2019 Best Public High Schools in MichiganAbout this List

International Academy

• Bloomfield Hills Schools, MI
• 9-12
• 525

Senior: I love this school! Not a lot of people notice it till later, but the International Academy prepares their students for college very well and the teachers are really nice and puts a lot of effort. One thing I would change is that I wish we were more open to opportunities other than school and were more aware of other volunteer services or scholarships. Although we were educationally prepared for college, there was not a lot of information on how to finanacially deal with college.
Read 525 Reviews

• A+

• 1,371 Students
• 108:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Troy High School

• Troy School District, MI
• 9-12
• 315

Junior: Troy High School is an amazing school; great learning environment, wonderful teachers, and friendly students. There is an extremely wide selection of classes and very qualified teachers who teach them, not to mention that they always take time out of their own days to help students if it is asked of them too. The only downside I suppose is that the environment is extremely competitive, so pressure and stress levels are always relatively high. But, this also pushes people to achieve highly, and students here are very driven to achieve highly with regards to both academics and extracurriculars.
Read 315 Reviews

• A+

• 1,981 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

International Academy

• Oakland Schools, MI
• 9-12
• 46

Senior: An absolutely amazing institution! The people here are so unique. However, the stress levels are quite high, causing many students to struggle transitioning. But once this is done, many feel as if they are prepared for university. Overall, a great IB school.
Read 46 Reviews

• A+

• 1,557 Students
• — Student-Teacher Ratio

Novi High School

• Novi Community School District, MI
• 9-12
• 407

Senior: My experience at Novi High School was amazing. The education offered there is incredible. The are many different classes you can take that fit your liking. You can challenge yourself with honors, AP, or IB classes. Each class helps you prepare for your future. They offer many different resources that benefits each student. Every teacher is highly trained . I like how diverse it is. That is one of the many things that makes this school so unique. There are also many different extra curricular activities, one for everyone. One thing I would like to see change is more people being involved.
Read 407 Reviews

• A+

• 2,006 Students
• 18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Okemos High School

• Okemos Public Schools, MI
• 9-12
• 194

Alum: I really enjoyed my time at Okemos High School! Everyone is very friendly and welcoming. There was always something happening and I felt that people really were engaged in life at the school. Almost of the all teachers I had you could tell they really were passionate about what they were teaching. Okemos has a lot of APs so that's nice. I took AP US history , AP World History, and AP government and ended up with 11 credits of AP towards college!
Read 194 Reviews

• A+

• 1,295 Students
• 18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Huron High School

• Ann Arbor Public Schools, MI
• 9-12
• 263

Alum: Huron High School:

30% will take the AP/AC classes, play music, rule and participate in the clubs, play the sports where Huron actually wins (swimming, tennis, cross country, field hockey). As a result, these students will enjoy the best of what Huron has to offer: (some) good STEM teachers, an excellent Humanities program, incredible music, and competitive extracurriculars. They will also pipeline into flagship schools—Michigan State at the lowest, but usually, the University of Michigan or better—and are solely responsible for Huron's strong reputation.

Unfortunately, as somebody who served as president of clubs involving a quarter of the student body, took 10 AP classes, and graduated with significant accolades, I noticed significant decreases in my peer diversity—the advanced classes and involved clubs being predominantly white and Asian.

Those not included in the 30% will have a less rewarding experience.
Read 263 Reviews

• A+

• 1,537 Students
• 21:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Ernest W. Seaholm High School

• Birmingham Public Schools, MI
• 9-12
• 190

Senior: I would have given three stars if not for the teachers. The teachers at Seaholm are truly phenomenal and genuinely care for all their students. Their utmost goal is to see their students succeed in whatever way is best for the individual. The student atmosphere at Seaholm, however, is three stars. Because of the largely white population, there is an inherent racial and cultural tension that exists. Their have been racially/culturally motivated incidents for the past three years that have called for police investigation.
Read 190 Reviews

• A+

• 1,286 Students
• 14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Northville High School

• Northville Public Schools, MI
• 9-12
• 282

Senior: The school is pretty good in general but they could fix some stuff.
I’m a new international student and I have to say, for a school like Northville High School who apparently has worked with international/exchange students for years, it seems the administration doesn’t know how to properly integrate them and their international school files into their system. They don’t seem properly trained in that aspect or maybe they don’t like the changes or extra work that international students integration require. Still, besides that my experience has been good. Great classes, most of the teachers are very good, and the facilities are excellent.
Read 282 Reviews

• A+

• 2,371 Students
• 22:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Washtenaw International High School

