Do You Capitalize "High School"? An Expert Guide

As an education expert, I‘m often asked whether "high school" should be capitalized. This seems like a simple grammar question, but knowing when to capitalize this common term can get tricky.

In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll cover all you need to know about capitalizing "high school" properly by looking at:

• General capitalization rules
• When to capitalize high school
• Exceptions to the rules
• Differences between style guides like AP and Chicago
• Summary of the key rules

I‘ll provide detailed explanations, plenty of examples, and tips to help you apply these rules correctly in your own writing.

General Capitalization Rules

First, let‘s review some capitalization basics. In general, common nouns like "school" are not capitalized. Proper nouns that refer to specific names, places, organizations, etc. are capitalized.

Here are some examples:

• Common noun: I attended school in my hometown.
• Proper noun: I went to Jefferson High School.

With this in mind, let‘s look specifically at capitalizing "high school."

When to Capitalize High School

The main times you should capitalize "high school" are:

In Proper Names of Schools

If referring to the proper name of a specific high school, capitalize "High School." For example:

• I went to Eastside High School.
• My daughter is starting at Creekview High School this fall.

This rule also applies to commonly used short versions:

• Eastside HS has an excellent music program.
• I graduated from CVHS 10 years ago.

In Formal Titles and Documents

Also capitalize "High School" when used in formal titles and documents:

• Michelle Scott, High School Principal
• My High School Diploma from Anytown High School

Doing so adds formality and importance.

For Emphasis or Contrast

You can capitalize "High School" to add emphasis or contrast:

• High School was fun, but college is much harder!

But this is more of a stylistic choice, not a hard grammar rule.

When Not to Capitalize

Don‘t capitalize "high school" when:

Using Generically

If referring to high school in a general sense, use lowercase:

• I learned a lot during my years in high school.
• She is taking high school courses at the community college.

After Articles Like "The"

Also use lowercase after articles like "the" or "a":

• His daughter attends the local high school.
• She worked part-time jobs throughout a high school.

Lowercase is standard in these generic cases.

Style Guide Differences

Style guides like AP Style and Chicago Manual of Style have some slightly different rules around capitalizing "high school."

The Associated Press (AP) Stylebook calls for lowercase "high school" in all uses. But many other guides say to capitalize proper names and titles.

When writing for a certain publication or field, check their specific style guide for guidance.

Summary of Key Rules

Here‘s a quick recap of the key rules around capitalizing "high school":

• Capitalize proper school names
• Capitalize in formal titles/documents
• Use lowercase when generic
• Follow guides like AP or Chicago Manual of Style

Keep this summary handy whenever you find yourself wondering, "Do I capitalize high school?"

Conclusion

I hope this detailed guide clears up when and why you should capitalize this common term. The key is to capitalize "High School" when referring to a specific school name or title. But use lowercase for general references.

If you keep these core rules in mind, you‘ll be capitalizing "high school" correctly in no time at all! Let me know if you have any other questions.