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Lane Tech College Prep
Rating Details »
Category: Middle Schools & High Schools [Edit]
Neighborhood: Roscoe Village2501 W. Addison Street
Chicago, IL 60686
(773) 534-5400
26 reviews for Lane Tech College Prep
To Survive at Lane:
1. You must have a NorthFace jacket and UGGs or at least some UGG look-a-likes.
2. Never wear your hangaround or gym clothes.
3. Steal chicken from Jewel.
4. Go out for lunch during your freshman year.
5. Get to know the security guards.
6. Ditch during Turkey Bowl.
Oh and...
7. Try hard in classes and take Honors + AP cause it pays off!
I have NO CLUE why people are bashing this place.
I guarantee most of the people on here that are BSing didn't even go there.
This school has it all.
Sports, academics, and clubs.
And no, kids don't ditch school for weeks. The school would definitely be aware of a ditch.
I have no clue what Lane is like today, so my ranking is half as old as the institution.
I started at Lane 50 years ago, in 1959. It was the year after it started taking only the top students from the grammar schools. I remember how proud I was to have been selected. I was a poor, Southern redneck who first came to Chicago because Dad could get a job driving for the CTA., which beat sharecropping.
We moved away before the end of my Freshman year, but I credit the confidence I gained from my admission and short time at Lane for becoming the first member on either side of my family to have graduated high school, graduated college and law school, also picking up a Master's along the way.
Now as I prepare to retire I still remember Lane . . . and still wake up from nightmares of getting lost on my way to science class. Damn it was huge. At least Lane is co-ed now, so I guess the old taunt is dead: "It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a fairy from Lane."
c/o 2003:
I can't believe some of these reviews that say they got away with everything, they never went to class. I had both Honors and Regular classes and never once did I witness kids just being missing for days (or months like some people claim) and still passing the class. It sounds like a total exaggeration to me. I should know because I missed a month of school when I was going through a hard time. I had to explain myself to my teachers and my mom. I had to go to tutoring every morning and every afternoon to get my grades up. I guess you could say the teachers cared about me enough that they wanted me to pull myself together again.
I liked the long list of groups, clubs and sports teams. I wish I had been able to participate in more things.
I'd like to believe I received a great education and just like other people have mentioned.. it all depends on what kind of student you are. I graduated from college less than three years after Lane and I think it's because Lane taught me a lot about perseverance and success.
The weird things that would make me question letting my kids apply to Lane:
My cousin scored a 94 in the selective program, out of 100. She wanted to go to Lane and thought she was a shoe-in so she didn't apply anywhere else.. but they denied her. Her friend, a Caucasian girl, was accepted with a 73. I don't understand in what world that would make sense. I later found out that girl had "connections" and when I complained about it, I was told they had fulfilled their quota for Latinas so that's why my cousin was denied.
The security guards flirted with the girls and the girls that didn't pay them any attention (like me) were picked on. They'd constantly check my locker or my bookbag, one of them even grabbed me by the neck in one instance. One of my teachers saw and we made a report. But nothing ever happened to that guy until he was caught messing around with a girl and was sent to jail. Good riddance. I still have my doubts about the other guards...
I had some amazing teachers and classes at Lane Tech. Classes are only fun if they're Honors or AP. Otherwise, expect a lot of dummies in your classes. The school is huge and I wouldn't have it any other way. You don't get lost and you learn to walk quickly. All in all, I had a great education.
My sister is attending Lane Fall '09, so I'll update with her experience.
Class of '98!
Took off one star because they're no longer a "tech" school. When I went there, I took wood shop, machine shop, sheet metal shop, and auto shop. It was fun working with my hands; I still have a wood mirror frame I made in freshman year :)
It's a huge, diverse school with some of the best students in Chicago. Back then, it was ranked 2nd behind Whitney Young. Right now, it's one of eight high schools that uses selective enrollment. So many clubs and extracurricular activities. Students from other high schools would flock to Lane Tech every year for International Night to watch different dances/performances from all the various clubs.
They offered regular, honors, and AP courses. Lane was the first high school in Chicago to have "Adventure Gym", which was indoor rock climbing and group trust activities. I took 2 years of that when it first started. Overall, I had a good experience at Lane, and it's still one of the best high schools in Chicago. It's also been around since 1908! So much history within those walls.
Stuff you need to know about Lane Tech:
- Don't screw around in Algebra class your first semester or else your reward will be four sweltering weeks in Summer School.
- Marching Band is a great excuse to get out of classes
- Don't EVER bring up Lane Tech in SF Yelp Talk if at all possible
- Damn kids won't get off my lawn/stop parking on my street
- Some of my favorite Yelp peeps are grads: Alice S., John B., Mike O., Nikki C. and some chick named Linda P. Who the hell is this Linda P.???
Countess Gregula (class of '86)
So many goths.
This place is a Columbine in the making!
