The shock hits at the end of 7th grade — that’s when city students get handed a humongous book with detailed descriptions of more than 400 NYC public high schools.
Suddenly, adolescents must think about their future — out of any high school in the city, which is the right one for them?
NEW YORK CITY’S BEST HIGH SCHOOLS
It’s confusing, intimidating and frustrating. Blow it off, and you could get stuck in a dead-end high that won’t prepare you for college or career. Invest the time and effort, and you may get a first-rate education.
Understanding the twists and turns of the system is key to snagging a seat in the best school for you. Here’s some crucial advice:
“The hardest thing is finding realistic choices,” said Clara Hemphill, founding editor of Insideschools.org at the New School. “Lots of kids waste spots on their application by listing schools they’re not eligible for — and they’re disappointed when they don’t get in.”
You list up to 12 schools in order of preference. In the end, the Department of Education will offer you a seat at one school — the highest on your list for which you qualify and there is space available.
* CHECK ADMISSION RULES. A dozen choices seems like a lot, but the possibilities shrink once you check the requirements to get into each school. Some rules may wipe you off the rosters.
* LOCATION MATTERS. Sought-after Baruch College Campus HS, for instance, limits admission to kids from District 2 in Manhattan. Other selective schools give preference to or accept only kids in their district or borough.
* GRADES COUNT. Desirable “screened” schools — or special programs within large schools — may select only kids with the best grades and attendance in 7th grade. The most competitive take only those with 90% or higher in math, science, English and social studies, the core subjects. If your grades are poor, the door will slam shut — don’t list them.
* TESTS. The cream of the crop take a single test to get into eight elite city high schools — the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT), a timed, multiple-choice exam that measures reasoning, reading comprehension and math skills.
Of 28,000 students who take this exam, about 5,000 will get seats in these schools, which include Stuyvesant HS, Bronx HS of Science, Staten Island Technical HS and Brooklyn Technical HS.
“Kids start very early and study very hard for this exam,” Hemphill says. “Parents will pay for kids to practice these tests on Saturdays.”
The DOE’s computers rank students based on their scores. The highest-scoring kids who apply to each specialized school get offered seats. Schools hold no sway in the decisions.
“No amount of cajoling the principal will get you in,” Hemphill said.
All that matters is your score on the test.
* AUDITIONS. How do you get into one of NYC’s great performing arts schools? Practice, practice, practice.
Don’t walk in cold, or think you can “wing it.”
You will be asked to sing, dance, play an instrument or act a part. Visual arts candidates present a portfolio of artwork. Ask each school for instructions or check their websites.
“Don’t put all your eggs in the audition basket,” Hemphill says. “I know a girl who applied to five such schools and didn’t get into any of them.
* INVESTIGATE. Go to every school on your list for a visit or tour. Some schools give preference to those who have expressed interest by showing up. At high schol fairs, sign the sheet at a school’s booth.
Ask for adult help: “You can’t do it alone,” said Destiny Lopez, a student at Gramercy Arts HS who helped the Resilience Advocacy Project produce a comic-strip guide called “Old School New School” to simplify the byzantine system.
“You need a parent, guardian or guidance counselor to help you. It’s a long and difficult process,” she said.
It’s also crucial — experts and students agree — to check out the school in person. Walk the halls. Examine the student work displayed. Ask lots of questions. How much homework? “Too much and you drown — not enough and you won’t be prepared for college,” Hemphill says.
* CONSIDER VARIOUS TYPES OF SCHOOLS.
Specialized and other top schools prepare students for college by offering Advanced Placement courses and exams that may qualify for college credit.
But AP is just one form of advanced classes.
For instance, the Baccalaureate School for Global Education in Queens and Brooklyn Latin, a small specialized school, both award an International Baccalaureate, or IB, diploma, which is internationally recognized.
* EARLY COLLEGE. Several city schools are located on or next to CUNY and other college campuses. Most let upperclassmen take credit-bearing courses there, mixing in with regular college students. In some cases, a college prof teaches a high school class.
* CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION. Formerly known as “trade schools,” CTE schools can give you marketable skills in aviation, nursing, graphic arts and other fields.
Urban Assembly New York Harbor School trains students to build boats and farm fish. Transit Tech HS trains future subway mechanics. Aviation and Technical Education HS produces airplane mechanics.
Choose one with challenging academics that also prepare you for college.
* CONSIDER SCHOOL SIZE. “If you are self-confident and able to work independently, you may flourish at a large school. If you want intimacy and coziness,” a small school may be better for you, says Insideschools.
Large schools typically have bigger class sizes than small ones.
“It’s really hard for the kids to get personal attention, and for the adults to give it,” Hemphill says.
But large schools likely offer a smorgasborg of academic courses and extracurricular activities, better science labs and other facilities and lots of sports teams and arts.
* LOOK FOR PROGRAMS WITHIN LARGE SCHOOLS. Don’t cross a large school off your list before checking whether they offer special programs — hidden gems that give kids a greater sense of belonging, says Joyce Szuflita, a private educational consultant.
Many successful big schools offer smaller, selective, programs for academic high-achievers or kids with artistic talents. For instance, Midwood HS in Brookyn offers a humanities program and a Medical Sciences Institute.
“Even though there are many kids in the hall, you meet the kids in your program pretty fast and find your own little group,” Szuflita said.
List each program as one of your 12 choices. You may list more than one at the same school.
TRY THE COMMUTE. Many kids apply to schools far from home. It’s not unusual to spend more than an hour to get to school. Test the travel time — at rush hour. Factor in clubs and sports that will keep you hours after school. You may get home home late and still have lots of homework to do.
* DONT LIST TOO FEW SCHOOLS. “Don’t put down just a couple of choices, thinking you’re going to snag a choice school in the second round,” Szuflita said. “That’s really gambling. You should make a rich and thorough list for the first round.”
* BUT LIST ONLY SCHOOLS YOU ARE WILLING TO ATTEND. Once you are matched to a school on your list, it’s almost impossible to switch.
susan.edelman@nypost.com