Adlai E Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire

Category	Rating	Details
College Readiness	9/10	The College Readiness Rating uses this high school's graduation rates, college entrance exam participation and performance, or AP, IB, or Dual Enrollment participation to determine how well schools are preparing students for success in college and beyond. The College Readiness Rating was created using the following data from the 2021 Civil Rights Data Collection: percentage of students enrolled in IB, AP or Dual Enrollment classes in grades 9-12, using 2025 4-year high school graduation rate data from Illinois State Board of Education, and using 2025 demographic data from Illinois State Board of Education.

Posted: May 11, 2026

Dont send your kid here. Only people happy there are the well paid teachers

Posted: September 9, 2025

For context of my review, I am a recent alum that is now in college. It has great academic opportunities: various AP courses in various subjects, college prep advisors, etc. However, the school culture is also competitive. There is a feeling of "if you aren't taking several AP classes, you aren't smart". Comparing classes, grades, and college choices with peers is normal and in some cases harmful.

Stevenson is pretty safe, only a few incidents that I know of when I was a student. The advisors are not great, so I would suggest students to look at what path they want to take (ex: not all colleges need 4 years of science, but might need 4 years of social studies). I think that I was well prepared for college, several of my classes that I took freshman year I found easier than the courses I took at Stevenson.

The good thing about Stevenson being so large is that there are lots of clubs and ways to get involved socially. There are also various cultural clubs and events for those who want to take part. I look back fondly at my time at Stevenson, but know that extreme competitiveness socially, academically, and in sports is normal here.

Posted: August 20, 2025

I taught at Stevenson for 23 years. Stevenson is a good school with a lot of resources for kids who are self-motivated and high-achieving learners. HOWEVER, in the last few years Stevenson has micromanaged teachers - not allowing them to grade student effort, participation, or attendance. The administration has told teachers that they are NOT allowed to grade students on their homework, or on anything other than something deemed an official assessment. And, even on those assessments, teachers must give students multiple chances to "demonstrate competency" so students know that they don't have to try their best because they always get another chance. Teachers are even NOT allowed to mark students' grades lower if they are CAUGHT CHEATING! Even in this scenario, students must be given another chance to turn in work. And now, beginning in the 2025 school year, teachers are not allowed to grade students using multiple choice tests. That's right despite the ACT, SAT, and AP exams all using this style of question, Stevenson doesn't allow it. This is why the last several years students have been trumpeting that they do not feel prepared for college and they do not feel that the grading is fair. There is A LOT of data showing this. And I now teach at the college level and I know what the expectations are. Cheating/plagiarism/academic dishonesty is a HUGE deal. Participation and attendance matters! The U of Illinois just published an article in the student paper about how important attendance is. All of this is to say that Stevenson's reputation greatly precedes what is actually happening there. Students get high scores because parents in that district have both the money and the desire to get high scores - they are willing to pay for tutoring and outside help for the high scores. But many many students are NOT benefiting from the Stevenson system. They are not learning the soft skills that will help them succeed in college and into adulthood.

Posted: August 13, 2025

The competition at this school is brutal, and as I have realized in my almost four-something years at this school, it slowly drains you. Students here are overly competitive and toxic, constantly trying to one-up each other instead of actually having a genuine interest of learning, and teachers and staff don't really seem to care or want to address this problem. They pile on AP/honors courses, and join a multitude of clubs and activities they have no real interest in, just to get into the most prestigious college. People will even cry to their teachers or club sponsors just to change their grade or secure a leadership position in a club they don't even attend or care about. The grading is also a complete mess and has no sense of consistency at all; Every department follows its own rules (One teacher's C is another teacher's A), and EBR (Evidence-Based Reporting) system for grading only contributes to the chaos. Unless your child is exceptionally gifted and enjoys being buried in stress and fake competition, DO NOT SEND THEM HERE. There are plenty of better schools that are less toxic and provide similar if not better education, such as in Vernon Hills and Libertyville. Stay FAR FAR away from this place and don't waste your money moving here. DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THE NAME OR REPUTATION.

Posted: April 29, 2025

This is the best school that my son has attended! He has been improving on his grades.

Posted: May 7, 2024

There is nothing high about this school. It is very toxic environment.

Posted: May 5, 2024

We have lived in the Stevenson School District for 3 years and the community neighbors speak very highly of the school. All kids are off to hreat Universities. Our friends are looking to move in to this school district, so it has a great reputation of above average education and testing standards.

