACT/AP scores earned by Prospect High students
- Which AP/IB classes you can take at Prospect High
- Every sports team you can join at Prospect High
Let's get started!
Basic Information
Prospect High School is a public school, supporting grades 9 to 12 . It's located in Saratoga, CA in Santa Clara County.
Based on its location, Prospect High is classified as a school in a large suburb. Here's the location on a map:
Contact Information
Mailing address:
Prospect High School18900 Prospect Rd. Saratoga, CA 95070-3435
Phone number: 4086263408
Prospect High School homepage: http://www.prospect.cuhsd.org/
Principal: Joell HansonEmail the principal: [email protected]
Student Demographics
Student Enrollment
The total enrollment at Prospect High School is 1288 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, Prospect High 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 Prospect High School growing or shrinking? This will help you see trends in where the school is headed.
From our calculations, the enrollment at Prospect High has increased over the past few years. We calculate this by comparing enrollment in grades 9 to 12.
| Male Students | Female Students | All Students | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9th grade | 186 | 172 | 358 |
| 10th grade | 187 | 178 | 365 |
| 11th grade | 147 | 141 | 288 |
| 12th grade | 149 | 128 | 277 |
As you can see in the table above, the freshman class is 81 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 Saratoga could be growing in population, thus sending more students into Prospect High. Alternatively, Prospect High could be relaxing its student policies and taking in more students.
Gender Split
Are there more boys or girls at Prospect High School?
From our statistics, Prospect High has a 52:48 split between male and female students in the high school grades.
Prospect High has a balanced male-female ratio that's largely representative of the general population in Santa Clara 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 Prospect High 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 Prospect High School? Does one ethnicity make up most of the student body, or is it fairly balanced?
From our statistics, Prospect High 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 Prospect High is Hispanic. In California, 51.5% of all students are Hispanic, making it the most common ethnicity. Even though Prospect High is relatively diverse, students of Hispanic descent are the most common ethnicity here.
| Percentage | Number | |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.4% | 6 |
| Asian | 21.5% | 278 |
| Hispanic | 38.0% | 490 |
| Black | 4.1% | 54 |
| White | 28.7% | 370 |
| Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander | 0.6% | 9 |
| Two or more races | 6.2% | 81 |
High schools usually reflect the population in the surrounding area, so the ethnicities of students likely resembles those of Saratoga. 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 Prospect High Families
What are the family incomes of students at Prospect High School? 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 Prospect High, 4.3% of students qualify for reduced-price lunches, and 21.6% qualify for free lunches.
This means Prospect High has a low poverty level. The overwhelming majority of students at Prospect High don't qualify for free or reduced price lunches. Saratoga is thus likely to be an affluent community, with quite high family incomes.
| Number | Percent | |
|---|---|---|
| Reduced-price lunches | 56 | 4.3% |
| Free lunches | 279 | 21.6% |
| Do not qualify for reduced-price or free lunches | 953 | 73.9% |
As with ethnicity, this likely reflects the surrounding community in Saratoga and doesn't speak much about the school itself.
Because Prospect High is in the top quartile of schools by family income, it's likely to be well-funded relative to other high schools in California. This means you'll likely have access to advanced coursework like AP/IB classes and better-funded extracurriculars and sports.
It's still up to you, though, to take advantage of the resources Prospect High has to offer. If you work hard and spend your time effectively, you'll likely be well positioned to succeed in college and beyond.
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 Prospect High School 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 Prospect High: 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 Prospect High 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 1310 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:
Campbell Union High School District Safety
| School Name | Total Referred | Total Arrests | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boynton High | 0 | 0 | 293 |
| Del Mar High | 0 | 0 | 1172 |
| Westmont High | 0 | 0 | 1654 |
| Leigh High | 0 | 0 | 1649 |
| Branham High | 0 | 0 | 1430 |
| Camden Community Day | 0 | 0 | 53 |
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 Prospect High School? Will you be competitive for college? Will you have access to advanced classes?
We've compiled everything we could find about Prospect High's academics here.
Graduation Rate
To start off, an important benchmark of academic achievement is graduation rate. For all students who start high school at Prospect High, the state of California wants as many students to graduate as possible, since a high school diploma can mean a big difference in getting a job.
At Prospect High, 77% (of 281) Prospect High students graduated within four years of starting high school.
Here's how this stacks up to other schools. The California state government has defined 90% as a target rate. The state average is around 80-85%.
Prospect High is in the 40th percentile of all public high schools in California for graduation rate. This is below average. Generally, a graduation rate of above 90% is considered good and well above average, and below 75% is well below average.
Note: This data comes from a few years back, but the trends are likely to stay the same, since schools don't get significantly better or worse within a short period of time.
Standardized Testing
Next, we'll look at another major piece of high school academics: standardized testing performance for Prospect High School 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 Prospect High School SAT scores.
The average composite SAT score is a 1590 out of 2400, compared to a national average of 1500. Each year, roughly 241 at Prospect High take the SAT.
This is an above-average SAT score, putting Prospect High School in the top 25% of all California high schools and well above the national average (61% of students score above the national average). This is a notable academic achievement that distinguishes Prospect High as a high-achieving school.
This is a good indication that you'll receive an above-average education at Prospect High. While your school isn't in the very top echelon of all California public schools, you're still in a great environment.
