Oxford Academy, sometimes stylized as OA, is a public school in Cypress, California serving grades 7–12 as part of the Anaheim Union High School District. As of 2022, the school was ranked #3 for the best high schools in California by U.S. News & World Report, as well as #19 for the best U.S. high schools. History Built in 1960 on the corner of Orange Ave and Grindlay St in Cypress, Oxford Academy's campus originally served as the location of the Anaheim Union High School District's new middle school. Oxford Junior High School was established in 1965, but closed soon after in 1980 due to declining enrollment. Afterwards, the campus hosted various different institutions for brief periods of time, including a satellite campus for Barclay College as well as the Cypress Cultural Arts Center. Finally, in response to district-wide school overcrowding, administrators reopened the site as Oxford Academy, a magnet school serving AUHSD students, in the fall of 1998. Although some administrators and teachers expressed concern that the new school would poach the best students from schools around the district, they decided ultimately that the competition would be beneficial, not only for those high-achieving students at Oxford but also for other schools aiming to keep pace. Admissions Admission to Oxford Academy is done primarily for the incoming seventh grade class. Each year, about 200 spaces are reserved for students who reside within AUHSD boundaries, which serves most of Anaheim and Cypress, but also portions of La Palma, Buena Park, and Stanton. The school also designates an additional 35 spots for those who may live outside the district borders. In addition to this, there is also admission allowed for incoming eighth and ninth grade students, though only to fill in spaces for students in those classes who have left the school. When spaces are limited, the school may bar admission for such students. Furthermore, to provide opportunities for students who live in all areas of the district, the school takes in an equal number of students from each of its regions (represented by the eight AUHSD junior high school districts). The admission process is two-fold. First, during the fall, applicants must submit their final report cards for the prior two years, as well as some proof of residence and a reference from a teacher. Then, applicants who pass this initial filter are invited to take an entrance exam the following January.