SMCHS opened in the fall of 1987, the first Catholic high school to serve South Orange County. Its campus is adjacent to the San Francisco Solano parish church. Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Santa Margarita is one of three International Baccalaureate World Schools in California, in addition to offering Advanced Placement (AP) courses and exams. SMCHS also offers a comprehensive Auxiliary Studies Program (ASP) to help students who learn differently than others. The Class of 2015 earned $30 million in scholarship offers.