2019 Best Public High Schools in the Hartford Area

Best Schools

111 results

Glastonbury High School
Glastonbury School District, CT
9-12
417
1 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Senior: The overall experience at the high school has been great! I've met so many new and interesting people while attending GHS. There are many clubs for students with a wide variety of interests to enjoy. As with most high schools there are good and bad teachers but in my experiences the vast majority of my teachers have been fantastic!
Read 417 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
2,037 Students
14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Simsbury High School
Simsbury School District, CT
9-12
293
2 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Senior: Overall the school was a quality experience for me. My classmates were kind and devoted to studying, while many of the teachers I had were very enthusiastic about helping students learn. The art department in particular encouraged me to follow my dreams of becoming a concept designer. The curriculum of classes are typically thorough and up to date, supplemented by passionate teachers who more often than not will stay after to help you learn. The school body tends to conflate good grades with good self worth, so the drive to succeed is incredibly high. However, the school is in a majority white neighborhood. There are diversity initiatives such as the ABC House to encourage a more colorful student population, but the majority demographic in the district is white.
Read 293 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
1,423 Students
13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Conard High School
West Hartford School District, CT
9-12
287
3 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Senior: I loved that all of the teachers were always willing to stay after school and help me with whatever I needed. I also enjoy the fact that it is so easy to get involved and make friends because everyone is so welcoming. I wish that Conard had better food because I have had to bring lunch every day since Freshman year in order to eat! I hope that Conard stays exactly the way it is, but I hope that freshman become more involved so that the school can keep gaining a better reputation.
Read 287 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
1,540 Students
14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Greens Farms Academy
Private School
Westport, CT
PK, K-12
54
Senior: Greens Farms Academy is a very academically rigorous environment. The students and teachers take education very seriously, and we all encourage and motivate ourselves to keep learning and being curious. Greens Farms Academy has a very supportive community, with teachers devoting their time to always be available for students whether it is for extra-help, advising clubs, or attending sports events and plays. I have had access to many amazing opportunities from attending Greens Farms. I was able to travel to South America and Africa, which were ecological trips that broadened my global perspective and increased my passion for Biology. In addition, joining the diversity club at Greens Farms Academy has enhanced my education about social justice and through opportunities like attending the annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference, my desire to fight for social justice and my appreciation for diversity has amplified.
Read 54 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
713 Students
8:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Avon High School
Avon School District, CT
9-12
173
4 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Alum: The problem with Avon High School is that you get an excellent (really, stupendous) education but in banal surroundings and in the context of a worldview that your path in life is to get in to college. Now I took 4 AP courses but I also took the formerly lowest level courses in the sciences and many electives [A school strength; a very wide diversity of courses taught by interesting and dedicated teachers that has only expanded since I graduated]. My AP classes were incredible thanks to my instructors and the discussion-based class set-up and are an excellent outlet for any student hyper-interested in a certain subject. Now I see all of this, in the broad light of day 3 years later, as an amazing stepping stone for college (at least compared to many of my college peers) but at the time it didn't feel like it since Avon has so little superficial charm other than the landscape, making our uppity, but not pretentious, attitude difficult to justify.
Read 173 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
1,038 Students
13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Farmington High School
Farmington School District, CT
9-12
214
5 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Alum: Farmington High School made me feel prepared to attend and succeed in college. The competitive atmosphere was sometimes discouraging, but mostly encouraged me to try me best. The thing I was most displeased about was the culture of cheating. It was not punished well enough, which led to cheating being very widespread, and almost accepted.
Read 214 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
1,220 Students
12:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Hall High School
West Hartford School District, CT
9-12
180
