To get a job at Goldman Sachs, you've got to know your stuff. But financial knowledge alone isn't enough to land you a highly coveted gig at the financial giant.

To make the cut, you'll need to prove you have the skills, experience, and motivation to thrive — and you'll also need to prove that you're a good cultural fit. In other words: You'll need to ace the interview.

We sifted through reports from Glassdoor to find some of the trickiest and diciest interview questions Goldman has to offer.

Whether you're applying to be a summer associate or a VP, here are a few questions to master before you walk in the door.

This is an update of a story originally written by Rachel Sugar.

SEE ALSO: 13 tough interview questions you may have to answer if you want to become a flight attendant

'If you were an object, what would you be?' — Financial-analyst candidate

'How many square feet of pizza are eaten in the US each year?' — Programmer-analyst candidate

'What is more important, creativity or efficiency?' — Operations-analyst candidate

There are a lot of misconceptions regarding introverts.

Some people look at those they consider introverted and toss out all kinds of hyperbole, such as, "they are so shy they would not being able to deliver a speech in a public," or "she is so shy and introverted she does not like people all."

However, these almost prejudicial overstatements are rarely the case.

After all, introverts have been responsible for some of the greatest achievements in the history of mankind, as well as being some of the most successful business and political leaders in the world.

Here are 23 of the most successful introverts in history:

SEE ALSO: What 17 successful people read before bed

Albert Einstein

As one of the world's most recognized and revered physicists of all-time, Einstein has often been quoted as saying, “The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.” Einstein received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921 and is best remembered as the founding father of the theory of relativity … and so much more.

Rosa Parks

Parks became one of the most important Civil Rights-era figures in 1955 after refusing to give her bus seat up to a white man. In the introduction of her book Quiet: The Power Of Introverts In A World That Can’t Stop Talking, Susan Cain states:

I had always imagined Rosa Parks as a stately woman with a bold temperament, someone who could easily stand up to a busload of glowering passengers. But when she died in 2005 at the age of 92, the flood of obituaries recalled her as soft-spoken, sweet, and small in stature. They said she was ‘timid and shy’ but had ‘the courage of a lion.’ They were full of phrases like ‘radical humility’ and ‘quiet fortitude.’

Bill Gates

The founder of Microsoft, philanthropist, and world's richest person, was once asked how to succeed in a predominantly extroverted world.

“Well, I think introverts can do quite well. If you're clever you can learn to get the benefits of being an introvert, which might be, say, being willing to go off for a few days and think about a tough problem, read everything you can, push yourself very hard to think out on the edge of that area. Then, if you come up with something, if you want to hire people, get them excited, build a company around that idea, you better learn what extroverts do, you better hire some extroverts, like Steve Ballmer I would claim as an extrovert, and tap into both sets of skills in order to have a company that thrives both as in deep thinking and building teams and going out into the world to sell those ideas.”

Ask The Insider columnist Ashley Lutz answers all your work-related questions, including the awkward, sensitive, and real-world ones. Have a question? Email asktheinsider@businessinsider.com.

Dear Insider, 

I work in a tiny industry in South Africa where everyone knows everyone. I love my job and profession. The problem? My boss. I'm afraid she doesn't like me. She has acted maliciously toward me, and we have many personal differences. 

Two years ago I was diagnosed with depression, and my manager told me I should not go on medication but become a Christian instead. I'm a Hindu and politely declined. She told me depression is in my head and I feel this way because I'm ungrateful for what I have and it's the work of the devil. 

She also embarrassed me at a colleague's going-away party. When my friend opened my gift, she said, "Wow, you were obviously counting pennies!" She publicly diminished the value of my gift in front of everyone. I was so embarrassed.

I'm applying to new jobs and am about to be certified as a manager in my field. I'm worried that my boss will tell people bad things about me that will keep me from succeeding. 

How can I overcome this and have a successful career in my field?

Sincerely,
Dealing With A Mean Boss 

***

Dear Dealing,

I'm so sorry to hear how your boss has mistreated you. While I'm not sure what the employment laws are like there, in the US her comments about your depression and religion would be characterized as harassment and would likely cost her the job.

I'm guessing that for whatever reason, you aren't comfortable reporting your manager's behavior — although I'd recommend considering it. If your boss is such a repugnant person, it's likely that other people have also seen or experienced her unprofessional conduct. 

