Niche Standout High Schools Methodology
The Niche Standout High Schools ranking is based on rigorous analysis of academic and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education along with test scores, college data, and ratings collected from millions of Niche users. The list is limited to only public high schools with 1) at least 50% of students identifed as economically disadvantaged by the school and 2) a Niche Overall Grade of B or higher. Learn where our data comes from.
Factors Considered
| Factor | Description | Source | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top Colleges Score | Average score of colleges that students are most interested in or go on to attend, based on Niche Best Colleges ranking. | Self-reported by Niche users | 21.7% |
| Composite SAT/ACT Score | Average SAT/ACT composite score (normalized to the same scale), as reported by Niche users from this school. | Self-reported by Niche users | 13.4% |
| Economically Disadvantaged Graduation Rate | Percentage of economically disadvantaged 12th grade students who graduate. | U.S. Department of Education | 10.8% |
| Economically Disadvantaged Math Proficiency | Percentage of economically disadvantaged students at or above math proficiency level on state assessments. | U.S. Department of Education | 10.8% |
| Economically Disadvantaged Percent | Percent of students classified as economically disadvantaged. | U.S. Department of Education | 10.8% |
| Economically Disadvantaged Reading Proficiency | Percentage of economically disadvantaged students at or above reading proficiency level on state assessments. | U.S. Department of Education | 10.8% |
| Minority Graduation Rate | Percentage of 12th grade minority students who graduate. | U.S. Department of Education | 10.8% |
| Student Racial Diversity Index | A high value indicates a very racially diverse student body. | U.S. Department of Education | 10.8% |
Statistics obtained from the U.S. Department of Education represent the most recent data available, as self-reported by the schools. Niche also collects data directly from schools via their Niche Partner Portal. If you work for a school and would like to update your data, please claim your school.
For more details about how we calculate our rankings, click here.