The Top 10 High School in Austin

Finding a great high school for your child to attend can be a daunting task. Not only are you looking for the best possible education and learning opportunities, but also a safe, supportive environment that is going to propel them through their future.

We’re here today to help you narrow down your search by introducing you ten of Austin’s best high schools! Here’s what our experts have determined are the absolute cream of the crop when it comes to secondary education in Austin—stay tuned for our exclusive list!

The Top 10 High Schools in Austin

Anderson High School

Address: 8403 Mesa Dr, Austin, TX 78759, United States
Map: Click here
Rating: 3.5 (51)
Phone: +1 512-414-2538
Website: Link
Opening hours:

Monday: 9:05 AM – 4:30 PM

Tuesday: 9:05 AM – 4:30 PM

Wednesday: 9:05 AM – 4:30 PM

Thursday: 9:05 AM – 4:30 PM

Friday: 9:05 AM – 4:30 PM

Saturday: Closed

Sunday: Closed
Reviews:

I really like some of the teachers here. Some enjoy what they do and have not lost sight of why they began teaching.
However, had I known how incredibly broken the system is at this school, I would never have sent my child here. I have observed office staff treating the kids (you know, their customers?) with rudeness and sarcasm. In the next breath, they turn to the adult with fake enthusiasm and insincerity.
There seems to be a lack of “fun” at this school. There are no dances, except homecoming and prom. The students’ morale is low. You can feel the stress and anxiety just walking into the building. (I loved my high school, mainly because the teachers actually enjoyed teaching. It was tough, but the faculty and staff were the best part of our day. They actually cared about US, not numbers.)
The attendence policy is a joke.
Half the time the kids are left to teach themselves, from packets, especially in some of the AP and STEM courses. The theater teachers are moody, going from being constructive to all out verbally abusive within moments.
Straighten up, Anderson. You are better than this.

✭✭ By Tamley (5 years ago)

We moved to this area because Anderson is one of the top performing schools. It seems to have the child’s best academic interests at heart. The attendance office is staffed by incredible people. The registrar’s office, however, is staffed by people who treat kids with zero respect. You are greeted there with sarcastic remarks instead of helpful advice. These are children who need guidance, not disdain.
Some teachers are incredibly inept to teach high school children, and so they do not. They hand out packets, tell the kids to study, then test them based on the students ability to teach themselves.
Your kid is out sick with the flu, they get a note from the dr, but because they are out longer than 2 days, the note is not excepted. So, they have to make up all the class hours they missed by giving up their lunch hours, EVEN THOUGH their work is made up within the first two days back. Money is a priority here, and it is proven when the student checks into a principle’s office to eat, so that their make up time is actually recorded. It’s stressful for the student and frustrating for the parent.
Students are threatened that they will not pass to the next year if they do not do well enough on a Standardized test, even incoming students, like refugees. The kids are completely stressed out and it is RIDICULOUS to scare them like that. Come on!
Don’t get me wrong. A lot of the teachers here really enjoy what they do, and they do an awesome job inspiring the kids. The physics and engineering teachers are great. Some core curriculum teachers really invest in your student to see that they succeed, not just for a “test,” but for a better understanding of application.
The selection of plays and productions offered by theater department are outstanding, but when kids are reduced to frustrated tears because a teacher decides you are not worth her time, what can you do? Rudeness and sarcasm have no place in teaching kids. You are touching the future through these kids. Relax and enjoy this privilege, if you can’t, then move on.

✭✭✭ By Conor (6 years ago)

Until Donna Houser is out of commission, I wouldn’t recommend sending your kid here. She likes to take every bit of fun out of the school. There is no school pride because she has taken every Anderson tradition away from the students. Her motto is “one bad apple ruins the whole bushel”. Her focus is having a good image, yet her words to not represent her actions; “Dont judge a person by their words, yet define them by their actions”. Anyways, the kids are fine, they’re smart and well rounded. Teachers are astounding and the academics are challenging but advantageous.

✭✭ By Jake King (8 years ago)

I have been at Anderson for 3 years now and I like it. I have had great teachers all 3 years and they really work with you to make sure you pass. Anderson is a pretty nice environment, it is true the school is very old and kinda wore out but they are working on making the campus look better.

✭✭✭✭ By AlannaJoi (9 years ago)

You think Murchison is a prison, you clearly haven’t been here. Very old building, prison like, not fit for 2,500 students. Principal likes to take all fun out of everything, and I MEAN EVERYTHING! One bad apple does ruin it for everybody else according to administration. All of the APs follow the bullsh*t rules, even knowing that they shouldn’t be there in the first place. There’s also this other bullsh*t rule that school enforces, you miss 4 periods of any class(even if you’re sick) and you end up with no credit for the entire class, it might be nice if they weren’t so hungry for money, trying to scare the kids from missing worthless classes .Most of the students/teachers/police officers are really awesome though. Don’t send your kid for fun, send them to learn how to sit in a desk for 7 hours and follow orders from people they barely know.