Still, I can see why you would worry that her negative words would make people wary of you. 

SEE ALSO: Help! I'm interviewing for jobs and don't know how to leave work without lying

You say that you work in a tiny industry where everyone knows everyone. That means it should be easy for you to find ways to network and make a positive impression on your own. Ask people in the field if you can buy them a tea or coffee and get their thoughts on the industry.

Then when you're applying for a job, more people will recognize your name and say good things about you. 

Even though it might be tempting, don't say anything bad about your boss to them. Keep it light and positive. Making connections on your own lessens the chance that they will call your boss, or at least makes it less likely her words will have an impression.

SEE ALSO: Help! My coworkers are judging me for refusing the 'more hours' mentality

I'd also work on forging strong relationships with your other colleagues so you have a support system at work. Make a point to ask about their day or go to lunch together. If you feel supported by your other coworkers, maybe your boss' behavior will be more bearable.

At our company, we usually disregard one bad reference as a personal vendetta if the other references check out.

One thing to keep in mind when you apply for your next job: Candidates tend to submit their own references, so you have no obligation to include your boss and can instead provide three to five people you know will give you an outstanding recommendation. They may still call your boss or ask her about you informally, but at least you’ll have plenty of other people singing your praises.

***

Ashley Lutz is a senior editor at Business Insider answering all your questions about the workplace. Send your queries to asktheinsider@businessinsider.com for publication on Business Insider. Requests for anonymity will be granted, and questions may be edited.

SEE ALSO: 'Help! My coworkers' eating habits are driving me insane'

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NOW WATCH: Don't let 'jerks' ruin your day — here's how to overcome their bad energy at work

Barbara Pachter provides advice on how to properly act in business and social settings in The Essentials of Business Etiquette: How to Greet, Eat, and Tweet Your Way to Success. After going through the book and speaking with Pachter to compile the 21 business-etiquette rules every professional should know, we now break out how to act where some of the most important business is held, the dinner table. 

Produced by Justin Gmoser. Original reporting by Jacquelyn Smith. 

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Ask The Insider columnist Ashley Lutz answers all your work-related questions, including the awkward, sensitive, and real-world ones. Have a question? Email asktheinsider@businessinsider.com.

Dear Insider, 

Disgusted By My Coworker

***

Dear Disgusted,

I've never heard of a more disgusting office habit. Just imagining sitting at my desk hearing the clipping noises makes me cringe.

The idea that someone would clip their fingernails (or toenails!?) at their desk seems so absurd that I initially wondered if this question was real. But then my coworker reminded me of the New York City Subway ads reminding passengers not to clip their nails on the train. I guess some people really are that clueless. 

SEE ALSO: Help! I'm interviewing for jobs and don't know how to leave work without lying

If you consider this coworker to be a friend, I would just be straight up with him or her. Do it in private away from other people in the office. I'd say something like "Because I care about you I wanted to say that clipping your nails at your desk might give people the wrong idea. You are so good at your job that it would be a shame for anyone to get a bad impression."

Even if it initially stings, he or she should appreciate your directness and honesty. It's better for this person to find out in this fashion than hear that people have been discussing him and her in private. 

SEE ALSO: Help! My coworkers are judging me for refusing the 'more hours' mentality

If you don't feel comfortable talking to the coworker yourself, I'd bring it up to your manager. I would mention that certain grooming habits are distracting you at work and you think that certain coworkers need a reminder of what is and isn't appropriate. It's your manager's job to deal with these conflicts in a diplomatic fashion. Maybe you could move desks far away from this gross, inconsiderate habit. 

***

Ashley Lutz is a senior editor at Business Insider answering all your questions about the workplace. Send your queries to asktheinsider@businessinsider.com for publication on Business Insider. Requests for anonymity will be granted, and questions may be edited.

SEE ALSO: 'Help! My coworkers' eating habits are driving me insane'

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NOW WATCH: Don't let 'jerks' ruin your day — here's how to overcome their bad energy at work

Do you cringe when someone hands you a form to fill out? Do you hate when your hand cramps after writing for too long?

If you long for a job devoid of the drudgery of paperwork, we've got some good news: there are plenty to choose from.

