ATLANTA -- Fifty-one schools in Georgia made Newsweek magazine's list of of the 1,500 top U.S. high schools.

Gwinnett and Cobb counties each had 12 schools make Newsweek magazine's list of the top 1,500 rated schools in the country.

And if you count Marietta High School, Cobb County as a whole had 13 on the list.

“As soon as I got here I heard, ‘Lassiter's number one in this or Lassiter's number one in that,’” said junior Jonathan Vazquez.

Lassiter High School in Cobb County ranked 354 in Newsweek's list of America's Top Public High Schools.

The school is so famous Kay Watkins moved her family to Marietta just so her son could go to Lassiter.

“The academics, athletics, the band program, everything they do they do well, and the parental involvement is terrific,” said Watkins.

Lassiter and eight others on the Newsweek list also impressed us, grabbing the title of CBS Atlanta's Cool Schools.

CBS Atlanta wanted to know what made them so successful. Did they simply spend their way to top?

Of five metro-Atlanta counties, Cobb actually spent the least last year, with less than $8,000 spent per student.

Gwinnett, which tied Cobb with 12 on the Newsweek list, spent less than $8,500.

And because the list is based on the number of students taking Advanced Placement and other college prep tests divided by the number of graduates, Lassiter Principal Chris Shaw believes being frugal may actually be what puts them at the top.

“Parents understand that if the students take those AP classes, they can get college credit, and that saves people money,” said Shaw.

“We know that if students prepare themselves, they'll be more successful in college, they'll be more successful in the line of work they choose,” said Gwinnett Area Superintendent John Green.

And Green hopes that success will only continue to grow next year.

“All the schools are striving to be on the list,” said Green.

Fore the complete list click here.