✭✭ By Jeff Vinson (6 years ago)

McCallum High School

Address: 5600 Sunshine Dr, Austin, TX 78756, United States
Map: Click here
Rating: 4.3 (49)
Phone: +1 512-414-2519
Website: Link
Opening hours:

Monday: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Thursday: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Friday: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Saturday: Closed

Sunday: Closed
Reviews:

Wow! LOVE this school!!! Came up through the feeder schools with a certain amount of trepidation, but assured by many friends who sent their kids there, or who went there themselves, that it’s great. Everyone seems to love this school and have a great affection for their (or their kids’) time here. Now that we’re here, we love it too. It has something for everyone and is very inclusive. The teachers are busy but accessible, and are easy to schedule a conference with if needed. The front office staff, administration and counselors are all friendly, helpful, professional and seem to genuinely care about the students (and in particular, mine). 🙂 The parents are very involved in boosters and supporting student activities and, to a great extent, make things possible that the school couldn’t do without the PTSA. The theater, dance, and performing arts programs are a great asset to the entire surrounding community. Great school spirit and opportunities for a social life outside classes. We had an exchange student a couple years ago who was very shy and did not get involved much in extra-curriculars outside one club. My student is far more involved, and I have to say I think our exchange student missed out on a lot of what the school has to offer by not getting more involved. Like college, a lot of the learning and growth at Mac takes place outside the classroom and isn’t all about schoolwork. All in all, can’t say enough good things about it. If you’re in a feeder school and are deciding whether to go to Mac vs. LASA or a private prep school like St. S’s or St. A’s, the pre-AP courses here are equivalent to what I saw my daughter bring home from Kealing, but a little less workload. Gauge it by your student’s abilities, potential, and drive. If you’re looking at the Ivies, you can get there from here and still have a life. If your student is more interested in non-academic pursuits or alternative careers, they have that too. Really, something for everyone and limited only by your own desire for growth and success. All the opportunities are there. You just have to take advantage of them.

✭✭✭✭✭ By Lauren Shaw (7 years ago)

overall it’s a good school. a really accepting environment and the teachers are very nice. I think compared to other schools in austin, it’s probably one of the better ones. would definitely reccomend it, especially if you’re in to fine arts.

✭✭✭✭ By Tafari Robertson (9 years ago)

My child is currently a student and these teachers, assistant principals and principal do not stand by their mission. Majority of the teachers are there simple just to get a check. They have no interest if the kid succeed or not. Some of the teachers are just as childish as some of the kids. They lack in the communication. They look at concern parents as a problem. Then take their frustrated out on the kids. They are there to teach and if that is too much for them they need to move around for a teacher that is geniune to a child needs. They are out there, just not at McCallum.

✭✭ By Sharon Battle (9 years ago)

I Went to McCallum for 3 years is a great school I love it and would love to go back. I see how teachers care about their students and I had a good time there PROUDLY GRADUATED FROM MAC!!.

Once a KNIGHT Always a KNIGHT.

✭✭✭✭✭ By Vladimir Aguilar (9 years ago)

Thy threaten my son and use there authority to harass him. When call to get information on the situation why the assistant principle put his hands on my son when the police was right there , thats what they get payed for no one know nothing on what happened.when i go up there im geting the run around the police dont now and the assistant principle no where to be found on property and no one can talk to me about it. I had to go to the district office for the school to get answers . Now im outrage

✭ By Sheena Mythoughts (5 years ago)

Austin High School

Address: 1715 W Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78703, United States
Map: Click here
Rating: 4.5 (48)
Phone: +1 512-414-2505
Website: Link
Opening hours:

Monday: 9:00 AM – 4:35 PM

Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 4:35 PM

Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 4:35 PM

Thursday: 9:00 AM – 4:35 PM

Friday: 9:00 AM – 4:35 PM

Saturday: Closed

Sunday: Closed
Reviews:

I have been here as an exchange student in the class of 08. It was the best time in my life I had here. Nice people and very nice teachers! I will always remember the classes in AHS! Keep Austin weird!

✭✭✭✭✭ By Fabio Furrer (4 years ago)

The school receives a lot of funding from the suburban school districts every year. It’s reputation of being a trashy school has definitely changed over the years as the district has been able to update their buildings and hire more staff.

