U.S. News 2020 Top High Schools: Libertyville, Vernon Hills, More

LAKE COUNTY, IL — Attending high school in the age of the new coronavirus is an experience like no other in history, but U.S. News & World Report has kept up its rankings, finding five schools in Illinois among the top 100 in the nation, and several Lake County high schools in the nation's top 500.

“The Best High Schools rankings provide the most comprehensive, data-based information on nearly every public high school in the country,” Anita Narayan, managing editor of Education at U.S. News, said in a news release. “Families can use this information to see how their local schools compare on graduation rates and state assessments, as well as academic performance by students who are traditionally underserved — those who are black, Hispanic or from low-income households.”

All five Illinois schools ranked by U.S. News in the top 100 are in the Chicago Public Schools.

• Payton College Preparatory High School, Chicago: #9 in national rankings, #1 in Illinois rankings
• Northside College Preparatory High School, Chicago: #38 in national rankings, #2 in Illinois rankings
• Jones College Prep High School, Chicago: #66 in national rankings, #3 in Illinois rankings
• Young Magnet High School, Chicago: #77 in national rankings, #4 in Illinois rankings
• Lane Technical High School: #81 in national rankings, #5 in Illinois rankings

These schools in Lake County were ranked by U.S. News in the top 500.

• Libertyville High School, Libertyville: #289 in national rankings, #7 in Illinois rankings
• Deerfield High School, Deerfield: #316 in national rankings, #14 in Illinois rankings
• Vernon Hills High School, Vernon Hills: #349 in national rankings, #15 in Illinois rankings
• Lake Forest High School: #411 in national rankings, #18 in Illinois rankings

In addition, William Fremd High School in nearby Palatine came in at #419 in national rankings, and #19 in Illinois.

>> More area school rankings

U.S. News used a number of weighted criteria to come up with the rankings, the most important being college readiness. You can see the full methodology here.

2020 Best High Schools National Rankings:
1. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (VA)
2. Academic Magnet High School (SC)
3. Merrol Hyde Magnet School (TN)
4. School for Advanced Studies (FL)
5. Townsend Harris High School (NY)
6. The School for the Talented and Gifted (TX)
7. BASIS Chandler (AZ)
8. Haas Hall Academy Bentonville (AR)
9. Payton College Preparatory High School (IL)
10. Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School (TX)

More: Several Lake County High School Students Win Merit Scholarships