If you go to Gunn—or parent a student who does—you’ve probably heard it’s “one of the best.”

But what does that actually mean? Especially when it comes to college admissions.

Does the high ranking help? Does it hurt? And how do admissions officers view students from a school like Gunn?

Let’s unpack the rankings and get real about what they do (and don’t) tell colleges.

Gunn High School Ranking

According to Niche, Henry M. Gunn High School earns an A+ overall and ranks among the top public schools in California:

• #4 Best Public High School in California
  
  
• #8 Best College Prep Public High Schools in California
  
  
• #56 Best Public High School in America
  
  

The Niche data reflects what families here already know: Gunn is a high-performing, high-pressure academic environment with serious college outcomes.

But while these rankings are helpful, they don’t carry much weight in an actual admissions file.

What admissions officers really look at is your school profile.

Gunn High School Profile

Every time a Gunn student applies to college, their transcript is sent with a school profile (here is Gunn’s 2024-2025 one), which explains:

• What courses are offered
  
  
• How grades are weighted or students ranked
  
  
• GPA distributions across each class
  
  
• College matriculation data

Admissions Officers (AOs) use the profile to understand a student’s academic context, compare applicants from the same school, and evaluate how much a student has challenged themselves given what’s available.

Here are a few things an AO might notice from Gunn’s 2024–25 profile:

• Gunn does not rank students, but it does provide detailed GPA distributions by grade level.
  
  
• According to that GPA distribution, nearly 50% of the class has a GPA over 4.0 weighted GPA (or 3.7+ unweighted).
  
  
• 29 AP courses are offered.
  
  
• Nearly 96% of students who took an AP exam scored a 3 or higher.

How admissions officers read a Gunn application

Students from Gunn are evaluated as part of a “school group”, which means each applicant is compared to other Gunn applicants applying to the same college.

That means admissions officers are asking not only if the applicant has excelled, but if they have excelled relative to their peers. 

If you have a 3.8 GPA and 5 APs, that might place you in the top 5% at many high schools. At Gunn, it could put you in the middle of the classs.

All this means that the bar for standing out is higher.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Colleges know how hard Gunn is, and they’re more likely to “go deeper in the class” and admit more students than they might at a less competitive high school. But that acknowledgment doesn’t guarantee you a spot. Instead, it raises expectations. 

Strategic takeaways for Gunn families

1. You are being evaluated on a curve

And that curve is steep. The more competitive your peers, the more impressive you need to be within that context.

2. Course rigor is expected at selective schools

Selective colleges assume that Gunn students will take on advanced coursework. If you opt out of AP/Honors classes when they’re available, it will likely affect your admissions odds at selective schools. Course rigor and well-being is something we talk about a lot with our clients to find the right balance. 

3. A strong GPA is necessary but not sufficient

At schools like Gunn, top GPAs are common. What distinguishes admitted applicants is usually their story: a cohesive, values-driven application that connects their academic interests with extracurricular depth and future goals.

4. You need a balanced school list

Even “above average” Gunn students can get shut out of UCs and top privates. Build a list that includes smart, strategic safeties and targets—especially if you're applying to oversubscribed majors like CS, engineering, or business.

Final thoughts

Admissions officers read in context. They understand your school’s rigor. And they want to admit the most compelling students from Gunn. 

So your job is to make your application clear, cohesive, and memorable so they can advocate for you in committee.

Book a free intro call with Ben, Director of College Consulting and former Vanderbilt AO, to chat about how an AO might read your application in your school context.