Getting into a top college requires dedication, awesome SAT or ACT scores, and a lot of hard work. But could where you went to high school give you an advantage in the Ivy League playing field? Whether it’s just the high caliber of students that go there or the excellent educational programs they provide, some high schools have an edge above the rest in sending their students to the best universities in the country. In 2007, the Wall Street Journal looked at eight top colleges in the United States — Harvard, Princeton, MIT, Williams, Pomona, Swarthmore, the University of Chicago, and Johns Hopkins — and analyzed their freshman classes to determine which high schools sent the most students to those schools. We broke down their list and found out exactly what makes those high school students so successful, as well as what it’s like to go to those schools.
1. Collegiate School – New York, NY
With a name like Collegiate School, you can only imagine that this high school’s students become well prepared for college. This all-male K-12 school located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan sent 26% of its 50 seniors to the WSJ’s top schools in 2007. Collegiate has been dominating the high school academic scene for quite a while; it was founded in 1628, making it the oldest private high school in the country. The school offers a wide range of potential senior projects for its students to give them an edge in college admissions, including learning to play the sitar, interning at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, and producing a documentary about public school education.
2. The Brearley School – New York, NY
This all-female K-12 school sent 23.5% of its 51 seniors to the WSJ’s top colleges in 2007. But Brearley’s impressive admission rates don’t stop there. From 2007 to 2011, the top college destinations of Brearley students were Yale (20 students), Harvard (17 students), Columbia (14 students), and Princeton (13 students). Brearley students get a well-rounded education even outside the classroom; the school has community service opportunities at the All Souls’ Soup Kitchen and extracurricular activities such as Harvard Model United Nations. Brearley prides itself on its low student-teacher ratio and diversity in the s, helping their students “develop a command of many disciplines and a love of learning through the passionate exchange of ideas.
3. Chapin School – New York, NY
Chapin, an all-female K-12 school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, sent 22.4% of its seniors to the WSJ’s top colleges in 2007. Students at Chapin are masters of juggling classes, volunteering, sports, and other extracurricular activities—check out former Chapin student Lauren’s schedule on her blog for the school (under the “Back to School!” tab).
Chapin students don’t just learn from their teachers—they also learn from each other. The school has a peer leadership program where students from Class 12 mentor students in class 9. When Class 8 students enter the Upper School, each student (“little sister”) is paired with a senior (“big sister”) to guide her—kind of like the bond bigs and littles make in a college sorority. Claire, a student in Class 11, wrote a blog for Chapin during the 2010-2011 school year, and wrote that having a big sister when she was in Class 8 made her feel “a strong connection to girls of other Classes and to the Chapin community. Experiences like that are why I know that any newcomer to Chapin, whether she be an eighth or a tenth grader, will feel welcomed here.”
4. University of Chicago Laboratory Schools – Chicago, IL
Founded in 1896, this nursery through grade 12, co-educational school offers a robust education, particularly for those interested in science and math. With a 19.5% rate of sending students to the WSJ’s top colleges in 2007, Lab has a reputation of academic excellence. “There was definitely a big expectation of (college admission) success,” says Emily Kleeman, a former Lab student who is currently a junior at Pitzer College. “Students were very competitive. It was the sort of school where an A- was ‘not good enough,’ and you knew that at least once a class, someone would ask ‘Is this going to be on the test?’”
However, the academic environment wasn’t all stressful. Emily says her teachers “really wanted their students to succeed and would go out of their way to help students.” She still gets lunch with some of her teachers when she goes back to visit. And although the students were high-achieving, there still was a sense of camaraderie amongst them. “Even though it was pretty competitive, people were still really friendly for the most part, and supportive of each other,” she says.
5. Polytechnic School – Pasadena, CA
Poly sent 19.5% of its students to the WSJ’s top colleges in 2007, and with the hardworking nature of its (co-ed) student body, it’s easy to see why. “It seems to be understood that to be a Poly student, you must be successful, and to be successful, you must be willing to put in the work,” says Clara Neilson, a sophomore at Wesleyan who went to Poly. “I knew kids who had finished the Poly math curriculum early and were sent across the street to Caltech to continue expanding into math curricula that the school didn’t even offer.”
With driven students come driven college applicants. Clara remembers her college counselors telling the students “to stop talking about applications until the process was over.” So many talented Poly students apply to top universities that the atmosphere was very competitive, Clara says: “It seemed like you had to have an Ivy on your list just to avoid others’ judgment.”
Poly’s challenging curriculum includes some AP classes are required for all students, and the instructors encourage their students to succeed. “Teachers push Poly students to do better, no matter how well they’re already doing, because it is expected that they are capable,” Clara says.
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6. College Preparatory School – Oakland, CA
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the co-ed College Prep, with a 17.4% success rate according to the Wall Street Journal study, sends a lot of its students to top universities, considering their “four-year curriculum meets or exceeds the entrance requirements of all major colleges and universities.” College Prep stands out from many of the other schools on this list that are located right in the hustle and bustle of New York City, because instead, the school is located in a serene valley surrounded by nature.
