The best high schools in America educate kids for college by providing a good math and reading curriculum, as well as high graduation rates and gains among underrepresented groups. The best schools in the United States provide students with a route to academic and real-world success. Students learn academic research, peer cooperation, and technology innovation capabilities.
Dual-enrollment programs for college credit are available at good high schools. Honors, advanced placement (AP), and international baccalaureate (IB) subjects are available. Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects are also important in good schools. Counseling for college, financial aid, and scholarship applications are available at the United States’ leading colleges. Below we have provided a list of the best high schools in America.
List Of The Best High Schools In America
- Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
- Phillips Academy Andover
- Academic Magnet High School
- Harvard-Westlake School
- Signature School
- Liberal Arts and Science Academy
- Design and Architecture Senior High School
- University High School
Best High Schools In America
1. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is a magnet school operated by the Virginia Department of Education in Fairfax County, Virginia. It is consistently ranked as one of the best high schools in America. Fairfax County Public Schools operates it as a regional high school.
The STEM-focused curriculum at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology culminates in a technical lab project for seniors. DNA science, advanced marine biology, automation and robotics, architectural drawing and design, research statistics, and AP calculus are among the subjects available at the institution.
TJHSST has 15 specialized research laboratories that cover everything from astronomy and astrophysics to oceanography and geophysical systems. Clubs like symphony and swing dance are among the extracurricular activities at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, as well publications like Teknos, the school’s science, technology, and math newspaper, and a plethora of sporting teams.
The school is one of 18 Governor’s Schools in Virginia and a founding member of the National Consortium of Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science, and Technology. U.S. News & World Report named the school best in its annual “Best U.S. High Schools” list in 2021.
Students from six local counties are eligible to attend the school based on academic performance, essays, and socioeconomic background. Before the 2020-21 cycle, admissions also included a math, reading, and science test.
2. Phillips Academy Andover
Phillips Academy, popularly known as Andover, was founded in 1778 and is an independent, coeducational secondary school with a broad perspective and a tradition of academic success. It is a high school ready to meet, match, and extend the brains and passions of some of the nation’s and the world’s smartest pupils. It is a location rich in heritage as well as innovation. Because of its size, Andover provides a tremendous depth and breadth of activity and opportunity while being a personal place.
Phillips Academy operates on a trimester system, in which the academic year is split into three terms, each lasting around ten weeks. Many courses last a year, while others only last one or two semesters. Each trimester, the majority of students take five courses. Students at Phillips Academy must complete classes in English, foreign language, mathematics, history and social science, laboratory science, art, music, philosophy and religious studies, and physical education over four years.
If no more courses are suited for them in one or more fields, students may opt to pursue an independent research program in a subject of their choosing under the supervision of academic members. Andover does not rank pupils, and Phillips Academy calculates GPA on a six-point scale rather than a four-point one. According to the Office of the Dean of Studies, there is no official equivalence between the zero-through-six system and a traditional letter-grade system.
Throughout its history, it has produced many noteworthy graduates, including American presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush, foreign heads of state, several members of Congress, five Nobel laureates, and six Medal of Honor winners. Many contemporary publications have referred to it as America’s most prestigious boarding school.
3. Academic Magnet High School
Academic Magnet High School (AMHS) is a high school (grades 9–12) located in North Charleston, South Carolina. The school admits kids based on their middle school grades, test scores, teacher recommendations, and written essays.
The Academic Magnet High School’s objective is to push each student, parent, and teacher with demanding curriculum demands and to offer a learning environment that prepares students for college and future jobs. Students are encouraged to be active community members, develop a sense of global responsibility, and foster and maintain a tolerance for cultural variety.
Academic Magnet High School’s mission statement is that it “challenges each student, teacher, and parent with high academic standards.” Almost all classes at Academic Magnet High School are honors or AP, and every student completes an independent research project between their junior and senior years.
Students’ work has appeared in several academic and professional publications. Wi-Fi is available in the cafeteria and three computer laboratories, allowing students to remain connected.
Students must complete a 120-hour service requirement, take (and pass) at least four Advanced Placement (AP) courses during their high school career, and complete AP Research and AP Seminar as a substitute for the formerly utilized senior thesis.
4. Harvard-Westlake School
Harvard-Westlake School is an independent, co-educational university preparatory day school with roughly 1,600 students enrolled in grades seven through twelve on two sites in Los Angeles, California. Its two predecessor organizations started as for-profit schools before transitioning to non-profit status and combining.
Despite its name, it is not associated with Harvard University. Harvard-Westlake School is one of the best high schools in America. The school has two campuses: one for the middle school in Holmby Hills and one for the high school, or what Harvard-Westlake calls their Upper School, in Studio City. It belongs to the G30 Schools group.
