High School Guide: Admissions, reviews, and advice

I believe the girls' high school runs on the morning shift—though I couldn't say for certain about the Archbishop's classical academy.

A friend of mine mentioned that her kid’s seventh-grade class is supposed to have some kind of presentation in June regarding high school enrollment and admissions—basically a walkthrough of the different options. My daughter claims they haven't heard a single word about it yet. I suppose I'm wondering if this is just something handled by their specific principal—who is quite proactive, I guess—or if it's being organized at the district level. Does anyone happen to have any insight on this?
Back before the pandemic hit, we used to have those middle school career fairs and dedicated open house days for the various high schools. It would be nice to see those brought back now that everything is finally back to normal.

mellowskipper said:I believe the girls' high school runs on the morning shift—though I couldn't say for certain about the Archbishop's classical academy.

I mean... it's not really a big deal unless you're super picky about which shift you take...
I don't quite recall if it's based on specific credits or if you just need to sit down and have a chat with the principal 🤔

🤷
Who knows when those single-shift teachers will finally get their own dedicated classrooms or be done hosting guests...

mellowskipper said:A friend of mine mentioned that her kid’s seventh-grade class is supposed to have some kind of presentation in June regarding high school enrollment and admissions—basically a walkthrough of the different options. My daughter claims they haven't heard a single word about it yet. I suppose I'm wondering if this is just something handled by their specific principal—who is quite proactive, I guess—or if it's being organized at the district level. Does anyone happen to have any insight on this?
Back before the pandemic hit, we used to have those middle school career fairs and dedicated open house days for the various high schools. It would be nice to see those brought back now that everything is finally back to normal.

High schools usually host their own open houses, and they're the ones who organize the career fairs.
Even last year, things were done over Zoom, but most people still found out through their middle schools.

In years past, middle schools used to host representatives from vocational programs. People from local trade associations would visit to talk about specific careers, the perks, and scholarships for high-demand fields.
It’s possible that a school might send someone over specifically to recruit students if they're looking to boost their numbers. I actually heard that Toledo has been doing some heavy recruiting at middle schools lately, and now they have six applicants vying for a single spot in their entrance exams! 😲

Also, middle schools really should offer better professional guidance. Sometimes it's done as a group, but other times the counselor only reaches out to students with specific academic tracks or special needs since their enrollment process is different.
But I guess that mostly applies to the eighth graders.

Susan James said:I mean... it's not really a big deal unless you're super picky about which shift you take...
I don't quite recall if it's based on specific credits or if you just need to sit down and have a chat with the principal 🤔

🤷
Who knows when those single-shift teachers will finally get their own dedicated classrooms or be done hosting guests...

Regarding the CIA, I know for sure because I actually looked into how that school handles the first shift, they definitely need points, though the threshold is pretty low—around 60, I think—plus an interview with the principal. Generally, based on this forum and a few others, kids and parents seem pretty happy with that school.
Though my kid isn't really interested in prep schools, so maybe we'll put them at number 6 on our list.

Susan James said:High schools usually host their own open houses, and they're the ones who organize the career fairs.
Even last year, things were done over Zoom, but most people still found out through their middle schools.

In years past, middle schools used to host representatives from vocational programs. People from local trade associations would visit to talk about specific careers, the perks, and scholarships for high-demand fields.
It’s possible that a school might send someone over specifically to recruit students if they're looking to boost their numbers. I actually heard that Toledo has been doing some heavy recruiting at middle schools lately, and now they have six applicants vying for a single spot in their entrance exams! 😲

Also, middle schools really should offer better professional guidance. Sometimes it's done as a group, but other times the counselor only reaches out to students with specific academic tracks or special needs since their enrollment process is different.
But I guess that mostly applies to the eighth graders.

Mine has to go through professional orientation regardless because of her IEP, but she'd still love to attend those fairs and open houses.
By the way, do you happen to know what that professional orientation actually looks like? Is it knowledge tests or more of an interview? Do they involve the parents? And does the assessment and opinion from the hospital staff where the evaluation was done—specifically regarding ongoing follow-ups—actually carry any weight?

Susan James said:A lot of things aren't comparable to how they were in the last century (man, that sounds dramatic, doesn't it? 😂)
We used to apply to two different schools—one with our original documents and one with copies—and you just went wherever you got accepted. If you got into the one where you sent copies, you'd spend the whole day running around trying to find your originals to hand them in to the school that actually took you.
You could actually get in without hitting the maximum possible score; there was no oversight from the IRS or anything like that. I remember us standing OURSELVES in line outside the school building just to turn in our paperwork. Nowadays, I see parents heading off to college campuses with their kids during enrollment 🤦
(And they watch the high school admissions happen in real-time online, watching the little cursor move during the digital enrollment process, all while dealing with everyone's opinions on which school the kid should attend. For instance, back in middle school, my teachers basically told me exactly where I should go, even though by my freshman year, I realized how much they had steered us wrong. By the time I got to college, I was certain they hadn't been very accurate. Still, I wouldn't be who I am today if they hadn't made those mistakes 🤣)

Honestly, the biggest shock to me is how intensely parents obsess over high school placement these days—it’s nothing like when we were just debating which school was slightly better a few years back 😁

Were your parents like that? Mine both had college degrees and they really wanted me to take over the family business, but when it came to school, their attitude was basically "just do well or you won't have any options." As for high school, my mom wanted me to go to the one closest to home, but I picked one further away because there was this guy I liked (and maybe a little bit to spite her too 😁 just like with college, since I didn't end up taking over the family business 🕺 ).

