Dear Judy,

My daughter has been attending school in another state. Now she wants to finish back in the city. She will be going into 11th grade and she's a good student. What are her options?

-Puzzled Mom

Dear Puzzled Mom (and others who are new to the city):

Eleventh grade is a tough time to make a change, particularly for high-achieving kids who have been attending school out-of-state. The selective exam and audition high schools, known as specialized high schools, do not accept 11th-graders and many other popular schools generally don't have available seats.

Then there are the Regents exams: kids have to pass five of them to get a diploma. Principals have some discretion on whether to waive one or two exams, based on academic records, but be sure to ask about that when your register your daughter for school.<!--more-->

However, you're not alone; many families arrive in the city after the high school admissions process is finished. Here's what you - and all newcomers - should do.

First, read our information for new families to learn about the city's public school system. Next, research high schools using the Find a School section of our site. You can search by neighborhood and borough, and also by type of high school: arts focus, selective schools, charter schools, transfer schools, and others. Look for schools that the Insideschools staff considers noteworthy, which are marked by a blue ribbon.

Also, visit one of the Department of Education's borough enrollment offices to pick up a copy of the official High School Directory. The directory lists information about every non-charter high school in the city (it's also available online).

With these resources at hand, you can look for schools that are a good fit for your daughter and make sure that she meets the admissions criteria. Even though the specialized high schools do not admit 11th-graders, other selective schools might. For example, Bard High Early College II in Queens has openings for juniors; other schools might also consider a high-achiever with a good record. With an average school record, you can still find schools that are a good match, too.

When you are ready to enroll, bring your daughter, her school records, immunization records, and proof of residency (the DOE has a specific list of acceptable proofs) to a borough enrollment office; they are open now and may be able to give you additional guidance. Later this month, special enrollment centers will also open for students like your daughter, who have just moved to the city and who do not have a high school placement. Look for the announcement on the InsideSCOOP.

Families of students entering 9th and 10th grades, who moved to the city after the last Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) was administered (Oct. 31, 2008), may apply to take the summer test for entrance to Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech, Brooklyn Latin, High School for Math, Science, and Engineering at City College, High School of American Studies at Lehman College, Staten Island Tech, and Queens High School for the Sciences at York College by Aug. 27. They may also audition for Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts for September 2009 enrollment. The exam will be given on Monday, Aug. 31; auditions for LaGuardia will be held on Friday, Sept. 4. Eligible 9th and 10th-grade students can register at any Borough Enrollment Office.

If you have further questions, call the central office for enrollment at (212) 374-2363.

Good luck,

Judy

UPDATE 8/21: Registration centers for high school  students new to New York City, or who need a public school placement, will be open from Aug. 31 - Sept. 18 (except for Labor Day), the DOE announced.  See the DOE's websitefor the sites and hours of operation. Elementary and middle school students who are new to the city, or entering public school, should register at their zoned school on the first day of school, Sept. 9. If you don't have a  zoned school, you may go to one of the registration centers.