A good HS is the most important thing. A good HS is defined as one that has a significant number of National Merit Semifinalists. This means 5 or more each year for the last five years. This will ensure that the programs at the HS, the teachers, and the kids are all at a high level and your child will be well prepared for college.
If the HS has only 1 or 2 or none each year that means that they rarely have anyone place in the top 1/2 or 1% of that state's senior class intellectually.
Interesting... I was one of 2 my year, none the year before, my brother the only one the year before that. Not a super small HS either.
