25. Henry M. Gunn High School (Palo Alto, California)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: A
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: B+
One high school junior said, "The curriculum is advanced and fast-paced; most teachers are awesome, [but] the ones who aren’t still know what they’re doing."
24. Rye High School (Rye, New York)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: C
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: A
"Great choices of clubs," said a senior. "RHS is very talented both in terms of music, theater, and arts as well as in terms of the smarts (science Olympiad, math team, JSA, etc)."
23. Saratoga High School (Saratoga, California)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: B+
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: A-
One senior said, "New facilities are constantly being built, and the school just got a new field."
22. The Science Academy of South Texas (Mercedes, Texas)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: A
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: A+
"This school is actively competitive," noted a senior, "but when it comes around time for college you are more than thankful."
21. High Tech High School (Union City, New Jersey)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: A+
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: A
"High Tech High School is a school of choice," said one school parent. "They run the school like it were a college campus. More responsibility is put on the student and gets them ready for college."
20. New Trier Township High School (Winnetka, Illinois)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: C+
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: A
"Students at NT will walk away knowing the skills of self advocacy and presentation," said a school senior. "Many NT students attend top tier colleges."
19. Glenbrook South High School (Glenview, Illinois)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: A-
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: A
One freshman said, "Many students attend some of the best colleges in the country. This school has given us the resources to succeed in life."
18. Glenbrook North High School (Northbrook, Illinois)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: B-
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: A+
"I moved to this school my tenth grade year and since then my grades have increased greatly," a senior said. "The teachers are phenomenal and they take the time to make sure that their students fully understand the topic being taught."
17. Northside College Preparatory High School (Chicago, Illinois)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: A+
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: A-
A junior said, "Students are constantly starting their own clubs, and all contribute to the Northside community."
16. Jericho Senior High School (Jericho, New York)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: B
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: A
"Extra help is available for the strongest students to the weakest," noted a recent alum. "Each teacher offers before or after classes for review and extra help. The dedication to student success is impressive."
15. School for the Talented & Gifted (Dallas, Texas)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: A+
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: B+
One freshman said, "Most of our teachers have high expectations and little leniency for academic dishonesty. However, they treat the students with respect and as adults, which we all appreciate."
14. Liberal Arts & Science Academy (Austin, Texas)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: A
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: B+
"I love LASA and I think it has given me the pathway to success," a junior said. "Even though that sounds cliche and cheesy, it's true. I am getting an amazing education and I'm getting it in an amazing environment."
13. Troy High School (Fullerton, CA)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: A+
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: B+
"Troy High School is known for its rigorous courses and outstanding teachers," one senior said. "Although there is a large workload, students are able to have a social life outside of class."
11. Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science & Technology (Lawrenceville, GA)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: A+
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: A
"My school has provided me with so many opportunities and learning experiences which are simply not available at any other high school," one senior said. "By the end of my high school career, I will have [completed] two research internships at Emory University's Dept. of Chemistry."
10. Granada Hills Charter High School (Los Angeles, CA)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: A+
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: A
"Granada definitely did an amazing job at mentally preparing me for college," one recent alum said. "Even as a sophomore in college, I still use similar techniques in some of my classes that were taught to me at Granada."
9. Whitney M. Young Magnet High School (Chicago, IL)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: A+
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: B+
"We all work together to move forward and excel. Rather than trying to out-smart the student next to us, we work together to out-perform other schools," one senior said.
8. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (Annandale, VA)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: A-
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: B
"We have something called 8th period every other day to allow students to participate in clubs of their choosing, practice a sport, complete their homework, or just chill out," one junior said. "Since the school's population is distributed around 9 counties and many students live far away from the school, this period really helps us get the extracurricular activities we need.
7. Westlake High School (Austin, TX)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: B-
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: A+
"Coming out of Westlake, I was incredibly prepared and ahead of the competition in college courses," one recent alum said. "I went to college knowing how to study and knowledgeable on so many topics/issues that a lot of other students had never been exposed to."
6. Walter Payton College Preparatory High School (Chicago, IL)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: A+
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: A-
"Every classroom is equipped with a smartboard or projector and every teacher has a laptop which can be used as a tablet to make classes more interactive," said one senior, adding that teachers provide valuable one-on-one tutoring during free periods.
5. Staten Island Technical High School (New York City, NY)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: A
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: B+
"Teachers in my school are the reason why students achieve such great heights," one senior said. "Their energy and enthusiasm is contagious. No matter what learning styles students have, there will always be teachers [who] match that with the way they teach."
4. Stuyvesant High School (New York City, NY)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: A
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: B+
"Stuyvesant High School is a nationally ranked STEM school ... and is often considered the best high school in New York City," a recent alum said. "The curriculum is intense, as is the work load. Being at Stuyvesant opens up opportunities that would most likely not be accessible at other schools."
3. International Academy (Bloomfield Hills, MI)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: A
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: B+
"The school is a recognized IB Diploma school, meaning that at the culmination of senior year, students take 6-7 IB examinations to gain college credit," one senior said. "When it comes to academics, this school is nationally ranked for a reason."
2. Adlai E. Stevenson High School (Lincolnshire, IL)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: A-
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: A+
"Stevenson can be a pressure cooker, but it has met my needs in every way," one senior said. A recent alum added, "Every student gets an iPad that they can use throughout the year" and the high school is the first in the nation to receive LEED Gold Certification.
1. High Technology High School (Lincroft, NJ)
Academics Grade: A+
Student Culture & Diversity Grade: B
Teachers Grade: A+
Resources & Facilities Grade: N/A
"If you can handle the high academic expectations, it really is an awesome place. You'll meet a lot of amazing people, get a lot of freedom, and learn a ton," one senior said. "Many kids get into Ivies, MIT, Duke, Stanford, etc.," another senior said.
