Top 15 High Schools

The US is home to different kinds of high schools that students can go to for their secondary education. These high schools are often categorized based on the funding the institution receives along with the mode of education the place provides and the emphasis it gives to certain fields of study. Students will only be able to go to high schools that are within their locality but in general, most people locate themselves in places with the best high schools so that their children will be able to attend the best of schools.

Students will also have the option of going to private schools even though they are not the popular option. This is mainly because public education is free in the country and private schools can be expensive when compared to this. The main markers for a great school will include inspiring mentors and an updated curriculum. Other factors include the student-teacher ratio, graduation rate, etc.

Kinds of High Schools in the US

Students will find different kinds of high schools in the country each of which will have its own pattern for setting the curriculum and the educational focus they will have during the duration of the program. The main distinction between institutions comes in the funding they receive, which will inadvertently reflect in the rules and regulations the institutions will have to follow, to an extent.

• Public High Schools- Public institutions will receive funding from the state or federal government but there are different kinds of public schools based on the educational philosophy they will offer. Public schools often admit students who live within the district, and they might either have a primary focus on a particular subject of study or they can offer a traditional method of disciplinary teaching.
• Charter High Schools- This is a kind of public school where the institution is relatively free from state regulations that most public schools have to adhere to. In such institutions, parents and other educational influencers will be able to modify the system of education in ways that can improve the output of the students.
• Magnet High Schools- This is a kind of public school that has a primary focus on a particular field of study which can either be in arts, sciences or language studies. Magnet schools target students from diverse backgrounds to increase the immersed nature of study they wish to offer. These institutions can have entrance examinations and can be highly selective of the students they take in.
• Private Schools- These schools can either be funded by a religious institution or can be privately funded by non-profit organizations. Privately funded institutions can have ideologies that are different from traditional educational systems and can follow curriculums that are slightly different from public schools. They can also be relatively more expensive when compared to public schools.

Students will also be able to study in Virtual schools, Special Education schools, and they can also be home-schooled depending on what they want.

Finding the Right Private High School

When finding the right high school, students will need a clear idea of what they wish to learn from a high school. Parents can either choose institutions that can guide students into the best higher educational institutions or they will be able to choose institutions that focus on disciplinary tactics that can shape the student’s life. A few of the factors that can point out the overall merit of the high school include-

• Student-Teacher Ratio
• SAT/ACT Scores of Students
• Curriculum Offered by School
• Student Organizations and Clubs
• Facilities and Activities Offered
• Graduation Rate of Students
• Average Student Population

Best High Schools in the US

A few of the best high schools in the country are-

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

Location: Fairfax County, Virginia

This high school has been ranked 1 among the National Ranking as well as among the Virginia High Schools. It is a magnet high school situated in Northern Virginia and is focused on fields like mathematics, sciences, and technology. Since the focus is on STEM subjects, the curriculum will have an additional focus on abilities like critical inquiry and intellectual curiosity which will be of help during college entrance examinations.

Students who study here will have to attend AP classes with a 100% pass rate in AP exams. The enrolment rate in this institution is above 1,800 and it has a student-teacher ratio of 18:1 ensuring that every student receives the attention they deserve. The institution also has a 100% proficiency rate in mathematics, reading, and science. It also has a minority enrolment of 81.7% with 72% of students being Asian.

Academic Magnet High School

Location: North Charleston, South Carolina

This high school is known for having extremely high educational standards from both students and parents with the admission process being strictly based on entrance examinations. It is a magnet high school located in North Carolina with an enrolment rate of 698. The student-teacher ratio here is 17:1 allowing students to get enough attention from each teacher they will have to deal with. Students will have to take up advanced placement programs while they are here and they will also be required to do an independent research project during their study.

The institution has been ranked 2nd nationally and is the 2nd best magnet high school in the country. It has also been ranked as the 53rd STEM high school in the country. It has a 100% proficiency rate in reading and science along with a 100% pass rate in AP exams. 78.3% of the students here are White and the highest minority enrolment is by Asians which is around 9.5%.

