While chatting with an American friend, the topic of his grandson came up.

When I asked which high school he attends, he said Northside College Preparatory High School.

At first, I thought it was just a decent public high school in the northern part of Chicago. However, my friend mentioned that it's a school that requires strong academic performance for admission, so I became curious and looked it up.

What I found out was that it was not the ordinary neighborhood public school I had imagined.

Unlike general high schools in Chicago, which allow students to enroll simply by having an address in the district, there are Selective Enrollment High Schools that admit students based on grades and test scores. Northside College Prep belongs to this group.

It is often mentioned alongside the well-known Walter Payton College Prep when discussing top schools in Chicago.

The school is located on Bryn Mawr Avenue in the northern part of Chicago and opened in 1999. Despite its relatively short history, it has high academic achievement and is quite popular among Chicago parents.

Especially for Korean Americans who have lived in the northern part of Chicago for a long time, the name of the school is familiar. This is because it is close to areas like Lincoln Square and Albany Park, where many Koreans reside.

However, there is one important thing to note.

Northside is not a school where you can automatically enroll just by moving your home near the school.

It is a selective school that students from all over Chicago apply to, so one must pass the competitive admissions process. Therefore, many students manage their grades from middle school and prepare according to CPS's selection procedures.

Knowing this, I can understand why my friend was subtly bragging about his grandson.

Looking at the curriculum, it seems like a school where students study quite a lot. There are many high-level classes aimed at college preparation, and it has a strong focus on STEM fields, including math and science. The school also puts significant effort into foreign language education.

That said, it is not a school where students sit at desks all day studying.

It offers music, theater, sports, and various student clubs. Ultimately, it creates an environment where academically strong students gather and delve deeply into their individual interests.

I also thought that the real advantage of such a school is not just a few good classes but the surrounding environment.

A child who was known for studying a bit in middle school finds themselves sitting next to other high-achieving students.

This naturally raises expectations for college and changes the information exchanged among friends.

The good college admission results of graduates are likely related to this environment.

However, from a parent's perspective, it may not be a school that is automatically considered good. Since students must continuously compete among high achievers, it could be a significant burden for some children.

On the other hand, for a child who enjoys studying, finds challenging classes fun, and thrives in a competitive environment, it could be an excellent school.

If I hadn't heard about my friend's grandson attending this school, I wouldn't have known much about it.

When people think of public schools in America, they often assume that schools are determined by the neighborhood where one lives. However, in Chicago, there are schools like this that provide high-quality education by selecting students from across the city without being private schools that charge tuition.

So, if you are raising a child in Chicago, you will likely hear names like Walter Payton or Northside at least once.

Since my friend mentioned his grandson attends this school, I started to look it up casually, and the more I learned, the more I realized one thing.

"Ah, getting into this school itself was not an easy task."

It was no wonder that the grandfather had a subtly pleased expression when mentioning his grandson's school name.