High School Guide: Admissions, reviews, and advice

My son ended up in Toledo—aiming for chemical technician training. He just wasn't interested in music, logic, psychology... anything like that. He scored a 76, so I suppose he technically could have gone to a prep school if he’d wanted to.
He breezed through his Walgreens exams, got into MIT, and is now studying there quite normally, all things considered.

Nobody’s actually saying it’s impossible.

When people talk about elitism, I totally get it. Even among high schools, there’s this huge sense of hierarchy. At my old prep school, kids from other schools looked at us like we were some kind of vocational technical college teaching kids how to be painters or roofers. 😬

Here’s the list of those trial elementary schools along with the specific details they've provided

Michelle Nelson4 said:Here’s the list of those trial elementary schools along with the specific details they've provided

So—what does this even mean? Is it just some sort of precursor to the state exams, I guess?

Jeffrey Edwards5 said:I wasn't talking about final grades at the end of the term or the year, but rather what happens during the school year itself.
For example, my kid had surgery and was out for two weeks due to health issues. He came back to a mountain of missed work. I'm not asking for handouts, but a little more empathy—maybe some leeway to catch up or just not being penalized with lower grades for stuff out of his control—was nowhere to be found.
The same thing happened when he had to quarantine for a week after catching something. He ended up with Cs and Ds because they wouldn't give him a chance to make up the work.
He’s in 7th grade, and all of this is going to tank his standing. I don't even want to think about how many points he'll lose.

When I read about everyone's kids crushing it—aiming for Harvard Law School or places like MIT or Toledo... I can't help but wonder where the kids go who don't have a perfect 4.0 GPA? Where do the kids land when they don't hit that minimum score for a top-tier prep school?
Do those kids even exist?

On the other hand, I remember having a friend in class whose mom would basically coach her on how to fake excuses for absences. It was the perfect way to justify lower grades, but also the perfect tool to demand "special consideration" right before an exam or a midterm.

I want to say, it's incredibly difficult to take an individualized approach nowadays because someone will always complain. But then again, I totally get that sticking strictly to the rules can actually hurt the kids who were legitimately sick.

Then, of course, I think about the son of that big corporate executive who didn't quite make the cut for University of California, Berkeley. His parents quickly secured a dyslexia diagnosis, and suddenly he was in, followed by months of them badgering the professors because the "accommodations" weren't being tailored enough to his needs. All because he had to maintain straight As to keep up with his expensive private schooling abroad.

There are definitely kids who don't make it into those elite academies.😁 My sister was the first in our family not to attend a high-end prep school; she went to a local vocational school instead. Mom was absolutely frantic with worry about it.
But look at her now: she ended up going to the same college I did, she's involved in tons of projects, and thanks to her classmates, her networking is incredible. She actually found a job easily even before graduating. Honestly, she's in a much stronger position in the job market than I am, despite my perfect GPA through middle and high school. 😉

Kate Jackson4 said:It appears they might soon mandate national exams for all 8th graders... rumors are swirling 😉

What's the point of all that? Between those tests and then having to take entrance exams for high school... why do we need to make things so complicated?

silentmason4 said:What's the point of all that? Between those tests and then having to take entrance exams for high school... why do we need to make things so complicated?

I suspect they're just testing the waters. Honestly, I think it'll be much easier for them to roll out standardized testing for graduation if they spend a few years running entrance exams first—just to get the kids and parents used to the whole routine.

silentmason4 said:What's the point of all that? Between those tests and then having to take entrance exams for high school... why do we need to make things so complicated?

It looks like there are only a handful of entrance exams available, from what I can tell, and most of them seem to be centered around schools in the Chicago area.
I don't really count those as part of the standard process—you know, like applying to art school where you spend years preparing just to sit for an entrance exam. Or those dual-language programs where kids have to pass a proficiency test in the language of instruction, especially if they haven't been studying it since elementary school. To me, those feel like their own separate categories entirely.
I’ve noticed that these kids—our future students—really seem to have this incredible built-in resilience to stress. It’s actually quite impressive to watch. 😬

I think that external evaluation really hit the mark this time. It was exactly what we needed.
I honestly worry that this is all going to end up being just another standardized, cookie-cutter approach—basically an "Americanized" version of a massive, soul-crushing national exam. It feels like we’re heading toward that same kind of rigid, one-size-fits-all testing system we see everywhere else in the States.

I was just sitting here thinking about that whole situation, and honestly, it’s been on my mind quite a bit lately. It’s one of those things where you realize how much can change in an instant, right? I remember back when I was living in Chicago, I had a similar feeling during a major storm—everything felt a bit uncertain and heavy for a moment, but eventually, things settled down. It’s funny how life works like that sometimes. Just wanted to share that little thought! kaže:
I honestly think they’re just testing the waters here. It makes sense to me—if they spend the next couple of years being more flexible with how we handle high school graduations, it'll be much easier to roll out any major changes later on. It gives both the students and the parents some time to actually get used to a new way of doing things.

