Mountain Brook High School
National Merit Semifinalists
Mountain Brook High School’s 10 National Merit Scholar Semifinalists in 2025.
As Mountain Brook students enter the second quarter of the 2025-26 school year, new data confirms a strong foundation built last year — continuing the district’s tradition of academic excellence across grade levels and exam types.
Students posted standout results on the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program, ACT, PSAT and Advanced Placement exams. From early benchmarks in reading and math to college-level test scores, Mountain Brook students outperformed state and national averages in nearly every category.
“We don’t hang our hat on test scores each year; however, we are pleased with the results from our students and their ability to take their classroom learning and succeed in a testing environment,” Superintendent Dicky Barlow said. “We want to ensure that each one of our students has access and opportunity to do his or her best in every aspect of every day.”
Strength in ACAP performance
Each spring, students in grades two through eight take the ACAP in reading and math, with additional science testing in grades four, six and eight. In 2025, Mountain Brook students exceeded the state average by at least 40 percentage points in English language arts across all grade levels. Fifth-grade scores led the way, with 98 percent meeting the benchmark and 74 percent exceeding it.
Math scores remained strong, with 82 percent of students across all grades meeting the benchmark and 35 percent exceeding it. Among second graders, 88 percent met the standard and 44 percent exceeded it — one of the highest rates exceeding the benchmark in the state.
Science scores told a similar story. In eighth grade, 85 percent of students met the benchmark, compared to just 41 percent statewide.
Across core subjects, Mountain Brook’s test results have shown steady growth since 2023. In English language arts, for example, fifth-grade scores rose from 91 percent meeting the benchmark in 2023 to 98 percent in 2025 — with more than double the number of students exceeding expectations over that span.
College readiness metrics
At the high school level, sophomores scored an average of 21.7 on the PreACT, significantly ahead of the national average of 17.0. Mountain Brook’s PreACT scores have also remained consistent, with 10th-grade students averaging between 21.7 and 22.1 over the past five years — nearly five points above national averages each year.
Juniors who took the ACT with Writing averaged 25.1 — outperforming both the state average (18.0) and national average (19.6). Mountain Brook students often take the ACT multiple times before graduation, and the average score per graduating class typically exceeds even this already-strong benchmark.
Since 2020, Mountain Brook’s ACT scores have remained stable, ranging between 24.5 and 25.3 — even as national and state averages have steadily declined. The national average dropped from 20.8 to 19.6 during that period, while the state average fell from 19.1 to 18.0.
National Merit honors
Ten Mountain Brook High School students were named National Merit Semifinalists in 2025 — a recognition based on top performance on the PSAT. These academically talented seniors scored between 1400 and 1520, placing them among the top students nationwide.
This year’s honorees are: Sisi Holden, Emmy Grace Cribbs, Polly Allbritton, Eleanor Couch, Ada Dapkus, Jeb Blair, Leo Eriksson, Max Benton, Harrison Dobbins and Zach Hendrickson.
Mountain Brook’s average PSAT score was 1086, compared to the national average of 949.
AP results set new high
Mountain Brook High School administered 1,212 AP exams across 27 different courses. Of those, 91 percent scored a 3 or higher — the highest rate for MBHS in the past four years. The global average was 73 percent.
Of the 1,212 AP exams taken, 294 students earned the highest score of 5, while another 505 scored a 4 — meaning nearly two-thirds of all test-takers reached the top two levels.
