2023 Best Schools in Illinois

• Chicago Public Schools, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.1 out of 5  409 reviews

Senior: I've been here for all four years and I love this school! Truly, the best part of the school is the teachers. Of course, you'll have a few that aren't your favorite, but I've found teachers I really admire. They are here because they love to teach. The student body as a whole is also really great, at least for my years here. We went through a lot of administration struggles, but what pulled us together was our support for our teachers and the shared values that we have as students. The course load is challenging but manageable, but I also felt really well prepared from my elementary school. All that being said, Payton has many normal issues like any high school (some student drama, mediocre/bad food, people that you like and don't like, etc).... Read 409 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,191

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Chicago Public Schools, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.04 out of 5  600 reviews

Senior: Northside is very inclusive and lively. Students are involved in all parts of the school such as the production of a musical, the display of sculptural work, and even the spread of awareness for minority groups. At Northside, the individual is strengthened in personal and academic identity. It’s rigorous tasks and unique class schedules prepare students for college academia. As a fellow Northsider, I can say that there was a difficult adjustment to Northside’s expectations, however, I have found an amazing and supportive community alongside it. If you are considering Northside, I hope you are warmed by it’s strengths in education and community!... Read 600 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,041

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Aurora, IL•

• Public School•

• 10-12

• •
  Rating 3.95 out of 5  352 reviews

Sophomore: I love the attention that all of the teachers I have met to this point have given to every student! They hold a lot of patience for questions and genuinely enjoy helping everyone learn, not just memorizing information. The food given out could be better, such as always having it warm and not cold sometimes. Overall, kind teachers and staff!... Read 352 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 629

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Chicago, IL•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 3.95 out of 5  133 reviews

Sophomore: I was a student at lab since preschool, and I can say I thoroughly enjoyed it. The lower grades especially had something special about them. Elementary classes were based on projects and exploration, rather than rigid academics, which allowed me as a student to grow at my own pace. Middle school and high school were less special, but it remained a positive experience. Classes were challenging enough and there were a variety of more difficult options if we were advanced in a certain topic. One great thing about the upper grades are their clubs. Clubs and teams are open to anyone, no matter their skill. This allowed me to explore things I was interested in, without having the worry of tryouts or not being good enough. In my years at the school, I never experienced bullying, and rarely came across it with other students. That said my circle was a small and close-knit group, and that might not have been the experience of all.... Read 133 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,051

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Lake Forest, IL•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.68 out of 5  72 reviews

Parent: During this pandemic, we are very grateful that Lake Forest Academy has provided a safe learning environment for our son and other boarders. The impact is minimized with the best efforts.... Read 72 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 437

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Chicago Public Schools, IL•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 4.15 out of 5  1,151 reviews

Sophomore: Whitney Young is a great school with great academics and athletics. There are hundreds of clubs to choose from. The school prepares kids for academic success and college readiness. The teachers are caring and the administration makes sure there are rules set in place to help everyone in the school feel at home. The teachers, except maybe 1 or 2, have been the best and are always open to listen to you. The athletic teams always win championships each year and they are supplied with lots of equipment and everything they need. There are many resources helping students in many different ways, like the counseling department and much more. The students all feel well connected to the staff and the weekly newsletter, "The Weekly" answers the concerns or questions that a student may bring up. The school is very diverse, and everyone feels included. There are many safety protocols that everyone must follow to help everyone feel safe. Overall, my time at Whitney Young has been great!... Read 1,151 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,121

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Urbana, IL•

• Public School•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 4.07 out of 5  176 reviews

Junior: Overall, I’ve had a really good experience at Uni! Academics are mostly really good. I’ve had some less than stellar teachers—many of whom are knowledgeable in their subject areas, but struggle teaching them at a beginner level—but others have been incredible. The workload‘s tough, but manageable if you’re not overloaded with extracurriculars. There’s a diversity of personalities in the student body, but kids are generally passionate and motivated, and mostly very friendly. There’s some competition in academics and extracurriculars (especially related to college apps), and also somewhat of a culture of cynicism and negativity. Still, I’ve met some amazing people, and I wouldn’t swap my experience for a more typical high school one. I’d say the biggest advantage of Uni is the breadth of opportunities offered by our connection with the U of I, from enrolling in college classes to working with professors to attending undergrad events to grabbing boba on Green St. during free period.... Read 176 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 314