Posted: March 25, 2024

The campus is great but the people are simply not. I was a transfer student who came from a very different background and I immediately saw everyone is just in a rat race to go to the best ranking college no matter what. They don't have fun and just crowd activities they dont care about just to put it on their resume. The grading system is horrible and each teacher marks differently so there is no semblance of uniformity among the grading. There is open talk of students just crying crocodile tears to their teachers for a better grade and teachers simply giving it to them because they don't want to argue with the student and their parents. The environment is highly toxic and I definitely say the school is not all it was talked up to be.

Posted: September 30, 2023

The best school in the nation, finest quality education and excellence in every aspect of the learning program. It is listed as one of the best schools in the nation.

Posted: August 15, 2023

To respond to the parent responding to my review. Please reread my post. The school did not know where my child was during one period of classes during the school day on multiple occasions. She was at school hence I did not relinquish my parenting responsibilities when I dropped her to school that day. Not knowing the whereabouts of the child halfway through the school day when the child is not in my care (aka school hours) is frightening.

Posted: August 15, 2023

In response to the last review. Im not sure why a parent would expect the school to know why their child is not showing up for school. When did parents relinquish responsibility for parenting?
This school is competitive, but the school provides so many classes and opportunities for students to find what they are good at.
Its better than any private school education as private schools dont get benchmarked but rather give participation trophies and let the kid be confident in their sub-par abilities. Stevenson prepares students for the real world where competition is how life works.

Posted: July 13, 2023

I was a previous student at Stevenson High School and I received a top notch education that goes above and beyond private school education. If you require more help, then asking for more help is the only way students are going to get the proper help they need.

Posted: June 15, 2023

Stevenson has an amazing reputation. However, the school works hard to maintain that reputation despite very serious issues. The students here are really competitive and stressed out. Sadly there were even multiple suicides this school year. But instead of trying to help students be less stressed, the admin hides the problems and instead has made teachers grade students really easily. There are no deadlines, attendance and participation do not count and students get multiple attempts for every test. Instead of this easy grading helping students, they don't try hard and wait til the last minute which stresses students out even more! And this grading only gives students a range like B/C or A/B. But when the final grade comes in, sometimes it is not even that! So students might have an A/B but then get a C! It is so stressful for students to not knowing exactly what they are getting. On the positive side, the school has a lot of clubs and sports and it offers so many classes - just don't get yourself stressed by trying to do too much!

Posted: June 15, 2023

Posted: May 18, 2023

I don't know why people give bad evaluation ? It is not true.

Posted: April 24, 2023

I went to SHS from 2018-2022, and I had a great experience. There are so many different classes, clubs, sports, activities, and events to partake in as a student. It makes it so that each individual student can try things out and find their true passions, and I think that is what High school is all about.
I attended many other schools for summer school, including Chicago Private Schools, and I couldnt help but notice how much more safe I felt at SHS. Its truly an amazing school that exceeds in education and student involvement opportunities.

Posted: April 24, 2023

Very toxic school. Keep your kids away from this school. It totally make sense why the rating went down. Do not invest in this pricy neighborhood just for this school (unless you are super rich and your kid is gifted in academic and sports). STAY AWAY!!

Posted: April 7, 2023

Great school! My daughter graduated high school last year and Im very happy with the school.

Posted: April 3, 2023

Stevenson is all about optics. If you go to the website, if you look at their social media and if you visit the school, its all very pristine and evident that its an affluent district. But when you look behind the curtain, you will find: students that are becoming increasingly apathetic and lazy due to a flawed grading system, veteran teachers that are counting down the days until retirement, young teachers who are reconsidering a career in Education but feel too golden-handcuffed to leave, parents who are either confused by school policies or milking school policies for their children's gain, and administrators who care nothing about any of this.

Stevenson uses standards-based grading (they call it evidence-based grading or EBR) and it is horrific. It has been to the utter detriment of students and teachers alike. Every academic department grades differently under EBR, which leads to extreme ambiguity, promotes the already terrible issue of grade inflation, and causes an insurmountable workload for teachers. Students openly brag about gaming the system. For students who plan to go to college, they have no idea of the reality check that awaits when they leave the bubble of Stevenson. In the end, students will be pushed through to the next grade, regardless of if they've actually mastered the content, because the admin says so and they don't want to upset their 'customers.' They are not being prepared. In fact, they are being set up for failure. What a horrible disservice to our kids, and our society as a whole.

