High School Rankings May Not Be As Good As They Seem
High school rankings seem to be getting a lot of attention these days. Parents and officials are always on the look out for new information about how their child’s school is ranked. Rankings can be a nice way to get an idea about a schools performance, but parents should understand that not every ranking system is as good as it may seem.
Newsweek’s High School Rankings
One of the most popular rankings comes from Newsweek. Newsweek publishes their high school rankings yearly. They started doing this in 1988 and it has shown to be quite influential.
Newsweek’s rankings are based upon the number of AP tests that are given at a school. It is not based upon test scores or any actual academic information whatsoever. The actual formula for the high school rankings is the number of AP tests given at the school divided by the number of graduates for that year. Many people reviewing the Newsweek rankings have no idea that this is the criteria for them and believe that something more complex goes into the ranking results. Since the initial Newsweek high school rankings were released the number of AP tests given at school has doubled.
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Online High School Accreditation
Checking its accreditation could be the most important aspect in your decision-making on which online high school to attend. While non-accredited schools should be taken out of your list, not all accreditations are acceptable. The accreditation should include oversight and not just a license to do business.
What is accreditation It is a process of assessing a school’s program and policies to see if it meets the criteria set by an outside agency. If the school meets the minimum criteria, it is given the accreditation. The accreditation is actually a safety mechanism to protect students, schools and employers.
Why is a proper accreditation important This assures you of an online academy’s quality and ensures that other schools and employers will recognize your diploma or the courses you have taken. Attending a fake school or a school that is not properly accredited may cost you jobs or opportunities to further your education.
How will you know if an online high school is properly accredited There are some schools out there that go as far as making up their own fake accreditation. In fact, accreditation from the wrong source, such as an accreditation mill, is worse than no accreditation at all.