High school process in the press
In the Daily News, Merideth Kolodner profiles a family whose talented, accomplished son was not matched with any high schools on the first admissions round, echoing comments we’re hearing from readers and parents citywide. On TV, Cindy Hsu at CBS Channel 2 covered the story, and Brian Lehrer invited Insideschools director Pamela Wheaton on the radio to discuss the high school match process.
The supplementary round high school admissions fair is on March 31. Insideschools has posted a list of schools with open seats, as well as tips on individual schools. And the pressure’s on: Unlike the first round, which spanned months, decisions must be made quickly. The deadline to submit paperwork to guidance counselors is Friday, April 3.
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Can i still get accepted to one of these schools if i appealed??
Please answer. Thank You very much.
Comment by Vanessa — March 31, 2009 @ 6:44 pm
Vanessa, not quite sure of your question. If you already received an offer of a high school seat, it can be very hard to appeal, unless it’s a very very long commute or there’s a proven safety risk. If you were matched to a school you put on your application, it can be extremely hard to get a transfer. The fair tonight is meant for students who did not get any match at all on their application, although representatives from the Enrollment office will be there and might be able to give you information about applying for a transfer. Hope you are able to go and get the information you need. If not, go to your guidance counselor and ask for help, and let us know how things work out.
Comment by helen — March 31, 2009 @ 7:07 pm
i feel so bad for vanessa . if everybody go back to zone school. there will not be any problem, it is much better for kids that growth up together and has been in pre-k to middle school together. it will cost less problem. my son didn’t get pick for the frist round . he is going for second round.he didn’t pick his zone school. because people from other borough come to your zone school and mess up the school. my zone high school is name as a d or c . how can i send my son to this school when he is a 90 to 80 avg. i think if the D.O.E put everybody back to there zone if will work better with parents kids.it work back in the 70s.
Comment by sue — April 1, 2009 @ 8:02 am
I listened to the Brian Lehrer show on WNYC this morning and it was very informative and lively, particularly when the District 3 mother called in. Her son is a talented musician and A student who got no high school placement in the first round. (He was also featured in the Daily News.) She said that some of his choices were District 2 schools, but he had very litle chance of being accepted there, as some District 2 high schools give preference to students who reside in the district. Then Ms. Wheaton mentioned that she thought District 2 is the only district in the city that gives preference like this. Is this true? If so, why? It seems that it would undermine the whole choice system, which was implemented in the first place to give equal weight to all students citywide. How can only one district be allowed to give preference to students who reside there, when all the other districts essentially don’t even exist when it comes to high school placement?
Comment by Seventh grader's mom — April 1, 2009 @ 11:55 am
I agree with 7th grader’s mom. This is a problem.
Also there are at times discrepancies with the h.s. official guide, Inside Schools’ info & the way those schools describe themselves.
For instance some schools that say District 2 gets 1st priority & Manhattan Residents 2nd priority. To me that does not indicate that only manhattan residents can or should apply. However both NYC LAB & BARUCH have said to me on the phone, “we only take manhattan residents!”
Of course there is a gray area, because they can always say priorities WERE GIVEN & ALL seats ARE TAKEN.
Still, the categories need to be clear. Don’t use the word ‘priority’ if what you mean is ‘exclusivity’.
Good luck with this very maddening process.
And thank you Inside Schools for the forum & insights.
Comment by Zea — April 1, 2009 @ 12:09 pm
sorry .confusing. that should say:
2nd paragraph {For instance some schools say that District 2 gets 1st priority…
Comment by Zea — April 1, 2009 @ 12:12 pm
I disagree with Sue’s assertion that sending kids to their zoned schools worked back in the 70’s and should be re-implemented. If kids are forced to attend a zoned high school, that simply keeps many promising students trapped in sub-par schools. It would work well for families zoned for great schools (primarily in Manhattan), but what about the A student zoned for their SINI neighborhood school? What about kids with special talents and interests that are not available at their neighborhood school?
Also, to resort to zoned high schools would really set us back to pre-civil rights days with extraordinarily segregated schools in our remarkably diverse sad. How sad!
Comment by Bronx mom — April 2, 2009 @ 2:35 pm