Richard Gahr High School: Full Guide

Location: Cerritos, CA

Are you a student or parent at Richard Gahr High School? Want to understand how to get the most out of high school?

We've written the best guide to Garh High available. Here we'll cover:

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

Let's get started!

Basic Information

Richard Gahr High School is a public school, supporting grades 9 to 12 . It's located in Cerritos, CA in Los Angeles County.

Based on its location, Garh High is classified as a school in a large suburb. Here's the location on a map:

Contact Information

Mailing address:

Richard Gahr High School
11111 Artesia Blvd.
Cerritos, CA 90703-2533

Phone number: 5629265566

Richard Gahr High School homepage: http://www.edline.net/pages/Gahr_HS

Principal: Gina Zietlow
Email the principal: [email protected]

Student Demographics

Student Enrollment

The total enrollment at Richard Gahr High School is 1961 students, making it a large high school, in the top 25% of all California high schools by size.

Attending Garh High will feel like attending a small college. You'll have a few hundred students in your class, enough to provide an interesting set of activities, sports, and classes to try. But compared to the largest high schools in California, the student body size won't be overwhelming.

Growth in Student Body Size

Is Richard Gahr High School growing or shrinking? This will help you see trends in where the school is headed.

From our calculations, the enrollment at Garh High has steadily 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	296	244	540
10^th grade	261	243	504
11^th grade	233	235	468
12^th grade	223	226	449

As you can see in the table above, the freshman class is 91 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 Cerritos could be growing in population, thus sending more students into Garh High. Alternatively, Garh High could be relaxing its student policies and taking in more students.

Gender Split

Are there more boys or girls at Richard Gahr High School?

From our statistics, Garh High has a 52:48 split between male and female students in the high school grades.

Garh High 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 Garh 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 Richard Gahr High School? Does one ethnicity make up most of the student body, or is it fairly balanced?

From our statistics, Garh 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 Garh High is Hispanic. In California, 51.5% of all students are Hispanic, making it the most common ethnicity. Even though Garh High is relatively diverse, students of Hispanic descent are the most common ethnicity here.

	Percentage	Number
American Indian/Alaska Native	0.2%	4
Asian	28.8%	565
Hispanic	44.8%	880
Black	15.6%	306
White	7.3%	144
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander	0.9%	19
Two or more races	2.1%	43

High schools usually reflect the population in the surrounding area, so the ethnicities of students likely resembles those of Cerritos. 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 Garh High Families

What are the family incomes of students at Richard Gahr 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 Garh High, 10.5% of students qualify for reduced-price lunches, and 40.3% qualify for free lunches.

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

	Number	Percent
Reduced-price lunches	206	10.5%
Free lunches	791	40.3%
Do not qualify for reduced-price or free lunches	964	49.1%

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

Garh High 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. Garh High 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 Garh High doesn't cover, look to your local community for activities, or to the Internet for self-study AP classes.

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School Safety

How safe is Richard Gahr 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 Garh 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 Garh High students at risk.

In the school year of 2011-2012, there were 2 referrals to law enforcement (2 male, 0 female), and 0 school-related arrests. This is out of a total enrollment of 1969 students.

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

This means that 0.1 Garh High is a safe school. For every 100 students, there is much fewer than 1 law-enforcement related action. It's not a perfect record, but it happens so infrequently that it might have just been a few bad apples.

With this record, is Richard Gahr High School significantly different from other schools in the area? It could be that Garh High has an especially bad record, or it could be that the local area shows a pattern.

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

Abc Unified School District Safety

School Name	Total Referred	Total Arrests	Enrollment
Artesia High	2	2	1363
Cerritos High	0	0	2170
Tracy (wilbur) High (continuation)	0	0	340
Whitney (gretchen) High	0	0	1016
Abc Secondary (alternative)	0	0	161

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 Richard Gahr High School? Will you be competitive for college? Will you have access to advanced classes?

We've compiled everything we could find about Garh 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 Garh 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 Garh High, 98% (of 496) Garh 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%.

Garh High is in the 99th percentile of all public high schools in California for graduation rate. This is extremely good. 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 Richard Gahr 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 Richard Gahr High School SAT scores.

The average composite SAT score is a 1490 out of 2400, compared to a national average of 1500. Each year, roughly 321 at Garh High take the SAT.

This is an average SAT score, putting Richard Gahr High School right around the national average. Because the SAT measures academic achievement, this suggests that Garh High will offer a fairly standard high school education, neither strongly lacking or outperforming.

Note, however, that this is just an average - the top students can still exceed the average significantly. If you can rise far above your school average, you'll have a great shot at entering a strong college.

