The Best High Schools in NYC

The top high schools in New York city offer a variety of specializations.

Several high schools across New York City's five boroughs were ranked in the top 100 nationwide in the "U.S. News and World Report" rankings for 2010. The rankings take into account state exam results, the performance of disadvantaged students on those exams and the school's overall performance on Advance Placement tests. The following schools were among the top 100 and are open to all grade-eligible New York City residents.

Stuyvesant High School

Admission to Stuyvesant High School is based solely on the scores on the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT), a timed, multiple choice exam with a verbal section and a mathematics section. The school offers a rigorous curriculum in math and science. It's housed in a 10-story building that includes a swimming pool.

Stuyvesant High School
345 Chambers St.
New York, NY 10282-1000
[phone]
stuy.edu

Townsend Harris High School

Townsend Harris is a selective school in the borough of Queens. Its curriculum puts special emphasis on the humanities and the classics. Students must study a modern language for at least three years and a classical language (Latin or Greek) for at least two years. Admission for students entering the ninth grade is based on the final seventh grade report card.

Townsend Harris High School
149-11 Melbourne Ave.
Flushing, NY 11367
[phone]
staff.thhs.qc.edu

Staten Island Technical High School

All students at Staten Island Technical High School complete four years of technology and pre-engineering courses and at least three years of Russian-language courses with an option to participate in an exchange program abroad. Admission is based solely on the scores on the SHSAT.

Staten Island Technical High School
485 Clawson St.
Staten Island, NY 10306
[phone]
siths.org

Brooklyn Technical High School

Brooklyn Technical High School is the largest high school in the United States in terms of size, and it's one of nine specialized high schools in New York City. During their sophomore year, students at this science-oriented school declare a major from among 16 choices, which include Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science. The school emphasizes the way technology influences and affects each field. Admission to Brooklyn Technical High School is based solely on performance on the SHSAT exam.

Brooklyn Technical High School
29 Fort Greene Place
Brooklyn, NY 11217
[phone]
bths.edu

Bronx High School of Science

The Bronx High School of Science has produced more Nobel-prize winners than any other secondary school in the United States. Students are not required to declare a major, but they can choose an area of focus by taking related electives. A wide variety of elective courses are available in both the sciences and the humanities. Admission to the Bronx High School of Science is based exclusively on a student's score on the SHSAT. The school is also home to one of the first holocaust museums in the country.

Bronx High School of Science
75 205 St.
Bronx, NY 10468
[phone]
bxscience.edu

References

• Inside Schools: NYC
• U.S. News: Best High Schools in New York

Resources

• New York City Department of Education