USNWR Maryland HS Ranking -- 8 MCPS schools in top 25
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
|
Some shifting around, but seems to be the same schools that are at the top.
https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/20/mcps-state-top-rankings/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=jetpack_social&fbclid=IwY2xjawMS0KBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETBuR1ZQeFk4QkFvakN1R0dvAR6uz7zrIipb4VNx71k17h2iCCUIb4uu2-8bO5LJ1hD4cOV91ISqutHnNQpU3A_aem_NCkVjIG1kMsglGyqeVgOng |
Anonymous
|
Did something change?
I don't remember the previous year's rankings but I used to always look at the national rankings by tier. And once it gets to around 1000, I used to think that was where a big drop off is and there were a handful of MCPS schools ranked past that. But in this current list there are a lot of MCPS schools ranked past 1000. And it's not just MCPS, over at Howard County there are several schools I thought were at least midtier ranked 900 or lower. For example, I always thought Centennial was like a W school but is ranked 938. And I thought Mount Hebron and Atholton were decent midtier schools but they're ranked 1484 and 2738 respectively. Like I said, it can just be a case of me not remembering previous rankings correctly. But I'm pretty sure I never really look at schools past 1000 and I usually keep an eye out for all of these schools. |
Anonymous
|
pp from 13:34, here is an example, not sure how accurate it is but when doing a google search for "2023-2024 us news high school rankings mcps" the Google AI says BCC was ranked 569 nationally and #13 in Maryland. But in this updated list BCC is ranked #917 nationally and #20 in Maryland.
So I think a lot of schools shifted in that type of direction this year. |
Anonymous
|
If anyone is interested I found this link that lists a prior year's state and national rankings for some schools:
https://patch.com/maryland/belair/16-md-high-schools-among-nation-s-best-u-s-news-says-ranking Urbana High School is another school that dropped a lot where in the link above it was ranked #7 in Maryland and #382 nationally. But now #17 and #862 Richard Montgomery was previously #6 in Maryland #364 nationally but #11 and #640 now. Walter Johnson improved, where previously it was #15 and #855 and now #14 and #820. Looking at the link above, I guess there were some good schools ranked around 1000 or less and I just didn't remember correctly. |
Anonymous
| This is consistent with the understanding that MCPS has really fallen off in recent years. Being among the top schools in MD is lowering the bar, IMO. MCPS used to have to several school in the top 100 nationally. |
Anonymous
| Yay, MC has rich neighborhoods! |
Anonymous
The class of 2025 were 7th/8th grade during the pandemic and took the biggest hit with Algebra instruction. That deficit just rippled through the following years with lack of actual readiness for many AP courses in HS. I would guess that some HS in states who had classes in person 2020-21 probably rose in the rankings. Our HS chemistry teachers noted that last years kids (10th) were much stronger than the previous few years, so it seems the Algebra instruction is back on a better path. It will be interesting to see if in the next two years MD schools rebound in those rankings. |
Anonymous
The proposed regional model will make these rankings plummet, so I'm guess central office just doesn't care anymore about its national standing |
Anonymous
I think it's fine if central office doesn't care about US News rankings. They have said their goal is to improve schools' Maryland Report Card star ratings, which seems appropriate. |
Anonymous
US News is one proxy for national standing. I didn't say US News, I said national standing. Yes, colleges do care about these things. |
Anonymous
|
For the curious:
Walt Whitman High School #2 in Maryland (of 257) Thomas S. Wootton High School #3 Poolesville High School #4 Winston Churchill High School #8 Richard Montgomery High School #11 Walter Johnson High School #14 Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School #20 Northwest High School #21 Quince Orchard High School #33 Col. Zadok Magruder High School #35 Clarksburg High School #37 Springbrook High School #39 Montgomery Blair High School #42 Damascus High School #44 Paint Branch High School #50 Rockville High School #52 Wheaton High School #57 Sherwood High School #58 James Hubert Blake High School #72 Northwood High School #89 Seneca Valley High School #97 Albert Einstein High School #103 Gaithersburg High School #120 Watkins Mill High School #138 John F. Kennedy #149 |
Anonymous
| One thing about U.S. News is that they often change their methodology without making it clear. They do this a lot in higher education rankings, so it may not be that MCPS is failing—it could just be that their calculations have shifted. |
Anonymous
Whoa. I didn't know Einstein was that bad to be down there with Kennedy, Watkins Mill and Gaithersburg. I have no idea how Paint Branch is getting away its high ranking, especially over its NEC sibling Blake, which is generally better regarded than PB. |
Anonymous
|
Yikes BCC
Several other schools in MCPS made the list, but dropped in rankings, including Poolesville High, which dropped from No. 3 last year to No. 4 this year. Winston Churchill High in Potomac also dropped from No. 5 to No. 8. Last year, Richard Montgomery High was No. 6 and this year the Rockville school ranked No. 11. Ranked as No. 10 last year, Bethesda-Chevy Chase High in Bethesda fell to No. 20 on this year’s list. Northwest High in Germantown also dropped, from No. 20 to No. 21. |
Anonymous
And reporters based there who have wanted to protect their biggest investment: homes |