5 STARS!!
I can't say anything about the school's educational or extra-curricular offerings. What I can and will say something about is the students who leave campus at lunch and walk all willy-nilly into the street. Kids, you are not Moses and that traffic on Western is not the Red Sea. Not that you know about that story because in public high school they shouldn't be teaching you the bible. But I digress.
Get out of the street. My Honda is not very big, but it certainly can take you .
Lane Tech is a great school if you want to get away with doing NOTHING during your entire high school experience!
i know that it's changed since most of the people who've reviewd so far went there. I'm a 2000 graduate and I spent four years goofing off and barely showing up and I graduated with a C average. That's GREAT considering I never went to class and I never did any work at all!
My Radio & TV Broadcasting teacher gave me a B, even though I stopped going three months before school ended. I've had many many teachers give me an A or a B just because I was a girl. During my sophomore year, my history teacher bumped everyone's grades up one letter so that NO ONE COULD EVER FAIL. During my senior year, I had an older boyfriend with his own apartment so I'd just show up for gym because he graded our attendance and then I'd hide in the bathroom during division and then leave for my boyfriend's.
Lane's a fantastic school to brush up on your social skills. Because it's so big, it's really easy to cut class and no one cares anyway. You pass even though you don't do anything!!! It's pretty fucked up.
Going here was almost like living in a cheesey high school movie from the 80's. Teachers were crazy and the kids got away with everything. Security guards were busted for SLEEPING WITH THE STUDENTS. REALLY. One of our art teachers was busted for stealing kid's artwork and selling it at art fairs as her own! I had her and she was very adament about us only signing our names in pencil. Duh, she was erasing them later and adding her own. She would never give our work back either and one of my friends had to bring her mom to school to scream at her to get her artwork back.
The kids were nuts too. They liked to gather around the totem pole in the morning and get wasted before class. I don't know if she was lying or not, but during my freshman year a girl came up to me in the lunchroom and proudly proclaimed that she'd just been snorting coke at her table. Kids were tripping on acid during class all the time. One kid told me that he frequently held orgies at his house after school since his dad worked nights and his mom wasn't around. I guess this was an invitation, but it just made my skin crawl to hear it. ICK.
I do have to say that kids who want something out of Lane get it, but there's nothing pushing the kids who just want to have a good time. There's no discipline, unless you're self disciplined. If your kid has problems making themselves do what they have to and being responsible, don't send them here. In that case, it's just going to be like a junior party school preparing them for horrible drinking binges and slut fests in college. Since I wasn't looking to learn (something I regret) I enjoyed it, but I know it's not a good school. At least not anymore.
I know students who have gone here but I got a NY education (Thank God). I just love driving past this building- it's so beautifully built!
Why does everyone badmouth this place?
It's better than all neighborhood schools.
It's in the middle when it comes to Selective Enrollment schools.
It has so many extra curriculars which pays off big when it comes to college.
Not to forget the size. You'll make life long friends.
The only negatives were some of the teachers and every school has bad teachers.
The size of the school can be frustrating too..
Observed classes there-awesome school
My Alma Mater, and my graduating class bought the crappy metal totem pole which Michelle F. photographed. Imagine trying to get from one class to another in this behemoth in only 4 minutes. I have no idea how we did it.
Tidbit #1: Although you can't see it from the street, there's a big enclosed courtyard in the middle of the building (behind the clock tower). Inside is the Memorial Garden, which is dedicated to Lane's war dead. The garden is only open to seniors, so underclassman all look down in envy. The nice thing, though, is that because of this, all classrooms have a sunny exposure. Also, on the roof of the building there's a greenhouse.
Tidbit #2: Lane has an extensive collection of murals, all along the walls, and in some other places, such as the metal fire curtain on the stage. 66 in all. Some were commission in the early 1900s, for Lane's first building, some were painted for the Century of Progress World's Fair, and the rest were painted during the Depression by the WPA. You can check those out here: http://www.lanetech.or....
I guess there isn't much to say here. I'm very happy with how school went for me. I did well in class. I had fun playing football and being part of a winning program. I liked the tech classes (sorry I had to knock you down for getting rid of the tech). It seems hard to grade the school I have been away from since 2003. If I had anything to say is that I hope they challenge their students more. I know some smart kids that haven't gotten in lately, so maybe they've raised their standards somewhat. My thing is that I did well in high school without much effort.
I'm a Lane alumna too, class of '76. I wish I could give it more stars, but I don't think the program is as rigorous as it was 30+ years ago. Honestly, I wouldn't have wanted either of my children to attend Lane. It's population exceeds that of many small towns, and I don't think the students and faculty care as much as they could about excellence. My son graduated from Von Steuben (Scholars Program) and my daughter attends Northside College Prep.
One positive is that it is one of only a handful of high schools that offers Italian. My daughter studied Italian all through grade school, and almost chose Lane because of this one factor.
BTW, I was a "Garden Guard" in my junior year, so I was able to enjoy the "Senior" Garden a year early!
