Columbia Senior High School

Columbia Senior High School

Public High School | Grade 9-12
17 Parker Ave,  Maplewood, NJ
South Orange-Maplewood School District
3.6
3.4
1,926 Students
A-
Niche Grade

School Details

Head of School
Mrs Elizabeth Aaron
Student Teacher Ratio
13:1
Average SAT Score
1290
Average ACT Score
30
Math Proficiency
30%
Reading Proficiency
69%
Average GPA
3.42
Graduation Rate
91%

Niche Grade

A-
Academics
A-
Teachers
A-
College Prep
C-
Administration
C-
Resources/Facilities
B-
Clubs and Activities
B+
Sports
C
Food
Source: Niche
Niche Grades

Niche grades and rankings are calculated using dozens of public data sets and millions of reviews. Niche data scientists and user researchers rigorously analyze data and user opinions to assess the key aspects of K-12 Schools, Colleges, and Places to Live. Every month, millions of students and families use the Niche grades and report cards to find the right school or neighborhood.

Niche Grade Details

Academics
Average GPA
3.42
Reading Proficiency
69%
Math Proficiency
30%
Teachers
Student Teacher Ratio
13:1
Teachers
149
Full Time Teachers
149
Teachers in First or Second Year
2.7%
College Prep
Average SAT
1290
Math
640
Verbal
650
Average ACT
30
Math
29
English
31
Reading
31
Science
29
Number of AP Courses
24
AP Pass Rate
83.7%
AP Math Enrollment
Very High
AP Science Enrollment
High
Other AP Enrollment
Very High
Clubs and Activities
Girls Athletic Participation
Low
Boys Athletic Participation
Low

GreatSchools Rating

6
Test Scores
3
Equity
6
College Readiness
Source: GreatSchools
GreatSchools Rating
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology

GreatSchools Rating Details

Teachers and Staff

Students Per Counselor
163:1

Student Diversity

Female
49.9%
Male
49.5%
White
50.4%
Black
30.4%
Hispanic
8.2%
Two or more races
6.9%
Asian or Pacific Islander
3.2%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
<1%
Native American
<1%

School Rankings

#13 Best HS for the Arts in New Jersey
Source: Niche

Specialty School Programs

AP Programs Offered
Free/Reduced Lunch Offered
Athletics Program

Colleges Students are Considering

Students are most interested in or go on to attend these colleges.
Rutgers University–New Brunswick 434 Students
Montclair State University 292 Students
New York University 262 Students
Temple University 210 Students
Penn State 208 Students
Kean University 192 Students
Boston University 183 Students
Northeastern University 168 Students
Rutgers University - Newark 161 Students
Cornell University 150 Students

What Students Want to Study

Niche users from this school are most interested in the following majors.
Psychology 248 Students
Business 214 Students
Biology 146 Students
Political Science and Government 105 Students
Communications 91 Students
Computer Science 90 Students
Nursing 87 Students
Marketing 84 Students
Pre-Medicine Studies 79 Students
Film and Video Studies 76 Students

This School’s Reviews

Niche Reviews
3.6 422 Reviews
4.0 Senior
4/24/2025
I like Columbia it's diverse and there's many different types of programs there to help you grow and be better as a person. We have special privileges like being able to go outside for lunch. The learning is good, teachers often push you to be better and do better. I like Columbia.
4.0 Senior
8/8/2024
Broken system with how administration handles things at school. The teachers are doing their best though and none of the students I've interacted with were rude.
4.0 Alum
1/2/2024
The school was very diverse and because it was a district shared between two towns it was very inclusive.
See All Niche Reviews
GreatSchools Reviews
3.4 16 Reviews
1.0 parent
5/6/2025
As a former graduate of this school district, it is a far fall from where it used to be. The district is over crowded, constantly being sued over teachers having relationships with students, and a special education department in shambles. We needed to have a lawyer call and threaten with a lawsuit j...
Read Full Review
5.0 parent
5/22/2018
For the academically minded, Columbia is rigorous, diverse and inclusive. The top level courses here are taught by excellent teachers. My husband and I attended top level colleges (one ranked in top ten in the world) and we believe our son is getting an education of a very high standard
Read Full Review
5.0 parent
11/18/2015
My three kids graduated from CHS. Not only is it academically rigorous (my husband and I have ivy degrees, so we feel we can assess this pretty well) but it is also a place where all sorts of kids thrive: artists, filmmakers, robotics teams, journalists, math geeks, dancers, jazz musicians, athletes...
Read Full Review
2.0 parent
3/12/2013
While there are many positive aspects to my son's experience at this school (2010 graduate), we made the decision to move out prior to our daughter starting her freshman year. We were paying very high taxes and for that expected an excellent school. If you ask the teachers themselves, they will tell...
Read Full Review
See More GreatSchools Reviews

