good morning! and things I’ll be addressing in emails today

Hello!

I know yesterday was intense for many of you and I want to start by saying take a deep breath. Lottery numbers are not everything and your kids will still have chances to go to schools that you’ll be comfortable with.

I’m thinking about how much information is out there for parents now. When I started HS411 there was just about nothing but me sharing out. With so many places for information keep in mind a lot of it is speculative and sometimes just not true. If you have questions about things, please feel free to reach out or check in with your guidance department. Fact checking matters!

Today I will share more information about random lottery numbers, which I’m going to start calling random numbers as the DOE does, and all the various places they are used.

I will share information about the different admissions systems and how random numbers are used in those as well.

I will write about waitlists and how those are set up.

No doubt there will be plenty more to share. Bard said they will have their screened additional materials ask up today.

Hang in there. We’ve got lots more to get through.

for private/parochial/charter school families

Head’s up that the roll out of info in MySchools can be different for you guys and the info that you see isn’t necessarily correct. You may/may not see grades and screened/ed opt groups. I’m hearing that some are seeing ed opt groups listed as MEDIUM when you know your kid shouldn’t be in that group. That’s been the DOE’s placeholder the past couple of seasons and it will update along the way to show correct info.

getting a better sense of random lottery numbers.

First, the DOE calls them “high school application random number.”

This super helpful chart from Amelie Marian, a NYC parent who delved deep into random lottery numbers and admissions, can help you see where your random/lottery number places you. Here’s a terrific article by here and a bunch of resources to look through: https://medium.com/algorithms-in-the-wild/results-from-the-2023-nyc-school-admission-lottery-surveys-260acc6fa4e6

additional materials ask and a Bard change

Some screened schools ask for additional materials as part of their rubric and at those schools screened group/lottery numbers becomes less important. Each of these schools has their own admissions rubric and that is found at the link below as well (you’ll see that info at MySchools as well).


The DOE published this year’s list of screened schools asking for additional materials:

Assessments for Screened Schools

schools.nyc.gov

You’ll see that some of the materials asks are submitted through MySchools and others are submitted through individual school websites. Don’t worry - I’ll help you keep track of what goes where. 

There are 5 schools that take the same essay under consideration. A link to the prompt hasn’t been posted yet. In the past it was a 500 word essay and you could pick between 2 prompts:

East Side Community School

Institute for Collaborative Education 

School of the Future 

Beacon High School 

University Heights Secondary School 

application start day

Wanted to say I was thinking about you guys this morning. I checked in on MySchools and don’t see that information has been uploaded yet. Last year things launched after the school day but this year there hasn’t been an announcement as to when you will be able to access information. 

Any questions at all, please be in touch.

And if you’re a Baruch family, see you later. 

DOE high school process info sessions

The DOE is hosting a bunch of info sessions about the high school process starting next week. Info below and I’ll post the dates and links on the HS411 calendar as well. 

  • Monday, September 30 (6pm – 7pm) - The Testing Specialized High Schools: How to register for the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) and how offers to these schools are made. Interpretation available in: Bangla, Chinese (Mandarin), Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL).

  • Tuesday, October 8 (6pm – 7pm) - High School Admissions General Event: An overview of the admissions process, from how to access your MySchools account to the best strategies for completing your application. Interpretation available in: Arabic, Haitian Creole, Russian, and ASL.

  • Thursday, October 10 (5pm – 6pm) - Parent Forum: Come join us for a more conversational session. We will discuss specific topics around high school admissions that we know you want to learn more about.

  • Wednesday, October 16 (6pm – 7pm) - High Schools Admissions General Event for Students with Disabilities. Interpretation available in: Chinese (Mandarin), Spanish and ASL.

  • Thursday, October 17 (6pm – 7pm) - The Testing Specialized High Schools. Interpretation available in: Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian and ASL.

  • Wednesday, October 23 (6pm – 7pm) - High School Admissions General Event, in Spanish.

  • Thursday, October 24 (6pm – 7pm) - High School Admissions General Event, in Chinese (Mandarin).

  • Wednesday, October 30 (5pm – 6pm) - High School Admissions General Event. Interpretation available in: Bangla, French, Urdu and ASL.

HOW TO JOIN ANY EVENT:

  • Join on Zoom by clicking https://bit.ly/2024FallHSEvents at the start of each event.

