Daily Beast Names Hinsdale Central and South on Top High Schools List

The Daily Beast has named both Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South to its America’s Top High Schools list for 2014.

The news site ranks more than 700 of U.S. high schools annually using six key indicators with the most weight given to graduation and college acceptance rates. Other indicators include college-level courses and exams, percentage of students with free or reduced lunch, as well as SAT and ACT scores.

Hinsdale South took the 351st spot with 92 percent of students graduating and average scores of 1888 on the SAT and 23.9 on the ACT.

Hinsdale Central placed 50th on the list, with 99 percent of students graduating and average scores of 1924 on the SAT and 28.1 on the ACT. Central also placed in the top 100 schools for the categories of highest SAT/ACT scores and number of college-bound students.

Hinsdale Central rose from the 144th ranking on the combined Daily Beast/Newsweek America’s Top High Schools list for 2013. (Both publications are now compiling their own individual lists.)

The number one ranked high school on the Daily Beast’s 2014 list was Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Bowling Green, KY.

Earlier this week when the Daily Beast released its national ranking of America’s Top High Schools, Hinsdale Central was erroneously omitted from the list.

“This national recognition confirms our philosophy here in District 86 that by establishing high expectations for all learners, allowing open access to rigorous curriculum and providing exemplary instructors in a supportive environment, students can reach their potential,” Assistant Superintendent of Academics Pam Bylsma said in a news release. “We are proud of our students for stepping up to this challenge, of our parents for their support and of our teachers for the quality education they provide.

View the full list of all the high schools evaluated for the story at the Daily Beast.