HEY! You're in middle school.
Someday soon, someone's going to hand you The High School Directory. Do you really have to think about 9th grade now? YEAH! That way you don't get stuck in a high school you don't like.
The Directory is big and can be overwhelming.
Don't freak out. A crew of students from all over NYC figured out a few easy steps to picking a high school.
This will help you get through the steps and show you when you need to take each step.
START HERE Who made this?to lots of people.
The Directory is a good place to start, but it only tells a piece of the story!
Put together a team of people who know you and can give you advice:
Click here to see some other good questions you can ask your team.
Then, make a list of what is most important for you in a school.
your next year. Look through the book and ask yourself “Which of these has what’s important to me?”
What kind of school do you want to go to?
When you find schools you like, write down their requirements and important dates like for high school fairs, when you can visit schools, and tests so you don't forget.
REMEMBER: Some schools give priority to students who have visited the school or attended a school fair. And schools that require an audition won't accept you unless you audition!
your favorite schools. Put down that Directory, get out there, and check them out in person!
Why should I visit schools?
1. It's the best way to REALLY get a feel for the school, the other students, the neighborhood, and the commute.
2. On a visit, you can ask lots of questions. You can’t ask a book questions. Imagine you're a detective trying to get to the real story.
3.
Click here to look at some questions to ask when you visit schools.
which schools you liked best.
What kind of school do you want to go to? Go back to your list of things that are important to you.
Do all the schools you're thinking about give you what’s important to you?
to high schools. Your school will give you the application. You're ready for it!
Here are three important things to know:
If you are applying to a school that requires the Specialized High School Admissions Test, first eat a good breakfast. Your giant brain will destroy tests like Godzilla destroys Tokyo.
Here are a few other websites you can use to look for schools, and to research the ones you’re interested in:
NYC Department of Education - Go straight to the source. Information about schools, a breakdown of the different kinds of schools you can go to, a calendar of important dates, and a lot more.
Inside Schools - Check out this independent nonprofit that can help you get a better idea of what each school is really like.
a computer will try to match you with a school on your list. If it can't, you won't be assigned to a high school, and you'll have to re-apply in round two.
In round two, there are a lot fewer high schools to choose from.
That means you shouldn’t just write down one or two schools on your application.
Who made this?
The Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP), together with The Resilience Advocacy Project (RAP), teaching artist Douglas Paulson, and students from all over New York City investigated the high school application process. With interviews, adventures, and a small time machine, they investigated this overwhelming but mandatory milestone, and made a website to help break it down for middle school students, parents, and guidance counselors. Welcome to Old School New School.
The Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP) is a nonprofit organization that uses the power of design and art to increase meaningful civic engagement.
For more information on this and other CUP products, visit: welcometocup.org
This project is one of CUP's Urban Investigations. Urban Investigations are CUP's project-based afterschool programs in which high school students explore fundamental questions about how the city works. Students collaborate with CUP and teaching artists to create multimedia teaching tools that reach audiences in the fields of arts and social justice.
The Resilience Advocacy Project (RAP) develops and implements innovative individual and system-level advocacy models that build resilience – the ability to bounce back from adversity – in low-income children and youth.
For more information on RAP, visit: resiliencelaw.org
