REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Sept. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Chicardgo School today announced the launch of the Elite College Placement Index (ECPI), a new data-driven system for ranking high schools. Prioritizing outcomes over inputs, the ECPI is engineered to measure a single, critical outcome: a school’s track record of placing its graduates into the nation’s most selective universities and liberal arts colleges. The index synthesizes publicly available matriculation data, using a proprietary weighting system to evaluate a school’s performance in placing students at Top 25 National Universities, Top 15 Liberal Arts Colleges, and top in-state and regional universities.
- A Singular Focus: The ECPI measures one specific outcome—placement into elite universities—providing an unparalleled level of clarity for families.
- Complete Objectivity: Unlike rankings that rely on subjective parent surveys, the ECPI is built on verifiable matriculation outcomes from open and public data sources.
- A Unique Tool for Parents: No other ranking on the market is built to answer this specific question, making it an invaluable resource for navigating the competitive college admissions landscape.
To explore the full rankings, view detailed school profiles, and learn more about the ECPI methodology, visit school.chicardgo.com.
Key National Insights
Matriculation to Top 25 National Universities
Largest Gaps Between Private & Public School Performance
(Based on the difference in median T25 matriculation rates)
- Bay Area: Private schools outperform public by a median of ~31 percentage points.
- New York City: Private schools outperform public by a median of ~20 percentage points.
- Los Angeles: Private schools outperform public by a median of ~19 percentage points.
- Boston: Private schools outperform public by a median of ~14 percentage points.
- Washington, DC: Private schools outperform public by a median of ~12 percentage points.
Cities Where Public Schools Outperform
In most metro areas, the median private school has an advantage in elite placements. However, in the following cities, the median public high school sends a higher percentage of graduates to T25 universities. Only cities with a median difference greater than 1.0% are listed.
- Phoenix
- Kansas City
- Orlando
- Indianapolis
- Houston
- Nashville
Cities with Highest Private School Median
(Median T25 matriculation rates for private schools)
- Bay Area: ~42.0%
- New York City: ~39.0%
- Los Angeles: ~30.0%
- Boston: ~28.0%
- Washington, DC: ~28.0%
Cities with Highest Public School Median
(Median T25 matriculation rates for public schools)
- Phoenix: ~25.0%
- Atlanta: ~23.0%
- Denver: ~22.0%
- Seattle: ~20.0%
- New York City: ~19.0%
Matriculation to Top 15 Liberal Arts Colleges
Largest Gaps Between Private & Public School Performance
(Based on the difference in median T15 matriculation rates)
- Bay Area: Private schools outperform public by a median of ~16 percentage points.
- Los Angeles: Private schools outperform public by a median of ~12 percentage points.
- New York City: Private schools outperform public by a median of ~10.5 percentage points.
- Boston: Private schools outperform public by a median of ~8 percentage points.
- Washington, DC: Private schools outperform public by a median of ~6 percentage points.
- Denver: Private schools outperform public by a median of ~6 percentage points.
Cities Where Public Schools Outperform
In some metro areas, the median public school has an advantage in elite placements. The following cities show a higher median matriculation rate for public high schools:
- Houston
- Orlando
- San Antonio
Cities with Highest Private School Median
(Median T15 matriculation rates for private schools)
- Bay Area: ~20.0%
- New York City: ~19.0%
- Boston: ~15.0%
- Los Angeles: ~13.0%
- Denver: ~12.0%
Cities with Highest Public School Median
(Median T15 matriculation rates for public schools)
- New York City: ~8.5%
- Boston: ~7.0%
- Atlanta: ~6.0%
- Denver: ~6.0%
- Nashville: ~5.5%
About Chicardgo School
Chicardgo School is a data-driven education platform dedicated to helping families make informed decisions. Its flagship tool, the Elite College Placement Index (ECPI), is the only national high school ranking that focuses exclusively on the outcome of elite university placement. Chicardgo School is part of the Chicardgo digital media portfolio, operated by Northwestern Media LLC. Learn more about the Chicardgo brands and company mission at chicardgo.com.
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