One-hundred and seventy-eight SDA hopefuls were wait-listed this month when San Dieguito Union High School District released online the results of the lotteries that occurred for San Dieguito Academy and Canyon Crest Academy.

SDA had the largest number of students, around 700, apply for enrollment than they have ever had, prompting the use of the lottery and waitlist system that hasn’t been used for the last three years.

Principal Tim Hornig attributed SDA’s popularity to the four-by-four system.

“Today it’s hard to maintain an academic pathway and then branch out and learn who you are and expand your horizons, “said Hornig. “We can take eight classes in one year and 320 credits in four years you are able to have more options and opportunities.”

CCA, the only other school to offer the four-by-four schedule in the district, also saw a large number of students apply to get in for next school year.  In fact, they had to waitlist 294 students, over 100 more than SDA.

Though these raw numbers may suggest that CCA had more students apply and hence is more popular, Hornig pointed out there are a lot of factors to consider.

Torrey Pines and CCA have a substantial number more prospective students living in the area than LCC and SDA, said Hornig, nothing that “3200 versus 2300 is almost a thousand more students.”

Also, Hornig said, CCA is a bigger school. “CCA’s growth over the last few years has been because they have the room,” he said.

As of now, SDA has admitted 523 students, both incoming freshmen and transferring upperclassmen, said Hornig.

This number may seem large in comparison to the current class sizes at SDA. However, not all of these students will be enrolled this fall. Students have until April 25 to decide which high school they will attend next school year.

“We build in for attrition,” said Hornig. “We let in over the amount than we know we are going to start with because we know from the statistical analysis of the data from the last years how many we are going to lose between now and the start of school year.”

Despite having an increasing number of students apply to SDA the last two years, Hornig said  that as of now the school has no plans to grow.

“We want to maintain our culture and maintain our class structure and the quarter system,” said Hornig. “We don’t want to lose focus of the investment in student interest.”

Principal Horning said that it’s a bit of a “double -edged sword” because so many people want to come, but we can’t let them all in.