If I’m a little frazzled today it’s because today is the day that my daughter (with our help) is required to fill out the High School Program Choices form, where she will carefully print the program code, program and name of all the high schools she’s interested in—up to 12 choices.
Suffice it to say, we’re all feeling more than a little stress. As of this morning my daughter still wasn’t sure, which school she wants to put in her all-important number one spot.
The decision about where she ends up is, ultimately, made by a computer using a complex algorithm that weighs various elements and is so complex few can really explain it (so I’m not even going to try).
If you’ve been following OTBKB’s High School Tour Confidential series, you know that the NYC public high school admissions process is a highly competitive ordeal that, in a sense, pits kid against kid, for the coveted spots in the coveted schools. Some schools require assessment tests, portfolios, essays and interviews while others require auditions for art, drama, dance or music. Some rely on test scores and grades. All of them look closely at attendance and punctuality.
Over coffee this morning, I sat with two other 8th grader moms at Sweet M’s and we spoke of the relief we’d feel when this process is over. There will be relief when we hand in the form, for sure, but it ain’t over until it’s over
Handing in the form is actually just the beginning of the next phase. The waiting. In late winter or spring we will finally find out where are children are going to school next year.
At Sweet M’s we laughed and reminisced about the high school tours. But mostly we expressed weariness and frustration. We went over the various schools we’d seen. We laughed some more. It was a nice bit of sharing and venting over coffee.
Truthfully, though, it all comes down to which school or schools feel right for your kid. It’s that simple—and that complex. Because even if you like a school, who’s to say your child will get in. Hence the anxiety and the mantra: NEVER put a school on your list, where you wouldn’t want to send your child.
The Department of Education deadline for the list is on Friday, December 3. That’s the day that every 8th grade public school student will hand in his/her list. It’s a real coming of age moment kids in a city that attempts to deliver quality education to all students regardless of class, race or creed—and in many cases fails to do so.
The handing in of that list is also a collective NYC moment for parents whom, regardless of their race and economic predicament, want the best for the children and know that high school is the important beginning of the journey towards future success (let’s really put the pressure on).
When my daughter gets home today she will have to make her decision about her top choices. I can tell you right now we won’t have 12 schools to list. And I can tell you right now, it’s not going to be an easy afternoon and evening.