After two New York City public high school searches in four years, I’m convinced it’s time to revamp the admissions system to make it more transparent and humane.

I don’t want to overhear another conversation about who got into certain schools and who didn’t. I don’t want to listen to teenagers and parents comparing lateness records, grades, and test scores, or discussing why one talented artist or singer got overlooked

I don’t want to know about who cried all weekend after being turned down by a specialized high school. No 13-year-old should have to.

I'm not alone in this thinking.

“The process is inequitable, illogical, unfair, unduly harsh and, really, just silly,’’ one parent noted this week on Insideschools.

On paper it seems like there are more than enough choices.  Pick up the weighty high school directory or check it out online and you’ll see hundreds of options.

A clear downside to school choice, though, is the stiff competition for many of the best and most well known schools, which leads to a large number of students who end up disappointed and sad when they don’t get in. That’s how many are feeling this week after being notified of specialized high school decisions, where the odds are against admission.<!--more-->

And come March 31, when all decisions are revealed, many kids may not get a match to any high school. The city can’t possibly open enough quality high schools fast enough to meet demand.

So what can we do to encourage change, beyond pushing for more schools that replicate successful models? A few thoughts:

  • Chancellor Cathie Black could host a series of open meetings and hearings to solicit views about how the high school admissions system should be changed.
  • Every middle school in the city could offer free test prep for the specialized exam high schools. Test prep is not equal, but equal access to it could help level the playing field.
  • All middle schools could offer portfolio and audition preparation to help students trying out for the talent schools.For any talent, the more nurturing and honing, and the more help and opportunities kids can get to perfect their skills in after school art, music, drama and dance programs, the better.
  • The system of ranking and matching high schools needs an overhaul, with clear, concise criteria for admission laid out. Some of the most coveted schools acknowledge a geographic preference or test score ranges, while others ask for portfolios and interviews. Yet students regularly seem to be admitted who don’t meet the criteria. And we’ve known dozens and dozens of kids who easily met multiple requirements, and still got shut out of their first, second and even third choices.

“I’m convinced they just end up picking names out of a hat,’’ my eighth-grade son said. Since schools are under no obligation to describe or explain how they make decisions, he could be right.

There were many thoughtful responses to my December post on whether Chancellor Black should revamp high school admissions, including  a great deal of appreciation for maintaining a system of choice. “Let’s just have more and better choices,’’ was a typical refrain. Others called for  a system of strong neighborhood high schools.

Understanding that none of this will happen instantly, let’s focus on coming up with some concrete suggestions for making high school choice more manageable for kids, parents, and educators.

Insideschools.org welcomes specific ideas.