On the soccer field last weekend, the parent of an 8th-grader casually inquired what it takes to get into one of the city's best high schools. I wanted to laugh, but that wouldn't be fair, because as I started my own search with my son a year ago, I was equally curious and anxious.

"So, do you think Beaconwants straight As and4s on both tests?'' the mother asked. Like many parents trying to unravel the mystery of high school choice in the nation's largest school system, she wanted straightforward answers that would help her assess her son's chances. If her son was not an outstanding student, (I did not ask) would his chances of being accepted at one of the top schools be diminished?

As the high school search begins for 8th-graders, the question of who gets in is especially disconcerting. The specialized high schools like Brooklyn Tech, Stuyvesant, and Bronx Science are not for everyone, but the criteria is at least transparent: students take an exam, and if their score is high enough, they'll get in. Students with poor grades who don't test particularly well can be accepted, although those who get in generally have taken test prep for the exam.<!--more-->

It's a lot trickier to figure out the highly selective but non-specialized high schools like Beacon, Bard, Eleanor Roosevelt and Millenium -- Manhattan schools which all receive far more applicants than they can possibly accept. And because supply does not meet demand, plenty of students with perfect grades and scores will not get in. The statistics can be truly daunting: Bard High School Early College says on its website that it received some 4,000 applications for 135 places in the class of 2008.

Because many selective high schools generally provide only a bare outline about what they are looking for (grades of 85 and above, for example, and scores of 3 or 4 on 7th-grade math and reading tests) and have their own tests and interviews, the selection process ends up feeling both confusing and ultra-competitive. Parents may want to compare notes about their child's performance and agonize over who is - and isn't - selected. Kids will wonder why their friend got into the same school they did not.

During tours last year, I often wondered how already overwhelmed school staff could possibly find the time to consider all the applications. I did wonder how much grades mattered. The long lines at open houses (see Ask Judy's column this week for more about that) and the nervous conversations among kids and parents created even more anxiety. Just how could an 8th-grader stand out with so many similar applicants?

While it is clear that students with high grades and test scores will likely have more choices, there are no guarantees that choice will work for everyone. Inevitably, some students will not get any of the schools they list as their top choices and will end up assigned to a school they do not want to attend-- or even to no school at all in the main application round.

High School Hustle will consider some survival and strategy tips in the next post. In the meantime, we welcome yours!