Saratoga High is known statewide — even nationwide — for its academic focus. With an average SAT score 300 points above the national average it wasn’t surprising that Business Insider ranked Saratoga as No. 10 on its “50 Smartest Public High Schools in the U.S.” ranking.

The list was based mostly on schools’ average SAT, ACT and statewide assessment scores, but it also took into account the rates at which students graduate and the rates at which students pursue a higher education.

“I feel like [the ranking] suits us,” sophomore Alan Xiao said. “We try really hard and I’m happy we’re above the curve.”

According to Niche.com, a website with statistics and rankings for high schools and colleges nationwide, the school boasts a 96 percent graduation rate compared to the national average of 82 percent, and proficiency rates of 94 percent and 96 percent in reading and math, respectively.

Sophomore Connor Reyes said that the motivated student body contributes to the ranking.

“We all want to succeed in life and go to a good college, so we all work hard to achieve our goals,” Reyes said.

A brief glance at the long line outside the school library during tutorials is additional evidence of student focus on schoolwork, with many working ahead of time or studying for tests during lunch and other breaks.

Junior Siavash Yaghoobi said that, despite the high stress levels on campus, the ranking is a recognition of effort.

“I think [the ranking] is a good reflection of the hard work that students at Saratoga have put in over the years,” Yaghoobi said.

Principal Paul Robinson said that while the school never submits data or scores to these magazines and websites, he said collaboration between teachers and students is a major reason for the school’s ranking on such lists.

Typically, these organizations acquire these standardized testing statistics by surveying students. For example, Niche states that they calculated the school’s average SAT score from a survey of 116 students. With high standardized testing scores and a student body motivated to pursue higher education, the ranking is to most students a result of their labor and support from teachers.

“It’s nice to have those [titles], but what really matters most is how our students feel coming to school each day,” Robinson said.