• Public School
• Ypsilanti, MI
• 9-12
• 48

Senior: I really enjoy the teacher-student relationships, as I feel that the staff truly cares about the students and wants the best for us in the future. Another thing I enjoy about my high school is the fact that our academic curriculum deals with real-life issues. For example, in Spanish class, in addition to learning the language we also become informed on currents/problems that plague Spanish-speaking countries, such as anti-government protests in Venezuela, and the issue of femicide in Argentina. Some things that I think could improve are the diversity in the school, in both race and personal beliefs. Overall, WIHI as we often call it, is a great community and place to attend high school.
Read 48 Reviews

• A+

• 483 Students
• 24:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Pioneer High School

• Ann Arbor Public Schools, MI
• 9-12
• 288

Freshman: Awesome school! Good but not overwhelming competition. REALLY bad food. I suggest you eat at home. Awesome special education support and mental health support. We have 8 minutes of passing time (as of 17-18 school year) so you have much time to get to your next class. Big school though, sort of looks like a mini mall stretched out on the outside. Three floors. Warning, expect a broken or slightly messed up bathroom stall per bathroom.
Read 288 Reviews

• A+

• 1,772 Students
• 18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Rochester Adams High School

• Rochester Community School District, MI
• 9-12
• 229

Junior: This school has a great environment! The academic rigor and the school oriented culture can be overwhelming but being surrounded by like-minded, goal-oriented students similar to me creates a great atmosphere for learning. The teachers are all very helpful, and there is a multitude of extracurricular activities for everyone.
Read 229 Reviews

• A+

• 1,600 Students
• 22:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Saline High School

• Saline Area Schools, MI
• 9-12
• 270

Senior: In my experience, Saline has been nothing but excellent for me and my peers. While the student body is not at all diverse, most all students are very accepting and inclusive of everyone, regardless of whatever extraneous variable you might want to point out. The learning environment is very competitive, yet at the same time most of the teachers make the learning experience very enjoyable. Of course there will always be exceptions, but for the most part it is a positive experience. In addition to academics, the athletics department could not be any better. All sports are very competitive and have top notch facilities and resourses to work with, along with having a very supportive community. I would not want to have attended any other school.
Read 270 Reviews

• A+

• 1,766 Students
• 21:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Grosse Pointe South High School

• Grosse Pointe Public Schools, MI
• 9-12
• 241

Senior: The teachers at South are absolutely incredible. In my four years as a student, I didn't have a teacher I did not like. I have made some incredible friends there too. Great people! I would love to change the way administration runs the school though. Like most high schools, the students' opinions are not valued enough on different policies.
Read 241 Reviews

• A+

• 1,649 Students
• 19:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Bloomfield Hills High School

• Bloomfield Hills Schools, MI
• 9-12
• 63

Senior: BHHS is a great school! During my years in BHHS, I've made tons of new friends, and teachers are very nice and supportive. There is little to no bullying around, and if there is, it is immediately taking action against it. There's been many fun events that takes place, and managed by the Student Council! So far there's actually nothing I would like to change, but maybe add in lactose tolerant products into the serveries, for others with the same food allergy. A police system, and firefighter stations next to our school is a great help. Then if something happened, we wouldn't have to wait long. The amount space and architecture in this building (windows) makes us soak in more sunlight than a normal school with limited windows. Thanks!
Read 63 Reviews

• A+

• 1,669 Students
• 20:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Skyline High School

• Ann Arbor Public Schools, MI
• 9-12
• 276

Alum: Skyline is like many other places and things in life: exactly what you make it! SHS provides students with a variety of opportunities from an extensive list of athletic teams, extracurriculars, clubs, and groups. The school also has deep-rooted connections in the community and furthermore with the University of Michigan. I strongly urge students to take advantage of any and all opportunities they are presented with.
Teachers, however, are not all created equal at Skyline. Some are simply there to make it through the day and collect their paycheck. One of the products of the American public school system, I suppose. Others go above and beyond for their students and are truly there to prepare their students for college and beyond. It is important for student to establish relationships with these teachers. If I were to name a few, I would most definitely say Sra. Aretz, Ms. Whitehorn, Mrs. Ray and Mrs. Hetter.
Read 276 Reviews

• A+

• 1,494 Students
• 19:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Community High School

