If i go to a magnet school instead of public for all of high school, can i get into a better college?

Question

and how much of a better college.

Answer 1

Well, going to a magnet school may be more "attractive" to colleges.  LOL  (Sorry - a little magnet humor...)

Answer 2

Magnet schools are designed to attract certain students.  They vary by area of the country and school district.  Whether or not a "magnet school" will help you get into a "better" college is dependent up the curriculum of the school and the standing of the school in the academic community.

Answer 3

I think it would depend on the type of magnet program you're joining. I know my HS had four magnet programs and the students in them received grades similar to being in AP studies- some of their years in these programs allowed them to earn college credits while they were still in HS. But if you're in a medical magnet and applying at a liberal arts college, for example, then at best I think it would look good on your application but not necessarily mean you have a better chance at *that* particular school. Except, of course, that being in a magnet program automatically raises your GPA. Also, if it is a military magnet program like JROTC, and you decided to enter the service after graduation, you will go in at a higher rank and receive higher pay than people entering without having been through any type of ROTC.

So in my opinion, being accepted into a magnet program in high school would look good on any college application, and the extra credits and higher grades afforded by the program definitely help. But to what degree I think depends entirely on where you are applying. Also, SAT scores aren't counting as much these days as they used to, and some liberal arts schools have stopped requiring them entirely.

Answer 4

By going to a school that's more competitive you needn't earn grades that are as high. For example, if you go to an easy public school, your 4.0 won't mean as much as it would from a competitive private school. That said, it's harder  to get high grades at a more competitive school. The most important factor in getting into a better college (that you can control) is standardized test scores. No matter what anyone tells you, stellar SAT scores make schools pay attention. Study and practice like crazy.