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Adlai E. Stevenson High School District No. 125, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.26 out of 5  1,233 reviews

Freshman: My experience at SHS was pretty good this year as a freshman! Having this be my first year, I was pretty scared and a bit hesitant to continue the next 4 years at this huge school. But Stevenson is a super welcoming place, with amazing teachers, staff and students. They have this thing called freshman orientation, which is the day before school starts. A bunch of our juniors and seniors come in to guide us through the school, and answer questions we have. These same Fmp leaders are the main people for advisory, which is another program assisted to help freshmen meet new people. Advisory takes place during half our lunch, and in my opinion was pretty fun, we played games, did activities and I met a lot of close friends in it. I didn’t mind advisory, but I know a lot of other people didn’t like the fact that it was a whole year, so maybe a suggestion would be making it only for the 1st semester so we can have full lunch 2nd semester. But overall I thank shs for such a great first year!... Read 1,233 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 4,315

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Chicago Public Schools, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.94 out of 5  727 reviews

Alum: Coming from the far south side of Chicago, attending Jones College Prep was a unique experience for me. I met people of various backgrounds, which opened my mind to different perspectives. To get to school, I took public transportation, allowing me to explore the city for all its diverse neighborhoods. I was able to see demographic changes and injustices on the train ride to school. It made me interested in gaining knowledge on the inequity within the city. I got to bring those ideas to school and write about them, and people listened. New ideas were welcomed and embraced and that's something I liked about going to Jones. Having come from different neighborhoods, it was expected that everyone would come with biases and prejudices. And they did. Ideals and values were challenged in a variety of ways, whether that be by microaggressions, racial slurs, or stereotyping. Although the school addressed some of these issues, Jones could do a better job at creating safer spaces for POC.... Read 727 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,915

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Chicago, IL•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.05 out of 5  112 reviews

Middle School Student: At Latin there is an excellent academic program. The staff tries their best to make sure we succeed no matter what we are trying to do. You can choose almost any sport and the teachers will train you and help you grow. There is almost any club you can choose and if you don’t see one you like you can make your own. They are super organized and have been so prepared for any issues that come their way. In general Latin has given me an amazing experience and I definitely recommend!... Read 112 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,155

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Winnetka, IL•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.36 out of 5  70 reviews

Senior: North Shore is by no doubt an amazing school. While it is small and a bit sheltered, the school culture promotes independence and hard work in their students through rigorous courses and workloads. The school also requires its students to participate in the performing arts and athletics, which allows many students to be forced to develop their leadership skills and personality. MANY of the teachers are of high quality, compassionate, and care about developing relationships with their students. The humanities department is significantly more developed and better than that of STEM. STEM classes only prove to be worth it if it is an AP or required course. I wish North Shore would do better at is encouraging their students to take higher-level courses. The administration will usually discourage their students from taking AP classes based on their previous courses, and make it seem like the students aren't capable of taking all AP classes if they want to, nor do they even allow them to.... Read 70 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 547

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Chicago, IL•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.67 out of 5  55 reviews

Parent: Our two children have attended BISC since nursery and they are now in 7th and 5th. Our children have developed a true love of learning and they love going to school. The teachers are so impressive—they work hard to understand their students keep them engaged. The curriculum is so well thought out and prepares students for higher learning and beyond, from an academic and life perspective. They emphasize values from a young age and encourage leadership. All of this and they worked unbelievably hard to ensure they continued delivering high quality learning during the pandemic. So so impressive!... Read 55 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 651

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Hinsdale Township High School District No. 86, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.15 out of 5  379 reviews

Alum: My experience prepared me well for college and provided a number of opportunities for academic competition. I especially enjoyed participating on the Math Team and Scholastic Bowl team. Competition between students was intense, but it never interfered with our relationships. I formed some lasting friendships. The teachers were of high caliber. They cared about our success and challenged us. Some of the toughest classes were also some of the most enjoyable because of the quality instruction. One area for improvement would be better integration with the program for the hearing-impaired. A few deaf students attended normal classes with the help of a sign-language interpreter, but it would have been beneficial for all if a higher number of deaf students were incorporated into the mainstream curriculum. An initial sign-language class for all freshmen could have gone a long way to building relationships between the otherwise very segregated hearing and hearing-impaired students.... Read 379 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,613

