April of 7th Grade - How do we START this HS Search Process?

100% 

100% Is the number we remind families to focus on.   

100% represents the % of students from our school who go on to high school.

AND With over 80 high schools in San Francisco, there are certainly ‘many good choices out there for every student’......

There are 5 types of high schools in SF, each with varied admissions processes:

1. Standard SFUSD Public (E.g. Lincoln, Washington, Galileo, Mission) = lottery
2. Selective Enrollment Public (Lowell = grades /scores; SOTA = audition/portfolio)
3. Charter Public (E.g. Gateway, Leadership, KIPP) = separate lotteries
4. Religious (E.g. SI, Sacred Heart, Jewish Community) = separate applications
5. Independent (E.g. Lick-Wilmerding, Bay, Drew, Urban) = separate applications

BUT, we commonly get asked “where should we start?”

“How can we narrow the field to figure out which of those would be good fits for our student?

It is strongly encouraged to identify what is important to your family & student BEFORE you start looking at schools. This will help you remain objective and reduce your chances of getting swayed by a school that might not be an ideal fit due to a random aspect (e.g. a particularly compelling tour guide)

 

This questionnaire asks for information about yourself and your preliminary high school plans. 

Its purpose is to help your family begin your high school search with intention

I.  BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Capture some overall preferences, needs

1. Name any particular schools you are interested in at this time.
2. What interests you about that/those schools?
3. What subjects have you liked the most so far? Why do you enjoy these subjects?
4. What teachers have you been most positively impacted by? Why have you enjoyed having them? Be as descriptive as possible.
5. Do you have a learning difference for which you receive accommodations (like extra time)?
6. What do you think will be the biggest challenge of the high school application process for you?

II. PERSONAL PREFERENCES: 
Please rate the following elements according to their importance to you:

Personal contact and strong relationships with teachers

___ Not important     ___ somewhat important ___ very important ___ vital

Opportunity to choose your classes

___ Not important     ___ somewhat important ___ very important ___ vital

Small class sizes (10-16 students)

___ Not important     ___ somewhat important ___ very important ___ vital

Availability of a particular subject/discipline (such as visual art, computer science, etc.)

___ Not important     ___ somewhat important ___ very important ___ vital

Availability of a particular extra-curricular interest (sports, clubs, etc)

___ Not important     ___ somewhat important ___ very important ___ vital

The school’s geographical location

___ Not important     ___ somewhat important ___ very important ___ vital

If this is important, what location(s) do you prefer or want to avoid? 

Diversity of the student body

___ Not important     ___ somewhat important ___ very important ___ vital

Religious community

___ Not important     ___ somewhat important ___ very important ___ vital

Prestige – how well-recognized the school is

___ Not important     ___ somewhat important ___ very important ___ vital

Cost - no cost OR availability of financial aid 

___ Not important     ___ somewhat important ___ very important ___ vital

Availability of Additional Academic Support/ College Counseling Support

___ Not important     ___ somewhat important ___ very important ___ vital

III. HIGH SCHOOL WISH LIST: 

List under the categories below the types of courses and programs you would like to see at your high school. What are the must-haves?

We are here to help you identify which path(s) are right for your student to pursue.   Join us Monday night for a HS Search kick off via zoom (link posted on Schoology ALL THINGS HS).  We will provide an overview of the application process, timeline & advice from 'experienced parents'.