For all the issues facing Roanoke's public schools, the system got upcoming William Fleming High School grad Miaisha Nunnally where she wanted to go: into Ohio State University with a raft of academic scholarships so she can study business and go into corporate finance.

The system worked for classmate Ashlee Murphy, too. With a 3.9 grade point average and 1100 on her SAT, she's off to the University of Richmond to study psychology.

And for Nikki Mays, a Patrick Henry High senior bound for Emory & Henry College to set up a career as a veterinarian.

While the city has struggled to boost its graduation rate and close achievement gaps for growing numbers of poor and minority students, data indicate its high-achieving students are as well-prepared for life after the diplomas as ever.

Scores on both the SAT and ACT college prep exams by city students have risen over the past three years, data available at schoolmatters.com show.

Roanoke's scores on those tests are competitive with scores in surrounding school systems. They're also ahead of, and in some cases well ahead of, scores in other urban districts around Virginia. The tests are nationally recognized predictors of how well students are prepared for learning at the college level.

Over the past nine years, about two-thirds of graduating Roanoke students say they plan to attend a two- or four-year college, according to Virginia Department of Education data.

"I feel like I've gotten the most out of my education at Fleming," Nunnally said.

"It's definitely worked for me, it's definitely got me in the right direction for where I want to go," said Cody Remington, a Patrick Henry student headed to the University of Virginia.

"The resources are there for you," said Thais Teotonio, a Patrick Henry student with a 4.38 grade point average soon to enter James Madison University. "School is what you make it to be."

Patrick Henry PTSA President Trisha Edwards likes the custom fit for students' strengths the system provides, such as the Center for Humanities at Patrick Henry, the International Baccalaureate program at William Fleming, and the Roanoke Valley Governor's School and CITY School programs for students at both schools.

Students interviewed agreed those programs provide consistently good teachers and close personal attention to their work.

That's something they don't always find in regular classes at their high schools, where behavioral issues can consume the teacher's attention.

"PH is so big that you ... get lost in the masses," Teotonio said.

The big difference, they say, is expectations. In their specialized programs, students find high expectations and are surrounded by nothing but high achievers.

"My friends, we all support each other," said Mays, who takes mostly advanced classes at Patrick Henry.

The success of the brightest students pleases Roanoke School Board Chairwoman Kathy Stockburger.

"This division must present challenges for every student," she said. "We do focus on those students who are struggling ... but we have high achieving students, and we need to continue to provide them challenges as well."

At the same time, she'd like to see more students taking those college prep tests.

"In some ways, these tests are looked at as belonging to a certain group of students," she said. "If a student does not see himself or herself as college material, then they're not going to choose to take it."