For college, how much does it matter from which high school a student graduates?

Question

My children have a choice between enrolling in a good high school in NJ (JP Stevens in Edison ranked #27) and the #1 high school in CA (Whitney in Cerritos).

They are A students in middle school.

Assuming that all other factors being equal (grades, achievements, awards, extra-curricular activities), will the #1 CA high school give them an edge when applying to top universities?

Answer 1

It matters, but it is a secondary (at best) issue.

If your children are interested in going to college in the East (I went to Princeton), it would be much easier for them to have gone to JP Stevens, because the East Coast universities know that school. Further, they will have more community involvement, etc. given their achievements and other activities will be associated with that community, which universities care about. They also could visit the campuses they are interested in long before their Junior year (the usual time for campus visits) and make their interest known to the admissions people at the various universities. Face time does help. Further, the college counselors at Stevens will likely have contacts at the East Coast schools that they will not have at USC, UCLA, or Cal Tech.

If you are interested in West Coast universities, then it may make sense to go to Whitney for the same reasons.

All that said, there are so many intangibles, e.g., are your children interested in sports? Perhaps Stevens has a much better football team than Whitney, and that may be your children's true love, or Whitney may have a magnet program in arts or mathematics that your children would be interested in, that the name of the high school probably doesn't matter as much as you think. It will come down to grades, SAT scores, and all the other intangibles, and, unfortunately, a little bit of luck. If your children get the grades (GPAs OVER 4.0 are not uncommon) and the SAT scores (where 1450 is considered 'average' for Ivy League schools) and have something that sets them apart from their peers (outstanding extra-curricular activities, such as lettering in a sport or two, community service, playing a musical instrument, etc.), they will have a good shot at going to whatever school they really want to go to.

Look at the WHOLE package, what your children are interested in, and which top universities they may be interested in, and choose based on their interests, not solely on a "ranking" of a high school.

Good luck! If only every parent cared as much as you do!

Answer 2

I agree with Shelley G. If you're wondering how a HS'ed student gets into college with a parent-issued diploma, it's not hard. A diploma doesn't mean much. I didn't need it for college admissions (you apply before you even graduate anyway), haven't needed it for any job, and no one cares. Even when I moved to a new state and they wanted proof of age (I didn't realize I didn't have a certified copy of my birth certificate), they didn't ask for my diploma. They asked for my high school transcript. For some reason they wouldn't accept a much-more-professional-and valued college transcript. Anyway, to gain college entrance, the family makes a transcript as Shelley said. The student should also make a portfolio of their work, including a bibliography of what they've read, and should take the ACT and/or SAT tests. Armed with those, and possibly doing a personal interview, a HS'er can get into college - especially most state schools. You do not need to take the GED test to get a high school diploma when HS'ing. That just shows the bare minimum and most HS'ers do way more than that. As others have said, it usually *is* based on a credit system. Even if a student has "mix and matched" (self-study, online, co-op) courses, they can assign credit to each one. They can also calculate a GPA that way. Many HS'ers also attend community college in high school to earn dual credit - credit for high school and college at the same time. Then the full-time college admissions process is even easier, as many enter FT as sophomores or juniors. You could easily earn an AA degree while still high school age. As for graduation, some students have private celebrations, some have a ceremony with other HS'ed students, and some just don't care at all. Personally, if I would have been HS'ed, it would have been a party with close family and friends. HTH!

Answer 3

Likey not. The only slight edge it might give is that the university might know that school and the style of teaching and curriculum and, if the kids make good grades, the university knows that the kid had to work for it. Other than that I would not worry about it all that much. Just choose a school that seems like a healthy learning environment for the child, don't worry about rank in the nation.

Answer 4

A good good school is nice, but more important are grades, what you do with your time, and presentation. They need high marks to get considered by schools and more study time will only help them on the SATs. Having hobbies and interests in the world around them shows schools that they are interesting and involved people. Presentation is important because anything you can do to stand out (in a positive way) on your application isn't a bad thing.

The right school can help you in all three aspects by providing unique opportunities, but only if your children have the drive to make the most of their lives.

Answer 5

They tend to go more by the standardized exam scores. However, if they apply to a university nearby the high school, and the high school is known for quality graduates, of course this will play a positive role.

Answer 6

I'm a A student. I think it makes a differance thats y I'm going to start High School at a private school in Ga (Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School) so that i can get in2 Harvard

Answer 7

cALI'S FUNNER