Listed High in Nation

Tuesday’s second editorial praises Socastee for its recent ranking in ‘Best High Schools.’

For the fifth year, Socastee High School is ranked among the nation’s top six percent of public high schools on Newsweek magazine’s list of America’s Best High Schools. Socastee ranks 1,379 of nearly 1,700 schools. More than 27,000 public high schools were surveyed. Only 16 of 220 S.C. public high schools are on the list this year; Charleston County’s Academic Magnet High is No. 12. The state had 22 ranked in 2009.

Principal Paul Browning credits the addition of Advanced Placement courses such as human geography, physics, calculus, statistics and psychology for keeping Socastee on the Newsweek list. Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses offered are among the several factors considered. “We try to get kids qualified for college,” Browning says and the numbers show the impressive results: 55 percent of the Socastee Class of 2010 are going to four-year colleges including Brown, Duke, Michigan State, Virginia Tech and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Another 28 percent will attend two-year colleges.

The Newsweek list is a fine one to be on and Browning, teachers and counselors are rightly proud of this achievement.

Socastee Class of 2010

·        Horry County Schools Honors Diploma grads: 20 percent (HCS: 8 percent)

·        Percentage to 4-year colleges: 55 (HCS: 42)

·        Percentage to 2-year colleges: 28 (HCS: 31)

·        Percentage earning scholarships: 68 (HCS: 53)

·        Value of scholarships: $6.6 million (HCS: $42.4 million)

Principal Paul Browning credits the addition of Advanced Placement courses such as human geography, physics, calculus, statistics and psychology for keeping Socastee on the Newsweek list. Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses offered are among the several factors considered. “We try to get kids qualified for college,” Browning says and the numbers show the impressive results: 55 percent of the Socastee Class of 2010 are going to four-year colleges including Brown, Duke, Michigan State, Virginia Tech and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Another 28 percent will attend two-year colleges.

The Newsweek list is a fine one to be on and Browning, teachers and counselors are rightly proud of this achievement.

Socastee Class of 2010

·        Horry County Schools Honors Diploma grads: 20 percent (HCS: 8 percent)

·        Percentage to 4-year colleges: 55 (HCS: 42)

·        Percentage to 2-year colleges: 28 (HCS: 31)

·        Percentage earning scholarships: 68 (HCS: 53)

·        Value of scholarships: $6.6 million (HCS: $42.4 million)