Business Insider looked at data provided by the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), a US Department of Labor database that compiles detailed information on hundreds of jobs, to find 19 jobs that have a low importance level on "performing administrative activities." We then found salary data on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics to see how much each job pays.

O*NET ranks how important "performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork," is on a scale of one to 100. The more paperwork a position requires, like executive secretary or receptionists, the higher the score. The less paperwork, like crossing guard or dancer, the lower the score.

Here are the 19 jobs that require the least amount of paperwork:

SEE ALSO: 20 high-paying jobs for creative thinkers

19. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers

Average annual salary (2015): $21,930

Paperwork importance level: 14

What they do: Protective service workers monitor pools, beaches, ski slopes, and other recreational areas. They provide assistance and protection when needed.

18. Glass blowers, molders, benders, and finishers

Average annual salary (2015): $31,690

Paperwork importance level: 14

What they do: Glass blowers mold, shape, form, cast, and carve molten glass according to patterns.

17. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers

Average annual salary (2015): $27,460

Paperwork importance level: 14

What they do: Landscaping workers maintain the grounds of property using hand and power tools. Their job can entail: sod laying, mowing, trimming, planting, fertilizing,raking, and sprinkler installation.

Writing an email isn't so hard, but figuring out how to sign off can be a real challenge.

Is "cheers" too casual? Too pretentious? Too British? Is "sincerely" timeless and professional, or stodgy and overly formal?

Perhaps, as Matthew J.X. Malady persuasively argued at Slate, we should just call the whole thing off and ditch the email closer altogether.

But as anyone who has sat staring blankly at a screen, weighing "best" vs. "all best" vs. "all the best" knows, not signing off doesn't feel quite right, either — especially if the context is professional.

"Not closing seems way too abrupt," business etiquette expert Barbara Pachter tells Business Insider. "If you have a salutation, you should have a closing to balance it out."

Will Schwalbe, one of the authors "SEND: Why People Email So Badly and How to Do It Better," agrees, pointing out that "we don't go around in life barking orders at one another and we shouldn't on email either."

And, manners aside, the email close serves a practical function. It helps "define the personality of the email's content," says Aliza Licht, author of the career guide "Leave Your Mark."

It's also an opportunity to define or redefine your relationship to your correspondent, Schwalbe adds. A shift from "love" to "best," for example, indicates that you may have a problem.

If we accept — at least for the moment — that email sign-offs are here to stay, the question becomes which one to use, and in what contexts to use it.

We had Pachter, Schwalbe, and Licht weigh in on 28 common email closings. Here are the ones they say to avoid in most situations — and which one to use when you're just not sure.

This is an update of a story originally written by Rachel Sugar.

SEE ALSO: 15 email-etiquette rules every professional should know

1. 'Thanks'

2. 'Thanks again'

Again, Schwalbe and Licht aren't fans.

It's "even worse then 'thanks' if it's a command and not genuine gratitude," he says.

3. 'Thanks!'

Everyone agrees that what Schwalbe calls the "whole 'thanks' family" really only makes sense when you're genuinely thanking someone for an actual thing they did for you.

That said, the exclamation-point version is Licht's go-to for internal communication when she's expressing actual gratitude. It's happy and sincere, she says. Schwalbe, too, considers himself a general "fan of exclamation points," within reason.

As it turns out, what you say during your first day on the job doesn't just impact what your colleagues think about you — it could also end up costing you the gig.

"If you say something that's off, it sets the tone, and that could be the reason for you to be let go in your first three months," says J.T. O'Donnell, a career and workplace expert, founder of career-advice site CAREEREALISM.com, and author of "Careerealism: The Smart Approach to a Satisfying Career."

"It's natural to want to be liked — to impress and fit in quickly," explains workplace-confidence expert Michelle Kerrigan. "However, many try too hard, and talk too much when they should be listening."

Here are 19 things you should avoid saying, especially during your first day on the job:

SEE ALSO: 32 things you should never say to your boss

'In my last job ...'

No one likes a know-it-all.

Rosalinda Oropeza Randall, etiquette and civility expert and author of "Don't Burp in the Boardroom," suggests walking into the new job with energy, but she also recommends a splash of humility. "Not the timid, reserved definition, but with an attitude of learning — not knowing-it-all."

'OMG, I LOVE that!'

You're already hired — there's no need to try too hard to get people to like you.

