2023 Best Public High Schools in New York

• New York City Geographic District No. 10, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.88 out of 5  1,030 reviews

Parent: Excellent academics, almost every AP possible offered, lots of students taking post AP classes. Large school (~2800 kids), but brilliant student body with a wide range of interests and passions. This is the school where one can find high performing athletes with interests in performing arts and computers science or biology or math or physics or engineering. As one of the Specialized high school of the city, students come from all boroughs, making a 2-4 hours daily commute a regular part their 4-year high school journey. Very large number of clubs, sports, student activities. Teachers and administrators are top notch and dedicated. Perfect? Of course not, as it is after all a public school, but the Alumni foundation and the Parent Association are extremely active and generous both with time and resources to make up for what the Dept of Education budget does not cover. Go Wolverines!... Read 1,030 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,937

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 2, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.1 out of 5  1,126 reviews

Junior: Stuyvesant High School is extremely rigorous, and the experience is super different from any other school in New York City, even other specialized high schools. However, the Stuy community is also unlike any other, and despite the difficult and college-level classes, the school provides a large array of materials and resources to ensure that students can preform to their best ability. Not everyone is going to be happy at Stuy, and I think a genuine love for learning and education is really important so as not to get overwhelmed here. However, if you want to challenge yourself, I think Stuyvesant is the best school in the city. If I would change one thing about Stuyvesant it would definitely be the diversity. The school is over seventy percent Asian, and a lot of other ethnic groups don't get an equal opportunity at getting in. However, a great many diverse groups are represented in the school's clubs and organizations, and the school is making an active effort to be more inclusive.... Read 1,126 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 3,357

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 31, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.35 out of 5  771 reviews

Junior: You will be exposed to a multitude of resources during your time here and welcomed into a great community! While this school may not be for those unwilling to take on a rigorous academic experience, you will certainly be given the choices to take easier classes. The courseload can demanding at times, but most teachers are reasonable as long as you communicate with them. Ultimately, Tech will offer you many things to enhance and enrich your high school experience, but it is up to YOU to take advantage, whether that be through an internship, mentorship, sport, club, SING, etc.... Read 771 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,336

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 25, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  680 reviews

Junior: Great school, there are lots of opportunities but it isn’t so balanced for boys as there are more opportunities for girls than boys. There is also a lack of funding and business/finance related programs and mainly only engineering and humanities.... Read 680 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,270

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Jericho Union Free School District, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.09 out of 5  182 reviews

Sophomore: I really like the supportiveness at Jericho High School. The wide variety of classes caters to students interested in pursuing many paths in the future, from music to STEM to literature. I feel comfortable exploring opportunities with the support of my teachers, who go the extra mile to ensure that I'm always doing my best. The competitive environment is also very different from most schools, so it is not just the teachers encouraging you to do your best, its peers and classmates. Combined, all of this makes a healthy environment that ensures success!... Read 182 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,205

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Great Neck Public Schools, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.18 out of 5  263 reviews

Senior: My experience at Great Neck South High School has been nothing short of exciting and memorable. My school offers many opportunities for students to challenge themselves academically, including a wide variety of AP courses and extracurriculars geared towards winning great academic achievements. It also offers many clubs, ranging from the fashion design club to the esports club, allowing students to explore and pursue their own interests. The teachers and faculty are extremely helpful, even offering extra help on days right before the exam to ensure their students understand the material. The one unique thing about our school is that it gives each student an iPad to make it easier for us to take notes, study, and learn in general. It also makes us more familiar with technology, which is increasingly important in this day and age. If I had to change one thing about my school, it would be its lunch menu. I personally think it is okay, but can be improved to give students more options.... Read 263 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,226

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 10, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.07 out of 5  141 reviews

Senior: The High School of American Studies has created a rigorous academic environment in which students are pushed to do their best academically, striving for success on the daily. Teachers are always willing to help students with questions and test preparation, making it clear that they wish for each and every student to succeed. The history program is unmatched, as a curriculum of US History that would regularly take up one year is stretched into 3, allowing the students to truly learn the complexities of American history. Although the school is incredibly small, this acts as a positive in the overall experience. Students become incredibly comfortable with their peers and can easily trust anyone around them for help. The class size being small allows teachers and students to foster a closer relationship with much more daily specialized attention. The facilities are not exceptional in the high school itself, however the ability to use Lehman College's facilities makes up for any faults.... Read 141 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 385

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 5, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.07 out of 5  199 reviews

Junior: I love the overall attention every individual student receives at HSMSE. Being a small school of 150 students a grade, HSMSE is able to provide every student the help they may need. Students are given the opportunity to create a closer bond with their teachers, making them more likely to participate during class and approach teachers after class. Additionally, every teacher is more than willing to offer students assistance. Being the rigorous school that it is, students may feel the need to seek review or extra clarification on a topic. This assistance is extremely easy to receive as there is a schedule handed out to every student regarding the teacher's office hours. Conveniently, teachers offer both morning office hours and afternoon office hours. Creating a tight knit community makes the school environment a safer and more comfortable place for everyone.... Read 199 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 496

