Comparing 2 schools: Lake Zurich & Libertyville (Vernon Hills, Deerfield: real estate, renting, credit)

[chicagoRE]

Hi. I am hoping someone can break this down for me. I imagine Libertyville to be the better of the two, but how far down the ranks does Lake Zurich stack up? I have read the US News ranking and honestly it doesn't seem like there is such a drastic difference but would like to hear from some who really know what they are talking about.
We currently live in LZ with 3 children and are considering a move to Libertyville. Are the schools enough of a reason to move? As this would be one of the main reasons we would be moving and it would shorten commute down a bit but commute would not be reason enough for us to move. Parents in my area seem to really like the LZ 95 district but I do have some concerns, mainly about condition of schools (no A/C for example in many of the schools). I like the teachers so far and know that LZ is considered a "good" school but not a top school.
Appreciate any insight!

[bigsmoke3238]

I always thought lake Zurich schools are better. I would stay in lake Zurich.

[wjj]

Originally Posted by chicagoRE

Hi. I am hoping someone can break this down for me. I imagine Libertyville to be the better of the two, but how far down the ranks does Lake Zurich stack up? I have read the US News ranking and honestly it doesn't seem like there is such a drastic difference but would like to hear from some who really know what they are talking about.
We currently live in LZ with 3 children and are considering a move to Libertyville. Are the schools enough of a reason to move? As this would be one of the main reasons we would be moving and it would shorten commute down a bit but commute would not be reason enough for us to move. Parents in my area seem to really like the LZ 95 district but I do have some concerns, mainly about condition of schools (no A/C for example in many of the schools). I like the teachers so far and know that LZ is considered a "good" school but not a top school.
Appreciate any insight!

I think most people would rate the Libertyville schools well above LZ. Libertyville routinely ranks in the top tier in the area along with Stevenson and Deerfield. Another option would be Vernon Hills HS. Same district as Libertyville (VHS opened due to over crowding at LHS in the early 2000s). Ranks almost as high as Libertyville. LZ is a good school but it does lag Stevenson, Libertyville, Vernon Hills, and Deerfield.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by wjj

I think most people would rate the Libertyville schools well above LZ. Libertyville routinely ranks in the top tier in the area along with Stevenson and Deerfield. Another option would be Vernon Hills HS. Same district as Libertyville (VHS opened due to over crowding at LHS in the early 2000s). Ranks almost as high as Libertyville. LZ is a good school but it does lag Stevenson, Libertyville, Vernon Hills, and Deerfield.

The data from US News is clear -- Libertyville HS is currently at #13 with very solid percentage of students that take the AP tests earning credit, Lake Zurich is quite a bit farther down the listings, below the top forty -- Search Illinois High Schools | US News

To be sure, there are many other nice reasons to consider living in Lake Zurich but when folks say things like the "thought X town's schools were better than Y's" they really ought to explain that with some objective numbers...

[mr roboto]

Sorry but people who chase rankings are sad. There should be tiers. Great, really good, acceptable, poor and failing. Your kids individual experience is going to be much more impacted by your parenting, friends, other programs outside of school etc than the damn school ranking.

Sorry, but 5.9 billion people on this planet are rolling their eyes at people debating between two top schools in the third largest metro in the country.

Your snowflake is pretty much like everyone else's snowflake.

Get of my lawn.

[chet everett]

There are all kinds of people that would be much better off if they went to high school that better prepared them for success in college. The US News data about high schools is valuable!

It is also quite clear that folks who've been fortunate to own homes in areas where high performing schools help drive stable / appreciating real estate values are better off financially than folks whose home prices have been dragged down by underperforming schools.

I frankly doubt the OP would use just the ranks of schools to uproot their family, and I have often said that it never makes sense for anyone to try to deal with an extended commute in the notoriously difficult traffic of the region, but anyone that ignores the rankings may regret the impact that has both economically and educationally.

[4122]

Libertyville schools are better, however, you should not base your choice on school rankings. You should look at how well certain programs are ran, the nature of the school, the teachers, etc. A school can look like a dungeon from the outside, yet still be a good school. I know that Lake Zurich has an excellent course variety, but Libertyville's is amazing: http://lhswildcats.org/files/lhs/doc...dated_math.pdf

Bottom line, if you have doubts academically about Lake Zurich schools then move. If your commute is long though, I would consider moving. What's your commute and what would your commute be like moving to Libertyville? Also, if you are working further north, have you considered Hawthorn Woods? Some of it is in the Lake Zurich school district so you can be closer to work (if you work further north) yet your kids will be in the same district.

[wjj]

Originally Posted by 4122

Also, if you are working further north, have you considered Hawthorn Woods? Some of it is in the Lake Zurich school district so you can be closer to work (if you work further north) yet your kids will be in the same district.

If one is considering Hawthorn Woods, it would be best to buy in the section that goes to Stevenson. Much better decision than buying in the section that goes to LZ. There is no contest between Stevenson and LZ. Libertyville vs Stevenson is splitting hairs. Stevenson ranks higher, but not by all that much. But Stevenson's size and sprawling campus can be a bit intimidating and many find schools like Libertyville, Deerfield and Vernon Hills more inviting. Lake Zurich is not in that tier.

[4122]

Originally Posted by wjj

If one is considering Hawthorn Woods, it would be best to buy in the section that goes to Stevenson. Much better decision than buying in the section that goes to LZ. There is no contest between Stevenson and LZ. Libertyville vs Stevenson is splitting hairs. Stevenson ranks higher, but not by all that much. But Stevenson's size and sprawling campus can be a bit intimidating and many find schools like Libertyville, Deerfield and Vernon Hills more inviting. Lake Zurich is not in that tier.

True, but of the OP wants to move closer to work without changing school districts , if work is further north, HW would be a great option. LZ is still a highly ranked school even though it's not as highly ranked as Stevenson and Libertyviile.

[chicagoRE]

Thanks everyone. Our move would be for schools only, the improvement in commute is slight. I would not consider Stevenson because I am not a fan of the size of the school regardless of how it is ranked. And honestly, I was more worried about the condition of the LZ schools (older, no A/C, things of that nature than the ranking if truth be told). I also think it is splitting hairs at this point. Yes, Libertyville (Vernon, Deerfield, etc) have a higher ranking but is it that important? Is it really? I guess I need to get a better understanding of what goes into the rankings...from what I can tell it seems that the % of kids who test for AP plays a huge role. But could be wrong here.

So, with all that being said we are staying put. It is a beautiful area and we are on the border of LZ/Kildder, 5 mins to Deer Park so very convenient. I guess I was having a moment where I was questioning the schools but am feeling much better about them. Plus I think about my high school experience, I certainly didn't go to a top ranking high school and turned out quite well and went on to college.

Anyway, thanks for answering my questions and hope I don;t regret sending my kids to just an "ok" school.