Hello Reddit! I’m Dr. LaMont Jones, Managing Editor for Education at U.S. News & World Report.
This week, we officially released our 2026–2027 Best High Schools rankings, evaluating nearly 27,000 public high schools nationwide using key indicators like state assessment performance, graduation rates and college readiness.
While most college prep advice targets stressed-out juniors and frantic seniors, the real foundation for college success is built during freshman and sophomore years. What underclassmen do right now dictates their options later.
I’m hosting this AMA to help younger students and parents navigate these early years strategically—so you can build a stand-out profile and preserve your sanity.
What We Can Cover Today:
- GPA vs. Course Rigor: How to strike the right balance between taking honors/AP/IB classes and protecting your grades.
- Quality Over Quantity in Extracurriculars: How to build a focused "spike" or deep passion project instead of endlessly padding a resume with dozens of superficial clubs.
- Diagnosing Weaknesses Early: How to read and use state assessment data and PSAT score reports in 9th and 10th grade to spot academic gaps before they impact high-stakes junior-year testing.
- Deciphering High School Data: How families can use the Best High Schools methodology and metrics to evaluate their own school's strengths and academic offerings.
Ask me anything about planning your high school journey, navigating course selections, or interpreting this year's rankings!
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