These are the top public high schools in Connecticut, according to Niche
It's not the first time the school as earned this title from Niche. They've ranked No. 1 at least three times in recent years.
2024: 3 Connecticut schools make Blue Ribbon list
Niche used demographic and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education, combined with surveys from millions of students and parents, to make its ranking.
They said the criteria with the most weight was academics, which they graded based on state assessment proficiency, college enrollment data, and survey responses on academics from students and parents.
Other factors included culture and diversity, teachers, parent and student surveys on experience, clubs and activities, resources and facilities, and sports.
Most of the top 25 'best' schools are found in Fairfield County. The full list can be found below.
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Meanwhile, Manchester High School was named the most diverse school.
That ranking was determined by the schools' student racial diversity index, parent and student surveys on culture and diversity, the percent of economically disadvantaged, and gender diversity.
The top 10 most diverse schools can be found listed below, along with a list of schools with the best teachers, which Niche determined using reviews from students and parents, plus academic and teacher data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Best schools:
Staples High School in WestportOverall Niche Grade: A+
New Canaan High SchoolOverall Niche Grade: A+
Darien High SchoolOverall Niche Grade: A+
Greenwich High SchoolOverall Niche Grade: A+
Wilton High SchoolOverall Niche Grade: A+
Ridgefield High SchoolOverall Niche Grade: A+
Center for Global StudiesOverall Niche Grade: A+
Avon High SchoolOverall Niche Grade: A+
Farmington High SchoolOverall Niche Grade: A+
Glastonbury High SchoolOverall Niche Grade: A+
Fairfield Warde High SchoolOverall Niche Grade: A+
Connecticut International Baccalaureate Academy in East HartfordOverall Niche Grade: A+
Weston High SchoolOverall Niche Grade: A+
Marine Science Magnet High School of Southeastern Connecticut in LearnOverall Niche Grade: A
Conard High School in West HartfordOverall Niche Grade: A
Daniel Hand High School in MadisonOverall Niche Grade: A
Hall High School in West HartfordOverall Niche Grade: A
Simsbury High SchoolOverall Niche Grade: A
Cheshire High SchoolOverall Niche Grade: A
Guilford High SchoolOverall Niche Grade: A
East Lyme High SchoolOverall Niche Grade: A
Masuk High SchoolOverall Niche Grade: A
South Windsor High SchoolOverall Niche Grade: A
Trumbull High SchoolOverall Niche Grade: A
Fairfield Ludlowe High SchoolOverall Niche Grade: A
Most diverse:
Manchester High School
Hamden High School
Stratford High School
Stamford High School
Connecticut International Buccalaureate Academy in East Hartford
Connecticut River Academy at Goodwin University in East Hartford
Global Experience Magnet School
West Haven High School
Robert E. Fitch High School in Groton
Derby High School
Best teachers:
Staples High School in Westport
Farmington High School
New Canaan High School
Greenwich High School
E.O. Smith High School
Center for Global Studies in Norwalk
Wilton High School
Avon High School
Fairfield Warde High School
Shepaug Valley School
More information on the rankings can be found on Niche's website.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Forbes
30-06-2025
- Forbes
Survey Says…Parents Matter In College Admission And They Feel It Is Rigged
Parents' Three-Word Descriptions of College Admission Even if you are not a follower of the long-running game show, Family Feud, you have no doubt heard their 'survey says' tagline. In the game, families compete by guessing the answers to survey questions on a range of topics, and it gets rowdy! College admission often feels like a similar face-off between families, leaving them confused, concerned, and conjecturing. It is not an solitary process where applicants must find their way without support. Experience has shown the critical role of parents in postsecondary planning. After all, we love our kids and want a future for them that is full of success. We also don't want them living in our basement for eternity! Recent surveys reveal, however, just how nuanced and complex this planning process is for parents to navigate. While high school counselors are the most qualified to offer students guidance on college admission and career pathways, they have a herculean job. They often have caseloads drastically exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended student-to-counselor ratio of 250:1. Counselors are balancing the physical, intellectual, and social-emotional well-being of the students with whom they work, and despite the best intentions, their time and resources are limited. Sadly there are systemic failures. A recent survey from the Niche college search platform found that 1 in 5 juniors never meet with their school counselors, with 17% saying they received no guidance on the college search process. This is consistent with the findings of a 2019 Education Trust report. The reality is that even those of us (I am a high school counselor) who are fortunate to have smaller caseloads are not available 24/7. I am not at the kitchen table on Sunday morning or in the car with families on a summer night when they are often discussing college admission. Who is? Parents, but they often feel left out of the equation. A survey conducted by the American Student Assistance (ASA) found that parents have the greatest influence on their child's post-secondary path. Ninety-one percent of student respondents reported that they discussed their post-high school plans with their parents. Research by the enrollment management firm EAB confirms the ASA findings–the majority of students identify family as the greatest influence on which pathway they plan to pursue. But parents are not getting the information they want and need. A 2024 EAB study found that 73% of parents want direct communications from colleges. It also discovered that students who are not responding to outreach campaigns from colleges have a 47% greater likelihood of applying when a college has their parent contact information. Michael Koppenheffer, vice president of Enroll360 Marketing at EAB says, 'In an era of intensive parenting, it's not surprising that most parents expect direct and transparent communication from colleges. Concerns about cost, value, and campus safety are top of