Best High Schools 2015: National Rankings Recognize Student Achievement, But Which State Has The Best School?

The Southwest dominated the top spots in U.S. News & World Report's annual rankings of the best high schools in the country on Tuesday. The School for the Talented and Gifted in Dallas won the top spot for the fourth year in a row, according to a news release. It joined three other schools in Texas and three in Arizona on the national overall top 10 list.

U.S. News & World report analyzed more than 21,000 institutions and awarded them medals accordingly. Maryland, California and Connecticut were the states with the highest percentages of silver and gold medals.

The national rankings were decided based on whether a school's students performed better than expected, whether its disadvantaged students performed better than other disadvantaged students in its state and how college-ready its students were. All schools on the national top 10 list had college-readiness scores of 100.

U.S. News & World report also broke down the rankings by type: charter, magnet or STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). See the full list and compare your school here.

Best Overall High Schools

1. School for the Talented and Gifted in Dallas
2. BASIS Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona
3. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia
4. Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology in Lawrenceville, Georgia
5. School of Science and Engineering Magnet in Dallas
6. Carnegie Vanguard High School in Houston
7. Academic Magnet High School in North Charleston, South Carolina
8. University High School in Tolleson, Arizona
9. Lamar Academy in McAllen, Texas
10. Gilbert Classical Academy High School in Gilbert, Arizona

Best STEM Schools

1. High Technology High School in Lincroft, New Jersey
2. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia
3. BASIS Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona
4. Middlesex County Academy for Science, Mathematics and Engineering Technologies in Edison, New Jersey
5. Whitney High School in Cerritos, California
6. Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions in Houston
7. The Early College at Guilford in Greensboro, North Carolina
8. Darien High School in Darien, Connecticut
9. University High School in Irvine, California
10. Lynbrook High School in San Jose, California

Best Charter Schools

1. BASIS Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona
2. Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology in Lawrenceville, Georgia
3. American Indian Public High School in Oakland, California
4. International Studies Charter High School in Miami
5. Pacific Collegiate School in Santa Cruz, California
6. Sturgis Charter Public School in Hyannis, Massachusetts
7. Signature School in Evansville, Indiana
8. Raleigh Charter High School in Raleigh, North Carolina
9. The Preuss School in La Jolla, California
10. IDEA Academy and College Preparatory School in Donna, Texas

Best Magnet Schools

1. School for the Talented and Gifted in Dallas
2. School of Science and Engineering Magnet in Dallas
3. Carnegie Vanguard High School in Houston
4. Academic Magnet High School in North Charleston, South Carolina
5. Northside College Preparatory High School in Chicago
6. Design and Architecture Senior High in Miami
7. Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions in Houston
8. Stanton College Preparatory School in Jacksonville, Florida
9. Connecticut International Baccalaureate Academy in East Hartford, Connecticut
10. Hume-Fogg Academic High School in Nashville, Tennessee