POCATELLO — Century High School was recently ranked in the top seven percent of all U.S. public high schools for being one of the most challenging schools in the country.

    The school carved out a place in the 1, 746th spot. All together, 26,407 U.S. public high schools received such recognition in a recent newspaper article published by The Washington Post.

    “We're excited. It’s nice to see our hard work pay off,” said Century High School Principal Sheryl Brockett. “Our staff, students and parents are all pulling on a rope to make this happen. We want our students to leave here fully prepared for their college career.”

    The ranking is based on the number of students enrolled in advanced placement courses, graduation rates and International Baccalaureate and Advanced International Certificate of Education test scores.

    Currently, 333 students are enrolled in advanced placement courses at CHS. Roughly 1,180 students attend school at 7801 Diamondback Drive.

    The advanced placement program was created by the national college board in order to offer college-level curriculum and examinations at the high school level.

    “We have students who attend freshman orientation at Idaho State University and cannot find their name on the list,” Brockett said. “Come to find out, they have been enrolled at the sophomore level due to the number of college credits they have already earned.”

    Students are not only encouraged to enroll in the AP program at CHS but are guided each step of the way, according to Brockett.

    “We want to ensure they invest their time in courses that will be most meaningful to them in the future. The idea is to take college courses at an inexpensive rate,” Brockett explained. “We want them to enter into this program with their eyes open.”

    She continued: “What do they gain from these rigorous courses? The knowledge they need to be leaps and bounds ahead of their peers when they go on to college. That's what we’re shooting for.”

    The principal indicated the graduation rate was locked in at 99 percent with regards to the 2011/2012 school year.

    “By our own definition, 77 percent of our 2012 graduates were college/career ready,” Brockett said. “By our standards, this means they had a college transcript, completed the ACT, or SAT, test and had financial aid already lined up. We also take into account those who are preparing to go on an LDS mission or who sign up to be a member of the U.S. military.”

    A total of six Idaho-based high schools made the Washington Post’s cut. CHS is the only one from the Eastern Idaho area that appeared on the list.

    This is the second year that CHS has appeared on the “America’s Most Challenging High Schools” list.