The Chicago high school ecosystem is as competitive as they come. If you are the parent of a soon-to-be high school student who would like to attend a highly selective college, you probably already know that they will have their work cut out for them when applying to attend one of the top high schools in the region. Where should this process even begin?

Elite College Admission Starts With Strategically Choosing a High School

We’d like to share a little secret with our prospective clients: the best high schools in the Chicago area aren’t necessarily the most well-known, the most expensive, or the oldest. While we at Ivy Coach are not in the business of sharing our list of recommended Chicago area public and private high schools with prospective clients, as we reserve these picks exclusively for package clients, we would like to point out that many of the most popular schools in Chicago don’t actually maintain robust relationships with admissions offices at highly selective colleges. And on the other hand, there are plenty of lower-profile schools in the Chicago area that have a stellar reputation for feeding alumni straight into the Ivy League and to other distinguished colleges. 

Popular Chicago Public and Private High Schools

Here’s a nonexhaustive list of popular and buzzed-about public and private high schools in the Chicago metropolitan area. But even though these might be some of the most recognizable names in the Chicago high school ecosystem, remember that these might not be the best selections for your child. Before assessing where your child should consider applying, consult a former elite college admissions officer, who can give you the inside scoop on whether the school you’re eyeing actually has a good track record with elite college admissions offices (you’d be surprised by how many secondary schools do not!).

Popular Chicago Private Schools

The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools

Beacon Academy

Francis W. Parker School

Lake Forest Academy

Morgan Park Academy

North Shore Country Day School

Roycemore School

Popular Chicago Public Schools

Brooks College Prep Academy High School

Hancock College Preparatory High School

Jones College Prep High School

Lane Technical High School

Payton College Preparatory School

Northside College Preparatory School

Young Magnet High School

Let’s zero in on a couple of these schools with some more details.

Lake Forest Academy

As one of the most selective independent day and boarding schools in the Chicago area, Lake Forest Academy admits less than a third of applicants. Despite its Chicago-area origins, LFA hosts a student body drawn from across the United States and the world. Around 3/4ths of faculty at LFA live on campus, and the campus itself looks more like a scenic liberal arts college with a ton of architectural detail rather than your standard private high school inhabiting a single building. Lake Forest Academy is also notable for its history as a filming location for various films and television shows.

Payton College Preparatory High School

Regarded as one of the most selective public magnet schools in the state of Illinois and consistently ranking among the top in third-party rankings of Chicago’s best public high schools, Payton College Preparatory High School is not only one of the most highly regarded schools in the Chicago area but also one of the most competitive. Students intent on admission to WPCPHS must achieve a near-perfect score on the Chicago Public Schools High School Admissions Test and rank WPCPHS on the GoCPS application. Does this all sound a bit complicated? That’s why we don’t recommend throwing your child in the deep end of the Chicago magnet school admissions process without our help.

How Our Chicago College Admissions Consultants Help Students Secure Elite College Admission

If your child would like to attend or transfer into an elite high school in the Chicago metropolitan area, consider soliciting Ivy Coach’s help in optimizing their odds of admission. We will give you our personalized recommendations based on their needs, goals, and odds of gaining admission to a highly selective college down the line. 

If you’re interested in getting started with us, fill out our complimentary consultation form, and we’ll be in touch with an outline of our services led by our team of former elite college admissions officers.