[September 27, 2023] -- St. Laurence High School is excited to announce that it has been recognized as a 2024 Best School by Niche, the leading platform connecting students and families with colleges and schools.

This year, St. Laurence was ranked #7 on Niche’s list of the Best Catholic High Schools in Illinois, the highest ranking among schools in Chicago’s southland. Among fellow Chicago Catholic League schools, St. Laurence was behind only Saint Ignatius College Prep, Loyola Academy and Fenwick High School on the list.

Want to check out St. Laurence? Click here to sign up for an Open House, Personal Tour Night or Shadow Day!

“It is a true honor for our school to achieve this ranking as one of the best Catholic high schools in Illinois,” said St. Laurence President Joseph Martinez. “Years of hard work and dedication to our students, families, staff and alumni went into earning this recognition, and we are excited to continue offering an unmatched high school experience.”

St. Laurence and its students have earned several prestigious achievements in the past year as a result of continued investment, development and growth in academics. For the third time in the last four years, a St. Laurence senior was named a National Merit Commended Student. Last year, 36 St. Laurence seniors were named Illinois State Scholars, the most since 1987. At nearly 16% of the class, St. Laurence boasted one of the highest percentages of Illinois State Scholars among area Catholic high schools.

Admission to St. Laurence has grown increasingly competitive in recent years, with over 500 prospective students applying for approximately 300 seats in the Class of 2027.

St. Laurence provides extensive resources for its students, with an emphasis on college preparation and placement. Graduates of the school currently attend six of the country’s top 20-ranked colleges and universities, including the University of Chicago, Northwestern University and the University of Notre Dame. St. Laurence is the only Southland Catholic high school to offer an International Baccalaureate Program, widely regarded as the most rigorous academic curriculum among high schools, to go with several Advanced Placement offerings. St. Laurence also has immersive Career Pathway Programs that give students real world experience in areas such as medicine, engineering, aviation, aquatic science and more.

St. Laurence earned this ranking by scoring highly in many areas that aim to capture what it’s really like to attend the school. While traditional rankings rely almost exclusively on metrics like test scores and academic performance, Niche’s rankings combine user input — ratings from current students, alumni and parents — with quantitative data from sources like the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate teachers, resources and facilities, extracurricular activity opportunities and more.

St. Laurence will be hosting several admissions events throughout the fall for prospective families. To see dates, times and details for Open Houses, Personal Tour Nights and Shadow Days, please visit www.stlaurence.com/admissions.