✭✭✭✭ By Eric Suss (4 years ago)

To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to understand the teaching at AHS. The lessons are extremely subtle, and without a solid grasp of theoretical physics most of the notes will go over a typical student’s head. There’s also Mr. Mecci’s nihilistic outlook, which is deftly woven into his personality- his personal philosophy draws heavily from Narodnaya Volya literature, for instance. The students understand this stuff; they have the intellectual capacity to truly appreciate the depths of these teachings, to realize that they’re not just informative- they say something deep about LIFE. As a consequence people who dislike AHS truly ARE idiots- of course they wouldn’t appreciate, for instance, the humor in Mecci’s existential catchphrase “Shut the hell up,” which itself is a cryptic reference to Turgenev’s Russian epic Fathers and Sons. I’m smirking right now just imagining one of those addlepated simpletons scratching their heads in confusion as Amy Taylor’s genius wit unfolds itself on their notebooks. What fools.. how I pity them.

And yes, by the way, i DO have a Maroons tattoo. And no, you cannot see it. It’s for the ladies’ eyes only- and even then they have to demonstrate that they’re within 5 IQ points of my own (preferably lower) beforehand. Nothin personnel kid.

✭ By Dashiell Byrne (5 years ago)

I don’t know the school but I read an article that now they have compost bins which I think is a super super idea.

✭✭✭✭✭ By Nora Lazo (4 years ago)

Look at 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser with Hallie Gomez adidas errejota soccer ball Alan play to kick to goal net

✭✭✭✭ By Alan Sanchez (6 years ago)

Akins High School

Address: 10701 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78748, United States
Map: Click here
Rating: 4.4 (47)
Phone: +1 512-841-9900
Website: Link
Reviews:

Anywhere you go, you will find some aspect of the school as ghetto. Compared to other schools I have been to, Akins is by far the best behaved. Most teachers are great and they really care about your learning. The school provides a variety of organizations and opportunities. ( class of 2015)

✭✭✭✭✭ By Ariana Felty (7 years ago)

Akins is a really good school. I actually came here from Orlando expecting it to be mediocre, but it exceeded my expectations. The food here is above average, better than the watered down food from Orlando. It has a nice campus, and the teachers are always helping people . I don’t think I’ve had any mean teachers, but they can be somewhat nagging sometimes. The only downside is that the sports teams are probably the worst in Austin, might be an exaggeration. The teams are really bad. Other than that it is really good.

✭✭✭✭✭ By RJ Hart (5 years ago)

The teachers care and the food is good. Well, most of the teachers care. Some teachers seem to only be there for the paycheck. Also, the bathrooms (which I know isn’t about education) are utterly disgusting. There is urine on the floor and the toilets looked like they are flushed once every 2 days. They also lock parts of the building where students can’t get in and it’s ridiculous.

✭✭✭ By Roo Clements (6 years ago)

This school was amazing. They really care about the success of their students. Don’t pay any matter to those “ghetto” comments. If you noticed their comments aren’t even grammatically correct. It is a little bit biased. Overall great school

✭✭✭✭✭ By Sierra Soleil (7 years ago)

I have two kids that go here. The school is avant-garde in its approach to education. The various programs truly prepare kids for the post high school future.

✭✭✭✭✭ By Jerry L. Johnson II Real Estate Broker (5 years ago)

James Bowie High School

Address: 4103 W Slaughter Ln, Austin, TX 78749, United States
Map: Click here
Rating: 2.7 (46)
Phone: +1 512-414-5247
Website: Link
Opening hours:

Monday: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Tuesday: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Wednesday: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Thursday: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Friday: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Saturday: Closed

Sunday: Closed
Reviews:

GREAT school if you want to get frostbite in the winter and endure a heatstroke in the summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! rabid children and satanic rituals in the forest behind the school occur!!!!! :::::(()))()()(

✭ By Anna Peterson (5 months ago)

So, never been there before, but a friend went for an appointment and said he saw an EMPTY security truck parked out front, NO security guard ANYWHERE in sight, went in the admin building and wandered around for a few minutes until he found his destination, and nobody said one word… Total stranger. But you people say the kids are safe ? Not good. Needs to be fixed. That’s all. Thanks.

✭ By Mario Gambino (3 years ago)

So I graduated from this school some time ago and my experience there was just okay. This school is getting 3 stars mainly on the fact that most of the professors are plain out awesome. I don’t remember every teacher that made my time there great but right off the top of my head we got Rasmus, Widner, Thompson, Morgan, Gomez, Pittman, Reina, Ingram, Evans, and Mainey. These professors and faculty care about the students and are prime examples of a person who has passion for what they do and are working in a school to help shape the generation of tomorrow.

