McDowell High School
- Public
- ERIE, PA
Public School
McDowell High School
- grade B+Overall Grade
- Public
- PK, 9-12
- ERIE, PA
- Rating 3.7 out of 5 546 reviews
Report Card
- Academicsgrade B
- Diversitygrade B
- Teachersgrade A minus
- College Prepgrade B minus
- Clubs & Activitiesgrade B+
- Administrationgrade B minus
- Sportsgrade A minus
- Foodgrade B
- Resources & Facilitiesgrade C
editorial
About
McDowell High School Rankings
Niche ranks nearly 100,000 schools and districts based on statistics and millions of opinions from students and parents.
Academics
Percent Proficient - Reading
76%
Percent Proficient - Math
76%
Average Graduation Rate
94%
Average SAT
1180
629 responses
Average ACT
25
89 responses
AP Enrollment
14%
Popular Colleges
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Map
Map
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- Cost of Livinggrade B
- Good for Familiesgrade A minus
- Housinggrade B+
Median Household Income
$77,400
National
$75,149Median Rent
$1,028
National
$1,268Median Home Value
$207,200
National
$281,900Culture & Safety
Poll
73%
of students agree that they feel safe at their school. 60 responsesPoll
68%
of students agree that they like their school and feel happy there. 60 responsesStudents
Diversity
grade B
Based on racial and economic diversity and survey responses on school culture and diversity from students and parents.
Students
2,198
Free or Reduced Lunch
34%
83%
of students and parents agree that students at this school are competitive. 65 responses62%
of students and parents agree that students at this school are creative and artsy. 65 responses86%
of students and parents agree that students at this school are athletic. 65 responsesPreschool
Annual Cost
No data available
Cost is for the most complete schedule offered and may have changed for the current school year. For more information, please contact the school.
Starting Age
3 years
Pre-K Student-Teacher Ratio
No data available
Website
No data available
Schedule Options
- Offers Full WeekNo data available
- Offers Part WeekNo data available
- Offers Full DayNo data available
- Offers Part DayNo data available
Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
National
17:1Average Teacher Salary
$65,681
Teachers in First/Second Year
11.4%
57%
of students and parents agree that the teachers give engaging lessons. 87 responses70%
of students and parents agree that the teachers genuinely care about the students. 87 responses66%
of students and parents agree that the teachers adequately lead and control the classroom. 87 responsesClubs & Activities
Clubs & Activities
grade B+
Based on student and parent reviews of clubs and activities.
Girls Athletic Participation
Low
Boys Athletic Participation
Average
Expenses Per Student
$13,650 / year
National
$12,23989%
of students and parents agree that there are plenty of clubs and organizations for students to get involved in. 88 responses40%
of students and parents agree that clubs and organizations get the funding they need. 88 responses75%
of students and parents agree that lots of students participate in clubs and organizations. 88 responsesSimilar Schools
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McDowell High School Reviews
Rating 3.7 out of 5 546 reviews
McDowell boasts an excellent athletics department, as well as an accredited academic pride to accompany it. This school prides itself on personal achievement, along with allowing creativity and an ability to freely express your thoughts. The teachers are very helpful and provide sufficient academic challenges to prepare you for the real world or higher education. Many teachers offer a personal experience with their students, are friendly, and have academic integrity. The staff is always kind and encouraging, as well as being very understanding of your situation. The food is not great, however, most things run smoothly around the school. The McDowell Trojan football team is a state competitor yearly, Go Trojans!
There's strong teacher-student relationships, and most of the teachers I had were good teachers. The AP programs are good as well, I know our AP Physics teacher is recording AP daily videos for College Board and our AP Chem teachers have had a 100% pass rate on the exam for the past 4 or 5 years (not counting COVID). I think the students are generally pretty nice. Administration is lacking, made a couple decisions the past couple of years that had both students and teachers perplexed. For a public high school in Erie, PA, I'd say it's pretty good.
McDowell is a solid public school that offers many AP classes that can prepare you for college and allow you to earn credits, plus supports non-college avenues after high school such as technical school. Most teachers at McDowell genuinely care about their students and wish for them to succeed. It is a very good school for STEM and research-focused learning, as the science and math departments have great teachers and offer almost all of the STEM APs. Sports are also very funded, so McDowell is an ideal school for any athlete. However, the arts and humanities aren't as emphasized, although there are still many classes offered concerning them. The only bad things I have to say is that the food is sometimes moldy and student life can be toxic. But, overall, it is a pretty good school that prepares you for life after high school and offers classes for every interest.