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Syosset Central School District, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  368 reviews

Junior: Overall, my experience at Syosset High School has been pretty good. There is a lot of diversity among my peers, & the teachers as well. It's a competitive school, & has a lot to offer. There are many different class options depending on what your interests are. For example, different cooking classes, science classes (like A.P Bio, Anatomy & Physiology, Physics, etc). You even have the opportunity to get lifeguard certified through the school & have a job ready for you in the summer! However, in the future I would prefer to see more options for the medical field of study, for example an addition of classes similar to sports medicine.... Read 368 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,208

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• Roslyn Union Free School District, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.91 out of 5  134 reviews

Senior: There are really good teachers. There are interesting elective classes that are available for every year.... Read 134 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,025

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• Manhasset Union Free School District, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.91 out of 5  74 reviews

Senior: Manhasset is quite a wealthy area, and its affluence is clear in our abundant resources. We have a very strong sports presence, seen in the large portion of the budget goes there. Our academia is quite rigorous, to the point that there is very stiff competition. A large percentage of the student body takes honors/AP courses. A 4.0+ weighted gpa (we have a 4.33 unweighted system) is quite common. However, the teachers are usually pretty willing to help you out whenever you need; I have personally sent quite a few 2 AM emails to them on the verge of a breakdown begging for extra help and they are quite ready to supply it. Socially, it is quite cliquey (athletes, geniuses, theatre kids, miscellaneous) but it is possible to make very good friends here. Clubs and the fine arts are ok; they're pretty overshadowed by sports but are still mediocre. Lots of college obsessions (some kids do ecs just for college). Overall, there's a lot of good people here and the academia is hard enough :)... Read 74 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 976

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 13, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.92 out of 5  2,248 reviews

Junior: For every year I've completed, including my current Junior year, I loved my teachers. They are extremely generous and they will usually give me extensions on deadlines and internship opportunities outside of class. In general, the school offers many interactive activities and I genuinely enjoy being at school at times. My only issue with Brooklyn Technical High School is the disrespect of some of the staff. They treat me as if I don't deserve the same respect as them, and I'm not fond of that. It's only been about 5 staff members, and wherever I go I can't expect everyone to be nice to me, but those staff members did not show me any respect. After a few days, I'll admit they do get more respectful but it was still a very rude first impression from them.... Read 2,248 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 5,943

• Student-teacher ratio 24:1

• Scarsdale Union Free School District, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.73 out of 5  123 reviews

Alum: In terms of academics, this school is great. Most of the teachers I had were amazing and I felt sufficiently prepared for college. In terms of the school environment, it can be difficult for international students because of lack of diversity. It is also very competitive, which prepares you better for college but could potentially cause a lot of stress. Other than that, it is a great school to attend!... Read 123 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,508

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Herricks Union Free School District, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.11 out of 5  199 reviews

Senior: There have a good learning environment, strict school system. The teacher is very responsible for the students, and the school has a lot of extracurricular activities, there are many plants in the school, and the air is good. There are too many advantages to justify. The teaching equipment is relatively complete, and the teachers work hard. The school environment is elegant, the structure is harmonious, the teaching is strict, and education is the focus. Teachers can be stricter and more serious about people. They pay attention to students' psychological problems, and can understand students in time and correct their deficiencies. Efforts are made to improve school facilities, attach importance to students' morality and ability, and the school environment has a good atmosphere.... Read 199 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,347

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 24, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.16 out of 5  389 reviews

Junior: Bard was created to combat New York's deeply-segregated school system, so it provides great opportunities for low-income students. Students graduate in four years not only with a high school diploma but also with sixty college credits and an associate's degree in the arts. The literature and humanities programs are very eye-opening and life-changing. In the college program, they offer very interesting college courses such as anthropology, cinemas of South Asia, philosophy in science fiction, and so on. Students often complain about the fast-paced math classes, but the teachers are very kind, caring, and will always offer office hours. It's a small school (I've had only 9 students in one of my classes!) and the students are mostly friendly and welcoming. The school is very welcoming to undocumented students, is LGBTQ-friendly, and accepting of racially and religiously diverse students. The workload is very heavy and will be stressful at times, but you have a great team to help you!... Read 389 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 653

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Half Hollow Hills Central School District, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.85 out of 5  311 reviews

Senior: I liked the overall interior of the school and the majority of my teachers were very nice and supportive! I felt like I could go to them if I needed help with something. There was also little to no bullying among students, which is pretty rare in schools. The school is a little difficult to navigate because a lot of hallways look exactly the same, but once you get the hang of it it’s not so bad. If I disliked any teachers, it was a personal dislike. I would advise against taking the Media Arts course though, since it is extremely outdated and barely teaches you any skills you can use (especially if you were already studying film, art, and animation).... Read 311 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,116

