Top Schools & Universities

In Virginia Living’s Top Schools & Colleges 2020, we recognize more than 160 schools—including public and private colleges and universities, private high schools, private K-8 schools, public school systems, and special needs schools—for their achievements, programs, and outstanding curriculum. After a thorough review of more than 400 schools across the Commonwealth, Virginia Living’s editors selected those with programs aimed at strengthening students’ experiences in the classroom, in the field, and in their communities. From getting their hands dirty in gardens, greenhouses, and wildlife preserves to using cutting-edge technology in robotics clubs and makerspaces, Virginia students are diving into learning. Colleges and universities are paving new paths, increasing readiness for jobs in fields like cybersecurity, and offering exciting new experiences, like women’s triathlon, to their roster of sports. Top Schools & Colleges 2020 is a collection of the amazing stories, programs, students, and teachers we found in looking at the state of education in the past year.