McDowell High School
- Public
- ERIE, PA
Public School
McDowell High School
- grade B+Overall Grade
- Public
- PK, 9-12
- ERIE, PA
- Rating 3.7 out of 5 536 reviews
Report Card
- Academicsgrade B
- Diversitygrade B
- Teachersgrade A minus
- College Prepgrade B minus
- Clubs & Activitiesgrade B+
- Administrationgrade B minus
- Sportsgrade A minus
- Foodgrade B
- Resources & Facilitiesgrade C
editorial
About
McDowell High School Rankings
Niche ranks nearly 100,000 schools and districts based on statistics and millions of opinions from students and parents.
Academics
Percent Proficient - Reading
76%
Percent Proficient - Math
76%
Average Graduation Rate
94%
Average SAT
1180
620 responses
Average ACT
25
92 responses
AP Enrollment
14%
Popular Colleges
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Map
Map
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- Cost of Livinggrade B+
- Good for Familiesgrade A minus
- Housinggrade B+
Median Household Income
$71,762
National
$69,021Median Rent
$933
National
$1,163Median Home Value
$181,400
National
$244,900Culture & Safety
Poll
73%
of students agree that they feel safe at their school. 56 responsesPoll
70%
of students agree that they like their school and feel happy there. 56 responsesStudents
Diversity
grade B
Based on racial and economic diversity and survey responses on school culture and diversity from students and parents.
Students
2,198
Free or Reduced Lunch
34%
82%
of students and parents agree that students at this school are competitive. 61 responses64%
of students and parents agree that students at this school are creative and artsy. 61 responses87%
of students and parents agree that students at this school are athletic. 61 responsesPreschool
Annual Cost
No data available
Cost is for the most complete schedule offered and may have changed for the current school year. For more information, please contact the school.
Starting Age
3 years
Pre-K Student-Teacher Ratio
No data available
Website
No data available
Schedule Options
- Offers Full WeekNo data available
- Offers Part WeekNo data available
- Offers Full DayNo data available
- Offers Part DayNo data available
Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
National
17:1Average Teacher Salary
$65,681
Teachers in First/Second Year
11.4%
58%
of students and parents agree that the teachers give engaging lessons. 83 responses69%
of students and parents agree that the teachers genuinely care about the students. 83 responses66%
of students and parents agree that the teachers adequately lead and control the classroom. 83 responsesClubs & Activities
Clubs & Activities
grade B+
Based on student and parent reviews of clubs and activities.
Girls Athletic Participation
Low
Boys Athletic Participation
Average
Expenses Per Student
$13,650 / year
National
$12,23988%
of students and parents agree that there are plenty of clubs and organizations for students to get involved in. 84 responses39%
of students and parents agree that clubs and organizations get the funding they need. 84 responses74%
of students and parents agree that lots of students participate in clubs and organizations. 84 responsesSimilar Schools
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McDowell High School Reviews
Rating 3.7 out of 5 536 reviews
My high school experience was generally positive, offering a solid foundation for personal and academic development. The school provided a decent mix of courses and extracurricular activities, and the teachers were supportive. While nothing extraordinary stood out, it was a reliable environment for learning and socializing. The routine was typical, with expected challenges and enjoyable moments. The overall experience was good, but it lacked the wow factor. It delivered what one would anticipate from a standard high school, contributing to a well-rounded education without venturing into exceptional territory.
Overall I had an enjoyable experience at Mcdowell. I only Attended the Senior High for my senior year of high school. The building is easy to navigate, and the majority of the staff is caring and helpful. They build meaningful relationships with the students, and there are only a handful of bad outliers. The student body is typical of this region of the U.S. They are more conservative than those of the other schools i’ve attended, but are relatively friendly and mature. There are many course options, and i’ve never had trouble getting into classes. However many students do, sometimes never getting a class they signed up for all four years. The only major problem with the school is the discrepancies between it and the intermediate high school. There are also some staff members who probably should receive disciplinary action that never do.
My experience at mcdowell was extremely short. Covid changed my whole 4 years of high-school for the worse. I didn’t have any sports freshman year due to the pandemic and sophomore year was cut in half due to that also. Our whole grade was cut in half with blue and white days and this caused me to be separate from my friends and having to wear masks all day and even at practice in the hot weather. Junior year was probably the most semi normal year, masks got lifted a little way in, I had a normal sports year and was successful in them also. All 4 years, really made me look back on the atmosphere of mcdowell, it’s very huge with how many people are in my class. I feel like if that were to change, it would be not as a crowded school. The hallways are so small to begin with, so will over 1,000 kids in both schools, it’s pretty crammed. The best part of mcdowell was how the teachers understood what the pandemic did to us and kept it pretty easy for us.