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3 Schools In The CSRA Ranked Best Public High Schools In Georgia

U.S. News World and Report rankings have released the list of Best Georgia High Schools for 2023. 3 schools in the Augusta area have landed among the top 50 on…

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U.S. News World and Report rankings have released the list of Best Georgia High Schools for 2023. 3 schools in the Augusta area have landed among the top 50 on the list.

The rankings only include public schools. By creating this ranking list, they take into account different metrics such as graduation rate, college preparedness, state testing scores, and opportunities for advanced placement courses.

Coming in at number 3 for the best public high school in Georgia is Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School. They also ranked in the top 200 schools in the U.S. coming in at number 174.

Coming in at number 24 in the state of Georgia was A.R. Johnson Magnet School.

Out of Columbia County, Greenbrier High School comes in at number 47. Another Columbia County school almost made the top 50 portion of the list coming at number 53 in the state - Lakeside High School.

Best High Schools Methodology

Want to know the breakdown of how they rank the best high schools? Here it is.

College Readiness counts for 30%.

This is determined by the proportion of 12th graders that take at least one AP or IB exam and earn a qualifying score.

State assessment proficiency counts for 20%.

This entails the overall scores of student state assessment tests that may be required for graduation.

State assessment performance counts for 20%. Underserved student performance counts as 10%. College curriculum breadth counts as 10%. And the graduation rate counts as 10%.

To learn more on how the U.S. News Calculated the 2023-2024 Best High School rankings, click here.

Here is the list of the Top 10 Schools included in the Best Georgia High Schools

  1. Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology Lawrenceville, GA Gwinnett County School District
  2. Columbus High School Columbus, GA Muscogee County Public Schools
  3. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School Augusta, GA Richmond County Public Schools
  4. DeKalb School of the Arts Avondale Estates, GA DeKalb County School District
  5. Lambert High School Suwanee, GA Forsyth County Public School
  6. Walton High School Marietta, GA Cobb County School District
  7. South Forsyth High School Cumming, GA Forsyth County Public Schools
  8. Savannah Arts Academy Savannah, GA Savannah-Chatham County
  9. Northview High School Duluth, GA Fulton County Schools
  10. Alpharetta High School Alpharetta, GA Fulton County Schools

Things High School Didn’t Teach Us

First of all, I have to admit, my high school experience was different than most.  I was homeschooled.  In fact, I was homeschooled from third grade through my high school graduation. But I can still agree these are things high school didn't teach us!

It's amazing just how much we learn in high school.  And yet, there are so many life skills that we somehow never get taught in school.  Looking back, I learned a lot about things I will never use again-- hello, algebra? Overall, I understand the need to learn some science stuff, and history too.   But what about things that will actually be applicable to my life?

If I'm being honest, even in college, I learned a lot. Some classes I feel were more important than others.  Because how often have I used those Spanish classes since college? Even when it came to my degree (mass communication), there were things I never learned.  Those were things that required real-life experience once I got into my career.

Now in my 30s, there are still times I learn things that I feel like I should've known before now. "Adulting" can be confusing, terrifying, and weird!  There are still times I look around for an "adult" to help me figure things out.

LifeHacker has compiled a list of things you should've learned in high school. And I love this, because looking back, it could've saved us all a little trouble!  So many of the things on their list are basic things that almost everyone will have to figure out at some point or another.  Here are the top 6 things high school didn't teach us that I think they should have!

Buying A House

Sure, in high school, the idea of homeownership seems like a lifetime away.  But when that moment finally comes... it can be scary.  I didn't buy my own house until I was 29, almost 30.  And I felt so unprepared.  I didn't know the first thing about the mortgage process, the time it takes... and then there's the just the overall cost of being a homeowner! When it came to my mortgage, I had no idea they could just randomly sell my mortgage off to another company.  Since buying my home almost 6 years ago, I think I've had 3 different mortgage companies.  Also, there's interest, escrow, property taxes, and insurance. Oh, and let's not forget about maintenance and repairs on your home!  You never know when something is going to break down on you.

Homeownership

Photo: AntonioGuillem/iStock/Getty Images

Building Credit

I have to admit that credit is still something that is mind boggling to me! For the longest time I didn't want to charge anything on credit. But I learned that not having any debt is almost worse than having a lower credit score.  Go figure! But, building credit can be so confusing.  And if you have no idea what you're doing, you could wind up in a ton of debt that will feel overwhelming and take forever to pay off.

Building Credit

Photo: NicoElNino/iStock/Getty Images

Basic Vehicle Maintenance

This may apply more to females... but I never really learned much about vehicle maintenance. I do know that I need to get my oil changed... and then there's the tires that need to be replaced (although I pushed it too long one time and had a blowout on the interstate).  But when it comes to changing a tire... I know the idea of how to change it-- but never been shown how, or even tried.

basic car maintenanceTatomm/iStockphoto/Getty Images Plus

Photo: Tatomm/iStockphoto/Getty Images Plus

Insurance

Even in my 30s, insurance confuses me.  When it comes time to enroll in health insurance, I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing.  All the talk about deductibles makes my head spin.  Then you also have car insurance, homeowners insurance, and life insurance.  It can be crazy expensive.  But I do know it's important to have.  I just hope I have the right coverage when it's needed!

InsuranceAntonioGuillem/iStock/Getty Images

Photo: AntonioGuillem/iStock/Getty Images

Handling Emergencies

Maybe you did some basic first aid at some point.  I don't really remember ever doing a class on that though.  Having some knowledge could definitely come in handy for basic survival.  You never know when a medical emergency could happen.

First AidTutye/iStock/Getty Images

Photo: Tutye/iStock/Getty Images

Time Management

Sure, school keeps students on a pretty tight schedule.  But no one really teaches us how to create our own schedule and using our time wisely. One of the biggest things is learning to be aware of how much time needs to be allotted for certain tasks.  And also, giving ourselves time to for self-care... instead of being GO, GO, GO all the time!

Time ManagementOlga PS/Getty Images

Photo: Olga PS/Getty Images

DarashaEditor
Darasha Singleton is a native of Augusta, Georgia who serves as the Digital Content Coordinator at Beasley Media Group. If you think there is nothing to do in Augusta, check her posts! You're sure to find something to do. Aside from work, Darasha enjoys going to the Saturday Market on the River and any local festivals.