I think things will get a lot smoother once the teachers at our local elementary schools get used to kids asking that one inevitable question: "Is this going to be on the SAT?"
Ah, well, if that's the case, then we don't have to worry about learning it! No big deal. 🥳

Susan James said:It looks like there are only a handful of entrance exams available, from what I can tell, and most of them seem to be centered around schools in the Chicago area.
I don't really count those as part of the standard process—you know, like applying to art school where you spend years preparing just to sit for an entrance exam. Or those dual-language programs where kids have to pass a proficiency test in the language of instruction, especially if they haven't been studying it since elementary school. To me, those feel like their own separate categories entirely.
I’ve noticed that these kids—our future students—really seem to have this incredible built-in resilience to stress. It’s actually quite impressive to watch. 😬

I think that external evaluation really hit the mark this time. It was exactly what we needed.
I honestly worry that this is all going to end up being just another standardized, cookie-cutter approach—basically an "Americanized" version of a massive, soul-crushing national exam. It feels like we’re heading toward that same kind of rigid, one-size-fits-all testing system we see everywhere else in the States.

I was just sitting here thinking about that whole situation, and honestly, it’s been on my mind quite a bit lately. It’s one of those things where you realize how much can change in an instant, right? I remember back when I was living in Chicago, I had a similar feeling during a major storm—everything felt a bit uncertain and heavy for a moment, but eventually, things settled down. It’s funny how life works like that sometimes. Just wanted to share that little thought! kaže:
I honestly think they’re just testing the waters here. It makes sense to me—if they spend the next couple of years being more flexible with how we handle high school graduations, it'll be much easier to roll out any major changes later on. It gives both the students and the parents some time to actually get used to a new way of doing things.

I think things will get a lot smoother once the teachers at our local elementary schools get used to kids asking that one inevitable question: "Is this going to be on the SAT?"
Ah, well, if that's the case, then we don't have to worry about learning it! No big deal. 🥳

Where on earth are those kinds of schools? I’d move my little one there in a heartbeat.
Around here, if you don't know the answer immediately, they just write you off.
My daughter is incredibly resilient to stress, though.

Susan James said:It looks like there are only a handful of entrance exams available, from what I can tell, and most of them seem to be centered around schools in the Chicago area.
I don't really count those as part of the standard process—you know, like applying to art school where you spend years preparing just to sit for an entrance exam. Or those dual-language programs where kids have to pass a proficiency test in the language of instruction, especially if they haven't been studying it since elementary school. To me, those feel like their own separate categories entirely.
I’ve noticed that these kids—our future students—really seem to have this incredible built-in resilience to stress. It’s actually quite impressive to watch. 😬

I think that external evaluation really hit the mark this time. It was exactly what we needed.
I honestly worry that this is all going to end up being just another standardized, cookie-cutter approach—basically an "Americanized" version of a massive, soul-crushing national exam. It feels like we’re heading toward that same kind of rigid, one-size-fits-all testing system we see everywhere else in the States.

I was just sitting here thinking about that whole situation, and honestly, it’s been on my mind quite a bit lately. It’s one of those things where you realize how much can change in an instant, right? I remember back when I was living in Chicago, I had a similar feeling during a major storm—everything felt a bit uncertain and heavy for a moment, but eventually, things settled down. It’s funny how life works like that sometimes. Just wanted to share that little thought! kaže:
I honestly think they’re just testing the waters here. It makes sense to me—if they spend the next couple of years being more flexible with how we handle high school graduations, it'll be much easier to roll out any major changes later on. It gives both the students and the parents some time to actually get used to a new way of doing things.

I think things will get a lot smoother once the teachers at our local elementary schools get used to kids asking that one inevitable question: "Is this going to be on the SAT?"
Ah, well, if that's the case, then we don't have to worry about learning it! No big deal. 🥳

Wait, why is having multiple-choice or objective questions considered a bad thing? 🤔 Is it really better to force someone to scribble down a word instead of just circling one? If someone doesn't know the answer or can't solve the problem, providing options doesn't help them at all. To them, every single option looks equally (un)logical. Besides, even on the SATs, you still have to write out two full essays that aren't multiple-choice. 😉

So, what’s the deal with these essays no longer actually impacting our grades? It feels like I could practically hand in a blank sheet of paper and still get by.
And regarding those multiple-choice tests—I was watching this documentary recently—it seems like if you truly have no clue, you might as well just bubble in every single answer as 'C.' There’s a pretty high probability that it might actually work out for a passing grade, I guess.

