What are the options for a family that chose not to apply to privates for an 8th grade boy? I feel like I really screwed this up.
DS wants to go to HSMSE, we prepped and he did well on the practice tests, his grades are good (all above 93) and he always got 4s on state tests. We are also looking at NEST and Columbia Secondary. No interest in religious schools, single-sex or boarding.
What do I do if he gets assigned to some terrible high school? Do we just show up at Avenues with our checkbook and beg? Move to Bronxville? What are the options for good students who don't want to play the private game?
How does Basis compare to Avenues?
You should apply to a few privates if deadlines haven’t passed. I’m doing them now for 6th grade and also have no interest in that world but these are the times we live in. Give your kid some choices and yes check out basis for sure. we’re applying there too. Deadline is mid January and I’ve heard good things.
What about Basis?
Is the issue that DC didn't study for or take the tests for private? Can DC do that now? IIRC, the deadlines for some apps are in January. Seems like cost is not the issue, but whether you "hate that world" more than you hate a "terrible" public school? No one knows whether it will be a lottery, or what your "must haves" are for a school. Maybe call Parents League and see what they advise re private if you now want that as a backup.
I've got a list of schools (although I cannot find 12) but what if it is really a lottery and we get none of them? We absolutely will not do Catholic school.
There's this constant knot in my stomach and a voice in my head hissing that we should have applied to privates even though I hate that world. It's hopeless calling in the spring ask asking about spots, right?
Prioritize the list of SHS schools by cutoff score .. if he doesn't get in to HSMSE, where else would he be willing to go (that has a lower cut off score) - Bk Tech? BK Latin? Etc. For non SHS, god only knows how admissions will work this year - could be lottery, no info from the DOE on admissions and since no 7th grade criteria ... you can see where the DOE will try to go with this. Consider Catholic schools (even if not Catholic) - a much simpler admission process and lower cost cost - especially in the boros. Even though you missed the deadlines people always come in the summer, fall and somehow end up in spots or transferring.
Presumably he will rank all of the SHS, and you should be looking at more than three screened schools. How about Beacon? Millennium? iSchool? Bard? McCourt? HSMSE is a very small and specialized school so that's far from a lock, maybe put Bklyn Tech or Bx Sci second? The DC I know of who were assigned to "terrible" schools didn't submit a full rank list, at least one ended up at Catholic school which turned out to be very good for the kid, and another was able to appeal and get into Beacon. It's like K or college apps, if you don't apply broadly you have a real risk of limited choices. If often works out ok anyway, but it's more stressful.