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2022 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

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  1. Julia R. Masterman Secondary School

    • Philadelphia City School District, PA
    • 5-12
    • 255 reviews
    #1 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Junior: I've attended Julia R. Masterman from the fifth grade to the present. I am consistently challenged academically which only helps me to grow. I've built great relationships with many of my peers as well as teachers. However, Masterman is not without its faults. There have been numerous occasions where students have brought racism and microaggressions to the attention of administration and nothing was done about it. Something positive that came from this is how collaborative the various affinity clubs have worked with one another to combat these issues. I've been an active member of the African American cultural club since my freshman year. Masterman has a variety clubs for students to join if they see fit. Overall, Masterman's rigor has immensely prepared me for college and the community of people I've met have made my experience even better.
    Read 255 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,207 Students
    • 24:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  2. Conestoga Senior High School

    • Tredyffrin-Easttown School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 391 reviews
    #2 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Senior: Conestoga has helped me deal with intense pressure and competition. Growing up, I have always compared myself to others and noticed that I would sometimes let others win. Many people critic Conestoga for being a stressful environment with high-achieving, however, I have always felt this environment to be preparing us for the future. I think it's important to enjoy your childhood, but I know that from going to Conestoga I will be prepared for any obstacles in the future. If I had to change something about the school it would be the size. The school is WAY too small for 2243 students!
    Read 391 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 2,243 Students
    • 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  3. Radnor Senior High School

    • Radnor Township School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 139 reviews
    #3 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Senior: My experience at Radnor High School was nothing else but terrific. What I love most about the high school was how easy going the students and teachers were. Going into the my freshmen year, I was new to the community so it was great for everyone who I interacted with to make me feel like Radnor was my home for the next couple of years. Another thing I love about Radnor was the teachers and how they prepare you for college and beyond. All of the staff at Radnor care about the student's future and I'm proud to say that I am forever a Red Raider!
    Read 139 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,196 Students
    • 13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  4. Downingtown STEM Academy

    • Downingtown Area School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 99 reviews
    #4 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Senior: My experience at STEM has been amazing! I think that the culture of our school is great and makes students feel very comfortable here. Although the school is small, students get along really well. Students are often very helpful and work well together. Also, many of the teachers at STEM are very understanding and treat their students with respect, which helps to make STEM such a great experience. Since we are treated with respect and trust, we have a lot of freedom in the school and makes it more relaxed – even in an environment which can sometimes be very stressful or competitive.
    Read 99 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 825 Students
    • 13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  5. Harriton Senior High School

    • Lower Merion School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 190 reviews
    #5 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Senior: Harriton is a very challenging and supportive school when considering academics. They offer dozens of college-level courses and many other courses with challenging curriculums. Many of the students have the goal of continuing on to a very prestigious college or university. It is quite competitive. One thing that I do not like as much is how some students seem to only do things to "get into college," and not because they really like to.

    Harriton offers an incredible program for technology as they give every student a personal laptop for the four years that they spend there. Also, the teachers and administrators provide many resources to help you through challenges you may face academically and socially.

    Something I think Harriton can improve on tremendously is the view they have of other schools and areas. Many people at the school have a closed-minded view of their path after college. Harriton is in a very wealthy area, so many of the students must learn how fortunate they are.
    Read 190 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,240 Students
    • 11:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  6. Lower Merion High School

    • Lower Merion School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 249 reviews
    #6 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Alum: Overall, my time at Lower Merion was good. The school is fairly competitive in regards to academics. There is a large variety of courses, including 24 total AP classes.

    Coursework can go either which way in terms of difficulty and interest, depending on your teacher(s). Most teachers are average/okay but there are still the good and bad.

    LM has a very strong arts program, (theatre, visual, music). Sports certainly aren’t bad either (RIP Kobe). School spirit sucks though. It's no High School Musical. The smaller clubs are fine.

    In terms of safety, there are campus aides who roam the halls, (they're unarmed and pretty chill).

    Though full of variety, LM lacks diversity. This is mostly due to its location on the Main Line. Students tend to be cliquey in the clubs, and many are well off. We're all given MacBook Airs freshman year. In short, wealthy district. That said, most students are welcoming and accepting no matter the background, race, gender, ethnicity, or religion.
    Read 249 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,532 Students
    • 12:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  9. North Allegheny High School

    • North Allegheny School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 735 reviews
    #7 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Freshman: North Allegheny is one of Pennsylvania's top-performing schools. One positive, but also negative, aspect of North Allegheny is the fantastic sports programs. To make the North Allegheny teams, you must be a great athlete, but this results in numerous State Championship wins every year. North Allegheny is a highly competitive academic and athletic institution that challenges you to become the best student and athlete. There are countless clubs and activities offered, allowing all students to feel included and involved. North Allegheny is overall a great school with kind and welcoming students and teachers.
    Read 735 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 2,690 Students
    • 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  10. Fox Chapel Area High School

