Although virtual high schools gained more exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic, many have been around for decades, delivering highly structured, meaningful, and engaging instruction in a remote capacity. Whether you are looking for an alternative schooling arrangement that can accommodate intensive athletics, performing arts, or travel, a more rigorous environment than what your current school has to offer, a cost-effective alternative to expensive brick-and-mortar private schools, or are someone who simply learns best via remote instruction, an online high school could be the perfect fit. In today’s blog, we’ll review what qualities to look for in an online high school as well as the best online high schools for students and families looking to invest in a remote education.
How We Chose the Best Online High Schools
The best online high schools have several qualities in common. Firstly, they are all regionally accredited and grant high school diplomas. While many organizations or schools offer individual online high school courses, you’ll want to ensure that your online high school of choice has a diploma program if it is where you will be taking the majority of your courses. Moreover, most colleges will only accept a high school diploma from an accredited school.
Secondly, they offer rigorous curriculums (think: AP, honors, and/or college-level courses) taught by experienced teachers. In our list below, we’ve noted the types of higher-level courses that are available at each school as well as the percentage of students who pass their AP exams, if available.
Thirdly, they have solid post-secondary outcomes. If you plan to attend college, it’s important to confirm that your high school has the curriculum structure and resources to prepare you for that goal. Every college on our list has a strong track record of sending students to top colleges, which we’ve detailed in greater depth within the “College Admissions Highlights” section for each school. Most also offer personalized college counseling.
Finally, the best online high schools have been operational for at least fifteen years. Many schools on our list have been instructing students for much longer than that. Delivering remote instruction requires a specialized skill set. Accordingly, the best online high schools have been in existence long enough to fine-tune their processes, to have worked with hundreds of students, and to have ample experience providing a supportive virtual experience to myriad learning styles.
What are the differences between virtual high schools?
There are three main types of online high schools: private, charter, or university-sponsored.
Private online high schools operate similarly to private brick-and-mortar schools. Students pay tuition, have access to a wide variety of activities, and often benefit from lower student-to-faculty ratios. Examples include Laurel Springs School, Alpha High School, and the Christa McAuliffe School of Arts and Sciences.
Online charter and public high schools, like the University of Texas High School, are funded by the state. These programs are often free for in-state students and fee-based for out-of-state students.
Finally, university-sponsored programs are hosted by higher education institutions. Admission to such programs is typically quite selective, and students often have increased access to higher-level resources and faculty. Private university-sponsored programs, like Stanford University Online High School, are often more expensive than other options. Alternatively, certain public university-sponsored programs, like Mizzou Academy, offer a discounted rate for in-state students.
In addition, when choosing an online high school, it’s important to take the school’s virtual “environment” and student body into account. Some online high schools cater more heavily to non-traditional learners while others are Christian-affiliated. Some offer both part-time and full-time programs. Others offer dedicated advisors, college counseling, or virtual student clubs. Even though you won’t be sitting in a traditional classroom, it’s still important to thoroughly research what type of experience you can expect to have as an online student.
The Best Online High Schools
Without further ado, let’s dive into our list of the Best Online High Schools in the United States. Along with their physical location, 2024 tuition rate, median SAT/ACT scores, and enrollment, we’ve also provided a brief summary of each school’s academic offerings and college admissions highlights.