Regarding the school schedule, I was always a night owl (meaning I'd grind through all those assignments and studying until the early hours), so if I had an early morning class, I’d just pass out on the couch after lunch. I personally loved the afternoon shift because I could be home alone, grab a coffee, light up a cigarette, and just mope around the way you're supposed to do in high school 😁
I seriously respect anyone who manages to juggle sports on top of high school; back then, I couldn't even wrap my head around adding one more single obligation to my plate 😁

Susan James said:A lot of things aren't comparable to how they were in the last century (man, that sounds dramatic, doesn't it? 😂)
We used to apply to two different schools—one with our original documents and one with copies—and you just went wherever you got accepted. If you got into the one where you sent copies, you'd spend the whole day running around trying to find your originals to hand them in to the school that actually took you.
You could actually get in without hitting the maximum possible score; there was no oversight from the IRS or anything like that. I remember us standing OURSELVES in line outside the school building just to turn in our paperwork. Nowadays, I see parents heading off to college campuses with their kids during enrollment 🤦
(And they watch the high school admissions happen in real-time online, watching the little cursor move during the digital enrollment process, all while dealing with everyone's opinions on which school the kid should attend. For instance, back in middle school, my teachers basically told me exactly where I should go, even though by my freshman year, I realized how much they had steered us wrong. By the time I got to college, I was certain they hadn't been very accurate. Still, I wouldn't be who I am today if they hadn't made those mistakes 🤣)

And then, if you're unlucky enough to be part of a hiring committee at work, you get a front-row seat to these absolute gems who show up to job interviews with their mom or dad in tow. Or worse, the mom calls the office to grill us about the job details 😲

I'm probably the oldest person talking about this, but honestly, back in the day, you could only really apply to one high school. So if you don't make the cut, you're forced into a second round where you have to pick from the schools nobody actually wanted to go to in the first place.

Even for college, all those technical universities held their entrance exams at the exact same time... you could only pick one.

If I remember correctly, you actually had the option to transfer those math and physics credits over.
I went through the high school admissions process with a close friend, and we ended up taking the exact same entrance exams—we even turned in our paperwork for the same university where we both got direct admission.

It strikes me as incredibly telling how much the landscape shifts from one generation to the next. There’s been this constant state of chaos surrounding these requirements for decades now. Honestly, I can’t quite recall if I applied to three different colleges or just two—I think I ended up applying to two, and luckily, I got into somewhere nearby. I vividly remember sprinting out of the building just to catch my bus right as the staff at the local community college were locking the entrance doors. Looking back, I was so grateful my mom advised me to steer clear of that particular school 😁 My friends used to start getting ready an hour earlier just to be safe 😵

MIT wasn't nearly the household name it is today—back when I was applying, I actually missed out on getting into Krizanicev during the first round. Honestly? I’m incredibly glad things shook out that way because my time at MIT was absolutely wonderful. As for the whole business about locking the doors... I can't quite recall 😁
Things are fundamentally different now, though. Back then, the seniors weren't nearly as involved in all that stuff. My "special treatment" was basically just having someone drive me around to drop off paperwork or head to registration so I wouldn't have to mess with the bus or the light rail. Nowadays, they practically chauffeur them straight to campus—some even get rides all the way to job interviews 😬

Carl Bishop2 said:If I remember correctly, you actually had the option to transfer those math and physics credits over.
I went through the high school admissions process with a close friend, and we ended up taking the exact same entrance exams—we even turned in our paperwork for the same university where we both got direct admission.

I mean, sure, you could if there were spots left, but they gave priority to people who actually sat for the entrance exams at that specific school. For me, my backup plan was always the College of Humanities and Social Sciences because back in my ancient prehistoric days, nobody wanted to touch that place... but Civil Engineering or MIT would usually hit their capacity in the first round, so I couldn't really count on having both as options.

Anthony Gray said:MIT wasn't nearly the household name it is today—back when I was applying, I actually missed out on getting into Krizanicev during the first round. Honestly? I’m incredibly glad things shook out that way because my time at MIT was absolutely wonderful. As for the whole business about locking the doors... I can't quite recall 😁
Things are fundamentally different now, though. Back then, the seniors weren't nearly as involved in all that stuff. My "special treatment" was basically just having someone drive me around to drop off paperwork or head to registration so I wouldn't have to mess with the bus or the light rail. Nowadays, they practically chauffeur them straight to campus—some even get rides all the way to job interviews 😬

I mean, there were always parents like that, but they were definitely the exception rather than the rule. And I'm sure there are still plenty of parents today letting their kids make their own calls, they probably just aren't the loudest group out there.