hiddendriver34 said:Wait, why is having multiple-choice or objective questions considered a bad thing? 🤔 Is it really better to force someone to scribble down a word instead of just circling one? If someone doesn't know the answer or can't solve the problem, providing options doesn't help them at all. To them, every single option looks equally (un)logical. Besides, even on the SATs, you still have to write out two full essays that aren't multiple-choice. 😉

It’s not really about the specific questions themselves; the real issue lies in how we prepare for that entire style of testing.
I’ve been thinking lately about whether we're heading toward a future where basic schooling is basically just training kids to bubble in multiple-choice answers. It feels like the whole education system might eventually boil down to nothing more than mastering the art of circling the right option on a standardized test.

I’ve been lurking on these forums for over a decade now—I can drop a link if anyone wants to see the threads—and I keep seeing this same pattern from teachers. They describe how high schoolers will look them right in the eye and ask, "Is this actually going to be on the SAT?" If the teacher says no, the kids just completely tune out and refuse to learn the material. I hear the exact same thing from the students themselves, too. It’s like they won't engage unless there's a direct guarantee that it'll be on the big exam.
The way students are expressing themselves in writing lately is honestly a bit of a disaster. It feels like we’re seeing this decline from a few different angles. For one, they just aren't writing enough long-form essays during the school year; most of what they turn in is just brief responses to prompts. On top of that, there's been a noticeable shift away from essay-based testing and oral exams in favor of other formats. I also notice they aren't reading nearly as much as they used to. It all culminates at graduation with those final exams—and let me tell you, if you want to make sure those scores get rounded up in your favor, you really have to be prepared.

Honestly, we might as well just add a "how to be clueless" course at the end of elementary school. That way, people could really round out their education by mastering the art of being completely oblivious.
If you don't include negative marking—and you probably won't, since you wouldn't want to stress everyone out just to justify adding an extra test—you’re looking at a 20% or 25% chance of guessing the right answer. With a little bit of process of elimination and a little luck on your side, you can pull it off. Honestly, at that point, it's more about luck than actual knowledge.
Or maybe there will be opportunities for those who really put in the work to prepare—people who go all out to compete on shows like The Chase just to bring home some serious prize money.

I’m a huge advocate for external grading, and honestly, I’d be all for rounding up scores—provided we factor in those negative points too. My only hesitation is that I'd need to be absolutely certain that when students ask professors if a specific topic will show up on the SAT, the instructors would either stay neutral or simply say they have no idea and that it doesn't matter.
That’s just not going to happen.
Honestly, as long as students have plenty of ways to express what they know during their school years—whether that's through various creative projects, a few check-in tests throughout the term, or just two or three big finals at the end to wrap everything up—I don't see any harm in it. In my experience, having that kind of variety actually helps. It adds depth to the whole assessment process and gives us a much clearer, more complete picture of how a child is truly performing.
I mean, honestly, I think it all really comes down to the specific school and the teachers you end up with. From everything I've been reading lately, there’s such a huge variety out there that the individual instructors make all the difference.

If you have a, b, c, d, e, and then a 50% chance of passing, you definitely aren't clearing the bar if all your answers are c.
On another note, I still remember that pure shot of dopamine back in college when they finally implemented instant grading. There was nothing quite like grinding through those problems, bubbling in your Scantron, and actually getting your results that same afternoon—instead of playing that agonizing waiting game for two weeks or more, which is how some professors used to handle grading tests 👍

Susan James said:It’s not really about the specific questions themselves; the real issue lies in how we prepare for that entire style of testing.
I’ve been thinking lately about whether we're heading toward a future where basic schooling is basically just training kids to bubble in multiple-choice answers. It feels like the whole education system might eventually boil down to nothing more than mastering the art of circling the right option on a standardized test.

I’ve been lurking on these forums for over a decade now—I can drop a link if anyone wants to see the threads—and I keep seeing this same pattern from teachers. They describe how high schoolers will look them right in the eye and ask, "Is this actually going to be on the SAT?" If the teacher says no, the kids just completely tune out and refuse to learn the material. I hear the exact same thing from the students themselves, too. It’s like they won't engage unless there's a direct guarantee that it'll be on the big exam.
The way students are expressing themselves in writing lately is honestly a bit of a disaster. It feels like we’re seeing this decline from a few different angles. For one, they just aren't writing enough long-form essays during the school year; most of what they turn in is just brief responses to prompts. On top of that, there's been a noticeable shift away from essay-based testing and oral exams in favor of other formats. I also notice they aren't reading nearly as much as they used to. It all culminates at graduation with those final exams—and let me tell you, if you want to make sure those scores get rounded up in your favor, you really have to be prepared.