Teachers aren't trusted as professionals. There is very little autonomy and they are micromanaged. If they don't fall in line with the administration's flawed thinking and policies, or if they raise legitimate concerns about EBR, they are treated like pariahs. Teachers who try to uphold some semblance of accountability and integrity in their courses by not inflating grades or submitting to what is, quite frankly, bullying behavior by some parents and students, are disposed of; either not renewed despite being excellent teachers or being pushed into resigning after attaining tenure. So most teachers shut their mouths and suffer in silence because they fear retaliation that may cost them their jobs. They are golden-handcuffed.

This school is toxic. This school actually operates like a big business that does not do what is best for students. Don't let all of their bells and whistles fool you. Be warned: all that glitters is not gold.

Posted: March 31, 2023

Hello! I hope this review finds you well!

I'm a current student at Stevenson High School. Adlai E. Stevenson High School was recently named one of the best school districts in the country, and is one of the best public schools in Illinois. There is a fantastic focus on embracing diversity which is reflected through cultural clubs and events like World's Fair.

Stevenson offers 31 different AP classes ranging from AP Music Theory to AP Physics C. Personally, I've taken 12 AP classes and two dual credit courses. As well, Stevenson offers a lot of accelerated coursework. The teachers are truly wonderful and care about you as a student.

After school, many students participate in various clubs. We have over 140! Whether you're interested in athletics, theatre, science fair, or anything else Stevenson probably has what you're looking for!

You should consider moving here if you want a bright future for your kids!

Posted: October 22, 2022

I graduated back in May. Its hard for me to give this a one star rating, because the school certainly has its perks. Theres lots of academic opportunities and many challenging courses. There are 100+ clubs and extracurriculars students can join. I also did have a few great teachers, but majority of them were only okay or just bad/rude. But for average or below average students, Stevenson completely neglects them. Teachers treat you based on how many AP/honors classes youre in. I strongly believe that the students best interests are not a priority here, its the reputation of being a top school. Unless you are incredibly gifted or come from a family with money, I would not recommend this high school. Dont move to this overpriced area if you havent already, there are lots of good schools in the surrounding towns (Vernon hills, Libertyville, Mundelein)

Posted: July 9, 2022

Theres a reason this school is ranked #18 nationally, and its district, which consists of only SHS, is ranked #1 nationally (at least according to Niche) this is the best school I have ever gone to! There are like 130 or so clubs and after-school activities to choose from, ranging from something as relaxing to Video Games Club, to something as intense as Debate Club or History Bowl, and the athletic program in SHS is also amazing, maybe if give the football program some leeway. I am in Fencing, and Stevensons fencing team, across all three forms is always in the top 3, comparable with New Triers and Culvers fencing program. 31 AP courses are provided, and this school also has some of the best teachers you could ever meet (shout out to Mr. Linnenburger (AP Physics 1), Mr. Wellington (Chem Accelerated), Mr. Duba (AP European History), Ms. Burns (Sophomore Eng Accelerated), Mr. Aguirre (Freshman Eng Accelerated), and many more amazing teachers). I also made like a ton of friends here, and the school itself has like 6 other feeder schools. For an unsuspecting outsider, this schools ambience and look may appear to be more like a colleges than a high school, with postmodern interiors, a giant performing arts center (the schools live-performance theatre), a huge field house, and plus an add-on indoor turf and extension to the field house, both under construction, along with 2 coffee bars in both the buildings, and many more superb features. The school also has one of the biggest student populations, of about 4,000+ students across all grades, making it more of a small college than a school. Therere also so many courses here that I can assure you your career interests would most probably not be skipped over by this school. Cheers!!

Posted: March 25, 2022

Coolest school lol ahahha I love it

Posted: March 25, 2022

Posted: May 7, 2021

last three years football program is a joke coaches not motivated They dont have connection with students one of the worst football programs in a state...

Posted: May 7, 2021

Posted: April 23, 2021

Stevenson has always been a great school. I have one child who just graduated in 2020, a Junior there and a Sophomore. They have gone above and beyond anything expected during the pandemic. The distance education implemented was amazing. the Hybrid for those students who needed to go in has been one of the best systems in the country. Everything has been clearly communicated with parents.
its telling that with no slip in standard SAT or AP scores for students, Stevenson has had less then a dozen covid cases during the pandemic. similar schools in the area that fell for the reopen parents lies have had hundreds to thousands of cases.

