<p>Hi
I go to a very very competivite high school, we are the top high school in the nation, rank=37th(???). Where people are taking as many APs, honors as possible. At my old school, I was like top 10% with my gpa, now at this school. I can barely hang on as the top 20%....So does the college take into consideration of how competive your school is...</p>
<p>I don't know for sure, but I attend a very competitive prep school in California and our college counselors have told us that the majority of universities will view our GPA differently than they would say a normal public school. But they could be lying to us to make us feel better, so I don't know.</p>
<p>Most schools will send a profile of the school with the app which details AP classes available, college matriculation, median SAT scores, etc. If you really are the "top school in the nation" then the admissions ppl will know that ur curriculum is tougher and they will look at your GPA differently.</p>
<p>And you know that your school is the "top high school in the nation" how...?</p>
<p>If your school has a history of sending kids to a certain prestigious college, then you'll get a better look because they know your HS produces good applicants. Or so I've heard.</p>
<p>Not another top high school in the Country! So many claim to go to that school. Which one is yours?</p>
<p>US news ranking and some other standardized test ranking</p>
<p>Yes, but if your SAT doesn't match your GPA in your competetive surroundings, it wouldn't count for much to go to a really good school</p>
<p>How can you find out your high schools national ranking?</p>
<p>I can't find a current listing, but here is a 2000 listing of 400 top ranked public schools (I think) that appeared in Newsweek. There has to be an official listing from a legitimate source somewhere...</p>
<p>Based on that, my school is #1.. this ranking is seriously flawed. Montgomery and Eastside for example are much much better schools.</p>
<p>THomas Jefferson High School is not even on that list,...</p>
<p>Remember that this list is 5 years old. Wish I could have found somethinng more current, as I have serious issues with a couple of Silicon Valley schools listed (they shouldn't be).</p>
<p>Logitech, I assume that you are referring to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Viriginia.</p>
<p>I noticed that it was missing and the explanation, if I recall, is that because admission to the school is selective - even though it is a public school - they were not including it in the list. </p>
<p>For those not familiar with the school, TJHSST admits about 420 students a year into its freshman class. Admission is open to all 8th graders who go to pretty much any school in Northern Virginia based on a standardized test as well as other criteria.</p>
<p>It does make the list somewhat questionable, given that TJHSST has a median SAT score of 1480+ and the highest number of National Merit Semifinalists in the nation, by a wide margin.</p>
<p>here is 2002 us news ranking, </p>
<p><a href="http://www.csh.k12.ny.us/highschool/data/TheTopHighSchools.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.csh.k12.ny.us/highschool/data/TheTopHighSchools.htm</a> . </p>
<ul>
<li>It is also kind of baised...Schools that chose more than half of their students by grades or test scores were not considered because the index is designed to identify schools that challenge average students and does not work well with schools that have few or no average students. so no thomas jefferson.....</li>
</ul>
<p>the list is only based on how many seniors take the exams. What happens if the school has the majority of students failing the exams? Quantity over quality? :rolleyes:</p>
<p>well, they wouldnt be taking the exams in the first place if a majority of them fails.....</p>
<p>i'm sure that some of the schools on the list have open enrollment while others have strict prerequisites to get into the AP courses, therefore it is not an accurate ranking system.</p>
<p>wouldbemd, i believe my school has the highest number of national merit semi-finalists every year, or that's at least what they claim. my school's private though so maybe you were just talking public. i've also heard amazing things about TJHSST.</p>
<p>TimR, for 2005, TJHSST had 153 National Merit Semifinalists out of a senior class of about 420.</p>
<p>My understanding is that this is the highest number from any school - public or private - within the US.</p>
<p>TimR, from the Harvard-Westlake website:</p>
<p>National Merit Recognition for the Class of 2004</p>
<p>Harvard-Westlake ranks among the top ten high schools in the country in number of National Merit Semifinalists. 110 students received National Merit Recognition, with 44 students as National Merit Finalists and 50 students as National Merit Semifinalists.</p>