6 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Senior: If you are looking for community, Hall is a good place to find it. Because of the countless clubs, communities, and other various extracurricular activities, finding a group of quality friends and good interactions is easy, even for those who normally would have trouble. The bathrooms are absolutely disgusting and it's not uncommon for several things to be broken in them. If you happen to be transgender then the only gender neutral restrooms are far away from everything, so it's almost a given that you'll miss a lot more going to the bathroom than if you were cisgender. The classrooms are pretty nice and the technology is up to date and useful.
Read 180 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
1,463 Students
15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Connecticut International Baccalaureate Academy
East Hartford School District, CT
9-12
121
7 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Junior: I like the close connection the students can have with the teachers. It is easy to talk to most teachers about issues about school work. There is a lot of diversity in this school and we acknowledge different cultures and we gain knowledge about the students background. The workload is a lot but it is preparing the students for college and the real world. This school teaches students different ways of thinking and helps us with our social skills by doing different activities in the classroom. This school is overall a good school but their can be improvements, especially in the math department. Personally, that department does not engage with the students and help them like the other departments to. This is putting a strain upon the students in all grades from Freshman to Seniors.
Read 121 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
192 Students
15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Academy of Aerospace & Engineering
Public School
Windsor, CT
6-12
85
8 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Senior: The Academy of Aerospace and Engineering is a great school with wonderful teachers who are willing to go above and beyond to ensure that the students are comfortable in the learning environment. It prepares the students greatly for what the future has in store and offers many opportunities to further the students' knowledge beyond just academics.
Read 85 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
702 Students
13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Canton High School
Canton School District, CT
9-12
73
9 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Alum: Canton High School is just your average small town high school. There's not much to say besides that the teachers and staff members genuinely care about their students. It makes you feel much more welcome and safe knowing you are cared for. I wished that there were more opportunities to try new classes without any downsides. Most of the students in Canton have lived there for their whole lives, which could be both good and bad since gossip spreads like wild fire. The town is very safe and the security in the school is satisfactory, cameras in the halls, automatic locks on all doors, etc. Overall Canton is a great school, everyone is full of school spirit and a love for sports. The only problem was how the students acted towards others, like
I mentioned earlier; it's a small town and a small school.
Read 73 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
488 Students
14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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South Windsor High School
South Windsor School District, CT
9-12
167
10 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Senior: My experience with South Windsor high School was 5 star beginning with my teachers. They knew just how to impart knowledge and how to motivate students to learn. No student is left behind. Each is helped to work up to his/her capacity and overcome any educational and social barriers to self fulfillment.
The School itself a wonderful environment in which to study and interact with classmates. From its bustling corridors to is modern library, it allows students to study learn and thrive.
I loved the fact the South Windsor High School thrives on diversity and allows all of its students to shine and be themselves.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my high school and all of the fond memories given to me by its faculty, classmates, support staff and my classmates.
Read 167 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
1,318 Students
12:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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University High School of Science and Engineering
Hartford School District, CT
9-12
111
11 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Parent: My son has had a great experience at UHSSE. Mostly, the academic opportunities that are afforded to the kids at UHSSE are incredible, allowing the kids to earn college credits and actual college experience from University of Hartford. Sports are difficult, first and foremost because we don't have our own gym for practices. Secondly, there aren't enough kids at our school to support full teams, so we have to partner with other schools to create them, which does not allow for camaraderie and often hurts chemistry, but I suppose that we should just be thankful that we have a sports program these days!