In theory, my folks told us we could pick our own schools, but the second my sister mentioned wanting to go into electrical engineering, my mom basically begged me to "subtly" talk her out of it. My parents—and even my teachers—were low-key pushing me toward an engineering degree too. Sure, it ended up being the wrong call in the end, but hey, I'm working in a field now that nobody back then could have even imagined existed...

Who knows what kind of jobs kids will actually be doing once they finish the schools they're picking today 😬

When was it ever possible to apply to just one school at a time?
Back when I was (way back 😬) applying, I actually applied to two different universities; for one, I had to hand over my original documents, while for the other, submitting copies was perfectly fine.

Regarding entrance exams at technical universities, Civil Engineering and MIT definitely didn't schedule theirs for the same time.
If I recall correctly, the entrance exams for MIT and the School of Mechanical Engineering in New York City were held simultaneously (though I'm not entirely sure about the College of Arts and Sciences)
so you could potentially transfer credits from one university to another if you managed to pass the threshold.
There was always plenty of room available at the School of Mechanical Engineering.🙂

My mom didn't have a car, and since she was working as early as seven in the morning, she obviously couldn't give me rides. I’m out there on the ice starting around 8:00 or 9:00 AM, and if her school happens to be somewhat on my way, I’ll absolutely drive her if she wants. Honestly, knowing how much she loves to sleep in, she’d probably really appreciate those extra 20 minutes of rest. 😁

I don't see any lack of independence here; it just looks like avoiding unnecessary morning stress. 🤷 Besides, she’s already been handling those commutes on her own for quite a while now because of her training schedule.

Back when I was in school, I used to walk—just on foot—every single day. My schedule was usually 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM, and it took me about fifteen minutes to get there. I didn't even receive my first official ID card until I actually got to college.

I’m not quite sure I agree that UCLA wasn't considered a top-tier destination. Back when I was in fifth grade, I had already set my sights on getting into UCLA, so by the time I hit third grade, I was working hard to master English—which I hadn't even started studying at that point—just because everyone said you absolutely had to be fluent to have a shot there. Even though I ultimately decided not to enroll, back in school, the consensus was definitely that UCLA was the place to be.

wearybison8 said:When was it ever possible to apply to just one school at a time?
Back when I was (way back 😬) applying, I actually applied to two different universities; for one, I had to hand over my original documents, while for the other, submitting copies was perfectly fine.

Regarding entrance exams at technical universities, Civil Engineering and MIT definitely didn't schedule theirs for the same time.
If I recall correctly, the entrance exams for MIT and the School of Mechanical Engineering in New York City were held simultaneously (though I'm not entirely sure about the College of Arts and Sciences)
so you could potentially transfer credits from one university to another if you managed to pass the threshold.
There was always plenty of room available at the School of Mechanical Engineering.🙂

They had a 100% overlap because my cousin and I took them at the same time... we even realized the exams were identical, which felt totally insane at the time. That was the first year of the new credit system. And the year before that, I'm pretty sure it was the same. Beyond that? No clue...

Jacob Sullivan91 said:And then, if you're unlucky enough to be part of a hiring committee at work, you get a front-row seat to these absolute gems who show up to job interviews with their mom or dad in tow. Or worse, the mom calls the office to grill us about the job details 😲

I'm probably the oldest person talking about this, but honestly, back in the day, you could only really apply to one high school. So if you don't make the cut, you're forced into a second round where you have to pick from the schools nobody actually wanted to go to in the first place.

Even for college, all those technical universities held their entrance exams at the exact same time... you could only pick one.

Jacob Sullivan91 said:They had a 100% overlap because my cousin and I took them at the same time... we even realized the exams were identical, which felt totally insane at the time. That was the first year of the new credit system. And the year before that, I'm pretty sure it was the same. Beyond that? No clue...

Wait, hold on—you actually started college during those first years of the credit system... and you're seriously claiming to be the most experienced one here on this topic? 🤣

I mean, you might eventually get there—but only if you're looking at like a ten-year gap between finishing high school and actually starting college. It’s a long stretch, honestly. 🤣

I think I’ve completely lost my train of thought here. Where did Peppa say she took her high school entrance exams? And didn't Jacob Sullivan91 take hers right after college?
Honestly, I can't for the life of me remember how those high school applications worked. If Jacob Sullivan91 didn't take a gap year between high school and university, then you'd usually be applying to two different high schools at once before you even finished middle school.

It feels like several different things are getting tangled up here. I remember going through entrance exams for high school, college, and even university, and back then, we weren't dealing with any of this modern credit system or Bologna nonsense—it was a completely different structure entirely. 😛
And honestly, there wasn't such a thing as a standardized group exam for everyone; you just showed up wherever you wanted to test. For those in the math and physics programs at the state university, they actually offered a second attempt, but if you were studying chemistry or biology, you were pretty much out of luck after the first try. I can't quite recall if the teaching certification tracks had a third chance or not, but it’s a bit fuzzy now. 🤔