Niche: Woodlands Academy again Illinois' Top Catholic & All-Girls High School

Once again, Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart is rated nearly the best in the Midwest when it comes to a faith-based education for young women. According to 2018 rankings by Niche, an independent research company, the Lake Forest school repeats as the #1 Best Catholic High School in Illinois and the #1 Best All-girls High School in Illinois. Woodlands Academy also is ranked the #10 Best Catholic High School in America (highest in the Midwest but for one school in St. Louis, Mo.) and the #21 Best All-girls High School in America (highest in the Midwest).

Niche, a website for researching K-12 schools, scored Woodlands Academy highly on a variety of factors. These include SAT/ACT scores, student-teacher ratios, the quality of colleges students consider, and reviews from students and parents.

Woodlands is joined by five other Sacred Heart schools on Niche's latest listing of the top-25 Best Catholic High Schools in America. Meanwhile, the top-25 Best All-girls High Schools in America list includes three Sacred Heart schools.

"As Woodlands Academy prepares to celebrate our 160th anniversary in 2018, along with the 200th anniversary of Sacred Heart education in North America, I am so proud to be in the company of fellow Sacred Heart schools in these national rankings," Head of School Meg Steele said. "Our membership in this global network of schools is an integral part of who we are and how we educate our students."

Woodlands Academy is an independent, Catholic day-and-boarding, college-preparatory school for young women of all faiths grades nine through 12. Founded in 1858, its identity is rooted in a desire to inspire young hearts and minds to excel, to lead lives of integrity and to serve. Woodlands is part of the Sacred Heart network of 24 schools in the U.S. and Canada and more than 125 schools in countries throughout the world.

Statistical data used in the 2018 rankings was obtained from a variety of sources including the U.S. Department of Education and then analyzed by Niche. For the complete 2018 rankings, methodologies and data sources, visit https://k12.niche.com/rankings

Founded in 1858, Woodlands Academy is an independent Catholic college preparatory day and boarding high school for young women. It's part of a worldwide network of Sacred Heart Schools that spans the United States and 40 other countries. A nonprofit, Woodlands Academy's identity is rooted in Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat's desire to inspire young hearts and minds to excel, to lead lives of integrity and to serve. For more information about Woodlands Academy, please visit www.woodlandsacademy.org