Posted: April 23, 2021

Posted: March 29, 2021

Our previously dearly beloved Stevenson has failed us miserably over the year 2020. I had been renting overpriced property in Lake County part of Buffalo Grove solely for the purpose of my children going to Stevenson. My son graduated from there in 2008; my daughter was supposed to graduate from there in 2022, but instead I had to withdraw her in the middle of her junior year, with SATs a month away, because she started nearly failing everything after having been a gold honor roll straight-A student her whole life. I know she was not the only student with the same outcome in 2020. Teachers and school administratiom seem to have completely gone off the deep end with communist inductorination, racist agenda, etc., while they have been rapidly and consistently failing students in the academics department. The school declined to take any sane metrics and official recommendations into consideration when deciding its in-person return plan; have stayed remote for the longest time out of all neighborhood schools, with no option for those who want to return. Their hybrid protocol has also made no sense whatsoever (much less, was 100% ineffective for the students). My daughter is now at a private high school where her grades are getting back to As. (At that school, we were also informed that just throughout the year 2000, they had 20 transfers from Stevenson - this screams for itself.) That recent shocking experience left me with no desire to ever recommend Stevenson to anyone anymore.

Posted: November 19, 2015

Mrs. Shannon Mauro has been the greatest support to me throughout these past 4 years. I and my parents truly feel she is sincere in wanting me to do my very best. Having a disability in my Speech and learning, my communication & understanding of my lessons has been hindered by it. Her sincerity, compassion and most of all patience with me in my lessons has help me earn a high GPA which I strive to maintain. I am thankful that I have had Mrs. Shannon Mauro among my other teachers and the great TA..Emma Degan, who all also give me encouragement to achieve my best in all my classes. I thank you all and wil never forget you for all that you have done for me.

Posted: July 10, 2015

We have been amazed with the environment and guidance provided by the staff at Stevenson High School. The opportunities and challenges provided by the school to our elder daughter is really unique. As a parent I wish we had attended a similar high school.

Posted: February 22, 2015

A case of the good with the not so good. Great resources overall and they do a decent job with trying to manage the size (perhaps the largest school in Illinois) so kids don t get lost. There are some faculty that are very accessible and good for the kids. While the kids at the edges of the bell curve (gifted and the not so gifted) get lots of attention and do well, if you aren t in one of those two groups, i.e. the above average students, you pretty much gets shafted in this school. The chase for AP classes (by the administration)and grades at the high end(by students, parents and their co-facilitators in the faculty) put those who don t do either and are just interested in learning are at an extreme disadvantage. I say this as a parent of 3 graduates who are also now college graduates. In short, good school and certainly worth attending but not as good as the school administration thinks it is as they chase high ratings for the school instead of focusing on the all the students equally.

Posted: October 21, 2014

This school is great, people that are saying how they were "emotionally destroyed" or "super stressed" shouldn't complain. This is high school, not vacation.

Posted: September 25, 2014

The school is well resourced. However the service is not good. One department does not talk with another. It takes multiple phone calls to get one problems solved.

Posted: September 17, 2014

Excellent school. The best in the state. Sought out by transferees into the area. Our daughter is loving SHS. Teachers are very dedicated. Great sense of SHS pride by the student body. Would not want my children to attend any other school. 10++++

Posted: April 8, 2014

I couldn't be happier w/ the academic & real world education SHS provided our kids! SHS provided great diverse peer groups, which encouraged ours to excel. Our kids learned & achieved far more @ SHS than they could have elsewhere. Students come from a wide range of backgrounds & econ. circumstances. SHS has exceptional teachers & administrators! Teachers positively influenced even our unmotivated nonconformist son who complained re SHS's discipline & pressure to conform while there. But today he praises SHS for preparing him well for college compared to students he's met. (And SHS provided him courses and trans. to/from CLC.) SHS helped our kids get into top tier colleges & prepared our kids incredibly well to learn & be independent at college. SHS has lots of extracurricular opportunities (our kids participated in band(s), swim team & lacrosse (despite minimal potential), clubs & academic teams) w/ great support from faculty & admin. Counselors were swamped by #s and college counselors pushed U of I & certain schools but did a good job overall. We dealt with security & deans due to adolescent decisions, and found them reasonable & focused on students best interests. GREAT SCHOOL!

Posted: March 10, 2014

Great diversity, terrific college preparation Note: you need to be mature and dedicated to exceed. Stay on the path and the education can't be beat...Sky's the limit, however the competitive spirit is brutal, just as in adult life! Obviously the school can also get even better. They try to exceed standards, not just in tests. Can be a springboard for leaders...

