GW improves rank among nation's top high schools

Jessica M. Karmasek

Daily Mail staff

Thursday May 24, 2007

George Washington High School moved up another 100 spots in this year's "America's Best High Schools" edition of Newsweek.

Last year, GW ranked 447th, up from 810 the previous year. This year, it ranks 347th. The nation has nearly 16,000 high schools. The weekly news magazine selects the top 1,200 for its annual list. GW Principal Nancy Alexander credits the students, faculty and a rigorous curriculum, which includes a broad range of Advanced Placement courses. "We're very pleased with this year's ranking," she said. "Our teachers and students have worked hard and it shows in the results."

Morgantown High also made the elite list, ranked 961st. Morgantown was ranked 998th in 2005 but didn't make it last year. The magazine uses a simple formula to determine its rankings. The number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by students at a school is divided by the number of graduating seniors. This year's rankings reflect last year's graduating class.

"The rigor of the curriculum is vital, as well as the motivation of students to apply their talents," Alexander said.
GW students finished AP testing last week. This year, students at the school took more than 500 exams. Alexander could not say exactly how many students took them. To accommodate the demand, the school had to rent rooms at the Charleston Civic Center and University of Charleston.

Last year, about 300 students took more than 500 exams. In 2005, only 359 exams were given out at the high school. Of those exams given this year, 64 percent were scored at 3 or above. Students receive college credit if they receive a score of 3 and above. AP exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5. GW offers about 15 different AP courses, covering all four core subjects -- English, math, science and social studies. A vast majority of the school's students are enrolled in at least one AP course, Alexander said.

She points to this year's sophomore class as an example. Of the 247 students in the class, 87 of them took the AP world history exam. Alexander said the school's rigorous curriculum also is responsible for improved SAT and ACT scores at the high school. GW's average ACT composite score is 23.5 - higher than the national average of 21.1 and state average of 20.6. The school's average SAT verbal and math scores are both 570 - higher than the national average of 503 for verbal and 518 for math. Alexander said she expects GW's Newsweek ranking to continue to climb. She's hopeful more West Virginia schools will make the list. "I think you're going to see growth county-wide in other schools," Alexander said. "I think whatever we can do to prepare students for college and be successful in college, we should."

The results for "America's Best High Schools" are available online at www.newsweek.com.

Contact writer Jessica Karmasek at jessica@dailymail.com or 348-1796.