Moving to chicago suburbs?

Question

hi, i'm moving to a chicago suburb, (for sure,) though we're still deciding which one. ideal choices include: lake forest, wilmette, schaumburg, arlington heights, and barrington. i'm very open to suggestions, but the thing is i need to know about good high schools around. we're looking into barrington high, but i would like to know about other high schools anyone would like to recommend.

i absolutely love wriggleyville and if there are any neat places like so, please tell me. that whole kind of vibe is what i'm looking for, but answers are greatly appreciated.

if it helps, i'm really into music. i love the metro in wrigleyville, and the more artsy places. thanks

Answer 1

Naperville, Downers Grove, Lisle, Aurora are all areas with great schools. Naperville is consisently rated one of the best places to live, they also have top schools. Lake Forest is very nice but a little snooty. Schaumburg is cool too.

Answer 2

Barrington is nice, but don't move to schaumburg! the crime rate is horrible. my husband's grandma lives on w weathersfield way and there has been 2 murders and numberous robbies in the past couple of years just around her! It seems like a lovely place, but beware!

Answer 3

Personal recommendations are good, but you'll also want to do some research.

You might be interested in Northern Illinois University's Interactive Illinois Report Card at

http://iirc.niu.edu

Here's a list of 166 schools that received a classification of "Academic Excellence":

http://iirc.niu.edu/listAll.aspx?type=ae...

(they only report this at the school level, not district)

Likewise, here's a list of "Spotlight Schools:"

http://iirc.niu.edu/listAll.aspx?type=gs...

You might also want to look at the Great Schools website at:

http://www.greatschools.net

Their gateway for Illinois schools is:

http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/go/I...

It's a commercial site, but seems to be pulling its data from test score sources. You can compare school ratings within several miles of a zip code, look for best schools within a city, etc.

Finally, the Chicago Tribune also has this page that lets you locate top schools in Illinois (based on '04 data):

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local...

For example, you can look for Cook County schools that made the top 5% statewide.

I hope these tools are useful!

--Bill Pardue

Arlington Heights Memorial Library http://www.ahml.info

Librarians--Ask Us, We Answer!

Find your local Library at http://lists.webjunction.org/libweb/Publ...

Answer 4

You should live in Wilmette, since its in the New Trier district. New Trier High School is one of the top high school in this country. Since you enjoy wrigleyville so much, you might as well live in the city in Lincoln Park neighborhood(where you be around all the entertainment and close to downtown) and their is a good high school call  Lincoln Park High School often rank as one of the top schools in Chicago.

Answer 5

honey, the metro is one of a kind as is wrigleyville. you will never find anything like that in the suburbs. everything looks the same and the closest you'll find is a typical mall. sorry.  

Answer 6

People answering the question don't really know what they're talking about.  If I were u I would live in Wilmette or Lake Forest.  They are both have easy acces to the lake and are not too far away from Chicago.  I live in Lake Forest right now and the high school is amazing, the people are nice, and t is very beautiful with all the trees and the beach.  The one down side is that it is expensive to live here but since it is in Lake County the taxes are cheaper than in Cook County where Wilmette is located.  Housing prices can go in the millions but there are a few houses near the high school that can be fairly cheap.

Wilmette is very nice too.  It is the town next to Kenilworth where I also use to live and has plenty of nice stores and is a great community.  You can go to New Trier high school which is very large but students achieve very high academically and the SAT scores are at the top.  Since it is so big (4,000 kids) but there are two campuses to spread all the people out there is also Loyola Academy in Wilmette.  It is a catholic school, pretty small, and also at the top for academics.  Both schools are great especialy New Trier ranking 12 best athletics school in the nation ranked by Sports Illustrated.  East Wilmette is very nice and u can find very nice homes there but also some moderate sized homes.  There are no gangs or violence in Wilmette and it is very holesome.  West Wilmette is also a nice place with parks and houses that are in a nice neighborhood but can go for a lot cheaper.  

If I were you I would choose one of the two I named depending on the money u want to spend and I have friends from both schools and they all are very nice people.  Lake Forest high school is smaller around 2,000 kids but there also is the Academy which is 100 kids per grade.  I like Lake Forest more and most people would agre with me that it is a little bit nicer.  Go along the communities of the North Shore and see for yourself.  Good Luck!!!!

Answer 7

You will not find city spots in the burbs...that is just the way it goes...I would never ever move to the burbs...I was raised in Hoffman Estates and it was miserable.

But if you have to....

1. Wilmette, Glenview, Northbrook,

2. Barrington

3. Lake Forest, River Forest

10000....Schaumburg and or Arlington Heights

Answer 8

have a friend in bolingbrook who lives there , I have stayed with for some time. Okay his experience, from the point of commuting using metra train and pace, bolingbrook is better and BNSF is fast not pathetic like joliet track which you would have to take if you are in romioville. Also check the Taxes in that county . I think taxes are more in romeoville.

If you are in bolingbrook, the place is cheap moneywise, good returns for money you invest..check neighbourghood, people say it is risky and all but it is not bad at all + you have promonaide with so many shops, potbelly, macy's, starbucks. meijer on east and west both sides...a theater which is cheap in cost and good :D and this all on boughton road...can you believe..I remember I had been to romeoville on my way to joliet number of times but personally I never liked that part of IL on east of I-55 interstate...better come on west.

you have LA gym behind meijer now.. :D and pace buses always will make you to nearest train stations.

if not bolingbrook then try woodridge, for someone who suggested downer's or naperville, those could be best places but not near I 55 and no guarantee that you will get near train station and may be a little costlier than bolingbrook and woodridge.

but bolingbrook is far better than romeoville :D

+ walmart + food 4 less + the public library at bolingbrook is near and nice books/dvs for long time..tacobell + jewel on il53+boughton junction ...there is some famous ice cream shop near theater on boughton...+ kohls + jecy penny, best buy + old navy + nice restaurants in woodridge/promonaide.

if you also want a neat realtor , contact me , don't worry I am not getting any commission :D

Answer 9

Visit Wrigleyville, don't send your kids to Lakewood HS....BUT, if you must...they can take exams for the more elite CPS schools...Lincoln Park HS is one...but some have waiting lists.  They could also attend Catholic parochial schools, Francis Parker, or Latin School in the city...pricey.

You have chosen some fine suburbs.  Have you considered Winnetka, Glencoe, and Kennilworth?  These are high-end places along the lakefront that certainly fit into the Barrington, Lake Forest and Wilmette category.  Libertyville is close to this list also.

Park Ridge, Oak Park and River Forest are more that you could consider.  They are closer to the city than the others and have good school systems.  All have CTA and METRA trains. They are nearer ORD, city, and Interstate road systems.

Answer 10

Have you considered Park Ridge.

It's got the charm of the suburbs but VERY close to the city still. Barrington is mostly New Money (nevo-riche) where Park Ridge has all the class. If you want culture. Barrington is NOT your best choice.

Source... Moved from Barrington to Park Ridge.