This historic school is Huge! There are about 5,000 kids enrolled here. When classes get out at the end of the day it looks like a concert let out.
Beacause it's a Tech school they are more college prep. Obviously alot of these students never make it to college, but Lane does their part to give them the option. One of the areas of expertise is Drafting. No not for the military( don't get me started). Drafting, architecture, shop classes etc.. They help young people learn a trade that will hopefully keep them off the streets and out of the jails when they grow up. It's up to the students what they get out of this great school. I guess they get out what they put in for the most part.
Agreed, took off 1 star for no longer being a tech school. You get exactly what you want from Lane. If you want to spend your 4yrs goofing off its possible, you'll end up with nothing, but if you want to succeed you have more than enough opportunities. Although it is very diverse, everyone tends to stay within their own little cliques. It's a huge and for people that are unfamiliar with it it can be a pain just trying to figure out where you are. I had great legs back in hs thanks to them giving me wood shop on the 1st floor by M and expecting me to get to biology on the 4th floor right in front of Z in 4 minutes!
My Alma Mater. My experience was much like Jewlia K., only it was the 80s. I would never, ever send my child to this school or any Chicago public high school besides Walter Payton. If your kid can't get in there, move to the suburbs. Chicago schools suck, and Lane Tech is little more than a huge prison for teenagers.
Classes were easy and a blow off, teachers were tenured and completely dysfunctional, too many teenagers crammed into overcrowded classrooms. The curriculum was a joke compared to my grade school IB program at Ogden Elementary.
This is the best high school ever! The kids are exceedingly intelligent, and the teachers are super cool! The kids have to pass a test to get here. The school is college prep and has lots of honors and AP classes. The atmosphere here is different here from any other school. The kids are polite and friendly and the academic program is excellent! Highly recommend!
lane tech is a decent school, tho i kinda feel like they just added the "college prep" title to their sign... granted, its pretty up there for being a public school, certainly was one of my choices back when i was deciding what HS to attend.
you have to have a certain score (was it 85%?) on the ITBS aka-middleschool standardized test to test into it, then a 75% to get in. so its still pretty good... We will put it this way: i was a gifted kid in grammar school, and lane was my "safety" school. However, it was also my 3rd choice if i wouldn't have gotten into my 1st one(or 2nd one).
as a sidenote, the population is huge, and its pretty diverse, but also segregated, as many clicks form that are race-based, which kinda sucks but oh well
class of 1994 - Yes, wow all these Yelpers are LANEITES!! : ) Remember, track and field, the Cubs Game, Hmm getting to class in less than 3 minutes that was about a block away from your locker. The Bio lab, Chem lab burning, and P.E. - finding reasons to sit out of a game or activity. Chess club, Hawaiian club, Church club, Ethnic club, Science Club, Auto Shop, Machine Shop, Drafting....Yes, all these lovely memories. I did like the diverse classes at Lane compare to Von Steuben - which I attended from freshman - sophomore year. Lane did offer much more as an experience w/ academia, social groups, 5,000 students, and also creative outlets in music, craftsmanship, sports, etc. All in all, I enjoyed my "less responsiblity" days of highschool. Great school to be at my teenage years.
92' REPRESENT! Honestly , I cannot badmouth this place too bad. You had your shit teachers (*ahem* Choffnes-Autoshop. What kind of autoshop doesn't let you touch tools for the first 4 weeks? DOUCHE!) , and your good teachers (I liked Eugene O'Neil-English). The place was old and a bit dingy , but you have to admit , the place was really nice looking. The place was made famous in the movie Wildcats , and was within a stones throw of WGN TV (Bozo's Circus anyone?). Didn't give a crap about activities and teams , and had no school pride at all when I went there. Yet for some reason I have a bit of pride today when I point Lane out to my kid these days. I suppose I would recommend it to somebody if they asked my humble opinion about it.
All the work I'm doing to get my daughter in better pay off!
Not a bad school but not a great school. I am an alumni and since the school has lost it's "tech" and embraced the "college prep" of the new higher profile schools such as Walter Payton or North-Side I'm not quite up to date on the latest greatest news. That being said because of the schools huge population make sure your not sending your kid who easily falls through the cracks and will get lost in the system without receiving the attention they need (hopefully you know your child well enough). Also ask if they have gained a newer younger staff of teachers that aren't bitter about teaching and holding on to every last bit of tenor they can. As far as public schools go this is def. one of the better ones in the city and I think given the right personality your child may succeed and take away some pretty good life lessons along with a good education. Anyway just somethings to thin over before sending you kid there.
Among the best high schools in the city, this school is big and on a beautiful campus with green space. A friend went here and said the classes were very challenging, but worth the work.
A really nice school. Just by the exterior, anyone can see how nice it really is!!! However, if you decide to go here, watch out. The classes can be difficult, but nonethe less well worth it. They can really get you ready for the future!