While it's nice to know that people think you're personable or that you really "get" the company, Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job," says this is a waste of energy — you'll impress naturally by just being yourself.

'When do I get a raise?'

"How about getting through the ninety-day probationary period first," Randall suggests.

Finding the right job that will lead to a successful career has a lot to do with how and when you search for employment — but as it turns out, where you look also plays a big role.

According to new data from personal finance website Bankrate.com, young people consider five things when deciding on where to launch their career: social opportunities, job prospects, pay potential, career advancement, and quality of life.

By analyzing these five variables in the top 100 US cities (those with populations above 250,000 and a per capita GDP of above $40,000), Bankrate.com determined which cities most and least ideal for starting a career.

To rank the cities, each of the five variables was scored on a scale of 1 to 100 — 1 being the best and 100 being the worst — considering metrics like employment rates, average salaries, and cost of living. (Read more on the methodology here.)

The following 10 cities are the lowest ranking on the list — the places where it's hardest to launch a career. But, as Bankrate.com banking analyst Claes Bell points out, "not everyone is looking to climb to the top of the corporate ladder, so cities that ranked low on our list may be very desirable to some."

Read on to find out the 10 toughest cities for launching your career.

SEE ALSO: 13 high-paying side jobs for people in their 20s

10. Roanoke, Virginia

Social opportunities: 99

Job prospects: 26

Pay potential: 82

Career advancement: 82

Quality of life: 49

9. Greensboro, North Carolina

Social opportunities: 81

Job prospects: 67

Pay potential: 96

Career advancement: 76

Quality of life: 54

8. Shreveport, Louisiana

Social opportunities: 72

Job prospects:  79

Pay potential:  77

Career advancement: 96

Quality of life: 55

Ask The Insider columnist Ashley Lutz answers all your work-related questions, including the awkward, sensitive, and real-world ones. Have a question? Email asktheinsider@businessinsider.com.

Dear Insider, 

I've been working at a clothing store for about six months in a department that is mostly women. At 25, I'm the youngest person by about 10 years. I started out at the job excited to befriend my coworkers, but so far it hasn't happened. There's a group of four women at my level who frequently go to lunch, happy hours, and dinner together, and I'm never invited. When I try to talk to them, they tend to act cold and distant. 

I'm never left out of important work discussions and meetings, just social stuff. But the feeling still nags at me. I often feel discouraged at work.

How can I get my coworkers to like me?

Sincerely,
The Odd Woman Out

***

Dear Odd,

The theoretical luxury of graduating from high school is entering a more inclusive world, where you don't have to obsess about cliques. Unfortunately, that's not always the reality.

As the new girl and by far the youngest person, you're already at a disadvantage when it comes to being accepted socially, but I have some ideas. 

You say you "try to talk" to your coworkers. Are you telling stories about yourself? Are you (inadvertently) trying to prove yourself, showing how much you know? People can sense insecurity, and most find it grating. 

I would scale things back from the mission to impress and ask an open-ended question like, "How was your weekend?" If your coworkers are aloof, take the hint and don't keep talking. Keep small talk sparse while occasionally showing interest in their lives.

It's also possible that your bad mood at work is rubbing off on them. People can sense unhappiness in other people, and it can rub off on them. Try to stay positive and upbeat. Listen to your favorite songs before going into work or treat yourself to a latte to boost your mood. 

Because you've hit a wall, you might also want to try some proven psychological techniques to get people to like you, as pointed out by my coworker Shana Lebowitz. These include mimicking the other person's body language, selectively revealing your flaws, and seeing the person how they want to be seen.

I don't think you should take this too personally either. 

SEE ALSO: Help! My coworker clips his toenails at my desk

The first thing that jumped out at me is that you're much younger than your coworkers. They're probably married with kids (or at the very least, thinking about it), while you're still at an age where going out five times a week is normal. They're at a different place in life and might think hanging out with someone so much younger in a social setting could feel forced.

SEE ALSO: Help! I'm interviewing for jobs and don't know how to leave work without lying 

So I don't think you should be too concerned with getting them to "like" you as a friend, considering you're able to do your job and aren't being overtly bullied. If this were interfering with your ability to be successful at work, I'd suggest more extreme measures. 