  • Webinar ID: 941 9185 4852

  • Passcode: 123456 or

  • For phone audio:

    • US+ 16465588656

    • Conference Line: 94191854852#

    • Passcode 123456#

  • IMPORTANT NOTE: visit schools.nyc.gov/HS and click on “Admissions Information Sessions” section before the event where you will find the phone numbers to call for interpretation in each language.

more options at Brooklyn Arts, HS for Health Professions and Human Services, UA Gateway School for Technology To

Brooklyn Arts is hosting in person tours on Tuesdays. Click here for more info: https://www.brooklynartshs.nyc/auditionsenrollment.html

Tuesdays at 9:15am 

HS for Health Professions and Human Services is hosting in person open houses. Click here for more info: https://www.hphsnyc.org/apps/news/article/1972320

Thur 10/10  5pm-7pm

Thur 10/24, 5pm-7pm

Sat 10/26, 10am-12pm

Sat 11/16, 10am-12pm

Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology is hosting both in person and virtual open houses. Click here to register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfFoUNUYpgKgB3wTIwB5yVJqns3aXGlJHDW3fUHBdeRZyN6bg/viewform

in person

Tues 10/8, 5-6:30pm

Fri 10/25, 5-6:30pm

Thur 11/7, 5-6:30pm

Sat 11/16, 10-11:30am 

Mon 11/25, 5-6:30pm

virtual

Sat 10/19, 2-3:30pn

Wed 11/20, 5-6:30pm


Baruch, Park East

Baruch is hosting in person and virtual events. For more info: https://www.bcchsnyc.net/splash/

in person

Thur, 10/17 from 4-6pm

Tues, 10/22 from 4-6pm

virtual

Thur, 10/24 from 6-7pm (check this page one week before for a zoom link.

Park East is hosting both in person and virtual open houses. To sign up: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdbB-BSu5rWzVVcL62G92zjXaXxjpm_wKQKAnUW4rR3Dy0bmA/formResponse

in person 

Wed 10/2 - In person @ 9:45am

Wed 10/16 - In person @ 6:00pm

Wed 10/23 - In person @ 9:45am

Wed 11/13 - in person @ 9:45am

Sat 11/16/ self-guided tour @ 10am

virtual

Wed 10/9 - Virtual @ 9:45am

Wed 10/30 - Virtual @ 9:45am

Wed 11/6 - Virtual @ 9:45am

Wed 11/13 - in person @ 9:45am


for families of twins/multiples

The DOE has changed things up this year for twins/multiples. Yes, you can submit both (or more) kids on the same application. BUT,  you no longer get to use the better random lottery number. This year is more like Russian roulette - which ever application you click on first to move forward in is the random lottery number that will be used by both if you choose to to submit together. 

Please note that some variables could keep kids from being placed together: if students are in different seat groups, ED OPT or screened groups, or are applying to audition based or screened schools with additional materials. 


some changes and some info for this season

The DOE will be officially announcing how this season will work when things go live next week but I’ve been hearing about some things I want to share.

This season you will be able to list more than 12 schools on your application. There is no cut off on how many schools you can add. I suppose this makes sense so you can be automatically added to more waitlists. 

There will also be a predictor built into MySchools that will let you know if you have a low, medium, or high chance of getting into a school based on priorities, number of seats in a program, screened/ed opt group, random lottery number, gen ed or SWD group. High means 99% chance of getting in, medium is about 50% and low is 1%. Pretty broad ranges. This info will not be available for audition based programs or screened schools asking for additional materials.

Random numbers should be visible after you answer DIA (diversity in admissions) questions and click LOOKS GOOD on your student profile page. 

For DIA consideration families  need to submit a Family Income Inquiry Form in myschoolapps.com.

Screened group cut offs will be available next week. 


TOURING: Leon Goldstein, Williamsburg Prep

Leon Goldstein is hosting 2 in person open houses: For more info (registration is required by the sign up isn’t posted yet): https://www.lmghs.org/apps/events2/event.jsp?eREC_ID=4481924&d=2024-10-15&id=0

Tue, October 15 , 5:30pm - 9:00pm

Williamsburg Prep is hosting a bunch of open houses. Click here to register:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScJcEgUKHXZpd_5c6UiB-E06oaRkk_NfHG5fcdeHkRY1PZGpg/viewform

Tuesday, October 1 @ 6:00pm

Monday, October 7, @ 6:00pm

Saturday, October 12 @ 12:00pm

Thursday, October 24 @ 6:00pm

Saturday, October 26 @ 12:00pm

Wednesday, November 6 @ 6:00pm

Saturday, November 9 @ 12:00pm

what happens on October 1

October 1 is the day the high school application season officially “opens.” That doesn’t mean there’s something for you to do that day. It does mean that hopefully your child’s data (grades, seat grouping, bio info, screened group, random lottery number) will populate in MySchools. Last year it took a few days for screened groups, random lottery numbers and ED OPT groups to show up. 

