I have been a parent at Torrey PInes for 6 years and it is the 'grand dame' of all public high schools in San Diego County. We moved to the area so our children could attend this high school.
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Posted by a parent on 06/17/09
The thing about Torrey Pines is that it is in one of the wealthiest (if not the weathiest) areas of San Diego county. Therefore, a lot of the students here have parents who have poured money into their education including private tutors and college counselers. This does make the academics very competetive
... Read more for students who would be in the top 5% at other schools. This is the only thing that I have found that I do not like at TP, though. There are so many school-sponsored extracurricular activities to get involved in as well as a ton of clubs. There is a place for everybody as long as you find your niche. There is just a certain pride that comes with going to TP that other schools don't have and I am definetly proud to say that I'm a Falcon! Read less
Posted by a student on 04/15/09
Torrey Pines really focuses on its high-achieving students. It pours many many resources into AP and honors classes, to the detriment of the average student who wants a high-quality yet not overly intense schedule. It is plainly obvious that TPHS funnels all of its best teachers to its advanced courses,
... Read more leaving the average and sub-par teachers to college-prep classes. So, bottom line: if you are an average student, you will get the short end of stick from Torrey Pines. Read less
Posted by a student on 10/26/08
Honestly, I don't think that TP does cater to the highly motivated students. Smart kids do well because they're smart, motivated, and come from good families. No matter who you are, it's impossible to get in to see your counselor...as to the review below, A students don't get in right away. But neither
... Read more does anyone-- it's just a very unfriendly, cutthroat, competitive place, and it's incredibly easy (no matter who you are) to get lost. Read less
Posted by a student on 04/05/08
Torrey Pines caters to highly motivated students that are doing really well. If this is your child then it is a good choice. But, if your child is simply average then they will be lost in the scuffle of making sure the best and brightest continue to get ahead. My child, a very average kid, received
... Read more A, B, & C s and graduated with a B average. Why then, after taking placement testing at a JUNIOR College, were they placed in bonehead math and English? My other observation is that my kids either NEVER got to see their counselor or were finally given an audience with the pope after 2-3 weeks. Again, the A students get in right away. Read less
Posted by a parent on 03/31/08
i think that torrey pines offers something for everyone- exellent, average, and bad students. For those interested in particular subjects, there are teachers who are buffs in their field and can establish meaningful relationships with you. the teachers are of course, varied in their skill, like any
... Read more high school. overall, i think the strength of this scholol is that it allows you to deterimine your own path and supports you. Read less
Posted by a student on 02/23/08
I feel that something needs to be done about the homework load. Has anyone ever heard of balance? There are only so many hours in a day. We students are going to be burnt out before we hit college! Give us a break. We can still learn with less homework. How about the choices or options with homework
... Read more and then you pay the consequences as far as a bad grade if you do not know your stuff? Or does that look bad for the school's reputation if everything is not perfecto as far as scores? In a nutshell, we need to get away from concentrating on test scores and start thinking about the overall success, confidence, and happiness of each and every individual student in this school. Read less
Posted by a student on 06/09/07
TPHS is a good school in most aspects. The principal's a nice guy who respects his students, and in return they respect him. For the most part, teachers are good, but there are a few who aren't helpful or are disrespectful towards students. There are racial tensions at this school.
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Posted by a former student on 05/27/07
This is a good school with a good sports program and performong arts.
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Posted by a parent on 03/29/07
Combine top-notch academics with an array of extracurriculars (including nationally/state-ranked Newspaper/Sports/LitMag/Yearbook/Theatre/etc.) and you have TP. Some parents complain about the intimidatingly large amount of gifted/talented students, but, as an almost alumna of the school, I can honestly
... Read more say that the competition TP provided was one of the best aspects of the school as competition allows for one to 1. become better acclimated to the real world and 2. strive to achieve at a higher level (for the record, the competition is certainly not cut-throat). Yes, TP is a big school, and there wont be anyone to hold your child's hand, but i feel this really helped me as i was able to develop my independence/self-motivation (very important/necessary qualities!). golden rule: with a bit of effort, everything at TP is within your reach (academics/extracurriculars/social/etc). don't forget to balance work and play though! :) Read less
Auto Mechanics, Food Nutrition, Health, Phys Ed, Woodworking
Fine Arts
Drama, Fine Arts
Social Studies / Social Sciences
Economics, Psychology
Special Education
Life Skills, Speech/Language Pathologists
Music
Music
Advanced Placement
Social Studies, English, Foreign Language
*The resources listed are programs that the institution is staffed to support. Staffing for a program does not guarantee that it will be offered. This content is provided by the institution and may be incomplete. The institution may offer programs not listed here. Please contact the school directly for additional details.
Advanced Placement
AP classes are college-level classes offered at the high school level. Once a student completes an AP class and passes a final comprehensive examination conducted by the College Board, the student earns college credit for the course. AP classes are specific and not to be confused with other higher-level classes such as honors classes.
Before/After School
"Extended day" programs where the school day is extended before and after school to accommodate working parents. These programs should not be confused with common after school clubs or athletic activities.
Gifted and Talented
A school system may identify 10% to 15% or more of its student population as gifted and talented. A brief description of each area of giftedness or talent as defined by the Office of Gifted and Talented:
general intellectual ability or talent - high intelligence test score (usually two standard deviations above the mean), and high levels of vocabulary, memory, abstract work knowledge and abstract reasoning;
specific academic aptitude or talent in one area such as mathematics or language arts;
creative and productive thinking, the ability to produce new ideas;
leadership ability, the ability to direct individuals or groups to a common decision or action;
visual and performing arts, special talents in visual art, music, dance, drama, or other related studies;
psychomotor ability, such as practical, spatial, mechanical, and physical skills.
Vocation/Technical Curriculum
Vocational and/or technical courses offered within a comprehensive school, usually a senior high school.
Special Education Classes
A school or program within a school that provides services and training to students with moderate to severe mental and/or physical disabilities.
Adult Education Classes
Programs offering GED or equivalent courses for adults within regular schools, whether classes are held during evening or daytime schedules.
English as Second Language
English language classes for students whose first language is not English.
San Diego schools — Torrey Pines High School is located at 3710 Del Mar Heights Rd, San Diego CA 92130. 3710 Del Mar Heights Rd is in the Carmel Valley neighborhood and 92130 ZIP code in San Diego, CA The school district for Torrey Pines High School is the San Dieguito Union High School District. Torrey Pines High School is a Public school that serves grade levels 9 - 12.
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Test Score Ratings
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this school scored better than 70% of the students in the state on the same tests. We have indicated below which tests
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experience, academic programs, extracurricular activities, resources for special needs students, etc. These ratings are
not provided by the state Department of Education, which may have their own rating systems.
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