Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) records show that 51 percent of Harvard High School's (HHS) 2015 graduating class enrolled in college within 12 months of graduation.
The 2015 state average for students in public schools was 70 percent.
For HHS, its college enrollment rate marks an improvement over 2014, when 49 percent of its graduates chose post-secondary education.
Among high schools in McHenry County, the class of 2015 college readiness rates at Prairie Ridge High School (71.8 percent), Crystal Lake South High School (62.2 percent), Crystal Lake Central High School (59.5 percent), Johnsburg High School (53.2 percent) were all higher than at HHS. It was lower for Woodstock North High School (43.6 percent). The data, collected by the National Student Clearinghouse, includes two and four year colleges.
Enrollment at HHS in 2015 was 691. 166 (24.02 percent) were seniors.
Also according to ISBE, 26.8 percent of HHS seniors were "college ready" in 2015, versus an average of 46 percent statewide.
All students who score a 21 on the ACT qualify as "college ready."
HHS students did better on science (22.9 percent) and English (41.8 percent) and worse on math (19.0) and reading (20.3).
Only 9.2 percent of HHS students were college ready in all four subjects, according to ISBE.
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