Walnut Hills High School serves a diverse student body of approximately 2,500 students in grades 7–12, drawn from every Cincinnati neighborhood and surrounding communities. Forty-three percent of students are from minority backgrounds and 26 percent are economically disadvantaged, reflecting Walnut Hills’ deep commitment to educational opportunity across the city. The school’s faculty is among the strongest in the region, with 83% holding master’s degrees or higher and many are National Board-certified teachers.

Academically, Walnut Hills remains anchored in a rigorous classical liberal arts curriculum, including the long-standing requirement of three years of Latin for incoming seventh and eighth graders. This foundation is layered with one of the most robust advanced programs in the nation: 35 Advanced Placement courses, more than any other public or private high school, supported by an Honors Program and extensive college-level coursework. In 2025, more than 1,100 students took over 2,000 AP exams, with 91% earning scores of 3 or higher on at least one exam.

Walnut Hills students consistently perform far above national norms, with SAT and ACT averages well above the U.S. mean, and 100% of students passing Ohio graduation requirements, the majority earning Honors Diplomas. More than 96% of graduates go on to college or university study, many entering with advanced standing.

The school is also nationally recognized for its arts, athletics, and extracurricular excellence. Walnut Hills offers five major dramatic and musical productions each year, award-winning bands and orchestras, AP Studio Art and AP Music Theory, over 90 athletic teams, and more than 70 clubs ranging from robotics and Model United Nations to art, philanthropy, and Youth in Government. Students compete and excel in National Mathematics Examinations, FIRST Lego Robotics, foreign-language competitions, Harvard Model United Nations, and national arts and writing contests.

In recognition of its excellence, Walnut Hills High School was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2023 and in 2025 was ranked the #1 high school in Ohio by U.S. News & World Report, as well as one of the top high schools in the United States.

More than a school, Walnut Hills is a living institution—one where tradition and innovation walk hand in hand. From its Jefferson-inspired campus to its globally accomplished alumni, Walnut Hills High School continues to fulfill the promise set forth more than a century ago: to cultivate curious minds, disciplined thinkers, and principled leaders who are prepared to shape the world.

As the school motto states: SURSUM AD SUMMUM or “Rise to the Highest.”