But I get it. You're only human, and everyone wants to be liked. Ironically, it may be that once you stop trying to get them to like you, your coworkers will open up.  

***

Ashley Lutz is a senior editor at Business Insider answering all your questions about the workplace. Send your queries to asktheinsider@businessinsider.com for publication on Business Insider. Requests for anonymity will be granted, and questions may be edited.

SEE ALSO: 'Help! My coworkers' eating habits are driving me insane'

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NOW WATCH: Don't let 'jerks' ruin your day — here's how to overcome their bad energy at work

The stress, long hours, and sedentary nature of your modern office job are sucking the life out of you — literally.

And it's not just the tight deadlines, stress-eaten doughnuts, and sneezing coworkers that are doing you in. Even your keyboard can be out to get you. 

From the printer to your supervisor, the dangers presented in a typical office can have real effects on your physical well-being and mental health. Need a reason to overhaul your habits? Look no further.

Rachel Sugar, Vivian Giang, and Kim Bhasin contributed to earlier versions of this article. 

SEE ALSO:  The 17 highest-paying jobs for people who don't mind sitting at a desk all day

Sitting all day could shave years off your life

Sitting for lengthy periods is terrible for your body. Aches and pains are the least of your problems — sitting too much can lead to an early death. You face a higher risk of muscular skeletal disorders, obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and more, even if you work out regularly.

Around 86% of American workers sit all day at work. If you're one of them, Alan Hedge, a design and ergonomics professor at Cornell, recommends you change to positions every eight minutes, and take a two-minute "moving break" at least twice an hour. 

Regularly slouching in your chair can lead to long-term illnesses

If your job requires you to sit most of the day, it's best if you get a sitting device that allows you to straighten your poor posture. If not, you're "contributing to a pool of chronic, long-term ailments — including arthritis and bursitis."

Using a treadmill desk increases your chances of physically hurting yourself

Although a treadmill desk may help with the risk of obesity and heart disease, workers at these desks are also prone to increased typos and the desks might cause you to fall more often than merely sitting in a chair.

Click here to apply for this position

We're hiring a hardworking Research Associate with strong research, writing, and analytical skills to help launch our London-based Fintech team, as part of our growing team at Business Insider Intelligence. Candidates will have 1 year of relevant work experience.

The ideal Research Associate will have a deep interest in tech news, have a combination of solid writing skills and analytical capabilities, and feel comfortable writing about and analysing a wide range of fintech-related topics.

This is a unique opportunity to help launch and define a new division of a fast-growing international research company and an excellent way to begin a research/data-oriented writing career in the rapidly growing fintech industry.

BI Intelligence is a fast-growing research service from Business Insider. BI Intelligence offers insights essential to companies making strategic decisions across the mobile, digital media, e-commerce, Internet of Things, payments, and digital financial services industries. Our clients are Fortune 1000 companies, startups, advertising agencies, investment firms, and media conglomerates that have come to rely on our timely, forward-looking insights to keep atop of trends shaping the digital landscape.

The Research Associate will be responsible for writing a daily newsletter, focusing on the most important new tech trends, stories, and research reports and adding in their own analysis on what developments mean for the industry. In addition, the Research Associate will speak to industry executives to gain a deeper understanding of the industry.

Those with a degree in social science — including psychology, sociology, and politics — and those with a strong background distilling data, research, and technical topics into compelling writing and persuasive analysis are encouraged to apply.

If this role is for you, here are some of the other traits you possess:

• Ability to quickly sort through masses of data and understand what really matters to professionals and why
• Ability to write clearly about data-driven trends, consumer and business-to-business markets, and the larger tech industry
• Diligence and persistence in researching
• Ability to work in a team-oriented, fast-paced, and fast-changing environment
• Attention to detail

Requirements:

• Proficiency in MS Excel required
• Solid grounding in business analysis fundamentals
• Strong communication and writing skills
• An interest in data-driven visual storytelling
• Internships in market/consumer research, consulting, tech research, or relevant experience in a similar position is helpful but not required

If this is the right opportunity for you, please apply online and tell us why you're a good fit for the role. Thanks in advance.

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Ask The Insider columnist Ashley Lutz answers all your work-related questions, including the awkward, sensitive, and real-world ones. Have a question? Email asktheinsider@businessinsider.com.