    • Fox Chapel Area School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 308 reviews
    #8 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Alum: I really enjoyed my time at Fox Chapel. Teachers are very passionate and there are lots of people at FC who help students access opportunities (in particular, the QUEST office and faculty administrators are really helpful). Even through online classes, I received a great education here and learned a lot. However, FC has some issues with diversity and student culture. Some students face racism here and AP classes in particular aren't very diverse, limiting the perspectives and viewpoints expressed in class discussions, etc. I do think the district is making plans to improve in these areas, but this is just something to take into account.
    Read 308 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,333 Students
    • 13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  11. Mt. Lebanon Senior High School

    • Mt. Lebanon School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 367 reviews
    #9 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Senior: "Welcome! You belong here! Happy orientation!" shouted countless members of the high school Link Crew as I walked under the 2021 Freshman Orientation signs leading to the school gym. With music blasting, balloons floating, and faces smiling, my first day of high school started to feel less scary. From that very first step, I was welcomed into the Mt. Lebanon High School family and community.

    My High School creates a strong sense of home through its compassionate teachers, social clubs, inspiring Arts program, and more. Everyone who walks through its doors will find a place where they fit in and can discover their true self. Our teachers go above limits to ensure that each student is challenged and ready to accomplish their goals.

    Now, as I am getting ready to venture outside my high school community and meet countless new people and new challenges, I will use the lessons of resilience, compassion, and determination that I learned to be the best version of myself.
    Read 367 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,792 Students
    • 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  12. Strath Haven High School

    • Wallingford-Swarthmore School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 278 reviews
    #10 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Freshman: My school is great for people to come out of their shell! It allows people to be who they want to be! Our band in in the top 5 in the country and our arts programs are fantastic. Our sports teams are also great, as you can look at all of the flags are risen in the gym. Our academics are fantastic as well. We all have a lot to learn and Strath Haven is the place to do it! The only thing that really needs to happen is socially wise. All student should be accepted and some student are not accepting. There is only baut 4 per grade though. We are a top 10 high school for the state of Pennsylvania!
    Read 278 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,194 Students
    • 14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  13. Unionville High School

    • Unionville-Chadds Ford School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 196 reviews
    #11 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Senior: The teachers at this school are fantastic and so incredibly supportive. They are extremely talented and always continuing their education. The opportunities and clubs given exceeds any that are provided at surrounding schools. The guidance counselors are okay. They are great if for getting you into college and helping you academically. They lack in areas of mental health and personal issues. The administration does not listen to the students voices at all. But despite these downfalls, in my personal opinion, the teachers and opportunities outweigh the lacking guidance counselors and administration.
    Read 196 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,324 Students
    • 14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  14. Central Bucks High School - East

    • Central Bucks School District, PA
    • 10-12
    • 405 reviews
    #12 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Sophomore: CB East offers a solid textbook education. STEM classes are still somewhat limited, however, the dual partnership between MBIT and CB East provides an opportunity for hands-on learning in addition to strong foundational learning. Technology is heavily entertwined with classes; every student gets their own touchscreen laptop, though some teachers are slow to shift their teaching methods.

    Sports are incredibly rigorous yet supportive. With track you are expected to run 6 days a week. Football, lacrosse, tennis, basketball, wrestling etc. all have different expectations but keep this same attitude.

    Administration is split fairly thin. Class size is ~22-30 and there is only 1 counselor per ~300 students. IT staff is a one-man army, thus most teachers are tech-illiterate and are exploited.

    School culture is rather liberal and accepting but diversity is dead. Student attitude is heavily dependent. AP classes are amazing whereas electives have many people who don't care about school.
    Read 405 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,517 Students
    • 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  15. Central High School

    • Philadelphia City School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 1,337 reviews
    #13 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Sophomore: Starting from freshman year, I was greatly amazed by the school spirit, culture, and the dedication from students, teachers and families. It is a school that one must be tested into so academics is very important. However, when you arrive at the school, you will recognize that the teachers are super supportive and encourages all students to do their best and do what they like. There are dozens of clubs and activities throughout the year to incorporate everyone into the school's traditions. The school values musicians and talented students greatly that the large network of alumni supported the construction of a new building for STEM classroom, an theater/auditorium just for the musicians to perform and many more. The environment in classrooms are friendly, opened to discussion and engaging. Almost every student is dedicated to their education and so are teachers who dedicate their time to help students. If you have the opportunity to attend or visit, Central High School welcomes you!
    Read 1,337 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 2,412 Students
    • 24:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  16. Upper St. Clair High School

