Why Appleton North High School?

Best High School

In the 2016 U.S. News Best High Schools rankings, 64 Wisconsin schools earned silver medals and 95 were awarded bronze.

North received the silver rating. We have received this award in 2013, 2016, 2017, and 2018.

Appleton North receives the highest ranking of any high school in Northeast Wisconsin.

Appleton North School Profile: 2021-22

What Makes Appleton North a Great Place? Ask the students

Dhaivat Pandya: Class of 2015, Harvard Freshman and former Intel Scientist Talent Search Finalist

Appleton North is an incredible place. The teachers are extremely dedicated to both their subjects and their students, the administration and counseling departments are accommodating, welcoming and sincere and the student body is diverse and incredibly inclusive. The opportunities at North to learn and explore are abundant; there's always something going on that you can be part of. Academically, each department has strong offerings and the courses offer a lot to choose from. I've learned a tremendous amount from my teachers in my time at Appleton North and I've learned just as much outside of the classroom amongst my peers. I've formed friendships that will stand the test of time, learned skills that will be beneficial throughout my career and matured a great deal during my four years. Without question, North has been a crucial stepping stone for my development both as a person and as a student.

Patrick Herb: Class of 1997, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications, UW-Madison.  Author of "Make Em Believe".

For me, North High School was all about comfort. Not in the La-Z-Boy sense, but in the idea of fostering an atmosphere to be comfortable in your own skin. It was really important to me that my high school experience was diverse and engaging and North provides that. At that age, you are exploring what your passions are and I participated in everything from sports, to music, to theater, to extracurricular clubs. North gave me the freedom and support to find out who I am and then positioned me for what came next in life.
 
Joanne Zhou: Class of 2011, 2015 MIT Graduate and current Stanford Medical Student 

Appleton North provides an environment for students to thrive both academically and extracurricularly. Through getting involved in student organizations, sports, and music, I had a colorful high school experience to complement an intellectually engaging curriculum. I am grateful for the teachers and peers who helped shape my interests and passions.
 
Austin Herrling: Class of 2012, 2016 West Point Graduate, Scholarship winner to MIT 

I attended Appleton North High School from 2008 to 2012. I was fortunate to participate in a number of clubs and sports, and the involved faculty and coaches were instrumental in my growth and development. Being a member of a team at North was a unique experience; not only were coaches exceptionally engaged and caring about the students, but the relationships that I was able to build with my peers were strong, and are still enduring. The most important part of my experience, however, was the wide variety of classes that I took. North excels in providing both breadth and depth in academics and offers a large number of advanced and AP classes that served as excellent preparation for undergraduate college. I will always be grateful to have attended, and appreciative of the commitment of staff and faculty - Go Lightning!

Parent Testimonials

Kathy Gasick
Our teenagers have benefitted tremendously from being a part of the Appleton North HS community. They have had the privilege of earning college credit (AP and CAPP) as well as participating in sports, orchestra, and clubs. We’ve found the teachers and staff to be very responsive to our communication and there are some truly gifted and inspirational teachers there. Kudos to ANHS and its staff!

Debbie Selker 

When we first moved to Appleton, we selected the Appleton North district because of its high test scores academically. We were interested in our children being at a school where they would be challenged academically. We found that and so much more. Our children each found their own place to connect and thrive. Whether it was in AP academics, various sports teams, Jazz Band, Choir, Theatre, or Band each one found a place to belong. They each had teachers who connected with them, understood them, and challenged them. They each have been and continue to be impacted to this day by some of the things they learned at North. While North continues to be a place of academic excellence, we have discovered so much more beneath the numbers. We are very grateful to belong to the North family.


Appleton North a WAPAC Pacesetter School: 

Appleton North has been recognized as a level 1 pacesetter school for the 2015 test cycle.  Level 1 schools have at least 30% of its student body taking an AP exam with at least 70% of test takers scoring at least a 3 on those exams.