Tennessee has dozens of great colleges and universities, which means it’s no easy task to pick the best ones. When you’re deciding which schools to attend, it’s important to consider more than just the tuition, cost of living, and financial aid packages.
The best way to narrow down the field is to think about what you want your child’s education to accomplish. Do you want them to have the best social experience possible? Are they likely to succeed more in a small school environment or in a large one? Is your family willing and able to move?
The quality of education can vary greatly from school to school, and while some are better than others, they don’t all offer the same opportunities or support systems. Here are the top 8 schools in Tennessee based on the quality of education and value.
Top 8 Best Schools in Tennessee
1. Hume-Fogg High School
Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet School came into existence as the result of a merger between Fogg High School, the second public school in Nashville, and Hume High School. After the merge, it was named Hume-Fogg High School and actively commenced service in 1855.
Hume-Fogg is one of Nashville’s most diverse public schools with each student having different backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, and races.
The higher institution is designed to help students master complex material and study disciplines while offering rigorous math, science, English, history, and other courses that challenge students to do their best. The schools also offer 31 AP (Advanced Placement) classes for motivated learners.
Hume-Fogg has consistently ranked #1 as the Best High Schools in Tennesse & is placed #2 as the Best Public High School Teachers in Tennessee rankings.
Some of Hume-Fogg High School’s notable alumni are:
- Gregory Alexander Renfroe, a pro basketball player
- Grammy-winning music producer, Street Symphony
- Phil Harris
- Jon Andrew Beazley, a pro baseball pitcher
- Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter, Ruby Amanfu
2. Merrol Hyde Magnet School
Merrol Hyde Magnet School has a low student-teacher ratio, and its teachers have high expectations for their students. It’s a K-12 school situated in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and was established in 2003. The school was ranked 1st among 1,006 others in the Best Public Elementary Schools in Tennessee edition.
Merrol Hyde Magnet School is an exceptional place for students to learn. The school staff makes learning fun, and students have positive relationships with their teachers and peers.
You can be confident that your children will get a quality education and get involved with numerous clubs, activities, or student organizations at this institution.
Some of the faculties available in Merrol Hyde Magnet School:
- Mathematics
- Science
- CTE
- Fine Arts
- Virtual Enhancement
- Language Arts
- History/Humanities
- Foreign Language
3. Ravenwood High School
Ravenwood High School is a public school established in 2002 and located in Brentwood, Tennessee. The school originally began service with 540 students and 47 academic staff, but now has approximately 1,556 students and a 17.89 student-to-teacher ratio. It was also ranked #3 of 361 Best Public High Schools in Tennessee.
This public school has a well-established program for those who excel at mathematics and science, a 10-time award-winning yearbook club, and multiple state championship titles in soccer. Additionally, Ravenwood has a great sense of community which can be seen through its high graduation rate of 98%.
Students are also involved with many extracurricular activities and bands such as science bowl, science olympiad, student council, interact club, HOSA, Freshmen Mentoring Program, and many more to keep them busy outside school hours.
Few of the available academic courses in Ravenwood High School are:
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
- Foreign language
- Social studies
- Arts
- Computer science
- Criminal justice
- Architecture and Engineering design
4. Central Magnet School
Originally named Central High School, Central Magnet School is a public high institution located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and is only open to 6th graders through to 12th graders. It was established in 2010.
Known for being a school with a plethora of extracurricular activities, Central Magnet School offers 30 plus clubs and organizations to help kids find their passion.
From Chess program, Spanish club, Fitness club, French club, Gardening club, German club, Car club, Book club, Beta club, to Cake decorating club.
The mission of Central Magnet School is to provide high-quality academic programs such as AP courses and honor or above honors-level courses that encourage and prepare students for success.
Central Magnet strives to provide small class sizes, and opportunities for teachers to get to know their students well and be able to respond quickly when a student is struggling.
The faculty at Central Magnet School consists of diverse students and is highly qualified, providing an excellent level of support as they guide each student toward reaching his or her fullest potential.
A few of the popular courses in Central Magnet School are:
- Psychology
- Business
- Chemistry
- Nursing
- Computer Science
- Mechanical engineering
- Biochemistry & Molecular biology
- Pre-Medicine studies
- Biology
- Engineering
5. Brentwood High School
Established in 1982, Brentwood High School is a public school that serves students in grades 9 to grade 12.
BHS competes athletically as a member of TSSAA (Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association), some of the many available sports are baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, football, tennis, track, and many more.
The school offers its students multiple courses such as English, math, history, computer science, AP (Advanced Placement), visual arts, social science, and so on.
Some of Brentwood High School’s notable alumni are:
- Former NFL offensive lineman, Thomas Welch
- Pro baseball player for Pittsburgh Pirates, Bryan Reynolds
- Pro baseball player for Seattle Mariners, Robbie Ray
- Kate Hughes
- Dayna Curry
6. Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School
Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School or MLK Magnet for short is a public African-American magnet school established in 1986 and located in Nashville, Tennessee.
Modern teaching methods, strong teacher reviews, an average graduation rate of 99%, and a challenging curriculum have landed Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School 4th place out of 25 Best Magnet High Schools in Tennessee.
In addition to academic courses such as math, science, and engineering, students at MLK can also take part in community service projects, extracurricular activities as well as sports like wrestling, swimming, golf, football, softball, bowling, ice hockey, baseball, and volleyball.
The school also gives students a vibrant learning environment that challenges them to learn about themselves and their community through social activism. MLK Middle Magnet is committed to its diversity by providing a high-quality education for all students from different economic backgrounds, ethnicities, races, and cultures.
Few Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School alumni are:
- Cary Ann Hearst
- Ted McClain, a pro basketball player
- Vivien Thomas, blue baby syndrome surgical techniques developer
- Fox Sports analyst, Clay Travis
- Jim Gilliam, 4-time baseball World Series champion
7. Farragut High School
Farragut High School was established in 1904 and is located in Farragut, a Knoxville suburb, TN. Farragut High School is an excellent school, with a 4th place ranking among 358 of the Best Public High School Teachers in Tennessee.
If you’re looking for a great high school to enroll your children into, look no further than Farragut High School. The teachers are amazing and are always willing to help their students; even if it means staying after class for hours on end.
Some Farragut High School alumni are:
- Matt Ramsey
- Nick Senzel
- Jake Thomas
- Kyle Waldrop
- Shaun Zacharia
- John Davis
- Neil Clabo
- Bill Bates
- Channon Christian
8. Collierville High School
Collierville high school is a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredited public school that serves grade 9 to 12 students, it was established in 1905 and is located in Collierville, Tennessee.
Collierville High School ranks 9th among 361 others among the Best Public High Schools in Tennessee. In addition to an advanced STEM curriculum, Collierville High offers special programs like engineering clubs and a theater program that has received national recognition over recent years.
A few Collierville High School alumni are:
- Zack Cozart, pro baseball shortstop for San Francisco Giants
- Drew Pomeranz
- Olan Rogers
- Hunter Bradley, America pro football long snapper for Green Bay Packers
Conclusion
When it comes to getting a great education, there are many wonderful options in Tennessee. Having a great education will certainly help you out in life. While school is not everything, it helps give you a solid foundation for whatever you want to do with your life.
Among these 8 lists of the best schools in Tennessee are great options for students seeking education at an accredited institution in their home state.
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