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Evanston, IL•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.63 out of 5  152 reviews

Parent: Our family came to Roycemore in 8th grade from another independent school in the Chicagoland area. We chose Roycemore because of the small, individual attention each student receives. When my daughter started Roycemore she was quiet and lacked confidence and it made it difficult for her to connect with both her peers and teachers. Once she started at Roycemore she was making friends and building relationships with teachers. My daughter is now an upper school student at Roycemore. She is involved in the yearbook, student government, plays a sport and is involved in numerous other clubs and activities. She has blossomed into a confident, intelligent young person with a bright future and I credit this confidence and growth to the nurturing environment Roycemore offers. She has found her voice and a love for learning. We are so grateful to be a part of the Roycemore community!... Read 152 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 244

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Chicago Public Schools, IL•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 4.19 out of 5  3,163 reviews

Senior: Lane Tech is an amazing school where the students are diverse and the resources are numerous. Students have access to well-qualified teachers and aid. Lane Tech excels in all areas: the sports teams dominate their fields, there are over 100 student-led clubs, our theater productions and choirs are superb. This list can continue endlessly because Lane Tech stops at nothing to succeed and provide its students with as many resources and opportunities as possible. The only problem with Lane Tech is that its students do not always feel heard, thus this year alone Lane Tech has started numerous committees dedicated to voicing the opinions of the student body and bringing problems directly to the administration. I would highly recommend this school to anyone because it serves everyone. My biggest piece of advice is to network and not to prohibit yourself from branching out. Instead, put yourself out there! There will always be a group willing to accept you with open and loving arms.... Read 3,163 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 4,369

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Glenbrook High Schools District 225, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.25 out of 5  537 reviews

Alum: Great School! A lot of resources available to students to guarantee success, but it all depends on the student's intent. Advising could definitely be better in terms of a more thorough pipeline after graduating instead of just classes. The school facilities are unmatched thought. It is incredible how big the campus is and how many resources the school has. Many schools in the state can only dream of such facilities as 2 pools, the sports fields, and the state of the art technology. My experience at GBS had some issues because at times the school ran itself in a very totalitarian way. The school administrators rarely advocated for the growth among students belonging to lower class families. This also translated to inability to motivate social mobility, by having more disadvantaged students not be tempted to take advanced placement courses. Regardless the school prepared me well for college.... Read 537 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 3,139

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Indian Prairie Community Unit School District No. 204, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  1,121 reviews

Senior: I am going to be a senior at Neuqua Valley this upcoming school year. There is great diversity throughout all the grade levels and minority groups have tripled in size throughout all my 3 years. The staff are very passionate about teaching the youth and are open to helping students during their lunch periods in the ARC. There is great variety of clubs, intramurals, sports, and activities at Neuqua! Cohesively, the students are nice, including, and make you feel welcomed into school. If you were to look at the school geographically, you would see that there are two campuses in the area. There’s a gold campus for the incoming Freshman, to get eased into the high school environment, and there’s a Blue campus for the upperclassmen! It is another great upside to Neuqua as it helps the freshmen overcome school anxiety. Last but not least, the school cirriculum and course catalog has a large variety of classes to captivate students attention, even if they are undecided in a career path!... Read 1,121 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 3,403

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Glenbrook High Schools District 225, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.16 out of 5  448 reviews

Sophomore: In general, Glenbrook North High school offers one of the best education program and curriculum in Illinois! Our school provides many educational opportunities and challenges for each and every student currently attending this specific high school! In other words, GBN provides high-level sport activities, clubs, as well as projects! As a current sophomore, I've been able to obtain leadership and social skills as a community member of GBN! As a regular participant of Key Club and Medical Club, I've been able to achieve long-term goals I've set for my overall high school experience through interacting with other students and assisting their needs. I am proud to say every single teacher at our school is fair and equal to each and every student of Glenbrook North High school.... Read 448 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,025

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Township High School District No. 211, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.98 out of 5  629 reviews

Senior: I love Fremd high school, it is like a second home to me. This school does so much for its students, both in academics and extracurriculars. The course options are incredible with unique classes like fashion design and bioengineering, and there are so many clubs and sports to be a part of! From theatre to bowling to photography to coding, there are so many extracurriculars to choose from. The teachers are all very nice, I've personally had VERY few negative experiences with teachers. Everyone seems to look out for each other at Fremd, and there is plenty of kindness to go around. The atmosphere is positive and uplifting, and this allows students to get so much work done! I can confidently say that this school has made me brighter, it has helped me develop my skills, and it has made me much more confident in myself as not only a student, but as a person.... Read 629 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,650