Dear Insider, 

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NOW WATCH: Don't let 'jerks' ruin your day — here's how to overcome their bad energy at work

If you're faced with the decision of whether you should accept a job at Facebook or Google, congratulations — you are one of the privileged few.

Both employers rank in the top five on this year's list of the 50 best companies to work for in America, based on exclusive data from PayScale. And both are extremely competitive in their quest to hire the best and the brightest.

Once you've passed the intense interview process at each respective company, a number of awesome perks, great compensation, and most likely extreme contentment in your new job await you — but which job do you choose?

To make your decision a little easier, here's a head-to-head comparison of how Facebook and Google stack up as employers:

SEE ALSO: The 50 best companies to work for in America

DON'T MISS: New dad Mark Zuckerberg posted about his return to work this week — here's how Facebook responded

Googlers make more money

Google — recently renamed Alphabet in a corporate restructuring — topped Business Insider's annual list and dethroned Facebook (ranked No. 5), which held the top spot in 2015, thanks in part to its competitive compensation.

According to PayScale, the median salary of experienced workers is $140,000, the second highest on the list. At Facebook, the median salary of experienced workers is $135,000.

It's worth noting that two people in the same role at Google can be paid drastically different amounts, and this is intentional.

"It's hard work to have pay ranges where someone can make two or even 10 times more than someone else," writes Google HR boss Laszlo Bock in his book, "Work Rules!" "But it's much harder to watch your highest-potential and best people walk out the door. It makes you wonder which companies are really paying unfairly: the ones where the best people make far more than average, or the ones where everyone is paid the same."

Facebookers are happier

Employees from both tech companies are pretty happy to be there, but Facebook has the edge over Google with a satisfaction rating of 97% compared to Google's rating of 86%, according to employees who completed PayScale's survey.

"Every morning when I go in, I feel like the luckiest guy on earth for ever landing a job here,"writes a Facebook data scientist in Menlo Park, California, on Glassdoor. 

There are a lot of contributing factors to Facebook's high level of happiness, but one important reason stands out: Facebook trusts its people.

Don Faul, a former Facebook executive, recently told The Wall Street Journal that, compared to Google, which he says is more structured and places more importance on "manager" titles, Facebook employees are often placed in roles that cater to their strengths and are encouraged to question and criticize their managers.

And this kind of freedom is perhaps one of the best drivers for employee engagement.

"You get zero credit for your title," he said. "It's all about the quality of the work, the power of your conviction, and the ability to influence people."

Googlers are less stressed

If you're in the market for a stress-free job, you'd be better off avoiding the tech industry altogether. But while it's unlikely for many techies to consider their jobs relaxing, more Google employees report low job-stress levels than Facebook.

While 12% of employees report their job isn't stressful at Google, 7% of Facebook employees say the same thing.

Perhaps one contributor to lower stress levels at Google is the various perks like on-site massages, free fitness classes and gym memberships, and a generous vacation plan that help employees unwind.

Another possible contributor: "The work environment is laid back, and less competitive than others. It really allows room for creativity,"writes a Google product manager.

While the work at Google is inevitably demanding, and the company encourages its employees to set ambitious goals for themselves, Bock says Google managers don't expect people to meet these goals, and instead they make a point to help people learn from their failures. 

What's more, the company has a unique way of preventing backstabbing.

"The way we solve the 'backstabbing' problem, for example, is that if you write a nasty email about someone, you shouldn't be surprised if they are added to the email thread," Bock writes. "I remember the first time I complained about somebody in an email and my manager promptly copied that person, which forced us to quickly resolve the issue. It was a stark lesson in the importance of having direct conversations with colleagues!"

Your early education greatly affects how and what you learn, as well as if and where you go to college.

Some families are so intent on sending their kids to the best schools that they relocate to join new school districts.

Niche, a company that researches and compiles information on schools, just released its ranking of the 2016 best school districts in America. The ranking was based on the grade each school district earned in overall experience, which included key factors such as the strength of academics, quality of teachers, school resources, student culture and diversity, student life, and student and parent reviews.

At the time of calculation, Niche's database contained records for 12,153 school districts — ones without sufficient data were not included in the ranking. Read more on the methodology here.

Below are the 25 best school districts in the US.

