Late Summer 2021 NYC Admissions Update
As we near the start of the school year, there remain a number of questions around how public high school admissions will operate this fall. Here are some steps you can take right now to ensure your child is in a strong position going into this year.
NO NEWS IS…WELL…NO NEWS
As we near the start of the school year, there remain a number of questions around how public high school admissions will operate this fall, namely:
When will the admissions season start?
When and how will the SHSAT be administered?
When will the SHSAT and LaGuardia auditions signup window open?
Will auditions, tours, and open houses be live? Virtual? Both? And when will they be offered?
When will the general education high school application be due?
And perhaps the biggest question of all… How will individual schools determine how they will admit students, and when will we know?
Unfortunately, there are no clear answers on any of the above YET. We’re hoping for some clarity in early September, but there are some steps you can take right now to ensure your child is in a strong position going into the fall:
- For now, assume the SHSAT will take place in late October, and help your child develop a study plan accordingly. The date MAY shift later, but without knowing that it is important to proceed as if the test will occur in October. Depending on how your child’s SHSAT preparation is going, and what their goal score is, you may want to add a private tutor into the mix. Private tutors can help develop individualized strategies and are the strongest way to boost the SHSAT score.
- Prepare for the LaGuardia audition using the information available on the DOE website at schools.nyc.gov. The how and what for the auditions may shift, but the metrics listed there will give your child an idea of what will be asked of them. Audition coaches and/or art teachers can be a great help with preparation and confidence.
- Develop an over-inclusive list of general education and specialized schools of interest based on your child’s preferences and relevant family priorities (sports, preferred educational model, clubs, proximity to home, etc.). You can find information about schools here, and on individual school websites.
- Collect examples of your child’s best work from 7th grade and/or the beginning of 8th grade (writing samples, lab reports, creative writing pieces, artwork, dance, vocal or instrumental solos, etc.). The writing samples should have teacher comments on them and should have been done individually.
- Create a system to keep track of all of the information you have learned/will learn about each school of interest. Bookmark their URLs and check periodically to see if they have posted information on open houses, tours, and/or screening metrics.
Good luck with back to school, and I am here if you need me!
katherinemillerconsulting.com
katherinemillerconsulting@gmail.com