Posted: November 15, 2013

To all the parents complaining that the school is only centered on "superachievers", stop complaining. Stevenson may have a more intense atmosphere than some of the other surrounding high schools, but that's why it has had so much success. The staff and faculty wouldn't be doing their jobs if they didn't further challenge the students who were more receptive to the material. Another point I would like to make is the that vast majority of the reviewers writing complaints about the school are parents, not students. I'm a future student here and I'm excited despite the pressure because every student who attends Stevenson is given the opportunity of a lifetime to learn at the highest level offered to public school students. Don't let any of the blatantly inaccurate comments posted below keep you from sending your child to this school.

Posted: September 25, 2013

Positive, encouraging and involved are the three key words here. With a child moving across continents in tennage years you can imagine the stress as a parent. The school hooistically made it easy . There is a long way to go and many logistics to solve for but early impressions are great. I am looking forward to the character building and education Vs schooling focus to bring in great outcomes for my child in the long run. Stevenson - i am watching you closely as I have high expectations of you as my child's alma mater!

Posted: September 10, 2013

I spent some of the worst four years of my life here. This school takes kids in and destroys them. The pressure is unbearable. The security is mean and disrespectful. Sometimes I wonder if they've forgotten we're humans, not a bunch of livestock or something. Stevenson is the reason I search for the tiniest college possible. I want to be away from any environment that might slightly resemble it. This school makes me sick. Military school would be easier than this school. DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILDREN HERE unless, of course, they're gifted. Anyone who writes a positive review about this school, has probably not spent enough time in it. Stevenson sugarcoats everything to make it look like some "heavenly" learning environment. It's not. It's horrible and cruel. I couldn't be happier to be leaving.

Posted: August 24, 2013

I feel obliged to let other parents know that this is not a healthy place for any child. I agree with the last reviewer. My child is also academically very capable and was emotionally destroyed and lost his love of learning there. We had to work hard to help revive his interest and it took 2 yrs. He got a 36 on his ACT, yet didn't want to go to college due to SHS. I also agree with the idea that the main priority is ratings - academics, sports, teachers. Our son had one excellent Physics teacher and beyond that, not much. Very disappointing. I also agree that the priorities at SHS are not on students or values, but on achieving at all costs. Our son also told us that cheating is a way of life and accepted. This school just makes me sad for all the students there. Please reconsider if you are thinking of sending your child to this institution. They will be a number and if you are not ready to step in and compete for them, they may be steamrolled. We are so sorry to have had this experience in our child's educational life. We also feel our child's ACT score should not be used by SHS as their achievement - he did it despite SHS, not because of SHS.

Posted: August 2, 2013

I am a future student at Stevenson high school. We have moved there just for my education! The staff have been very helpful and the school itself is huge and its full of apple iMacs! I'm so glad I made this transfer. This is truly one of the safest and most fun environments a student can learn in. Also, this school has a variety of AP courses a student cannot take at other schools. i could not regret transferring here!

Posted: July 29, 2013

Stevenson is a wonderful school. When my children and I moved to this school last year my daughter had consistently been having trouble reading, and my son was having behavioral issues. In one year my daughter was able to catch up with her class reading, and my son has turned into a little gentleman. I can not stress how important schools are in raising a child, and I would definitely recommend this school to anyone. It is a diverse and welcoming environment where children feel like they can grow and be them selves in a positive and motivated environment.

Posted: November 10, 2012

After going to Stevenson for four years, I had a few amazing teachers, but some of them in general aren't as helpful as everyone claims. Money is unwisely spent. For example, while more than half of the school's bathroom sinks and stalls are not functional, they chose to spend their money on a million dollar library instead a few years ago. The security guards do not treat students with respect and nearly everything as far as food and beverages go is completely overpriced, and definitely not worth the money. Students are not allowed to sit on benches outside when the weather is beautiful, even where there are security cameras and security guards who can monitor students. Their rules and regulations are out of whack, and their priorities are not directed towards the students. Yes, Stevenson has its perks, but a few wonderful teachers are the only perks that I can remember.

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	Forrestal Military Community	Neighborhood/Subdivision	North Chicago	IL	8 mi
2	Forest City Nimitz	Neighborhood/Subdivision	North Chicago	IL	8.6 mi
3	Woodlake Apartments	Apartment Complex	Gurnee	IL	11.1 mi
4	Reserve at Eagle Ridge	Apartment Complex	Waukegan	IL	15.8 mi

#	Name	City	State	Overall Rating	Distance
1	Libertyville	Libertyville	IL		5.8 mi
2	Waukegan	Waukegan	IL		12.6 mi

Base	Distance
Great Lakes Naval Station	8.4 mi.
Coast Guard Chicago	30.2 mi.

Adlai E Stevenson High School

Lincolnshire, IL 60069

School Ratings

Refine Search

National Ad