Newsweek Ranks Holmdel High #179 in the Nation

In its 2012 annual ranking of American public high schools, Newsweek magazine has ranked Holmdel High School #179 -- a leap up from prior years. In 2010, HHS was ranked #406. In 2009, it was ranked #625.

The news comes two weeks after US News ranked the public high school #422 in the U.S., using different factors.

Of the 1,000 schools ranked in the 2012 Newsweek survey, 74 were from New Jersey. The Monmouth County schools included: Biotechnology of Frehold (#20), a Monmouth County Vo-Tech system school in Freehold, Freehold Boro (#675), Shore Regional of West Long Branch (#714), Red Bank Regional of Little Silver (#756) and Freehold Township (#970).

High Technology High School of Lincroft, which attracts Holmdel school district-educated students and was ranked #18 last year in the Newsweek survey, was not included in the 2012 survey. Principal Daniel Simon said Monday he does not recall filling out the survey questionnaire, and believes that is probably why the school was not on the list. "They rely on administration-submitted information, whereas US News and World Report does their own research," he said. High Tech was ranked #10 in US by US News in the May survey.

The same thing happened last year to Holmdel High, which was left off the 2011 Newsweek rankings because the district office

The list is based on six components provided by school administrators: graduation rate (25 percent), college matriculation rate (25 percent), AP/IB/AICE tests taken per student (25 percent), average SAT/ACT scores (10 percent), average AP/IB/AICE scores (10 percent), and AP courses offered per student (5 percent).

Holmdel earned its ranking with a 100 percent graduation rate; 98% college matriculation rate; .5 AP/IB tests taken per student; average SAT score of 1785 and ACT score of 26.5; and 3.9 AP courses offered per student

To see the full ranking list, click here.