• Ann Arbor Public Schools, MI
• 8-12
• 82

Alum: Love it! The teachers are absolutely amazing. They are 100% invested in the success of their students. The open campus allows students to assume responsibilty over their actions. Plus, being able to enjoy lunch in downtown Ann Arbor is amazing. I loved being able to leave the stress of school behind for an hour while enjoying a nice, peaceful lunch at my all time favorite, The Slurping Turtle. And with so many amazing places to explore, the hands on learning opportunities never stop. Being able to collect data and specimen directly from the river truly allows students to connect with the material they're learning.
Read 82 Reviews

• A+

• 535 Students
• 21:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Northern High School

• Forest Hills Public Schools, MI
• 9-12
• 69

Alum: Forest Hills Northern preaches inclusivity and diversity and it’s really great how close you can get to your peers throughout the 4 years you attend this high school. If you get active and join clubs or sports it’s a really great way to make new friends. Of course, like many other high schools, there’s still the drama and the cliques. That all depends on who you choose to be in your life. I love the friends I made in this school and wouldn’t want to go to any other!
Read 69 Reviews

• A+

• 1,117 Students
• 19:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Wylie E. Groves High School

• Birmingham Public Schools, MI
• 9-12
• 221

Alum: I enjoyed my time at Groves! The teachers were super understanding and supportive, and were there for me when I needed them. I loved being able to explore my passions and felt super prepared for college. The College and Career center also helped me prepare for standardized tests and I felt ready for the ACT when I took it. I also got to travel all around the country because of the Groves Orchestra, and I'll treasure my experiences there forever.
Read 221 Reviews

• A+

• 1,234 Students
• 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Grosse Pointe North High School

• Grosse Pointe Public Schools, MI
• 9-12
• 261

Senior: I enjoyed my four years at North. The teachers really helped students learn the material they need for the future. I also enjoyed playing sports at North, being able to have a connection with some of my teachers outside of the classroom. Some things I wish North would do is help kids get scholarships because it’s a lot of kids who do really good in school but when it’s time to go off to college they might not have the funds but those scholarships would help!
Read 261 Reviews

• A+

• 1,365 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Bemis Elementary School

• Troy School District, MI
• K-12

• A+

• 521 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Athens High School

• Troy School District, MI
• 9-12
• 326

Senior: Athens has a great community that fuels learning for all students. Academic opportunities are every where you look. All the teachers want you to learn and have fun! Athens raises a lot of money for great causes during charity week each year. The whole schools gets involved. If I could change anything, I would like to be able to take more classes per semester.
Read 326 Reviews

• A+

• 1,575 Students
• 18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

H.H. Dow High School

• Midland Public Schools, MI
• 9-12
• 162

Alum: Best school in the Tri-Cities flat out. Math and science especially strong; gigantic AP program (something like 1 in 4 students do AP classes). Nationally ranked FIRST robotics and DECA teams, great drama program, and so many more. Teachers were some of the best mentors and friends I had throughout my years here; they're there for you personally as well as academically. The bathrooms could use a makeover though (:

Once a Charger always a Charger!
Read 162 Reviews

• A+

• 1,253 Students
• 19:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

East Grand Rapids High School

• East Grand Rapids Public Schools, MI
• 9-12
• 190

Alum: East is a very tight knit community where everybody knows everybody. This Had it’s benefits and downsides. If you have a bad rap, everybody will catch ears and you’ll probably have a hard time integrating and shaking a reputation. From my experience, people are pretty nosey and parents have way too much of a voice in athletics. But, athletics are absolutely a huge part of the culture and are absolutely competitive/successful year in and year out. Academics are top notch and definitely prepared me for college. The student body isn’t very diverse at all. My experience was alright but the community has definitely changed quite a bit since my graduation. Personally believe the younger families moving in are much more pretentious. Just depends on what kind of culture you want to exposure your family to.
Read 190 Reviews

• A+

• 1,011 Students
• 21:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

International Academy of Macomb

• Chippewa Valley Schools, MI
• 9-12
• 99

Senior: The International Academy of Macomb is rated Michigan's best high school for many reasons. I believe it allowed me to grow both academically and as a person, while making memories I will cherish along the way.
The school follows the IB curriculum, which provides internationally recognized education. There is a strict curriculum and certain guidelines we must follow which may seem superfluous at times, but challenges the students. The atmosphere at the school encouraged motivating competition from the other students to further one's own education.
Finally, I think I was able to make personal growth at the school. Because of the friendly environment the school has, I was able to feel more comfortable around other people in general. I also have developed important life skills I can carry on, like time management.
However, the school also has its limitations as well. The small school lacked resources and opportunities for the students, like early college or sports.
Read 99 Reviews

• A+

• 484 Students
• 97:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Novi Meadows School

• Novi Community School District, MI
• 5-12

• A+

• 1,009 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio