Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) records show that 48.4 percent of Joliet Central High School's (JCHS) 2015 graduating class enrolled in college within 12 months of graduation.
The 2015 state average for students in public schools was 70 percent.
For JCHS, its college enrollment rate marks a decline since 2014, when 49.7 percent of its graduates chose post-secondary education.
The data, collected by the National Student Clearinghouse, includes two- and four-year colleges.
Enrollment at JCHS in 2015 was 3,222; 659 (20.45 percent) were seniors.
Also according to ISBE, 22.9 percent of JCHS seniors were "college ready" in 2015, versus an average of 46 percent statewide.
All students who score a 21 on the ACT qualify as "college ready."
Among high schools in Will County, the class of 2015 college readiness rates at Lincoln-Way North High School (63 percent), Plainfield South High School (45 percent), Plainfield High School (41.1 percent), Joliet West High School (40 percent), Crete-Monee High School (33.9 percent) and Reed-Custer High School (44.1 percent) were all higher than at JCHS
JCHS students did better on reading (21.4 percent) and English (39.9 percent) and worse on math (16 percent) and science (17.3 percent).
Only 8 percent of JCHS students were college ready in all four subjects, according to ISBE.
Alerts Sign-up