    • Upper St. Clair School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 271 reviews
    #14 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Junior: I am very grateful for the opportunities Upper St. Clair has given me. The school goes above and beyond to ensure students are prepared for college and their future. I also love how many programs we are able to get involved with, personally, I am involved in Girls United Globally, Kids Helping Kids, and Stage crew. All of these have allowed me to expand my horizons and global views and meet new people and find new opportunities. One thing I would like to see more of at USC is diversity. Our school has slowly started encourage diversity by creating “Diversity Week”. Diversity Week is a week at our school where all the clubs come together to talk about their diverse aspects. I am happy we are starting to step closer to embracing diversity at our school!
    Read 271 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,392 Students
    • 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  17. Hershey High School

    • Derry Township School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 262 reviews
    #15 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Senior: For the most part, the teachers at Hershey High School are wonderful. Many of them enjoy what they do and will consistently go out of their way to assist students. On the other hand, there are a few that are notoriously unlikeable or unhelpful. The good absolutely outweighs the bad though! As for the students, Hershey kids are known to have higher socioeconomic statuses. Coupled with a lack of diversity, it is definitely a school where people will feel insecure or even be outcasted. But this is also an issue that is found all across the nation. Hershey High School is overall a decent school– I am satisfied with my education, and I anticipate I will graduate with far more positive memories of my time here than negative memories.
    Read 262 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,225 Students
    • 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  18. State College Area High School

    • State College Area School District, PA
    • 8-12
    • 521 reviews
    #16 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Alum: State College Area High School is an incredible public school with very expansive opportunities one may find in a University, just offered for high school students (AP, IB, Honors, College Prep, Regular, etc levels you pick yourself). There are 6 languages other than English you can gain credit in, many music and athletic related activities, computer science programming, agriculture, specified science electives that count for credit, Penn State Commute program to take in-person college classes/research opportunities, etc.

    The school is very large, with average graduating classes of about 700 students, and while there are many hard working and gifted staff members, mental health awareness and psychological help are very lacking. As a student, if you have an mental health issue, you either solve it yourself, proactively tell the counselors/staff what you need, or ask for help with the risk of counselors diagnosing you in a less than 12 minute convo, leading to improper support.
    Read 521 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 2,356 Students
    • 12:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  19. Central Bucks High School - West

    • Central Bucks School District, PA
    • 10-12
    • 347 reviews
    #17 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Senior: Wow! I have so many things I could say about CB West. CB West feels like my second home. I am always there. I was cheerleader all throughout high school so I was always staying after school for practices and games we cheered at. We are supporting our football team, and our men's and women's basketball teams. We have many talented athletes that come through CB West and it is awesome to see them thrive once they graduate. Regarding academics at CB West, we have many intelligent students. CB West offers many honor level and AP level classes that get up filled up pretty quickly. Students at CB West strive to be the best when it comes to their studies and are looking for a bright future. The staff and faculty at CB West are the best of the best. They have so much love, support and kindness toward each and every student no matter of their background. The teachers are always willing to stay after class and help students that may be falling behind. They make sure every student is successful!
    Read 347 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,503 Students
    • 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  22. Wissahickon Senior High School

    • Wissahickon School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 256 reviews
    #18 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Junior: The teachers at Wissahickon are truly wonderful, and most that I've worked with truly care about my well-being and success. The curriculum is rigorous and relevant, and teachers are generally willing to work with students when they have concerns or questions. Clubs and sports are widely available to students as well as opportunities to further oneself with other extracurricular activities. The administration goes to great lengths to encourage important student traits and values like kindness, acceptance, and persistence.
    Read 256 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,465 Students
    • 13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  23. Great Valley High School

    • Great Valley School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 151 reviews
    #19 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Senior: Great valley High school is a great public school! Teachers are caring, students are mostly friendly, education is high quality with many opportunities.
    Read 151 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,337 Students
    • 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  24. Garnet Valley High School

    • Garnet Valley School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 335 reviews
    #20 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Senior: Attending the Garnet Valley School District has been an amazing experience, and I couldn't imagine having a better education. Garnet Valley High School holds a supportive environment, with teachers, faculty, and students who are willing to go out of their way to help you. I've never experienced or witnessed any bullying or extreme negative behavior coming from other students, because of the sense of community and pride we take as Jags. If anything unfortunate were to happen to someone, the whole community would be there, supporting them. Academic wise, most of the teachers at Garnet Valley High School are well-qualified at teaching and are reasonable when it comes to grades--try your best and you will not be disregarded. Lastly, the various clubs and activities to join are great ways to meet new people and have a great time! Attending Garnet Valley High School was an amazing experience for me, and I will be sad to leave my town when I graduate in June.
    Read 335 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,569 Students
    • 14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  25. Bayard Rustin High School