DEI (diversity, equality, and Inclusion) are crucial components of educational achievement, and research suggests that they increase critical thinking and cognitive abilities. To that end, the Harvard-Westlake Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is dedicated to ensuring that every member of the Harvard-Westlake community is recognized, valued, and included.
The DEI activities at Harvard-Westlake are complex and extensive, affecting students, alumni, instructors and staff, parents, and the larger Los Angeles region.
In the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section, Harvard-Westlake has 22 varsity teams, as well as junior varsity, club, and junior high teams. Interscholastic sports are enjoyed by 60% of HW pupils. Harvard-Westlake has a significant e-sports presence, with two years as California’s second-best League of Legends team from 2018 to 2020.
5. Signature School
Signature School is a charter high school situated on the Main Street promenade in downtown Evansville, Indiana. The school launched in 2002 as Indiana’s first public charter high school. Several publications have continuously recognized it as among the best high schools in America.
Signature School provides Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses, and its students frequently outperform state and national norms on college admission examinations. In addition to AP and IB classes, students may choose electives such as a piano lab.
All Signature School students are required to perform a certain amount of community service hours. The Parents, Teachers, and Students Association at Signature conducts fundraisers and volunteers for school activities.
Signature School is a member of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme. Many courses provide both AP and IB credits. The school offers French, German, and Spanish as foreign languages. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20 to 1. The goal of Signature School includes community involvement. Every student must provide more than 100 hours of service to their school and local and worldwide communities.
6. Liberal Arts and Science Academy
Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA) is a prestigious public magnet high school in Austin, Texas. Although LASA is available to all Austin residents and does not charge tuition, entrance is competitive and is based on the submission of an application, past academic record, and the Cognitive Abilities Test.
AP courses are taken by 95% of its students, with a 96% pass rate. 95.5% of students get admitted to four-year colleges and universities. The Liberal Arts and Science Academy offers project-based courses emphasizing debate, research, and seminar-style seminars.
The school’s cornerstone of its curriculum offers its collaborative Signature Courses. Student groups do scientific and humanities research and plan, execute, and present projects.
Liberal Arts and Science Academy has chess, debate, Future Teachers of America, and philosophy teams outside the classroom. The foreign language clubs include French, German, Spanish, and Chinese. This institution offers competitive admissions based on prior achievements, test scores, and instructor recommendations.
7. Design and Architecture Senior High School
Design and Architecture Senior High School (DASH) is a magnet secondary school located in the heart of Miami’s Design District in the United States. DASH is a magnet school that teaches pupils the fundamentals of visual communications, fine art, entertainment, and architecture. Traditional science, math, and language arts classes are also available to students. DASH provides AP and honors programs, as well as dual-enrollment courses with nearby universities. Architecture/interior design, entertainment technology, fashion design, industrial design, and visual communications/web design are among the disciplines offered at the institution.
A solid four-year foundation in the fine arts is provided, as are internships with local design businesses and dual-enrollment college-level design courses, such as performance art, taught by professors from local institutions and field practitioners.
AP courses are taken by 98 percent of students. Internships with local design businesses provide students with real-world experience. 40% of the Design and Architecture Senior High School student population is economically disadvantaged. The United States Department of Education designated Design & Architecture Senior High School as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.
8. University High School
University High School is a college prep school that offers math, science, English, and contemporary language courses. The high school supports academically motivated and intellectually bright pupils through a program of honors and AP classes.
Foreign language classes are available at the school, including Chinese, French, and German. University High School collaborates with the University of Arizona to provide engineering classes concurrently.
The school shares a site with Rincon High School, and University High School students have access to Rincon High School coursework and University High School programs. Except for the University High School chess team, Science Olympiad, Academic Decathlon, and Mock Trial, the schools share the majority of clubs.
Academic contests at the regional, state, and national levels are held for students. Admission is based on qualifying results on the Cognitive Abilities entrance test and GPA in the two semesters preceding enrollment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Phillips Andover Have A Dress Code?
There is no official dress code in Andover. Students are required to be tidy and clean at all times and to dress correctly for each occasion while expressing their particular style.
What Makes A Good High School?
An excellent high school outperforms academic expectations and maintains high-performance indicators. Good schools offer beneficial student materials as well as assistance for instructors. They also promote a sense of belonging and well-being among their kids.
What Is Phillips Academy Andover Known For?
Phillips Academy was founded in 1778 and is an independent, coeducational secondary residential school with a broad worldview and a tradition of academic success.
References
- https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/national-rankings
- https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-high-schools/
- https://thebestschools.org/rankings/k-12/best-public-high-schools/
- https://signature.edu/
