General DPEA FAQ

This FAQ page has been created in response to the questions that we have received in past years about the DP Engineering Academy.

I live outside the Dos Pueblos High School attendance boundary. Am I still eligible to apply to the Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy?

The Santa Barbara School District allows intra-district transfers between its three high schools. In order to qualify for a transfer, students must live within the Santa Barbara School District's boundaries. If you live outside the Dos Pueblos High School attendance boundary but wish to attend Dos Pueblos High School, you must apply for an intra-district transfer. To apply to the Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy, parents must follow Santa Barbara School District procedures for intra-district transfer and have their child approved to attend Dos Pueblos High School. Information and deadlines regarding the intra-district transfer process can be found here.

Informative DPEA presentations are made in May at Goleta Valley Junior High, and potentially other schools as well. Attending a DPEA presentation at your school or shadowing the DPEA will help you learn more about the program. Also, use this website as a resource; review the four-year plans and courses to determine if they sound of interest to you.

The Engineering Academy was not created in order to "groom" future engineers. It is a program for students who enjoy challenges and would like a unique opportunity to experience a more practical approach to studying science.

Please use the shadow the DPEA email form to contact Marietta Sanchez in the Dos Pueblos High School administration office to make your request and state that you are interested in shadowing a student in the Engineering Academy.

Space is currently limited to 32 students per grade level due to staffing and facilities constraints. It is strongly recommended that you shadow the DPEA. To learn more about the admission process and to obtain an application, please click here.

Space in the Engineering Academy is limited. Therefore, all qualified students may not be able to participate. It is expected, as with any such program, that there will be some level of attrition. If space becomes available, a school-wide notification will be made, and eligible students will be invited to apply.

This is a four-year program and is designed as such. The courses are sequential and cumulative, thus each course builds on the material presented in prior courses. It is required that students who enroll in the Engineering Academy do so with the intent of participating throughout all four years of high school. Non-DPEA students may enroll in AP Physics and AP Computer Science when space is available.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to simultaneously meet the requirements of both of these programs given the demanding natures of their respective workloads. It is, however, possible to take individual IB courses as a student in the Engineering Academy as long as you ensure that you are fulfilling college admission and graduation requirements.

Robotics is the capstone course of the DPEA. Only Engineering Academy seniors may enroll in the robotics course, and be on the robotics team.

No, the DPEA is a program within the public Dos Pueblos High School, and there is no tuition to enroll in the program, including robotics.

Every year, we receive hundreds of e-mails regarding the program, many of which ask questions that are answered on this FAQ page and website. Prior to contacting us, please read the information available on the website. If your questions remain unanswered, you can contact us here.