Honestly, we might as well just add a "how to be clueless" course at the end of elementary school. That way, people could really round out their education by mastering the art of being completely oblivious.
If you don't include negative marking—and you probably won't, since you wouldn't want to stress everyone out just to justify adding an extra test—you’re looking at a 20% or 25% chance of guessing the right answer. With a little bit of process of elimination and a little luck on your side, you can pull it off. Honestly, at that point, it's more about luck than actual knowledge.
Or maybe there will be opportunities for those who really put in the work to prepare—people who go all out to compete on shows like The Chase just to bring home some serious prize money.

I’m a huge advocate for external grading, and honestly, I’d be all for rounding up scores—provided we factor in those negative points too. My only hesitation is that I'd need to be absolutely certain that when students ask professors if a specific topic will show up on the SAT, the instructors would either stay neutral or simply say they have no idea and that it doesn't matter.
That’s just not going to happen.
Honestly, as long as students have plenty of ways to express what they know during their school years—whether that's through various creative projects, a few check-in tests throughout the term, or just two or three big finals at the end to wrap everything up—I don't see any harm in it. In my experience, having that kind of variety actually helps. It adds depth to the whole assessment process and gives us a much clearer, more complete picture of how a child is truly performing.
I mean, honestly, I think it all really comes down to the specific school and the teachers you end up with. From everything I've been reading lately, there’s such a huge variety out there that the individual instructors make all the difference.

But don't those professors teach material that won't be on the SAT?
I mean, feel free to give them that information and then still test them on it or include it in a quiz. The SAT is the SAT. I don't see the issue.

Michelle Nelson4 said:If you have a, b, c, d, e, and then a 50% chance of passing, you definitely aren't clearing the bar if all your answers are c.
On another note, I still remember that pure shot of dopamine back in college when they finally implemented instant grading. There was nothing quite like grinding through those problems, bubbling in your Scantron, and actually getting your results that same afternoon—instead of playing that agonizing waiting game for two weeks or more, which is how some professors used to handle grading tests 👍

I think it was a, b, c, d.

Regarding the ABCD format—I went through something almost identical when I was sitting for my last certification. It was a grueling 200-question exam spread over four hours. They have you under such strict security, too; they do a full sweep of your area with a camera and run you through a metal detector before you can even sit down. You can't even sneak in your own little pack of tissues 😂. On top of all that, you have to finish a prep course through a major prep firm and then spend about three months grinding away at the material. There is absolutely no way to bluff your way through if you haven't truly mastered the content. Some of those questions are so dense that just reading and processing a single one can take over a minute. So, while everyone is busy complaining that the ABCD style is just making things needlessly complicated 😂, I think the real issue is simpler... a test needs to be designed properly from the ground up ☕
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Michelle Nelson4 said:Regarding the ABCD format—I went through something almost identical when I was sitting for my last certification. It was a grueling 200-question exam spread over four hours. They have you under such strict security, too; they do a full sweep of your area with a camera and run you through a metal detector before you can even sit down. You can't even sneak in your own little pack of tissues 😂. On top of all that, you have to finish a prep course through a major prep firm and then spend about three months grinding away at the material. There is absolutely no way to bluff your way through if you haven't truly mastered the content. Some of those questions are so dense that just reading and processing a single one can take over a minute. So, while everyone is busy complaining that the ABCD style is just making things needlessly complicated 😂, I think the real issue is simpler... a test needs to be designed properly from the ground up ☕
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That goes without saying—you aren't going to pass your high school graduation exams by winging it either. Statistically speaking, if you just guess, you'll land a 25% accuracy rate. If you get incredibly lucky, maybe 30%. That’s still nowhere near a passing grade. Even the entrance exams for the FBI use multiple-choice; naturally, you have to solve the problem on the scratch paper they give you first, and then bubble in the answer you calculated. Personally, I don't see any issue with those kinds of test formats whatsoever.

You can actually run the numbers on your computer for this—it gives you instant results. Basically, you need to score above the threshold for every single individual section, and then your total score also has to clear the overall cutoff. The person sitting next to you is dealing with a different set of questions entirely, since everyone gets a randomized batch of 200 questions, though they all maintain the exact same weight and thematic structure.
It’s all stuff that was figured out and perfected ages ago, but I suppose some people just love reinventing the wheel.

The public consultation period has officially opened for the enrollment decision proposal for incoming high school freshmen for the 2022/2023 school year. It’s set to run for about a month, lasting until May 14th, I believe.

Hey guys, quick question—does anyone know where I can go in Cleveland to get an occupational medicine checkup done? Is it just a bunch of private clinics around there, or is there actually a public option?