Best High Schools in Zip Code 28462

In zip code 28462, there is one public high school, Brunswick County Early College, serving grades 9 through 12 within the Brunswick County Schools district. This early college stands out dramatically: it has earned a 5-star rating for three consecutive years and remains in the top 10% of North Carolina high schools, even as its state rank slipped from #27 to #56 among a growing field of schools. For parents, the most important takeaway is that this is an elite academic environment, particularly given that nearly all students (99.1%) qualify for free or reduced-price lunch—a demographic where high proficiency is rare.

On every End-of-Course exam, Brunswick County Early College far surpasses both district and state averages. In the most recent year, 97.3% of students were proficient in English II and 98.3% in Math III, while Biology proficiency was 90.5% and Math I was 84.6%. These results are 29 to 42 percentage points higher than the statewide averages, meaning a student here is almost certain to score proficient on key subjects. The school also reports an exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate of 6.9%, compared with district and state rates above 24%, and this strong attendance likely contributes to its academic success. A high student-teacher ratio of 25.5 does not appear to hinder outcomes, partly because the early college structure offers access to college-level instruction beyond the traditional classroom.

One nuance: although the school's test scores are near-elite, its graduation rate of 88.5% is solid but not extraordinary, mirroring the state average. Also, the school's rank is trending down slightly from #27 to #56, yet test scores have actually improved over that same period, suggesting other schools are gaining ground rather than a decline in quality. There is no other school in this zip code for comparison, so parents should view Brunswick County Early College as a uniquely high-performing, high-poverty school that beats state benchmarks by enormous margins—an exceptional option for college-bound students.