New Trier Township High School Winnetka

Academically I was really well- prepared. But I felt lost in a sea of 4000 kids, and I wouldn't do it again. Despite joining a ton of teams and clubs, I felt really lost. I went to Notre Dame after graduating and felt like it was an academic cake- walk compared to New Trier. I had some stand- out experiences: some great Art, Art History, and Photography teachers. A fantastic math teacher that took time to teach us about life. An awesome experience on the crew team. But overall, I felt like the crazy competition and huge size made it easy to feel really lost. I'm extremely extroverted, but New Trier turned me into a wall flower for four years. Overall, I don't think the environment is has any sense of community and even very high achievers that are hugely social can feel lost.
--Submitted by a student

As a former student, I can say that NT prepared me for college better than any of the the high schools my college classmates went to. NTHS is an exceptional school, that allows kids to push themselves as far as they can go, but still has the flexibility to fit everyone's needs. Though large, NT's size is actually an advantage: the unique level system is critical to its success, and the advisery program is unparalleled in its ability to foster community and develop close friendships. I loved my time at New Trier, and found that I was capable of more things than I thought possible. The networking abilities once I left were astounding, and it seems that everywhere in the world, one can meet a NT alum. The number of clubs available (I was in well over ten my senior year alone) create a small school feel, and the class sizes were the perfect size to have absolutely excellent discussions. NT is not for the faint of heart, or for those unwilling to challenge themselves. All too easily, one can trip and fall in the mad rush of eager students pursuing their interests, academic or otherwise, but hopefully they will find friends to pick them back up.
--Submitted by a student

Top notch school and best academics in the area. Going Ivy-League after NT isn't uncommon, and the varying wealth of knowledge you pick up as a student is a plus. Most of the people who have problems with NT are socially awkward or lazy and like to blame all their problems on the school, when in reality, their social experience would be the same no matter what high school they go to. The whole "pressure cooker" that is NT is completely ridiculous, as it's the same at any North Shore school, just since NT exemplifies the North Shore, people tend to complain about it more. No matter what good school you go to, if you're in all honors classes, you're not going to have a social life, not just at NT. Yes, NT is a large school, but class sizes are the same as at the smaller surrounding schools.
--Submitted by a student

While I believe that being a student New Trier provided me with great study habits and an excellent education, it came at a very high price. Although everything worked out for me and I will be attending my dream Ivy league school in the fall, I sometimes feel resentment that I had to miss out on so many experiences so I could be what I had to be to achieve my goals. Because NT is so big, there is an incredible amount of pressure put on students to find their "niche" or talent. But in order to excel, students must in effect mortgage their lives to it. While this is possible for the extremely motivated, most teenagers are not ready to do this. As a result many kids seem to fall through the cracks because there is simply no other place to turn.
--Submitted by a student

The separation of the freshmen from the other students creates a second year of Jr. High and multiple years of unnecessary transitions. The teachers are hit or miss, and there is an atmosphere of either you are smart and work to death or you aren't and don't have to work at all. Also, much too large for a high school. Many kids flounder. And the advisory system works if you get a great adviser, like I did, but if you don't, like my brother, it is just torture.
--Submitted by a student

At 4130 students, New Trier is now the size of the undergraduate program at Dartmouth. As far as that vaunted Advisory Program, my first advisor quit; my second advisor was downsized, and then they dissolved my advisory and assigned us to other advisors. When I showed up senior year, I had to sit alone in back, because the others were still in the seats they took as freshmen. You'll notice how the district doesn't publish the percentage of students who get new advisors mid term. As for that freshman-only campus, it ends up as another year of junior high, instead of the first year of high school. The main reason they didn't reopen West as a separate 4-year high school is that they want to win a state championship in football or basketball - something they've never done - and that sticks in their craw.

My son has had a great experience at New Trier. The sophomore's get a home visit from their advisor who tracks the student over the next 3 years. The advisor is a pointperson for the students and the parents. The school works hard to make smooth transitions for students moving to a new campus. There are excellent and challenging teachers and after school programs that are well run. My son is 15 and seems to enjoy school every day. He is committed to learning new things every day and is able to articulate what he is learning with enthusiasm. I am grateful for the Wilmette public school system and how it values excellent education, social clubs, sports and the arts.
--Submitted by a parent

This is an incredible school, and much better than the Northfield Campus. It's certainly for the kids with higher abilities, but its also why they have levels, and with the elite qualities of the grammar schools the kids come into the school with, it really should be no problem to get an amazing education. If you find people you get along with, you will be very happy with your experience. Also, you must work, unlike in other schools. I suppose it really depends on what you want to achieve and your overall perspective on the school.
--Submitted by a student

I went to NT for 2 years before I transferred. I was under an unbelievable amount of pressure and I couldn't even pursue extracurriculars because there were too many other students who have been trained in a sport since pre-school. I actually ended up transferring to Evanston Twp and had a much better experience because while there still was a very competitive atmosphere, it wasn't as intense as NT and when they said no cut, they meant it. If your child is not athletically or academically priviliged then I wouldn't sen dthem there.
--Submitted by a student

While NT is academically excellent and challenging with many support services i wonder if I did my children a disservice sending them here. The school is a pressure cooker, the sports teams exclude a high percentage of the student body but I mostly worry about the overly sophisticated atmosphere wit too much of everything. The students live as though attending an adult cocktail party where to many parents similarly are trying to buy access for their kids and an awfully heavy note on materialism is a particularly strong note. The overly sophisticated scene may be part of todays culture but it is especially exaggerated here at New Trier
--Submitted by a parent