School Community

Cary-Grove High School is a public, four-year high school with an enrollment of 1,571 students. Located approximately 45 miles northwest of Chicago, the school serves Cary and Fox River Grove. Cary-Grove offers a comprehensive curriculum and extracurricular activities to help students expand their academic and social skills, learn about themselves, engage in positive experiences, and be involved with community outreach. There are 24 different sports and more than 30 clubs and activities.

Cary-Grove has now been ranked as one of the nation’s top 500 public high schools by Newsweek. In 2020, Cary-Grove was named Best High Schools by U.S. News and World Report. In 2017, The Washington Post named Cary-Grove one of “America’s Most Challenging Schools.“

In District 155, 83% of teachers hold a master’s degree. The teacher-student ratio is 20:1. The school also employs five counselors, three social workers, and one psychologist on its student services team.

Community High School District 155 includes four comprehensive high schools and one alternate education campus. Each institution has full State of Illinois recognition and accreditation. Enrollment includes 5,973 students from McHenry and Lake counties.

Graduation Requirements

Computer Education..............................................................................0.5 credits
English......................................................................................................4.0 credits
Social Science*........................................................................................2.0 credits
Science.....................................................................................................2.0 credits
Mathematics...........................................................................................3.0 credits
Elective Courses**.................................................................................6.0 credits
Consumer Education***.......................................................................0.25 credits
Classroom Drivers Education...............................................................0.25 credits
Physical Education & Health.................................................................2.25 credits
Total for Graduation.....................................................................20.25 credits

All freshmen must take Freshmen Seminar, a decision-making and career awareness course.

*One year must be U.S. History including passing marks on Federal and State Constitution tests.
**One credit of electives must be in art, foreign language, music, or vocational education.
***Requirement may be completed through some business classes, family and consumer science courses, or the Cooperative Education program.

Semester Grade Determination

Semester grades are calculated based on weighted categories of formative and summative assessments and a possible final exam. Percentages assigned to each category may vary based on course, with the potential final exam counting for no more than 20% of the overall grade.

Summer School

Summer school grades are indicated on the transcript with (SS). There are two sessions, each three weeks in length, with classes meeting five days per week. One half-credit is granted for successful completion of each three-week session.

Course Listing

District 155 offers a full array of courses to challenge and enhance its students' learning. To view a complete course catalog choose "Course Selection Guide" from the links list at www.d155.org.

District 155 separates courses into three categories: General (G), Honors (H), and Advanced Placement (AP). The grade point average (GPA) for these classes is calculated using the following scale:

Cary-Grove Class of 2020

Top Colleges:

1. Illinois State University
2. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
3. Iowa State University
4. University of Missouri-Columbia
5. Indiana University-Bloomington
6. University of Iowa
7. University of Tennessee-Knoxville
8. Carthage College
9. Marquette University

Top 6 Out-of-State College Destinations:

• Wisconsin
• Iowa
• Indiana
• Michigan
• Missouri
• Kentucky

College representatives are invited to visit Cary-Grove throughout the school year. To schedule and appointment, contact the College & Career Center supervisor at 847-639-3825 ext. 4153.

Class of 2021 SAT Scores

Due to the limited access to testing opportunities as a result of the global pandemic, D155 is not publishing average SAT scores for the Class of 2021.  We appreciate the holistic, test-optional approach colleges and universities are using to determine admission for students.

Cary-Grove School Profile 2020-21

Please note: This page contains links to documents that are in Adobe's PDF format.  If you have accessibility needs that make it difficult for you to access and / or interpret information in PDF format, please call 815-455-8500 or email distmail@d155.org, and we will be happy to assist you.