Irvine vs Tustin? and other nearby places... (San Diego, Santa Ana: for sale, custom home)

[ExeterMedia]

The only thing I don't like about Tustin High is that it's right smack next to one of the busiest parts of the 5 freeway. That can't be healthy.

[marcellamiami]

Kendall and Doral in Miami??? Just the fact that these places are on this top 25 list makes me doubt the whole article! If you are moving to Miami, and you have a choice, do not live in Kendall or Doral. Congested, crowded.. far from everything. Ask anybody that actually lives here. If you live in Miami and have to drive for one hour just to get anywhere outside your neighborhood and are one hour to the beach why not live in the middle of Florida somewhere where its super cheap? It is very hot and the water is warm here remember? There is nothing else but the ocean here. No mountains etc. And inland... more bugs, more rain... If you have a choice, there are many more desirable areas. I grew up in Kendall and it was fine. Doral is fine too, but from fine to most desirable is a big stretch!

SO I don't want to move all the way from Miami to California to a city that is fine. I have a choice. I want to live somewhere Very Desirable. Are any of the areas and or schools I listed Very Desirable?

I appreciate your input and comments.

[Electrician4you]

Foothill HS has a recently built new science building and recently built new pool along with remodeled locker rooms. They also had a just completed Gymnasium. I believe the football field was redone also

Tustin HS also had a new science building gym pool and football field built. The math buildings were renovated along with the quad area.

Beckman is all fairly new but they added a science building and are building a two story classroom building.

I know this may not be info for you but a member here asked and Tustin HS has a program for handicapped kids ( classrooms set aside for them) and Hillview is a small school next to Foothill and it's specifically designed for handicapped kids. It's more for really handicapped kids with mental and physical issues. Hope she sees this post. I've seen a few kids with physical deficiencies and nobody shuns them. At least not that I see. Hillview also had a new project fir a bunch of tennis courts.



I interact with a lot of teachers at TUSD and they all seem really interested in their students.


My wife and I looked at buying a house near Hewes school which is next to Foothill HS but we were too late on the offer. Plenty of houses in your price range and way below your range.

I know about schools because I worked for a company that did a lot of work in TUSD. So I pretty much know all the schools.

[marcellamiami]

Thank you for the info. So is Foothill High School the best high school in Tustin in your opinion? I can only go by ranking and average sat scores that I find online. Is the social environment good and safe?

[luckodeirish]

Why not consider Newport Beach if you desire the coast, Newport Harbor high is good! or Villa Park for Villa Park High? The only issue with VP is the surrounding area is ish IMO.

[luckodeirish]

Foothill High School / Homepage

Here is the Foothill HS website. Why not email the principal, Al Marzelli, he was a teacher when I was there so if anyone can tell you the good bad and ugly it's Al.

[Electrician4you]

Originally Posted by marcellamiami

Thank you for the info. So is Foothill High School the best high school in Tustin in your opinion? I can only go by ranking and average sat scores that I find online. Is the social environment good and safe?

Well there is no best IMO. They're all good. Beckmann is the newest looking has a huge theater also if your kids are into drama/acting. It's really all hinged on where you want to live as a family and the surrounding area. Foothill is around a lot of SFR area. Tustin is mixed apartment and SFR. Both foothill and Tustin are in they"older" part of Tustin but the average house there is about 600k and up.
Beckman is Irvine so mixed SFR and apartment. Beckman is in the nicest surrounding area if you're a cookie cutter house type of person. I have never seen any bad things happen in Tustin. It has some non violent crime. I know two cops who work Tustin and the typical crime is non violent. Theft, maybe a robbery. Nothing that wouldn't happen anywhere else, but no drive by shoot outs in the street and gangs on the corner.

[loveorangecounty]

I responded on your other post and hope that you did see it. I'll just comment again that Ladera Ranch is very family friendly and has a strong community feel. We have been very happy here. I have a friends whose kids attend Beckman HS in Irvine, which is in the Tustin School District. She is lukewarm on the school and area (Irvine). There seems to be a huge have and have not tension within the school. She said that there are kids bused in from Santa Ana and they have a high percentage on hispanics also. There is also a high percentage of Asians in the school/area which brings up their test scores but effects the social scene at the school. I know this is a big generalization but she would never consider her area family friendly.

[glowinthedark]

We currently rent a townhouse in the Irvine area, and have been looking for about 6 months for a SFR in the North Tustin versus Tustin Ranch versus Irvine area, in the same price range. After doing extensive research, which includes going on site, observing students on campus, and talking to people who have had kids go through the school system, my impression of Foothill High versus Beckman versus Irvine High schools is that Foothill is most sports oriented, whereas Beckman has more of a mix of activities if your kids are not so into sports (e.g. drama, music, arts), and Irvine high schools are more academically focused (though Northwood High has an excellent music program).

We love the houses in the North Tustin area, very not cookie cutter at all. However, since as a family, we are not really that sports oriented, more academic/arts oriented, we were a little put off by what seemed like a jock and cheerleader dominated social scene at Foothill. My realtor grew up in North Tustin, attended Foothill and confirmed that was his experience as well.

[Teckeeee]

I live in Tustin Ranch, that's one of the better parts of Tustin, looks like Irvine. Foothill HS has a good rep, a relative taught at the JC, Hewes, and rich kids get better access to resources. My relative said many families spent extra money on tutors, etc. The only gritty part of Tustin is the south side, by McFadden and 55.

My relative taught AP kids, and taught HS level math to 8th graders. I would say more, but she retired some time back.

If you can afford in Lemon Heights go there. Older, well maintained, $$$ homes with bigger lots.
Good luck