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Chappaqua Central School District, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.66 out of 5  130 reviews

Alum: Class of 2019 Review: Pros: Academics - has a very academically stimulating environment - teachers push students to pursue their curiosities, particularly through the school's science research and independent study programs. Clubs - there are a wide variety of clubs and extracurriculars supported by the school. Reputation - the school is very well recognized for its academic rigor by top universities. Cons: Competitive atmosphere - the competitiveness of the school's students can be stifling at times, as it seems people care more about getting into college than the students around them. Stress - a natural product of the school's atmosphere and academic rigor - it can be a very stressful environment at times. I overall did enjoy my four years at Greeley - best of luck to all incoming students!... Read 130 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,175

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Great Neck Public Schools, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.07 out of 5  129 reviews

Senior: I love the extremely supportive community at Great Neck North High School! The teachers truly care about their students' success: going out of their way to assure their students' achievements. There is a great sense of school pride and all students are given tremendous opportunities for self-improvement and learning. Each student is even given a school issued iPad so they they may have access to assignments, information, and school announcements at the click of a button!... Read 129 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,162

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Half Hollow Hills Central School District, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.92 out of 5  472 reviews

Senior: Since will have only spent my senior year at Half Hollow Hills High School East, I do not have much material to base my thoughts around. However, during my short time here, I can safely state that the academic aspect of the school is superb. The teaching staff is effective overall, with a wide variety of electives being available as well. As for the social aspect, it can be easy for one to feel lost due to the large student body, and significant ethnic population differences.... Read 472 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,609

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 2, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.85 out of 5  162 reviews

Sophomore: ELRO is a small school allows easier community building and working together for similar goals (different classes, respect for others…). I enjoy weekly advisories that go over the topic of the month or week(s) such as: Lunar New Year, Black traditions, etc. These subjects are respectfully and collaboratively spoken, while understanding the differences between each and every person. It’s crucial for a community that’s trustworthy in order to dive deeper into quite sensitive topics such as violence, politics, and personal opinions. Adding on, from my two years at ELRO, I saw that it used to be a white dominated or majority high school. But, I see the changes for acceptance of students that grew to a diverse range of backgrounds in these two years. In addition, one change can be showing respect or speaking on different religions that shouldn’t only be in history-based classes. I see hostility and bias that sees others as dangerous and unfriendly like the historical people and events.... Read 162 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 546

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Pelham Union Free School District, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  150 reviews

Alum: I graduated from here and absolutely loved my experience! The teachers and staff are amazing! The academics are also fantastic. Pelham Memorial High school gives you so many opportunities to do well and better your education. There are so many courses offered including tons of AP classes that put you on the right track and get you ready for college. Couldn’t have asked for a better High school!... Read 150 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 904

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 1, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.78 out of 5  294 reviews

Alum: Bard is a great highs school to attend. It's a small school which can make the transition into highschool easy to navigate. Teachers and faculty are involved and personable, they are passionate about their courses and one can expect them to have a PhD in their respective subject. The college program prepares you for the level of work expected from you in university. The writing program is particularly strong, professors will work with you to improve your writing, analysis and overall critical thinking skills. In class, the seminar style approach encourages discussion and debate. There is a place for everyone to get involved in the things they like, the library for example, is most student's favorite hangout spot. It's always filled with contemporary books, and boardgames for students to enjoy. Bard is an academically rigorous school with a great culture of respect and support among students and faculty... Read 294 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 635

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Rye City School District, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.06 out of 5  87 reviews

Senior: Rye High School is a school that is very much academic and athletic. The school spirit here is strong and many students here are nice and inclusive. The cafeteria in the high school gives you a wide variety of options to choose from (grilled section, main lunch, sandwich station, salad bar, etc.)Teachers are, for the most part, very outgoing with students, which increases the level of participation and fun in class. Academic wise, Rye High School does a good job preparing students for college and makes sure students maintain a good grade. Teachers have x-periods, which are times after school to help students study for an exam, go over any questions/material, or to talk with students. Teachers even make sure and are aware of tests in other classes and try not to have them all on the same day. This keeps students less stressed and able to maintain a steady schedule they can follow (since they also do sports or clubs, etc.).... Read 87 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,000

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Byram Hills Central School District, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.88 out of 5  107 reviews

Senior: Its a really prestigious school that has higher standards and really challenges you and prepares you for the real world.... Read 107 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 708

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 30, NY•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 3.96 out of 5  235 reviews

Senior: BSGE is a very very good high school. You will learn a lot from the rigorous coursework and high expectations. To all the middle school students who are considering this high school, I would definitely recommend it. The teachers are very respectful, nice, and caring. However, the coursework load can be really demanding, but it is manageable. As you go higher in the grade, you will face different types of challenges and learn new things from all your classes. You will need to work hard, sometimes you have to give it your all. You will find this school to be very rewarding!... Read 235 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 579

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1