But while the atmosphere may be relaxing, the students never stop their hard work. “The entire curriculum is challenging,” says Jonathan Zucker, director of admission and financial aid at College Prep. “Students at College Prep are often competitive with themselves and definitely dedicated to their schoolwork!” The students’ dedication shows—50 percent of College Prep’s class of 2013 was recognized as Commended or Semi-Finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Competition. Yeah, we’d say they’re well-prepped for college.
7. Trinity School – New York, NY
With 17.2 percent of its seniors attending top colleges in 2007, Trinity has made its mark as one of the most elite high schools in the country. The Wall Street Journal isn’t the only publication who has named Trinity a top high school; in 2010, Forbes named Trinity the best prep school in the US.
Trinity is a K-12 school, and when school officials say they challenge their students, they really do mean ALL the students K-12. “From the fourth grader collecting marine biology specimens at Jamaica Bay to the senior preparing to discourse on Vergil’s Aeneid before a panel of classics professors from renowned universities, Trinity students are engaged, active, and happy participants in their own educations,” Head of School John Allman says on the school’s website. Yes, while some fourth grade students in the US were making baking soda and vinegar volcanos for their science projects, Trinity students were collecting marine biology specimens in Jamaica Bay. We’re not surprised elite colleges wanted them.
8. Phillips Academy Andover – Andover, Mass.
Andover, a co-ed school for grades 9 – 12, sent 15.9 percent of its seniors to top colleges in 2007. One secret to the students’ success? The school challenges its students with a difficult curriculum taught by experts. “I was able to take World Economics with a former member of the Peace Corps and investment banking industry, International Relations with a close friend of former President George W. Bush… and International Business in Spanish with a former Harvard professor who is also an internationally-acclaimed author,” says Elizabeth Kelly, a current sophomore at Georgetown who went to Andover.
Elizabeth also cites Andover’s extracurricular activities as a reason why the school stands out. She says she found her niche in the community service office on campus. “Our Student Activities Fairs rivaled college campuses, and everyone truly believed in whatever cause or topic their organization supported,” she says. “It was at Andover that my passion for helping others was cultivated and encouraged.”
And while some schools with students as successful as Andover’s may foster a competitive environment, Elizabeth says that wasn’t the case at her school. “The unity on campus is hard to explain in words,” she says. “Everyone is invested in the success of others, whether it is their classmate or a Big Blue sports team. The competitive attitude that one hears horror stories about at prep schools simply was a non-issue for us.”
9. Delbarton School – Morristown, NJ
With national debate champions and nationally recognized sports stars for classmates, it’s easy to see why Delbarton senior Rob Thoma says that the school “humbles you.” Delbarton, a Roman Catholic school for male students in 7th through 12th grade, sent 15.5 percent of its students to top colleges in 2007. “The students are there to learn and take the classes seriously,” Rob says. “Honestly, it is pretty apparent that a lot of students will be successful.”
It’s clear that Delbarton wants its students to succeed. One of the programs the school offers, called “M Block,” sets aside 35 minutes where all of the teachers are available for extra help. “The teachers don’t just show up (to class), but are there for you if you need help,” Rob says.
Dr. David Donovan, dean of admissions and varsity soccer head coach at Delbarton, says that the dedicated and varied student body makes for a great learning environment. “Diverse talents and interests among our student body—from Eagle Scouts and All-State musicians to class presidents and nationally-recognized athletes—allow for a truly unique social and educational experience at Delbarton,” he says. “In the end, we hope to not only create good students, but to form gentlemen.” We wouldn’t say no to a few more gentlemen roaming around college campuses…
10. Phillips Exeter Academy – Exeter, NH
Exeter, a coed school for students in grades 9-12, provides its students with a competitive edge by offering a wide variety of academic opportunities: the school offers more than 450 courses in 19 subject areas and is home to the largest independent school library in the world. Exeter is also famous for The Harkness Method, which was developed at the school. In this method, students sit with their instructor at a large, oval table, which encourages student discussion—and basically forces students to work hard to be prepared for class. “You could not slack (off) and then catch up if you weren’t prepared for class. There were only 12 students, so you were bound to get called on,” says Billy Sellers, a former Exeter student who is currently a sophomore at Tufts University. “You had to be very diligent in completing your work, and that was tough to do.” Apparently the Harkness Method is working, because according to the Wall Street Journal study, 14.8 percent of Exeter seniors got into top colleges in 2007.
Along with a full-time college counseling staff, Billy credits the work required at Exeter as a reason why its students are well-prepped for college. “After a full day of classes and sports or any other extracurricular(s)… I would come back to my dorm and basically have to go straight to the library to complete the four hours of reading and worksheets I had every night,” he says.
Did you go to any of these high schools, collegiettes? Or do you think your high school should be on this list? Let us know in the comments below!