Penn High School named among 2021 nation’s Best High Schools by U.S. News & World Report

Penn High School has once again been ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the nation's best high schools. Penn ranks 1st in the South Bend area, 14th in Indiana, and #1,225 in the national rankings (out of nearly 18,000 high schools nationwide). This puts Penn in the top 7% of the nation's best high schools for 2021!

Penn’s other points of distinction noted by the prestigious national magazine ranking, students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement course work and exams. The AP® participation rate at Penn High School is 45%. The total minority enrollment is 27%, and 20% of students are economically disadvantaged. And with the release of the Spring 2019 ISTEP (grade 10) results, Penn High School as 12th among Indiana’s public schools for combined ELA & Math scores in grade 10.

The rankings are based on the 2018-2019 school year, detailed school-specific information on enrollment, graduation rates, student body demographics, location, school type, and results of state assessments as well as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests. Click here to read more about the methodology.

Indiana high school students typically follow the Core 40 curriculum, which includes required classes in English Language Arts, math, Social Studies and Science, among others. Students who fulfill additional requirements can earn a diploma with academic or technical honors. Penn has a 97% graduation rate with more than 85% of students graduate with Academic Honors, High Honors,  or Technical Honors. 

Class of 2020 included these points of distinction:

• @820 graduates earned more than $9 million in scholarships
• 17 valedictorians and 3 salutatorians

• 12 students have named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists, 11 were named Finalists

• 11 students were named Commended Scholars

• 5 students were nominated for Presidential Scholars

• Indiana Regional Academic All-Star, one of only 40 students across our state to be honored

• 3 students were awarded the Community Foundation of Saint Joseph County Eli Lilly Endowment Scholarship based on their high academic merits and test scores

The Academies at Penn High School provide the framework for student success. Through their work in each academy, students find relevant and meaningful coursework taught in a supportive environment where each student is known well by his teachers and peers. Through these “smaller learning communities,” students build relationships while engaged in relevant learning experiences.

Penn’s Early College Academy has received an endorsement as an Early College High School by The Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning. As an endorsed Early College High School by the CELL, Penn’s Early College Academy is regarded as an exemplar for other high schools across Indiana implementing an Early College program.

Penn is a Four Star School earning the Project Lead the Way Distinguished School distinction in 2017-18 (for the 2016-17 school year), and the STEM Academy has been certified as a Full STEM Certified Program by the Indiana Department of Education. 

Click to see the full list of Indiana High Schools as ranked by US News & World Report in 2021.