The school itself has a pretty nice and open layout which gives it a college campus feel. The food served at the cafeteria is decent and school is kept very clean considering how many students there are.

That’s pretty much where the positives end.

As for the negatives there are plenty. It’s unfortunate that only a few bad teachers and counselors can have such a huge impact on the experience as a whole. As much as I don’t want to directly call someone out I will have to because Nona May made my experience there miserable. She didn’t only make mine miserable because every single person I knew who had the same counselor hated asking her for help. She didn’t like doing anything you asked her and would often sigh. I also noticed how differently she treated male and female students which I found pathetic. Kapoke is another counselor that is equally as terrible, she doesn’t like doing things for students and she will often say ‘no’ to something that she can do in five minutes. Pretty much anytime I needed help from the counselor I would ask the other counselors who didn’t have to help me but more than gladly went out of their way to do so.

Let me remind you that May & Kapoke’s job as a counselor is to be there for the students and do what the teachers cannot do. They are supposed to be there as support for the students in case they have problems at home or with a teacher. Now, who does a student go to if he/she cannot go to their counselor? Definitely not the principal whom I never saw during my time a Bowie until I shook his hand at graduation. Would be nice to see the principal walk around the school from time to time right? Well, he doesn’t. It’s funny because this school could easily be a 4 star school if faculty who is not doing their job is held accountable or let go.

As someone who transferred into Bowie just make sure your parents are on top of everything being transferred from your previous school. My counselor didn’t do her job correctly and I ended up having to re-take classes and some grades were transferred incorrectly which I realized too late.

Another issue is that this school really likes focusing on those teams they got that rarely win anything. Would be nice if they focused a bit more on the arts, tech, and engineering departments but… who am I to say where they should focus on teaching? One of those football players might solve our energy crisis by throwing a football that can harness energy from that amazing spin to power our homes. Jokes aside, sports bring in money to the school but lots of money is also spent on it which is why you should not send your kid here if his focus is technology or art related.

You could ask many Bowie graduates and they would tell you that their time here was pretty much wasted. Now, this isn’t to say this is a problem only with Bowie because it’s not. Lots of schools are like this but it’s worth pointing out that this is one of those schools that prioritizes that the girls volleyball team practices in the gym while the Physical Education students are outside on the hallway floor doing silly exercises straight out a 20 yr old DVD on how to be fit.

Thought I would give people an idea of what this school is like and what to look out for. Nothing mentioned in this review is personal but rather objective. Education is no joke especially during a teen’s life when kids are deciding what they want to be when they grow up.

✭✭✭ By Danny Romero (6 years ago)

I rate this school a 3 solely on the fact that I had the best history teacher Mr. Lyon. Unfortunately his not there anymore but he truly care for his students and helped the students succeed and the other reason was being a football trainer. Football got me through the tough 4 years I was at Bowie. Other than that, the administration was horrible. We have the oblivious principal who knows absolutely nothing, we have the bully principal who makes the experience at Bowie a living hell for both students and teachers who in my opinion needs to be kicked out of AISD district , and finally we have the principal who plays favorites by determining who is able to break the dress code and who’s not depending on people’s appearance. The front office are the rudest people in the entire world and look at you like your criminals or something. This school is a wreck. Advice for new teachers don’t start your career here if you aren’t strong enough to hold your ground because they will kick you around til you chose to resign. NOT KIDDING.

✭✭✭ By Lauren Aleman (5 years ago)

Dumpy building….checked out teachers … crappy support staff and the school is at 120% capacity. It’s crowded, there is no discipline and the hallways are not heated or air conditioned. Experience was so awful had to pull my kid out and find another school option. Very disappointed to see that half of my property taxes are going to AISD. Clearly not a good use of funds.

✭✭ By Carla Romaine (5 years ago)

William B. Travis High School

Address: 1211 E Oltorf St, Austin, TX 78704, United States
Map: Click here
Rating: 3.6 (45)

Westlake High School

Address: 4100 Westbank Dr, Austin, TX 78746, United States
Map: Click here
Rating: 3.9 (44)

Vandegrift High School

Address: 9500 McNeil Dr, Austin, TX 78750, United States
Map: Click here
Rating: 3.6 (43)

McNeil High School

Address: 5720 McNeil Dr, Austin, TX 78729, United States
Map: Click here
Rating: 3.3 (35)

Westwood High School

Address: 12400 Mellow Meadow Dr, Austin, TX 78750, United States
Map: Click here
Rating: 3.7 (34)

Thank you for reading! We hope this list helps you find the best high schools in Austin. If you have any additional information, please leave a comment below!