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Best Public High Schools in Los Angeles

When it comes to Los Angeles, there is a myth that private schools give the best education to students. Yet, it’s 2021, and public education has been vastly improved. Even Hollywood parents, education consultants, and industry parents send their children to public high schools for its first-class infrastructure. As a result, Los Angeles is one of the United States’ premier centers for school education.

For the 2021-22 school year, 2262 public schools serve 1,486,274 students in Los Angeles County, CA. There are a plethora of choices for public schools in Los Angeles; the question is which one is the best? How will I find the best school among the vast crowd? Well, don’t worry, this article has all the answers for you. First, I have enlisted in the top 10 public high schools, which are top-rated and have excellent sports and organizations. Then, we will focus on why the school is famous and why it will be the best fit for you. So without further adieu, let us get down to business.

1. Beverly Hills High School

When we hear Beverly Hills High School, all we hear about is its magnificent infrastructure. For example, they have a gym which converts into a swimming pool. This school is like a mini Hollywood. Famed alumni include Betty White, Max Mutchnick, Angelina Jolie, Nicolas Cage, and Barry Diller.

Beverly Hills offers a rigorous curriculum for students to get the best education when it comes to education. They offer 18 AP classes, foreign-language courses in Spanish, French, and Hebrew. Moreover, the students who leave the college go to famous schools like Harvard, Princeton, Brown, and Cornell.

Founded In: 1927
GPA: 3.5
Rank: #1
Contact: (310) 229-3685
Apply Now

2. Cleveland Humanities Magnet

Right from 1981, Cleveland Humanities Magnet has been offering exceptional education to the people of Los Angeles. The curriculum is primarily focused on themes like world cultures and American studies seen through race, class, and gender to give the kids a comprehensive perspective on the world.

It is not easy to get into schools like Cleveland. About 600 kids apply each year for 220 ninth-grade openings and a lot more for high schools. It is the most diverse school in Los Angeles. The student body is 39 percent white, 28 percent Latinx, 4 percent African American and 25 percent Asian.

Founded In: 1959
GPA: 3.2
Rank: #2
Contact: (818) 885-2300
Apply Now

3. Culver City High School

When it comes to Visual and Performing Arts, no school in California can beat Culver City High School. One of the interesting facts is the school has partnered with Sony to give the best film education. The main reason why the school is famous is for its extracurricular activities.

This well-rounded school has 21 sports teams, 19 AP courses, technical courses in sports medicine, architectural design, theatrical production, and I.T., and more than 80 student clubs. So if you are looking for great sports and athletics infrastructure, this school is a great choice.

Founded In: 1951
GPA: 3.7
Rank: #3
Contact: (310) 842-4200
Apply Now

4. Da Vinci Schools

Da Vinci’s main campus comprises three charter high schools, each with about 525 students. The school is prevalent for programs based on graphic design, communication, and engineering. This school is the top-rated when it comes to education facilities.

The highlight of this school is that it has partnerships with nearby companies such as YouTube, Chevron, Boeing, Gensler, Belkin, ad agency 72andSunny, and SpaceX to provide top-rated courses and training for students wishing to learn any skills from industry experts. The only disadvantage of this school is there are no excellent sports facilities.

Founded In: 2009
GPA: 3.3
Rank: #4
Contact: (310) 725-5800
Apply Now

5. Girls Academic Leadership Academy

If your kid is a girl and you are looking for a girl’s high school, Girls Leadership Academy is a great choice. The school was opened recently in 2016 and had the best STEM program in the whole of Los Angeles. In addition, the school has the best teachers who are highly qualified.

One of the most extraordinary things about this school is its diversity. There are 32 percent Latinx, 25 percent black, and 10 percent Asian population in this school. Additionally, The college-prep school has 17 AP classes, a rocketry club, a maker space, and a flight simulator for the widely passionate kids.

Founded In: 2012
GPA: 3.4
Rank: #5
Contact: (323) 900-4532
Apply Now

6. John Marshall High School

John Marshall High School is one of the top high schools which has been offering top-rated schooling right from 1931. The school Is known for its fantastic infrastructure. In fact, the school has been featured in movies like Pretty in Pink, Grosse Pointe Blank, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

It provides 20 AP classes and a whopping 16 sports teams for students who want to excel in sports. If you are interested in music, this school is hands down the best choice for you. from orchestra and jazz to rock and songwriting; they offer fantastic support for students passionate about music.

Founded In: 1931
GPA: 3.3
Rank: #6
Contact: (323) 671-1400
Apply Now

7. Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES)

If you are looking for a school that will provide you with first-class college-prep education, then Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES) is a fantastic choice. This magnet school was founded in 1977 and has been offering great education ever since.

While LACES has been adding more in the way of arts programs and other sports in recent years, the primary draw is academic pursuits. So expecting extracurricular activities in this school will be a big bummer, but the alumni have got placed in top ivy league universities.

Founded In: 1977
GPA: 3.2
Rank: #7
Contact: (323) 549-5900
Apply Now

8. Santa Monica High School

Santa Monica High School has been in the limelight recently for its magnificent opening of a three-story Discovery Building, which is 26-acre SaMo High with 38 classrooms, science and computer labs, an Olympic-size pool, and a rooftop classroom focusing on first-class education on STEAM.

It is the only school with an excellent balance of sports, education, music, and theatre programs. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders’ daughter studies in this top-rated school. Another highlight is, The most recent senior class earned admittances to Brown, Columbia, Cornell, UPenn, and Yale.

Founded In: 1891
GPA: 3.1
Rank: #8
Contact: (310) 395-3204
Apply Now

9. Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies (SOCES)

Located in Reseda, Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies (SOCES) is an excellent school for AP courses as they have a total of 18, including studio art and computer science. In addition, they do a good job balancing excellent academics with extracurriculars.

If you are looking for a school that will provide you with a long-lasting friendship and a  feeling of a close-knit community, hands down, SOCES is a fantastic choice. The only complaint is that the school size is too small and the high school experience is crowded. Nevertheless, The campus is undergoing a $103 million renovation that will see new buildings for science classes and elementary students and a new gym.

Founded In: 1953
GPA: 3.4
Rank: #9
Contact: (818) 758-5600
Apply Now

10. Valley International Preparatory High School

Last but not least, Valley International Preparatory is a fantastic school for college-prep as it has helped kids get into famous ivy leagues like Columbia, Brown, Yale, and Dartmouth in the past few years. Valley’s speech and debate team has had four national champions and is famous for that coaching.

The students in this school will get a project-based and constructivist learning experience that will help them gather great knowledge and enjoy learning. Located at Chatsworth High, the school is highly recommended if you want to study in a close-knit community.

Founded In: 1923
GPA: 3.1
Rank: #10
Contact: (818) 306-2136
Apply Now

Indu Singh

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