U.S. News and World Report just came out with its new rankings of high schools throughout the country and within states. According to national rankings, which are based on standardized test scores, access to AP courses, graduation rates, and “underserved student performance,” New Jersey high schools come in third place, just behind Massachusetts and Connecticut. Not too shabby!

To no one’s surprise, the top high schools within the state–12 out of the top 13—are almost exclusively our “magnet” schools, which have strict admissions criteria. (Irony alert: U.S. News writes, “the methodology for identifying the top-ranked Best High Schools was developed with a core principle in mind: that the top schools must serve all students well and must produce measurable academic outcomes that support this mission.”)

Schools that rank at the bottom statewide include Asbury Park High School; Barringer, Malcolm X. Shabazz, East Side High, Weequahic, West Side High, and Central High School in Newark; and Trenton Central High School.

Here are the top 25 high schools in New Jersey:

1. Middlesex County Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Technologies in Edison
2. Union County Magnet High School in Scotch Plain
3. Bergen County Academies in Hackensack
4. High Technology High School in Lincroft
5. Dr. Ronald E McNair High School in Jersey City
6. Middlesex County Academy for Allied Health in Woodbridge
7. Biotechnology High School in Freehold
8. Bergen County Technical High School in Freehold
9. Academy for Information Technology in Scotch Plains
10. Academy for Allied Health Sciences in Scotch Plains
11. Marine Academy of Science and Technology in Highlands
12. Glen Ridge High School in Glen Ridge
13. Elizabeth High School in Elizabeth
14. West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North in Plainsboro
15. West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South in West Windsor
16. Summit Senior High School in Summit
17. Monmouth County Academy of Allied Health and Science in Neptune
18. Millburn High School in Millburn
19. Livingston High School in Livingston
20. Chatham High School in Chatham
21. Northern Valley Regional High School in Demarest
22. Princeton High School in Princeton
23. Ridge High School in Basking Ridge
24. Mountain Lakes High School in Mountain Lakes
25. Montgomery High School in Montgomery