Malibu High School is a picturesque place just by its name.

This school, located along the Malibu coastline, is part of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD).

It ranks 77th among 2,616 high schools in California (according to US News & World Report).

It is ranked higher than Samo High (120th) within the same district.

In fact, it is somewhat expected for high schools supported by affluent communities like Malibu to show high achievement.

The biggest feature of Malibu High School is that it is a small public school.

With a student body of just a few hundred, it is a stark contrast to Santa Monica High School, which has over 3,000 students.

Because it is a small school, teachers can pay more attention to each student, and class sizes are smaller.

Being able to study in an environment with a good teacher-student ratio is a significant advantage.

The school campus is located near Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), on the hills of Malibu, allowing students to attend school in a breathtaking natural environment.

Since Malibu High School is a public school, there is no basic tuition.

Children of U.S. citizens or local residents with legal residency visas can receive education for free.

In terms of academic programs, it offers a solid selection of AP courses, and the college enrollment rate for graduates is high.

Due to the nature of the Malibu community, parents are strongly invested in education, and school support activities are active.

A downside of a small school is that the variety of club activities or sports teams is not as extensive as in larger schools.

However, extracurricular activities unique to Malibu, such as surfing, swimming, and marine sports, can be naturally encountered in daily life.

Malibu High School is only for residents of Malibu, making it impossible for students living in Santa Monica to attend this school.

Within SMMUSD, assignments to either Samo High or Malibu High School are determined by residential area.

Therefore, if you are considering moving to be in the Malibu High School district, you need to choose housing in the Malibu area.

Housing prices in Malibu are often higher than in Santa Monica. Taking physical education classes in a schoolyard overlooking the Pacific and surfing at the beach after class—such high school experiences are almost exclusive to Malibu in the U.S.

The academic atmosphere at Malibu High School is smaller and has a stronger sense of community compared to Santa Monica High School. Although they share the same educational philosophy and resource allocation standards as part of SMMUSD, the school atmosphere is quite different.

If Korean families aim to attend Malibu High School, it is advisable to have a financial plan to handle Malibu's high housing prices and to understand the characteristics of the school community beforehand.