Agents Specializing in Attendance Zone

  • SYDNEY WHITE

    SYDNEY WHITE

    IDENTITY PROPERTIES

    (866) 823-4679

    14 Total Sales

    1 in Attendance Zone

    $741,000 Price

    SYDNEY WHITE
     Section Image
  • Danielle Piccolo

    Danielle Piccolo

    COLDWELL BANKER REALTY

    (848) 271-5316

    65 Total Sales

    1 in Attendance Zone

    $570,000 Price

    Danielle Piccolo
     Section Image
  • Jennifer Sullivan

    Jennifer Sullivan

    Compass New Jersey, LLC-Montclair

    (551) 999-6274

    67 Total Sales

    1 in Attendance Zone

    $830,000 Price

    Jennifer Sullivan
     Section Image
  • Tomory Boyer

    Tomory Boyer

    EXP Realty, LLC

    (862) 329-6116

    33 Total Sales

    2 in Attendance Zone

    $380K - $950K Price Range

    Tomory Boyer
     Section Image
  • Steph Mahon

    Steph Mahon

    Compass New Jersey , LLC

    (833) 669-4351

    72 Total Sales

    7 in Attendance Zone

    $600K - $2M Price Range

    Steph Mahon
     Section Image
  • Meghan Mullin

    Meghan Mullin

    COLDWELL BANKER REALTY

    (862) 465-9437

    87 Total Sales

    1 in Attendance Zone

    $535,000 Price

    Meghan Mullin
     Section Image
See All Agents

Map

Attendance Zone

Homes for Sale

See All Homes

Homes for Rent

See All Homes For Rent

Additional Schools in the Area

Public Schools shown may be Choice Schools
Choice Schools

Choice schools may not serve this home. Please check the school district website to see all schools serving this home.

Parks in this Area

Additional Neighborhoods in this Area

Ivy Hill
Ivy Hill

Diverse Newark neighborhood near parks, schools and community events

Upper Vailsburg
Upper Vailsburg

West Ward neighborhood with access to schools and public transportation

Irvington
Irvington

Convenient commutes and competitively priced detached homes next to Newark

Union Township
Union Township

Safe and welcoming neighborhood with easy access to New York City

Lower Vailsburg
Lower Vailsburg

Lower-priced homes offering convenient access to NJ Transit routes

Hillside
Hillside

Suburb six miles south of Newark, with Latin American eateries

Search Nearby Neighborhoods
New Jersey Essex County Maplewood 07040
Columbia Senior High School

Columbia Senior High School is a public school for students in grades 9-12 in Maplewood, NJ, in the Maplewood neighborhood, and is served by the South Orange-Maplewood School District in New Jersey. The school has a total enrollment of 1,926 and maintains a student-teacher ratio of 13:1. Academic records show that 30% of students achieve proficiency in math, and 69% are proficient in reading. Columbia Senior High School has received feedback and ratings, with a Niche grade of A- and a GreatSchools Rating of 6 out of 10. The average GPA is 3.42, the graduation rate is 91%, and average standardized test scores include an SAT score of 1290 and an ACT score of 30. The average home value in this area is $1,103,544. Discover additional schools in the area, like STEM Innovation Academy of the Oranges, Newark Sch Of Data Science And Information Technology, Newark School of Data Science & Information Technology, and more. Learn more about what Maplewood has to offer, and browse homes for sale and for rent near Columbia Senior High School.

Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
SYDNEY WHITE
SYDNEY WHITE
IDENTITY PROPERTIES
Agent experienced in this area
Section Image