Signature School

Location: Evansville, Indiana

This is a charter high school that is located in Indiana. This high school has an enrolment rate of 389 and a student-teacher ratio of 15:1. It has been ranked as the 3rd best high school nationally and it is also the best charter high school in the country. The institution has an 80% proficiency rate in mathematics, 98% proficiency rate in reading, and a 96% proficiency rate in the sciences along with a 100% graduation rate. Students are required to take advanced placement courses as part of their studies and all students clear at least one AP exam during their studies.

This high school has a 36% minority enrolment rate with 20% of them being Asians. Around 58% of students here are female and 16% of students are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Students here are known to be college-ready and hence it is one of the best options for those who wish to enter top higher educational institutions.

School for Advanced Studies

Location: Miami, Florida

This is the 4th best high school in the country and is located in Florida. It has a 100% proficiency rate in mathematics. Despite being a public high school, the institution has a 100% graduation rate. Students here are required to take advanced placement programs with 99% of the clearing at least one AP Exam. It has an enrolment rate of 251 along with a student-teacher ratio of 31:1.

The institution has a 90.4% of minority enrolment out of which 82.5% are Hispanic. Around 99.4% of students are considered to be college-ready in this high school.

Payton College Preparatory High School

Location: Chicago, Illinois

This high school has been ranked as the 5th best nationally and it is located in Chicago, Illinois. It was established in the year 2000 and has a student population of over 1,222. The institution has been ranked 30th among all STEM high schools in the country. Almost 98% of students here take AP courses out of which 97% of them clear at least one AP Exam. The high school has a 93% proficiency rate in mathematics, 97% proficiency rate in reading, and 88% proficiency rate in science. It also has a 99% graduation rate.

Around 55.2% of students here are from minority communities with 21.5% of them being Hispanic. The college readiness of students here is estimated to be around 97%. The school also offers opportunities for exchange programs and the like.

The Davidson Academy of Nevada

Location: Reno, Nevada

Located in Nevada, this high school is known for providing both virtual and on-campus learning. It was established in the year 2006 and has an enrolment rate of 143. It has a student-teacher ratio of 17:1 and is ranked 6th nationally. The institution is also ranked as the best among all STEM high schools in the country. Almost 95% of students here take AP courses out of which 95% of them clear at least one AP exam.

The high school has a 100% proficiency rate in both mathematics and reading whereas it has a 98% proficiency rate in the sciences. It has a graduation rate that is above 95% which is impressive for a public high school. The institution has a minority enrolment rate of 52.65 where 37.2% of them are Asians.

Central Magnet School

Location: Murfreesboro, Tennessee

This high school is located in Tennessee and was established in the year 2010. It has an enrolment rate of 815. The institution offers 29 AP courses and 68 honors courses. It is known for having student activity clubs in almost every field imaginable. The student-teacher ratio here is 17:1. It has been ranked as the 7th best in the country and it is also the 3rd best magnet high school in the country. Every student who enrolls here takes up AP courses out of which all of them clear at least one AP course.

The high school has a 94% proficiency rate in mathematics and a 99% proficiency rate in reading. Around 20.4% of students come from minority populations with 6.6% of them being Asians and 5% of them being Hispanics. The institution is also known for having college-ready students year after year.

The School for the Talented and Gifted

Location: Dallas, Texas

This is a magnet high school that was established in 1982. Their main focus is in the fields of mathematics and English and they also provide enough and more AP courses as part of the curriculum out of which a student must take 12. The student enrolment rate here is 464 and it has a student-teacher ratio of 18:1. It is the 8th best high school and the 8th best magnet high school in the country.

The institution has a 100% proficiency rate in mathematics, reading, and sciences along with a 99% graduation rate. Around 69% of the students are from minority communities with 41.2% of them being Hispanic and 33% of them being economically disadvantaged.

Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology

Location: Lawrenceville, Georgia

This high school has a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence title and is located in Georgia. It has a student enrolment rate of 1,197 along with a student-teacher ratio of 16:1. There are only grades between 9 to 12 being offered here. The institution has been ranked as the 9th best in the country and also as the 11th best STEM high school. Out of all the students who took AP courses, 99% of them cleared at least one AP Exam.

The institution has a 100% proficiency rate in mathematics and sciences along with a 99% proficiency rate in reading. The institution also has a 100% graduation rate with 99% of them being college-ready. 84.9% of students here are from minority communities with 47.7% of them being Asian. They provide the best project-based learning techniques among STEM high schools.

Julia R. Masterman Secondary School

Location: Philadelphia

This high school is located in Pennsylvania and has been ranked as the 10th best in the country. It is the 5th best magnet high school in the country with a 100% proficiency rate in both reading and sciences, it also has a 99% proficiency rate in mathematics. Out of the 975 students who take up AP programs, 95% of them clear at least one AP Exam. The institution has a graduation rate of 98%.

The high school has 56.6% of minority enrolment with over 27% of them being Asian. All the students here come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

BASIS Chandler

Location: Chandler, Arizona

This is a charter school that is located in Arizona. They provide admission for grades from 5 to 12 and have an enrolment rate of 335. It has been ranked as the 11th best high school in the country and it is also the 2nd best charter high school in the country. It has also been ranked as the 4th best STEM high school. It has a graduation rate of 100%. Students are required to take AP courses by 9th grade and 100% of them always clear at least one AP Exam during their study.

The institution has a minority population of 89.6% with 78.8% of them being Asian. The admissions here are provided on a first-come, first-serve basis and not on entrance examinations.

Tesla STEM High School

Location: Redmond, Washington

This is a STEM high school that is located in Washington. It was established in the year 2012 and is a magnet school that focuses on problem-solving abilities and constructive learning methods. The high school does not offer sports activities but there are clubs relating to the field of science that students can be a part of. They offer grades between 9 to 12 and have a student enrolment rate of 606. The student-teacher ratio here is 20:1. It is the 6th best magnet high school in the country with a graduation rate of 98%.

The institution has a 98% proficiency rate in mathematics, 99% proficiency rate in reading, and 95% proficiency rate in the sciences. Students are required to take AP courses while studying here. The institution has a minority enrolment rate of 73.9% out of which 65.8% of them are Asian.

Haas Hall Academy

Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas

This high school is located in Arkansas and is the 3rd best charter school in the country. They offer courses for grades between 7 to 12 and have an enrolment rate of 298. The student-teacher ratio here is 13:1. All students are required to take AP courses and the institution has 95% of students clearing at least one AP Exam during their study period. It has a graduation rate of above 95%.

The institution has an 89% proficiency rate in mathematics, 85% proficiency rate in reading, and 85% proficiency rate in the sciences. Only 28.2% of students here are from minority communities.

Whitney High School

Location: Rocklin, California

This high school is located in the state of California and was established in the year 2003. They offer grades between 9 to 12 only and have around 47 clubs that students can be a part of. It has an enrolment rate of 2.065 and a student-teacher ratio of 23:1. Only 46% of the students here take AP courses out of which 38% of them clear at least one AP Exam during their educational years. The institution has a graduation rate of 98%.

California Academy of Mathematics and Science

Location: Carson, California

This is a magnet high school that is located in California. They offer grades between 9 and 12 with extracurricular activities ranging from art and sports to dance and engineering projects. It has a student enrolment rate of 669 and a student-teacher ratio of 27:1. It has been ranked as the 15th best high school in the country with a 100% graduation rate. All students are required to take AP courses out of which 94% of them clear at least one paper. Around 93.3% of students here are from minority communities with 43.9% of them being Hispanic.