SEE ALSO: The 25 best public high schools in America

DON'T MISS: The best college in every state

25. Township High School District No. 113 — Highland Park, IL

Total schools: 2

Academics: A+

Teachers: A+

Resources & facilities: A

Student culture & diversity: B-

Extracurriculars at Deerfield High School are abundant, one commenter said: "We have everything from book club, anime club, Athletics, gima, model UN, movie club, environmental club, choraliers, plays/musicals, truly you name it."

One senior at Highland Park High School said that every teacher "wants the students to succeed" and that they "structure their classes in ways that help their students learn and retain the material in an easy way."

24. Aspen School District — Aspen Township, CO

Total schools: 5

Academics: A+

Teachers: A+

Resources & facilities: A+

Student culture & diversity: B

"The student-teacher dynamic is incredible. Most teachers are familiar enough with their students to respond to their first names, rather than their surnames," one Aspen High School junior commented. "They also offer help during office hours with understanding, and tend to be sympathetic towards scheduling issues involving IB classes and the even distribution of work. The student body is generally accepting of sexual orientation, racial, and socioeconomic differences."

23. Hinsdale Township High School District No. 86 — Downers Grove Township, IL

Total schools: 2

Academics: A+

Teachers: A+

Resources & facilities: A+

Student culture & diversity: A-

One senior at Hinsdale Central High School commented that "there is a constant competitive atmosphere [but it] pushes kids to do better since all their peers are trying to do the same. The majority of the students are working towards a mutual goal, that is going to a good college."

Commenters also said that safety at the high school is important.

"The nurse is always available, the school psychiatrists are great, and social workers are decent. I never felt threatened there," said one user.

Ask the Insider columnist Ashley Lutz answers all your work-related questions, including the awkward, sensitive, and real-world ones. Have a question? Email asktheinsider@businessinsider.com.

Dear Insider,

I started a new job six months ago. I noticed my coworker would suck up his mucus and while doing so make a loud snorting noise. At first I thought he was just sick and would get over it. Well, he shows no signs of stopping. A coworker sent him a message asking him to stop and he did — for all of 15 minutes. We confronted him a couple more times but the last time she said something to this person, the response was "I'm dying." (He really isn't dying). It seems to be some kind of allergy symptom.

It is hard to eat when you hear that gross noise, but it is also distracting me from concentrating on work. Other coworkers also say they find it disgusting. An owner of the business mentioned he and any other owners need to be careful with confronting him because they could get in trouble legally for singling him out for a health condition.

How can we get this to stop without being rude? Everyone in the office wears headphones to drown him out. It isn't fair we have to have our work and day disrupted when he could easily go into the bathroom and blow his nose.

Sincerely,

Fed Up With My Coworker

***

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Ask the Insider columnist Ashley Lutz answers all your work-related questions, including the awkward, sensitive, and real-world ones. Have a question? Email asktheinsider@businessinsider.com.

Dear Insider,

I work in a small office, around 10 employees. There are four of us in an administrator role in an open office floor plan. Last year our manager "Linda" hired her daughter "Stacy" to help out on a temporary basis which turned into a full-time job when one of the admins was let go.

Stacy is lazy. She watches Netflix or plays puzzles while she's "working." She constantly calls out "Mom!" all day long across the room to ask Linda what to do next when we have a task flow management software that keeps track of our to-do list. She doesn't check her email. She keeps her headphones in all day and does not answer the phone.

Her mistakes make us other admins look bad to the owner and they are constant. Her completed projects are full of mistakes. She is rude to her mom and argumentative in a teenage way (she is 20 and lives at home, this is her first professional job). Any attempts to teach her our processes and about the office have been rebuffed. It is more like she is Linda's personal assistant than a team player.

Her mom said to just give her back tasks when they are wrong but that slows us down during our busy season and sometimes there are so many mistakes we don't catch them all. The owner apparently had seen her watching Netflix and commented to us that he was surprised she could still do work. That was two months ago and we believe her mom may have told her to stop, but she still does it.

The other admin and I are stressed and not sure how to bring this up. We get upset when we constantly find her mistakes and she takes no initiative to not make them again. We would be reprimanded if we were on Netflix all day. Is there a way to bring this up without it seeming like we are snitching? We would not be allowed to get away with the things she does. The last admin was let go for less. 