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Community High School District 128, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.25 out of 5  372 reviews

Senior: My experience at Vernon Hills High School has been wonderful! I have grown to enjoy my academic studies, have had the ability to join clubs and athletics, and had the chance to grow amazing connections with teachers that I am able to call my role models. The hands-on environment from the community grants superb opportunities that most schools do not support. I also love that I was able to know most of my classmates due to the number of people who also attend Vernon Hills High School. It allows me to create more friendships and connections with unforgettable people. My time at VHHS has been great, and I learned important life lessons from all aspects of high school!... Read 372 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,570

• Student-teacher ratio —

• New Trier Township High School District No. 203, IL•

• 10-12

• •
  Rating 4.04 out of 5  566 reviews

Parent: I never went to New Trier. I attended Loyola. And for the most part, we didn't like New Trier kids: rich, arrogant, brash. Fast forward 30 years and now I have a son who goes to New Trier. All the stereotypes that us city kids had about them were false. This is a wonderful school. Yes it's big. Yes it lacks diversity. But that being said, its facilities and faculty are nothing less than excellent. You have tutors on standby for every subject. There are hundreds of clubs, research programs and specialized academic studies that can rival a private college. The athletics are on a different level. And I'm not talking about the competition. There is plenty of that. I am referring to the infrastructure: turf fields, training programs, physical trainers assigned to sports teams and a huge indoor sports complex. It's incredible. Lastly, the kids. They are open-minded, understanding and supportive . I couldn't have asked for a better high school for my kid.... Read 566 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 3,040

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Lake Forest, IL•

• Public School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.16 out of 5  170 reviews

Alum: This school is a very high-top type of school. The outside environment is beautiful! The teachers here are very well educated and want the best for your education and future. This school is very diverse and offers very diverse programs to learn about different cultures and perspectives. The classes are very well taught and this school also provides fun activities. It isn't just booked, this school gives you the whole experience. To dances, clubs, sports teams, and other fun things and events. During my years at LFHS, I was able to gain the skills to become a great student and feel well educated. If I would have kids, I would 100% make sure they attend this high school.... Read 170 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,501

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Chicago, IL•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.18 out of 5  61 reviews

Senior: I have had an awesome experience at Francis W Parker. Teachers at Parker are creative (and free to make their own curricula because of Parker's progressive philosophy) and teach students mind-blowing ideas, along with critical thinking skills. However, the unavoidable smallness of each class makes some students too comfortable with one another - everyone knows everything about everyone. Additionally, many reputations stick from middle school. Yet the education, especially in history and English classes, is great. Parker has, however, been trying to improve their STEM classes - they finally introduced higher-level math courses into middle school curricula, and now high schoolers must take computer programming/coding for at least one year. Recently, because the administration in the high school has been changing for around 5 years now, some students feel that they have less influence in school processes than they used to. Overall, though, definitely come to Parker!... Read 61 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 935

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Barrington Community Unit School District No. 220, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.98 out of 5  488 reviews

Senior: Barrington High School is a large high school in the heart of Barrington that offers its students a wide range of academic classes, activities, and clubs to participate in. What I personally enjoy most about Barrington are its unique elective courses. In particular, they offer a variety of of art classes that specialize on art ranging from photography to ceramics to digital art. Another aspect of Barrington that I enjoy is its school spirit and its teachers' true dedication and care for their students. I have had many teachers throughout my high school career and I can say that the majority of them put every effort to help their students, making sure they were set up for success. Overall, being at Barrington these past four years has been a blessing and something I will never forget!... Read 488 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,872

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Indian Prairie Community Unit School District No. 204, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.02 out of 5  683 reviews

Senior: Metea has a lot of resources for motivated students to succeed! Especially for students interested in the business field (there is the business professionals of America and DECA) and law/political science (youth and government). Overall, the staff is pretty decent for the humanities classes and just okay for math; however, much of the science staff are not well-versed in their subject and students should be expected to self-teach themselves. With that said, I have had my share of effective science teachers, but generally they are a hit or miss.... Read 683 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 3,018

• Student-teacher ratio —