picking a high school

A student should start thinking about high school as early as 6th grade.

What should a junior high school student look for in a high school?

• Start thinking about a profession you would like to work in or field of study you might like to continue--like graphic arts, environmental science or business. Look for a school that offers classes in that area.
  
  
• Think about what you like to do afterschool. Many schools have special programs that you can participate in afterschool.
  
  
• Ask about the record of the school. Every school has a report card. Go to the Board of Education's High School Directory to see this information. Type in the name of the school you're interested in, press GO. Then, click on School Report Card in the left menu bar to find out more about the school's performance.
  
  
• See Deciding What's Right for U (below).
  

Do you have to apply to your zoned school or schools within your borough only? What about visiting schools?

• You can apply to any school--within any borough.
  
  
• Visiting schools is strongly encouraged. Visit as many schools as you can to get a feel for them. Every school offers a different study area. Some of those areas could be in auto repair, CAD (Computer Aided Drafting), optometry, electrical, carpentry, performance art...

What are the differences between public and private schools?

• Public schools are schools that you go to free of charge. They have no religious affiliations.
  
  
• Private schools are schools that you pay to attend (you pay on a monthly or yearly basis). These kinds of schools are often associated with churches and may practice certain religions in school.

Is location important?
It's really up to you. If you live in Brooklyn and you get accepted to a school in the Bronx, your train ride may well be over an hour back and forth. So decide whether traveling far is for you or not.

How do Regent's scores help me decide on a school?
Regent's scores are important because they let you know how well a school is doing, or even how poor their students have done on them. If a high percentage of students at a school get poor scores, you might want to think twice about going to that school because you might not be challenged or given good instruction.

What is the college placement rate for the school?
This is an important factor. If a high school has a high college placement rate, it means that most of their students continue their education in college.

Does this high school offer co-op placement?
If you are thinking about working during your junior or senior year of high school, then co-op is something you might want to look into. In co-op, you are given a job where you do work in the field you are studying in school. It's a great chance to get some experience and make a little cash at the same time.

What activities does this school offer?
It's good to get involved in activities in school, especially community service activities. They make your transcript look good for college. Some activities include sports, computer clubs, student government and business associations.

What are the academic offerings in this school? Does this school offer A.P. classes?
You want to make sure that you are up to a school's standards and that classes move at a pace that is comfortable to you. A.P (Advanced Placement) classes are like college classes which you can take in high school. You receive college credit upon completion of these courses.

Every parent is happy when their child makes it to high school. But many forget that it's their child's turn to make some choices about the future.

Parents may demand that their child go to a certain school. The student should have a strong voice in this decision and should be able to explain to their parents why they choose that school. Remember: As a parent you are here to guide your child but also to help them learn to make decisions for themselves. Let them know you stand behind what they want to accomplish in life.

This site can help you find out everything on any New York City HS. There is a section that breaks down the differences between specialized high schools, vocational, and alternative high schools. You can find out about special programs in schools and the requirements to be part of those programs.

This site is great for incoming HS students. It talks about what you should look for in a HS and how certain actions in HS can lead to life long consequences. Dealing with peers and other influences are also discussed in this article.