High School Application Process

1. High School Application Process 7th Grade High School Info Night

2. General Information • Families have primary responsibility in gathering information and making arrangements four tours, open houses and interviews during the admissions process. High schools do not want counselors to be the liaisons. • Parents/guardians are asked to contact schools directly to request interviews or set up test dates. • More schools are requesting that essay questions, interview times, exam times, etc. be arranged on line.

3. Important Dates • Bard assessment exam in September and October. PLEASE register for exam online at the Bard website FIRST THING IN SEPTEMBER. • Specialized HS exam – Weekend end of October or beginning of November.

4. Types of High Schools • Limited Unscreened (Pace, Global Learning Collaborative, The Facing History School, Academy for Software Engineering ) • Grades, test scores and attendance are not considered • If you attend an open house or info session you are given priority. • If you are unable to attend CALL school and express your interest. YOU MUST SHOW INTEREST!

5. Types of schools cont. • Screened (Millennium, Bard, Frank McCourt, Beacon, NYCiSchool) • Grades, test scores and attendance ARE considered. • Schools have different requirements. Look in directory for specific criteria and make sure your student meets the criteria. • Schools may request an interview, assessment, essay, portfolio, etc. Make sure you are aware of what is required. • Portfolios should include work that students are proud of and will be able to discuss at length at an interview.

6. Types of schools cont. • Educational Option Programs (Ed. Opt). • 50% are treated as screened. Applicants are ranked by school staff. • 50% are randomly picked by the computer, which selects 16% from top, 68% from middle, and 16% from bottom of ELA Standardized Test scores. • If your child scores in the top 2% range on the ELA State Exam, s/he is automatically granted a seat into any Ed. Opt. school only IF that school is listed first.

7. How the process works • Students receive practice applications in October. • Students select up to 12 schools. It is VERY important that you are willing to go to all schools that are listed. Never put a school down that you would not consider attending. • Give practice apps to counselors for comment. • The final application is due end of November. • ANY student is eligible to take the Specialized High School Exam but intent to take the test MUST be expressed beginning of September. • We input applications as we get them.

8. How the process works, cont’d. • For screened schools, HS staff carefully review applicants and rank them. • Neither the student nor the schools are aware of the other party’s ranking. • Students receive one school match that takes into account the rankings of both the student and the school/program (unless they were accepted to a Specialized High School, then there could be up to 3 offers). • Students are matched with their highest ranked school that has also ranked them high. • If a student is not matched in the First Round, he/she will be entered in the Supplementary Round (which all students are eligible to apply to).

9. STUDENT A Grades: 96, 94, 93, 91 ELA: 3 Math: 4 Absent: 1 Late: 0 Applied only to selective screened schools. NO MATCHES! Why? STUDENT B Grades: 75, 75, 80, 85 ELA: 2 Math: 3 Absent: 5 Late: 6 Applied only to selective screened schools. NO MATCHES! Why? Four Case Studies

10. STUDENT C Grades: 85, 90, 90, 90 ELA: 3 Math: 4 Absent: 3 Late: 4 DID NOT GET INTO BEACON! Why? STUDENT D Grades: 85, 85, 85, 90 ELA: 3 Math: 3 Absent: 4 Late: 0 GOT INTO BEACON! Why? Four Case Studies, cont’d.

11. Resources • A Computer School Guide: Preparing for the High School Process Handbook • High School Directories – handed out at end of school year. READ INTRODUCTORY SECTION! • Our website: www.computerschoolcounselors.org • Insideschools.org to obtain updated information. • Book - New York City’s Best Public High Schools, by Clara Hemphill • We will be sending out emails periodically. Please make sure your teacherease email is correct. • Talk with students and parents who attend the school. • Talk with school safety officers when you visit the school.

12. Summer Homework • Look through the high school directory and become familiar with the schools that interest you and your child. • Look at the criteria of the school and make sure that your child meets most if not ALL of them. Use the back sheet of the High School Handbook to help guide you. • Take trips to the school and look at the surroundings. Do you feel comfortable there? Would you feel comfortable sending your child there? Staying there late for after school programs? Etc. Was it a long, complicated trip to get to the school?

13. Summer Homework cont. • Talk with parents and students who attend the school and get their input. • Visit insideschools.org and find out what people are saying about the schools. Excellent resource!! • Please discuss with your child whether or not s/he will be participating in the SHSAT and/or auditioning for LaGuardia and other audition schools. • The more preparation you do now learning about high schools, the easier it will be to make wise decisions.

14. Spring Open Houses • Bard High School Early College Queens – May 17 Manhattan – May 16 Must register online: www.bard.edu/bhsec