Sincerely,

Covering for my boss' daughter

***

Dear Covering:

The hassle you describe is a reason many big companies have policies against nepotism. Even if your boss' daughter were the best admin on the team, it would 0nly be human for others to feel resentment or wonder if there were overt favoritism at play.

On top of this already-fraught situation, this girl sounds like a nightmare to work with. Confronting her incompetence would be difficult to navigate no matter who she was. Now you risk alienating your boss if you do so. 

Because she's the offspring of another employee and not the owner, the best approach here is to (mostly) behave as you would if she weren't the offspring of your supervisor.

Office expert Lynn Taylor recently gave Business Insider some great advice on dealing with slackers in the office. She says to take the person in question to lunch and gently explain how their behavior is affecting the team. You could say something like, "Stacy, you are great at completing projects quickly. But watching Netflix at work has become a distraction to the rest of the team." 

You should also change the way you deliver feedback. Instead of simply correcting her mistakes and resenting it, take a bit of time to explain what she did wrong. If she sends you the report with the same mistake, tell her you can't accept the work until it is fixed. If your supervisor wants to know where the report is, explain what happened. 

Separately, I would talk to your supervisor and say something complimentary about her daughter. Then explain the issues with her work. Try to keep the language as neutral as possible. Say something like "Linda, I wanted to give you a heads-up that I noticed Stacy makes the same three errors on many of her reports and I have talked to her about it. I also talked to her about watching Netflix at work because it has become distracting to the team."

If things don't improve after you've confronted the right people, I would tactfully have a conversation with the owner. Because he or she is paying this person, they should know about a toxic situation affecting productivity. 

Ashley Lutz is a senior editor at Business Insider answering all your questions about the workplace. Send your queries to asktheinsider@businessinsider.com for publication on Business Insider. Requests for anonymity will be granted, and questions may be edited.

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Ask the Insider columnist Ashley Lutz answers all your work-related questions, including the awkward, sensitive, and real-world ones. Have a question? Email asktheinsider@businessinsider.com.

Dear Insider,

I work for a bank and just got promoted (yay!). The bad part? In the past month my manager has been removed from my team. Additionally, my boss and my boss' boss have both moved to different departments and I'm responsible for 15 people. The person who has been brought in to oversee our department doesn't know anything about our projects. 

Once all the bosses left, three other experienced people served their notice period too. They have been replaced by a bunch of inexperienced people.

My boss and I used to divide the responsibilities of monitoring the team because it's impossible to oversee 15 people at once. Now I am basically responsible for the entire team, and many of them are inexperienced and need training.

I have become completely overwhelmed and don't know what to do.

Sincerely,

Last Man Standing At My Job

***

Dear Last Man Standing:

I have good news for you: even though you're overwhelmed right now, this is actually an amazing opportunity to advance in your career. Thanks to the recent departures, you're now the most experienced person in your department. Your company should value your loyalty and experience more than ever. 

I see three major opportunities for you here: 1. You can make yourself invaluable to your new boss by showing her or him the ropes, 2. You can establish authority on the existing team, and 3. You can show off your chops by training the new and inexperienced people. 

You definitely have ammunition to ask for another raise. It's clear you have more responsiblities, and if your company wants to keep you, they're going to have to make it worth your time.

The first thing you need to do is identify the next most-experienced person on the team whom you trust to act as your deputy. Explain the opportunity for advancement and delegate tasks to him or her. This will help free up your day for getting your boss up-to-speed.

Explain to the team that while you're busy training the boss, they need to look to the coworker you've appointed by support. Of course, you'll still be there for the big questions, but this will free up your day for training. 

Focus on getting your manager up-to-speed and on training the three new people. Once you have accomplished this, you can divide responsibilities the way you did before.

Don't put too much pressure on yourself to accomplish this in record time. Remind yourself that you're doing the best you can. Your company is now relying on you, and they will likely cut you some slack given the situation. 

Also invest in some self-care to set yourself up for long-term success. This is what I refer to as "whatever-it-takes" mode. Instead of making coffee at home, treat yourself to Starbucks. If you would normally spend Saturday cleaning, hire someone to do the work and do something fun instead. 

 ***

Ashley Lutz is a senior editor at Business Insider answering all your questions about the workplace. Send your queries to asktheinsider@businessinsider.com for publication on Business Insider. Requests for anonymity will be granted, and questions may be edited.

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