Here's a breakdown of SAT scores by section:
Average SAT Scores (2013-2014)
| Source | Critical Reading | Math | Writing | Composite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prospect High | 526 | 542 | 526 | 1590 |
| 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 1590 as an SAT score? Find out with our complete 1590 SAT score guide, including which colleges you can get into with a 1590 or any other SAT score!
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.
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 Prospect High School ACT scores with the rest of the country.
At Prospect High, the average ACT composite score was 26, compared to the nationwide average of 20. Each year, roughly 48 out of 1288 total students take the ACT.
This is very good performance, putting Prospect High 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 Prospect High 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 Prospect High compared to California and the US:
Average ACT Scores
| Source | English | Math | Reading | Science |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prospect High | 26 | 27 | 27 | 25 |
| 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!
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.
Advanced Placement (AP)
Advanced Placement (AP) classes are college-level courses that are an additional academic challenge may give Prospect High School 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 180 students in grades 9-12 at Prospect High take 294 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 Prospect High is 3.1 out of 5.
This is a solid achievement showing above average performance. The majority of students get a passing grade of 3 or above, placing them above the national average. This performance places Prospect High School in the top 25% of schools for AP tests.
Prospect High therefore has a robust AP program with classes that will help you pass the AP exam. Furthermore, a sizable number of students still earn a 4 or a 5 on their AP tests, so if you're motivated to do well, you can still get a great AP score.
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 Prospect High School. 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 Prospect High, there is a total enrollment of 208 in AP courses (a student taking more than one AP course counts more than once).
Of AP-taking students, 155 took AP tests for ALL AP courses. 11 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 Prospect High School 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. Prospect High 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 Prospect High School 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, 113 students passed every AP test they took, which is a fantastic job. 32 students passed some but not all AP exams, and 33 students didn't pass ANY AP exam they took.
This is very strong performance. The majority of Prospect High School 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 Prospect High: 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 Prospect High School, 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 Prospect High School 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 Prospect High 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 Prospect High.
English/Language Arts
At Prospect High School, 68% of students meet or exceed state standards in English/Language Arts.
This is considered good and puts Prospect High in the top 25% of all high schools in California for English/Language Arts. Most Prospect High students pass or exceed state standards, though there is also a sizable portion of students who fail to meet state standards.
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 Prospect High School, 43% of students meet or exceed state standards in Math. This is considered well below average and puts Prospect High in the bottom 25% of all high schools in California. The vast majority of Prospect High 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 Prospect High School 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 Prospect High. 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 Prospect High. Taking AP/IB classes also raises your weighted GPA and makes you a stronger college applicant.
Furthermore, many colleges will accept your Prospect High 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 Prospect High School offer?
AP Courses
Prospect High School offers AP courses in 13 subjects.
This is a reasonable number of AP subjects, putting Prospect High School in the top 50% of California schools that offer AP courses. You'll likely have access to some of the most popular math and humanities AP subjects, as well as a few others.
The total number of AP subjects is 38, so Prospect High is missing a large number of subjects, including some popular ones. If there are any AP courses you want to take that aren't being offered at Prospect High, ask your counselor for ideas on how to cover the gap.
Of course, keep in mind that quality matters even more than quantity - even if Prospect High doesn't offer every AP course under the sun, the classes might still be taught very well. You can see student performance in the AP score analysis section above.
The following AP courses were offered at Prospect High during 2015-2016:
| Course Title |
|---|
| Biology |
| Calculus AB |
| Chemistry |
| Chinese Language and Culture |
| Computer Science A |
| English Language and Composition |
| English Literature and Composition |
| Physics 1: Algebra-Based |
| Physics 2: Algebra-Based |
| Spanish Language and Culture |
| Statistics |
| United States Government and Politics |
| United States History |
Sports Teams
Finally, we'll cover which sports teams are available at Prospect High School. 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 Prospect High.
By the way, the Prospect High mascot is the Panthers. Go Panthers!
Prospect High School fields 19 teams for girls' sports. This is a high number that puts Prospect High in the top 25% of California schools that offer girls' sports. If you're a female, you'll have lots of options of sports and levels to try out for.
And now for the boys: Prospect High School fields 16 teams for boys' sports. This puts Prospect High in the top 50% of California schools that offer boys' sports. You won't get every sport and level possible here, but you'll have a decent number of options. If you participate in a sport that Prospect High doesn't offer, consider looking for a local non-school team that you can join.
| Boys Teams | Girls Teams |
|---|---|
| Basketball
Var
JV
|
Basketball
Var
JV
Fr
|
| Golf
Var
|
|
| Tennis
Var
|
Tennis
Var
|
| Football
Var
JV
|
|
| Wrestling
Var
|
|
| Volleyball
Var
JV
Fr
|
Volleyball
Var
JV
Fr
|
| Baseball
Var
JV
|
|
| Softball
Var
JV
Fr
|
|
| Crosscountry
Var
JV
Fr
|
Crosscountry
Var
|
| Soccer
Var
JV
|
Soccer
Var
JV
|
| Fieldhockey
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.
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Sources
The data on this page is drawn from a variety of sources, including (but not limited to):
- National Center for Educational Statistics CCD 2013-2014
- "Free or reduced price lunch: A proxy for poverty?", NCES Blog
- CRDC 2011-2012 school year data
- California Department of Education SAT, ACT, and AP Test Results
- California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System Results
- AP Course Ledger
- IBO.org