Here's a breakdown of SAT scores by section:

Average SAT Scores (2013-2014)

Source	Critical Reading	Math	Writing	Composite
Garh High	486	520	487	1490
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 1490 as an SAT score? Find out with our complete 1490 SAT score guide, including which colleges you can get into with a 1490 or any other SAT score!

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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 Richard Gahr High School ACT scores with the rest of the country.

At Garh High, the average ACT composite score was 21, compared to the nationwide average of 20. Each year, roughly 23 out of 1961 total students take the ACT.

This is above average performance, putting Garh High in the top 50% of California high schools. Since the ACT tests what you learn in school, these ACT scores are a good indication that you'll get an above-average education at Garh High.

Here are the average English, Math, Reading, and Science scores for Garh High compared to California and the US:

Average ACT Scores

Source	English	Math	Reading	Science
Garh High	21	22	22	21
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!

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Advanced Placement (AP)

Advanced Placement (AP) classes are college-level courses that are an additional academic challenge may give Richard Gahr 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 375 students in grades 9-12 at Garh High take 685 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 Garh High is 2.8 out of 5.

This score puts Garh High 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 Richard Gahr High School in the top 50% of schools for AP tests.

It's great that Garh High 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 Richard Gahr 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 Garh High, there is a total enrollment of 657 in AP courses (a student taking more than one AP course counts more than once).

Of AP-taking students, 314 took AP tests for ALL AP courses. 25 students took AP tests for SOME AP Courses, and 58 took AP courses but took NO tests.

This is good test participation. Most AP students at Richard Gahr 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. Garh 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 Richard Gahr 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, 127 students passed every AP test they took, which is a fantastic job. 53 students passed some but not all AP exams, and 151 students didn't pass ANY AP exam they took.

This is good performance. The majority of students pass SOME or ALL of the AP tests. Only a minority of students at Richard Gahr High School fail all the AP exams they take.

Overall, this points to a fairly strong AP program at Garh High. Most students are able to pass at least one of the AP tests they take, which means the teaching is likely of acceptable quality, and the students are motivated to do well. However, the program isn't strong across the board. Some teachers or courses may be better than others, and students at Garh High may be stronger at some subjects and weaker in others.

If you attend Garh High, this means you'll have a good starting point to work from - but if you want to pass all the AP tests you take, you'll need to work hard and use good study strategies.

To find out the passing rates for specific AP courses at Richard Gahr 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 Richard Gahr 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 Garh 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 Garh High.

English/Language Arts

At Richard Gahr High School, 60% of students meet or exceed state standards in English/Language Arts.

This is considered above average and puts Garh High in the top 50% of all high schools in California for English/Language Arts. Around half of Garh High students pass state standards, and around half do not.

This specific percentage isn't much cause for concern - because the standards have gotten harder with the Common Core, the pass rate at Garh High will likely rise over time. But it still reflects Garh High's roughly average ranking among California high schools.

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 Richard Gahr High School, 35% of students meet or exceed state standards in Math. This is considered well below average and puts Garh High in the bottom 25% of all high schools in California. The vast majority of Garh 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 Richard Gahr 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 Garh 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 Garh High. Taking AP/IB classes also raises your weighted GPA and makes you a stronger college applicant.

Furthermore, many colleges will accept your Garh 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 Richard Gahr High School offer?

AP Courses

Richard Gahr High School offers AP courses in 15 subjects.

This is a reasonable number of AP subjects, putting Richard Gahr 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 Garh 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 Garh 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 Garh 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 Garh High during 2015-2016:

Course Title
Biology
Calculus AB
Calculus BC
Chemistry
Chinese Language and Culture
English Language and Composition
English Literature and Composition
Environmental Science
European History
Microeconomics
Physics 1: Algebra-Based
Psychology
Studio Art: 2-D Design
United States Government and Politics
United States History

Sports Teams

Finally, we'll cover which sports teams are available at Richard Gahr 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 Garh High.

By the way, the Gahr (richard) High mascot is the Gladiators. Go Gladiators!

Richard Gahr High School fields 18 teams for girls' sports. This is a high number that puts Garh 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: Richard Gahr High School fields 20 teams for boys' sports. This puts Garh 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 Garh High doesn't offer, consider looking for a local non-school team that you can join.

Boys Teams	Girls Teams
Basketball Var JV Fr	Basketball Var JV Fr
Golf Var JV Fr	Golf Var JV Fr
Tennis Var JV Fr	Tennis Var JV Fr
Football Var JV Fr
Wrestling Var JV Fr
Volleyball Var JV Fr	Volleyball Var JV Fr
Baseball Var JV Fr
	Softball Var JV Fr
Waterpolo Var JV Fr	Waterpolo Var JV Fr
Trackfield Var JV Fr	Trackfield Var JV Fr
Crosscountry Var JV Fr	Crosscountry Var JV Fr
Soccer Var JV Fr	Soccer Var JV Fr
	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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