The administration is amazing and the teachers are terrific. My son has had great academic success and owes it to the incredible staff at UHSSE. Overall, a great high school experience!
Read 111 Reviews
A-
Overall Niche Grade
431 Students
15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Wethersfield High School
Wethersfield School District, CT
9-12
175
12 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Senior: Overall, I've had a pretty good experience here at Wethersfield High School. Throughout all my years here, I've met many great people, made new friends, met a few awesome teachers, and most importantly, I've learned so much. WHS is a good high school for people who are into sports, because our school is heavily involved in sports and our teams usually perform very well. Wethersfield High School is also great in terms of diversity. There are many types of students that attend, from white, black, hispanic, asian, and a whole variety of ethnicities. I'd say WHS is a perfect school for any time of student, and it's been a fun journey.
Read 175 Reviews
A-
Overall Niche Grade
1,185 Students
14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Bristol Central High School
Bristol School District, CT
9-12
126
13 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Alum: What I really liked about Bristol Central was the sports. I was involved in track and field. We didn't normally call each other a team, we were a family. Everybody supported each other as family would. The team motto was "Family". What I would like to see change at Bristol Central is the amount of effort that is put into helping students get ready for college. I felt as if there wasn't very much help in preparing us for college. I was lucky enough to be in a program called AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination). Throughout my four years of high school I was prepped for life in college. We were taught a better way to take notes, how to manage our time for our classes, how to stay organized, etc. Prior to starting high school only a handful of students were chosen to be in the program. I feel that if there was a better way for students to have the experience I had, then there will be more students ready for/ going to college.
Read 126 Reviews
A-
Overall Niche Grade
1,167 Students
15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Rocky Hill High School
Rocky Hill School District, CT
9-12
118
14 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Senior: I have had a great experience at Rocky Hill High School . The teachers, faculty members and all my coaches have always been very supportive to me since I started as a freshman. The relationships that I have formed will always carry with me throughout my college years and beyond. The sports of football, wrestling, and lacrosse that I have played at the high school have been a tremendous experience. This is a small community but the fans and support that players receive is far from small. Academically I have challenged myself and was named to the National Honor Society my junior year. My teachers have always been available if I needed to stay after for any questions and have always been flexible with me being in sports. They give us confidence to be the smartest student we can be and to push ourselves beyond what we think we can do and for that I am grateful .
Read 118 Reviews
A-
Overall Niche Grade
705 Students
12:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Southington High School
Southington School District, CT
9-12
243
15 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Senior: Southington high offers a warm and welcoming environment that offers a lot of activities. One can chose between a numerous amount of clubs and extra curricular activities. But the biggest craze is the sports! Built around an amazing football program, Southington is full of competitive sports with a rich history of winning.
Read 243 Reviews
A-
Overall Niche Grade
1,967 Students
13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Cromwell High School
Cromwell School District, CT
9-12
52
16 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Alum: High School is obviously a very controversial stage in an adolescents life and for me I had my ups and downs through my career at Cromwell High School. I'd like to say that attending Cromwell High School is what made me who I am today because I learned so much there, from friends, teachers, classes and so on. Overall, my experience there was amazing and I appreciate the time I had spent at Cromwell High School!
Read 52 Reviews
B+
Overall Niche Grade
578 Students
12:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Lewis S. Mills High School
Regional School District No. 10, CT
9-12
173
17 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Senior: Lewis S. Mills High School is a place that makes me comfortable. This school has a warming and welcoming environment and I love coming here everyday to learn about topics that I am interested in. It is great that I've gotten to know all of my classmates and seen the school change in a positive way since I started back in 2013. Lewis S. Mills has one of the top sports programs along with multiple other clubs, and I am proud to say that I've been a member of the basketball team, soccer team. My favorite thing about Lewis Mills is that students are able to choose their electives...and there are many to pick from. This year I was able to take Psychology and Forensic Science! The only thing that I think my school needs to work on, is the amount of homework that is given. I know that administration here has been struggling with this area, but students are getting bombarded with homework that we barely have time for anything else (including family time!) when we get home.
Read 173 Reviews
B+
Overall Niche Grade
778 Students
13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Bolton High School
Bolton School District, CT
9-12
75
18 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Senior: I have only been attending Bolton High School for 2 years, but in these 2 years I have grown a lot in academic education. Since Bolton is a very small school and there are only 70 students in my grade I was able to connect with my teachers and receive help whenever I needed it. Another thing that is great about Bolton is that whenever you try out for a sport there are most likely not going to be any cuts so you'll make it! This keeps students self-esteem high and helps them stay fit. However, my school does not have enough school spirit, and I would like to see that grow. There are also a lot of cliques in Bolton, which prevent everyone from being friends and sometimes causes bullying. Overall, I am very grateful to have attended Bolton High and will miss it.
Read 75 Reviews
B+
Overall Niche Grade
307 Students
10:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Newington High School
Newington School District, CT
9-12
178
19 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Senior: Newington High School is a positive and nurturing school environment. I feel continuously challenged with my classes and feel that the current administration cares greatly about the student body. There are a wide variety of clubs and activities to get involved with, whether you are athletic, artistic, or otherwise. They take pride in keeping the school clean and providing resources such as laptops, a Student Assistance Center, and a Peer Tutoring Club. We also have a great counseling department and school psychologist/social worker available to students if needed. I feel like I have had a great overall experience these last 4 years at NHS!
Read 178 Reviews
B+
Overall Niche Grade
1,266 Students
