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School
Chicago Public Schools

Walter Payton College Prep

#2 in Best Magnet High Schools in America
  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • Public, Magnet
  • 9-12
  • Chicago, IL
  • 310 reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Academics
    A+
  2. Diversity
    A+
  3. Teachers
    A+
  4. College Prep
    A+
  5. Clubs & Activities
    A+
  6. Health & Safety
    A+
  7. Administration
    A+
  8. Sports
    B+
  9. Food
    B
  10. Resources & Facilities
    A
View Full Report Card
Walter Payton College Prep is a top rated, public, magnet school located in Chicago, IL. It has 887 students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 16 to 1. According to state test scores, 95% of students are at least proficient in math and 92% in reading.
Address
1034 N Wells St
Chicago, IL 60610
Telephone
(773) 534-0034
Website
wpcp.org

Walter Payton College Prep Rankings

Niche ranks nearly 100,000 schools and districts based on statistics and millions of opinions from students and parents.

Academics

Percent Proficient - Reading
92%
Percent Proficient - Math
95%
Average Graduation Rate
95%
Average SAT
1390
118 responses
Average ACT
31
320 responses
AP Enrollment
52%
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Living in the Area
A-
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Crime & Safety
    C-
  2. Diversity
    A+
  3. Cost of Living
    C+
  4. Good for Families
    B+
Area Feel
Urban
Median Household Income
$50,434
National
$55,322
Median Rent
$987
National
$949
Median Home Value
$225,200
National
$184,700

Culture & Safety

Health & Safety
A+
Based on chronic student absenteeism, suspensions/expulsions, and survey responses on the school environment from students and parents.
Poll
100%
of students agree that they feel safe at their school.28 responses
Poll
96%
of students agree that they like their school and feel happy there.28 responses
Poll
What are your favorite school events or traditions?
Based on 95 responses
Report
  • Homecoming
    22%
  • Sweetness Day
    17%
  • Field Day
    17%
  • School parties and dances (field day, prom).
    15%
  • Dance-a-Thon
    11%
  • International Night
    9%
  • Not many school wide events & no one really cares
    3%

Students

Diversity
A+
Based on racial and economic diversity and survey responses on school culture and diversity from students and parents.
Students
887
Free or Reduced Lunch
31%
94%
of students and parents agree that students at this school are competitive.35 responses
91%
of students and parents agree that students at this school are creative and artsy.35 responses
77%
of students and parents agree that students at this school are athletic.35 responses

Teachers

Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
National
17:1
Average Teacher Salary
$74,254
Teachers in First/Second Year
6.4%
93%
of students and parents agree that the teachers give engaging lessons.45 responses
96%
of students and parents agree that the teachers genuinely care about the students.45 responses
100%
of students and parents agree that the teachers adequately lead and control the classroom.45 responses

Clubs & Activities

Clubs & Activities
A+
Based on student and parent reviews of clubs and activities.
Girls Athletic Participation
High
Boys Athletic Participation
Very High
Expenses Per Student
$15,765/ year
National
$12,239
98%
of students and parents agree that there are plenty of clubs and organizations for students to get involved in.45 responses
62%
of students and parents agree that clubs and organizations get the funding they need.45 responses
98%
of students and parents agree that lots of students participate in clubs and organizations.45 responses
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Walter Payton College Prep Reviews

310 reviews
All Categories
I love the relaxed yet intense learning experience at Payton. Sports and clubs at Payton were all very welcoming to me as a freshman. There are so many ways to get involved and meet new people after school at Payton with sport events, clubs, dances, international night, performances, and more. With the Pal system at Payton where chosen juniors and seniors are Pals to groups of freshmen made it very easy to to get fully immersed in the Payton culture and traditions and get any answers to academic, social, or emotional questions I had as a freshman. Payton has wonderful teachers that not only teach but learn from their students to make their class a better experience for everyone. One way to better Payton would be to have an environment that dosen't put so much pressure on academic excellence and getting certain scores or grades because it often leaves students stressed and overworked. Glad I picked Payton!
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I've had a fantastic experience at Payton! I've met so many people from different backgrounds with so much to offer and I've had the chance to travel abroad, study with incredible technological resources and learn more about the world than I ever thought I could from a public school in Chicago. The competitive academic environment needs some work, but the administration (and students themselves) are doing a great job in taking steps to alleviate the toxicity.
Overall, Walter Payton College Prep is a high school with high academic motivation with both counselors and teachers that take great care to ensure that every student is prepared for their college careers. The ample amount of security and the fact that teachers are trained to respond to certain medical issues such as Diabetes and asthma attacks provide more evidence that students can feel safe and protected while at school. Payton is also ethnically diverse and classes include intense literary discussions, modern as well as interesting experiments in science, and complex mathematical classes that guarantee no student is left behind. Walter Payton College Prep truly defines an ideal College preparatory high school. Possible criticism would include the fact that the school holds only your average diversity of sports, there is sometimes a lack of both sanitation and paper towels in the washrooms, and the school pep rallies are a bit lacking.