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Students are admitted from an annual, random public lottery, with some weighted preferences as follows:

  1. Applicants From Traditionally Underrepresented Populations.Thirty percent (30%) of seats in the 7th grade are reserved for applicants from traditionally underrepresented populations, further prioritized as follows:
    • A first rank priority for this preference shall be established for applicants who are siblings* of current PCS pupils and both a free-or-reduced-price-meal (FRPM) eligible applicant and a first-generation college-bound applicant.
    • A second rank priority (if space remains after the application of the first ranking preference) shall be established for non-sibling applicants to the 7th grade who are both an FRPM eligible applicant and a first-generation college-bound applicant.).
    • A third rank priority (if space remains after the application of the first two ranking preferences) shall be established for applicants who are siblings* of current pupils of Pacific Collegiate School and either an FRPM eligible applicant or a first-generation college-bound applicant.
    • A fourth ranking priority (if space remains after the application of the first three ranking preferences) shall be established for non-sibling applicants who are either an FRPM eligible applicant or a first-generation college-bound applicant.
    • A “FRPM eligible applicant” is a student eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the rules used by schools participating in the National School Lunch Program. A “first-generation college-bound applicant” is a student whose parents’ or chief guardians’ highest level of education is less than a Bachelor’s Degree. An eligible applicant for this preference who is not selected may then receive preference in the lottery in accordance with other preferences listed below.
  2. Children of current faculty or staff of Pacific Collegiate School. 
  3. Siblings* of current pupils of Pacific Collegiate School that will be co-enrolled while at PCS, or surviving siblings of any student deceased while enrolled at Pacific Collegiate School.
  4. Children of current or past members of the PCS Board of Directors who served or committed to serving a full term on the Board of Directors, and who met other prerequisites as may be defined by the Board of Directors pursuant to the adopted policy.
  5. Residents of the Santa Cruz City Secondary Schools District. In-district applicants are awarded a weighted advantage in the lottery process such that their chances of being selected are greater than those of out-of-district applicants.

* For purposes of determining eligibility for annual lottery preferences listed above, the term "sibling" is defined as a child who has at least one biological or adoptive parent in common with the admitted pupil, or who has been legally adopted by or placed under the legal guardianship of at least one biological or adoptive parent of the admitted pupil. Step-siblings are only considered siblings if they reside at the same address as the sibling who is a current PCS student.