mind for today's parents, and our research shows that many parents now look for open, ongoing dialogue with institutions throughout the college search process. Colleges that engage families early across multiple channels build trust, ultimately influencing where students choose to enroll.' A May survey conducted by College Guidance Network (with whom I work) revealed not just a lack of communication, but also a significant trust deficit. Sixty-five percent of parents report that the system feels rigged against them and they are pleading for transparency, fairness, and insight into how to play the admissions game. While hoping for fairness may be a fool's errand (the process is simply not built for this), transparency and insight are reasonable expectations. Survey respondents volunteer words like "stressful," "confusing," 'tedious,' and "expensive" to describe college admission, and negative associations outnumber positive terms six to one. These attitudes are consistent across income level, school type (private/public/charter), and first‑generation status. Only 11% of parents report feeling 'very confident' guiding their student through the admission process and 63% say they are struggling, missing details, or need extensive guidance. The top concern of parents is that their teen is 'not competing on a level playing field,' followed closely by fear of making costly financial mistakes. As chief product officer at College Guidance Network (CGN), Michael Kolowich designed and conducted the survey of a national sample of 602 parents. He observes that 'college admissions has evolved over time from a straight sprint to a kind of escape room: the clues are scattered everywhere, but parents don't have a master key to solve the puzzle." 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Colleges and universities must better understand the needs of parents and others who support applicants and find more effective ways to connect and communicate with them early and often. If not, families will continue to feud and make uninformed guesses as they navigate the escape room of college admission.

Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Yahoo
This county was named the best to live in Arizona. And no, it's not Maricopa County
Maricopa County has a lot to offer, from vibrant city vibes to cultural destinations to natural landmarks. But according to a new ranking, it's still falling short of being the best place to live in Arizona. Instead, Greenlee County once again claimed the top spot on Niche's list of the 2025 best Arizona counties to live in ranking. The list evaluated Arizona's 15 counties based on nearly a dozen factors, including public school ratings, cost of living, job opportunities and access to amenities. Each category was assigned a letter grade using data from the U.S. Census, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Centers for Disease Control and other sources. Here's how all of Arizona's counties stacked up and why. Greenlee County Pima County Cochise County Maricopa County Coconino County Greenlee County not only took the No. 1 spot overall, but it also ranked as the best county for families and the best county to buy a home in Arizona. Located along the state's eastern border with New Mexico, Greenlee is one of the least populated counties in the state, with fewer than 10,000 residents. But what it lacks in population, it makes up for in livability: highly rated public schools, favorable weather and a fairly diverse community helped it secure its top ranking. Greenly County also has a strong housing market, with a median home value and rent cost far below the national median. Major cities in Greenlee County include Duncan and Morenci, but its top-rated city with an overall grade of A- is Clifton, according to Niche. Two other counties also surpassed Maricopa County in the list: Pima and Cochise counties, with better housing and cost of living ratings than Maricopa. Maricopa County is where most residents in Arizona live, with a population of nearly 4.5 million. Even though it did not make it to the top of Niche's list, it still made it to the top five, with high ratings for outdoor activities, diversity, weather, health and fitness, and nightlife. Maricopa offers a wide range of things to do, including restaurants, entertainment venues, coffee shops, parks and outdoor activities. It has bustling urban centers like Phoenix, Tempe and Scottsdale while still offering plenty of charming, quieter rural areas on the outskirts. It was also named the best county for young professionals in Arizona, offering a fairly strong job market and income stability. Its public schools are also mostly above average. However, Maricopa County received poor ratings for the housing and cost of living categories, bringing its overall grade down. The median home value in Maricopa is about $415,000, which is more than $100,000 above the national average. The median rent cost is also higher than the national average at $1,587 a month. Even so, several communities in the county stood out. With an overall grade of A+, Awhatukee Foothills was named the best place to live in Maricopa County, followed by Gilbert, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Chandler. Niche ranked Arizona's counties based on how livable they are, using data from the U.S. Census and other reliable sources. The goal was to measure the overall quality of life in each area by looking at factors that matter most to residents. These included things like: Higher education rate: How many people have a college degree. Cost of living: How affordable it is to live there. Housing: Home values, property taxes, and local school quality. Public schools: Based on school ratings and student population. Diversity: Ethnic, age, and income diversity. Jobs: Employment rates, job growth, and income stability. Health & fitness: Access to healthcare and community health statistics. Outdoor activities & weather: Access to parks and good weather. Commute times: How long it typically takes to get to work. Nightlife: Access to restaurants, bars, and entertainment. Niche also considered feedback from people who lived in each county to help shape the rankings. Each category was given a letter grade, and those grades were combined to come up with an overall score for each county. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: These are the best counties to live in Arizona — see how yours ranked
Yahoo
22-06-2025
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