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Long Island reaffirmed its stellar academic reputation as 17 local high schools achieved the prestigious Platinum level on the College Board’s AP School Honor Roll.
The recognition, based on student performance during the 2023-24 school year, highlights schools that have created exceptional college-preparatory environments through their Advanced Placement programs.
The AP School Honor Roll, which features four levels of distinction — Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum —recognizes schools that show outstanding commitment to college readiness. Only 7% of nearly 16,000 eligible schools across the United States and Canada reached the Platinum status.
Another 7% earned Gold status, with 26 Long Island high schools landing in this category, distributed across Nassau and Suffolk counties.
Long Island high schools with ‘Platinum’ status
- Chaminade
- Friends Academy in Glen Cove
- Garden City
- Grace Christian Academy in Merrick
- Great Neck South
- Herricks
- Jericho
- Manhasset
- Manhasset High School for Girls
- North Shore
- Our Lady of Mercy Academy (closed in August 2024)
- Plainview-Old Bethpage
- Roslyn
- Sacred Heart Academy
- Shelter Island
- The Stony Brook School
- Wheatley School in East Williston
Long Island high schools with ‘Gold’ status
- Babylon
- Calhoun
- Carle Place
- Carey
- Division
- East Hampton
- Floral Park
- Great Neck North
- Harborfields
- John F. Kennedy in Bellmore
- Long Island Lutheran
- Mattituck
- Mepham
- New Hyde Park
- North Shore Hebrew Academy
- Northport
- Oyster Bay
- Port Jefferson
- Seaford
- Shoreham-Wading River
- Smithtown East
- Smithtown West
- St. Anthony’s
- Syosset
- Wantagh
- Westhampton Beach
Rigorous benchmarks
The AP School Honor Roll criteria are rigorous, requiring schools to meet multiple benchmarks.
Schools must demonstrate a “College Culture” with at least 40% of graduating students taking at least one AP exam during high school. For “College Credit,” 25% or more of graduates must score 3 or higher on at least one AP exam. Additionally, for “College Optimization,” 2% or more of graduates must take five or more AP exams, with at least one taken in 9th or 10th grade to ensure students spread their AP coursework across their high school years.
New York state continued to excel in AP testing, maintaining its high national ranking for the third consecutive year, according to the College Board’s most recent report that was released on Feb. 25.
Across New York, 30.7% of public-school graduates from the class of 2024 scored 3 or higher on at least one AP Exam. That’s eight percentage points above the national average and good enough to place New York second best among all states.
The Advanced Placement program offers tests in dozens of subjects spanning history, mathematics, science and the arts, giving students the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school.
Top photo: Four high-achieving 2024 Plainview-Old Bethpage High School graduates at commencement last June. The high school is among 17 Long Island high schools that achieved ‘Platinum’ status AP School Honor Roll, according to the College Board (Facebook).