    • West Chester Area School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 310 reviews
    #21 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Freshman: Rustin High School has been amazing! Due to the unprecedented conditions of 2020 and 2021, I haven't been able to have the true high school experience since I am only a Freshman. I hope next year will be different as a whole. Even though I didn't have the opportunity to receive the full high school experience yet, Rustin is receiving five stars for how it is handling the situation. We are only moving in one direction in the hallways and we have a certain stairwell for up and one for down. The teachers are doing a great job managing the roomers and the zoomers and in the building, we have block scheduling and cohorts. It is a lot to manage and I give them the utmost respect for doing so.
    Read 310 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,296 Students
    • 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  26. Central Bucks High School - South

    • Central Bucks School District, PA
    • 10-12
    • 383 reviews
    #22 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Senior: Wonderful school to attend. Great environment with both the teachers, adminstration and overall environment. I have earned a great education and learned so much from being in Soutj. The school is full of school spirit and cheer! The teachers and admin try very hard to make south a safe and fun place to spend 4 years! Espcially with Covid, South has responded to adversity well! Finally returning 5 days a week was one of the best things we could have done as a school and theh teacher and admin do an amazing job at maintaing health and safety guidelines while still making South a great place to go to school everyday. I am beyond blessed to attend such an amazing school and have the chance and opportunity to learn and be apart of such a great community. As a second semester Senior, I am very sad that my time at South is coming to an end in the up coming months but I know that my remaining time at South will be amazing! Overall South is an amazing school to attend!
    Read 383 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,724 Students
    • 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  27. Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy

    • Erie City School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 367 reviews
    #23 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Senior: The teachers put a lot of time and effort into helping the students here. It can be a lot of work at times, but that has ultimately prepared me to take college courses, and helped me to manage my time more wisely. You can form personal connections with the deans and other staff, unlike what may happen in a much larger school. I have had a lot of opportunities to participate in things that piqued my interest. I have loved my experience at Collegiate!
    Read 367 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 860 Students
    • 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  28. Upper Dublin High School

    • School District of Upper Dublin, PA
    • 9-12
    • 262 reviews
    #24 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Alum: Excellent academics, extracurricular activities, and facilities! The Upper Dublin community of teachers and staff ensure that students are provided with the resources and opportunities necessary to succeed as they prepare for their future. Even after graduating, many of the teachers have offered additional guidance in my college education.
    Read 262 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,291 Students
    • 13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  29. Plymouth-Whitemarsh Senior High School

    • Colonial School District, PA
    • 9-12
    • 352 reviews
    #25 Best Public High Schools in Pennsylvania

    Senior: Overall, I've had a very good experience at Plymouth Whitemarsh. The course selection is amazing, as well as many of the professors that teach them. The cafeteria is beautiful, a new gym has just been put in, and the numbers of clubs/activities to join is through the roof! However, my school could do a better job at helping kids that are a little less privileged than others. I have had some trouble handing in assignments due to not having a printer and at certain times not having internet access at all, and have received bad grades due to lateness despite explanations I gave about my situation. The AVID program I'm a part of is a great way for students to get help, but informing all teachers of individual people who need an extra helping hand would go a long way. Several teachers have helped me though, even going as far as to purchase me another book-bag when mine was falling apart. This shows, though is has imperfections, PW is a great school for any student's secondary education.
    Read 352 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,524 Students
    • 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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    Conwell-Egan Catholic High School

    • Private School
    • FAIRLESS HILLS, PA
    • 9-12
    • 160 reviews

    Senior: I love the smaller size of Conwell-Egan as it has allowed me to get to know everyone in school. I truly believe everyone is a friend at Conwell-Egan. For a smaller school, Conwell-Egan offers many different and unique ways to get involved. I've been involved with the basketball team, student council, student ambassadors, and my favorite, Spirit Night. Spirit Night is a one of a kind event at Conwell-Egan which requires months of preparation and practice and culminates in 3 amazing nights of choreographed dances, homemade costumes and props, and school spirit. Spirit Night is truly what makes Conwell-Egan the best school!
    Read 160 Reviews

    • B+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 517 Students
    • 19:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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    Propel Northside Charter School

    • Public School
    • PITTSBURGH, PA
    • K-8
    • 4 reviews
    • C minus
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 376 Students
    • 14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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    Georgetown Day School

    • Private School
    • WASHINGTON, DC
    • PK, K-12
    • 49 reviews

    Freshman: This is my first year at GDS, and so far it's been amazing! All of my teachers are excellent, the classes are challenging, and I've been learning so much. I've been able to go in person two days a week, which is great, and most of my teachers have been on campus as well. The facilities are nice and modern, the students are interesting, and everyone is really kind. The clubs are well-run, too. I would recommend GDS to anyone who is willing to put in work at school and pay the tuition.
    Read 49 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,075 Students
    • 6:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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