14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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East Granby High School
East Granby School District, CT
9-12
91
20 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Senior: My experience at East Granby High School is extremely hands on. Due to the fact that we are the smallest public school system in Connecticut, classes sizes are very small allowing individual assistance to each student. The teachers within the school have always been helpful and understanding with both school work and personal problems. A change East Granby could make is healthier lunches and more respect to the arts programs within the school. Overall, East Granby High School is an excellent school with wonderful staff and a close community.
Read 91 Reviews
B+
Overall Niche Grade
264 Students
10:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Berlin High School
Berlin School District, CT
9-12
167
21 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Senior: My overall high school experience has been truly rewarding. I have surrounded myself with a diverse group of friends who all have different strengths and talents. My teachers have been very helpful, they treat you not only as a student, but as a person. They understand high school is tough and that home life can be stressful as well. They show much personality within their teaching. I have decided to do something completely unlike of me my Senior year and do the school musical. I was welcomed with open arms and met new people that I would have never gotten the chance to talk to before! I am overall very pleased with my high school experience and wouldn't doubt that many students would agree with my statement.
Read 167 Reviews
B+
Overall Niche Grade
953 Students
12:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Middletown High School
Middletown School District, CT
9-12
232
22 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Senior: Middletown High School has been far more than a school for me in the past four years. It has been a second home, an adventure, and a place I have come to love. Middletown High School is a welcoming place that offers not only amazing opportunities through its myriad of classes but also through it wide selection of clubs and athletic teams. Beyond that, the fellow students I had the pleasure of attending this wonderful school were not only accepting but welcoming and always pushing each other to be our best. I can confidently say because of MHS that I am ready for college and I have no concerns about succeeding in school. I wish every teen could experience the intense pride and welcoming environment MHS has provided for me! While I am looking forward to graduation and the next exciting chapter that college will be in my life, I will always hold onto my Blue Dragon roots.
Read 232 Reviews
B+
Overall Niche Grade
1,202 Students
13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Windsor High School
Windsor School District, CT
9-12
207
23 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Senior: Windsor High School is a diverse school which has students come from around the world. Windsor High School help the students take their chances in their future and brings a lot of opportunities to students to enrich education. Windsor High School known as the second house for the students which showed by the warmth of the teachers who are disposable to help students all the time by their enthusiasm, and the devotion of the staffs are securities, the cleaning workers, the polices. Windsor High School not only educates the students how to bright their career and their future by the salutary lessons but also teach them to be responsible, respectful in behavior, to be a good person, an useful citizens to develop the country. Windsor High School brings everyone together and each member in Windsor High School will shine by their own talents.
Read 207 Reviews
B+
Overall Niche Grade
1,096 Students
9:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Plainville High School
Plainville School District, CT
9-12
93
24 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
High School Senior: As graduation approaches in the upcoming month I look back at my four years at Plainville High School and with a open heart I am thankful to have been surrounded by such amazing and positive people. Although there are many different cliques in high school and not everyone is close our grade is united and we bring people together when it is necessary to do so. My principal Mr. Steven Lepage is by far one of the most supportive and caring individuals within our building. Every morning on our morning announcements we receive a quote to help us get through our school day. With his support and dedication our school runs profoundly with many clubs and activities. If I could rewind back to my freshman year and redo my last four years over again I wouldn't change a thing about my school or my classmates. GO BLUE DEVILS!
Read 93 Reviews
B+
Overall Niche Grade
744 Students
12:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Portland High School
Portland School District, CT
9-12
63
25 Best Public High Schools in Hartford Area
Niche User: High school was an amazing time for me; I made so many friends and grew close with some of my teachers. I learned a lot while having fun! Portland High School didn't feel like a waste of time and I looked forward to coming to school and learning something everyday, as well as communicating with friends! There was always extra help if you needed it, the faculty were awesome, and the guidance office always helped students no matter what! If I could do it all over again, I would!
Read 63 Reviews
B
Overall Niche Grade
384 Students
12:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Woodberry Forest School
Private School
Woodberry Forest, VA
9-12
22
Senior: Totally prepares you for college courses and college life! The teachers really work with you and care about you. The campus is 1200 acres, truly amazing. It's an all boys school grades 9-12 with about 100 boys per grade. It's boarding students only (no day) so your friends are with you all the time.
Read 22 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
397 Students
7:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Watkinson School
Private School
Hartford, CT
6-12
33
Junior: Great school. The teachers challenge students and push them to improve, and the school does a lot to give students the confidence to speak out and be heard. The college counseling office is fantastic. They do a great job of easing students through the college process and finding a college that is a good fit for the student. On top of that, as Watkinson is a small school, the school community is very tight-knit. As a junior, I know every junior, senior, and sophomore by name, which is common at Watkinson.
Read 33 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
230 Students
7:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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1 of 5

Glastonbury High School

Simsbury High School

Conard High School

Greens Farms Academy

Avon High School

Farmington High School

Hall High School

Connecticut International Baccalaureate Academy

Academy of Aerospace & Engineering

Canton High School

South Windsor High School

University High School of Science and Engineering

Wethersfield High School

Bristol Central High School

Rocky Hill High School

Southington High School

Cromwell High School

Lewis S. Mills High School

Bolton High School

Newington High School

East Granby High School

Berlin High School

Middletown High School

Windsor High School

Plainville High School

Portland High School

Woodberry Forest School

Watkinson School