[October 1, 2024] -- St. Laurence High School is excited to announce that it has been recognized as a 2025 Best School by Niche, the leading platform connecting students and families with colleges and schools.

This year, St. Laurence was ranked #8 on Niche’s list of the Best Catholic High Schools in Illinois, the highest ranking among schools in Chicago’s southland for the second consecutive year.

“We are proud to be recognized among the top ten Catholic high schools in Illinois two years in a row,” said St. Laurence President Joseph Martinez ‘99. “The past year has been full of accolades for the St. Laurence community, and this ranking is a testament to the continued dedication of St. Laurence staff to our students and families. While we're honored by these recognitions, our unwavering commitment remains focused on our students' success and growth. ”

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 fourth time in the last five years, a St. Laurence senior was named a National Merit Commended Student. Last year, 35 St. Laurence seniors were named Illinois State Scholars, the second most since 1987. At 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 600 prospective students applying for the Class of 2028, the most among Southland Catholic high schools.

St. Laurence provides extensive resources for its students, with an emphasis on college preparation and placement. Graduates of the school currently attend five of the country’s top 25-ranked colleges and universities, including the University of Chicago, Notre Dame, Michigan, Duke and Georgetown. 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.

Athletically, the Vikings are coming off one of the most decorated years in school history. Both the football team (second place) and boys soccer team (third place) brought home state trophies after competing in the state finals. On the individual side, the boys track team celebrated state championships in two events, the 4x100-meter relay and the 100-meter dash, for the first time in school history. The Vikings also earned conference championships in baseball, boys basketball, football, boys volleyball, softball and girls track and field, and they won a sectional championship in girls volleyball.

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.