When that info DOES populate, make sure it’s correct. This is where high schools will be pulling data from so make sure grades look correct, that gen ed or SWD category is what it should be, if you qualify for free/reduced lunch that that appears as well. 

There’s word on the street that the DOE is working on a tool that will help you figure out your chances at each school, taking into account grades, priorities, random lottery numbers, and more. Not sure if it’ll be up and running this season. 

Right now you have full access to school searches on MySchools. After the season opens you’ll have a place to save you’ll also be able to start building your application, or at least favoriting schools as a way of keeping track of what you like. You can move things as much as you want before applications are due in December. 

SHSAT registration also opens that day. You DO NOT HAVE to register for early. But, you HAVE to register by 10/18. 

You rank your schools when you register.

You only have to rank as many schools as you’re interested in. 

Rank in order of preference, keeping in mind that if you don’t rank Stuyvesant first, you won’t get an offer from them.

If you change your mind after ranking and registering, you can cancel and re-submit your registration. 

Again 10/18 is the deadline. After that you cannot register for the SHSAT.

TOURING: HS for Environmental Studies, Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics, Repertory Company

HS for Environmental Studies is hosting open houses. More info to come about in person/virtual and registration if necessary. Click here for more info (it’s just a pop up window at the moment): https://www.envirostudies.org/ https://www.envirostudies.org/
October,  Saturday  ,10/26, 10am-12pm

November, Thursday,   11/7, 4-6pm

November , Wednesday,  11/13, 4-6pm

November, Saturday  11/16, 10am-12pm 

Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics is hosting a bunch of in person open houses. Click their calendar for more info: https://www.mcsm.net/events

Wed, 9/25, 10am and 5pm

Sat, 9/28 at 11am

Tues, 10/1 at 5pm

Wed, 10/2 at 10am

Wed, 10/9 at 10am

Thur, 10/10 at 5pm

Sat, 10/12 at 11am

Wed, 10/16 at 10am and 5pm

Thur, 10/17 at 5pm

Tues, 10/22 at 5pm

Wed, 10/23 at 10am

Sat, 10/26 at 11am

Wed, 10/30 at 10am

Mon, 11/4 at 5pm

Wed, 11/6 at 10am and 5pm

Sat, 11/9 at 11am

Wed, 11/13 at 10am

Thur, 11/14 at 5pm

Sat, 11/16 at 11am

Tues, 11/19 at 5pm

Wed, 11/20 at 10am

Thur, 11/21 at 5pm

Wed, 12/4 at 10m, 5pm and then more through 12/21

Repertory Company HS is hosting in person open houses. Click here to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/repertory-company-high-school-open-house-2024-tickets-723708801507?aff=oddtdtcreator

Wed, 10/16 at 5:30pm

Wed, 10/23 at 5:30pm

a quick note about misinformation and fact checking

There’s a whole lot of info swirling around out there about the high school process and not all of it is timely or true. 

I saw a post today on facebook about a high school fair happening at Brooklyn Tech. Turns out the notice someone had seen was from 2014. 

Not every website is scrubbed of old info. Not every school updates things in a timely fashion. Not everything that’s posted is correct. The last couple of seasons MySchools gave everyone the same ED OPT category for weeks before they updated with actual info. 

I’m here to answer questions and do research if something seems off, improbable, or you just need help with fact checking.

Baccalaureate School for Global Education, Museum School

Head’s up - both schools below require registration but neither have live links available. 

The Baccalaureate School for Global Education is hosting 3 virtual only open houses. The registration link isn’t working at present. For more info: https://bsge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/admissions-open-house-f24-1.jpg

Thurs, 10/10 from 5:30 to 6:30pm

Sun, 10/27 from 9:30 to 10:30am

Sat, 11/16 from 9:30 to 10:30am

Museum School is hosting in person info sessions/tours. Sign up form to come. For more info: https://www.nycmuseumschool.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=472320&type=d

Tuesday October 22nd 9:00 am

Wednesday October 23rd 9:00 am

Thursday October 24th 9:00 am

Friday October 25th 9:00 am