High School Guide: Admissions, reviews, and advice

I’m all for rewarding and encouraging school sports development, provided students can actually train at their schools like they used to
This creates a massive gray area... some athletes get credit while others are left behind

We all know how difficult it is to get into those specialized sports academies unless you're an elite athlete with straight A's

There’s an extracurricular sports program available at most schools, giving kids a chance to train after class, though what’s actually "on the menu" really just depends on which coaches happen to be running the show.
The reality is that most of these kids are already playing for local clubs, training five or six days a week, so when they show up for school sports, they aren't beginners—they're essentially pre-trained athletes walking through the door.
In team sports, you often end up with a weird mix in one single high school squad: maybe X kids come from one local club, Y from another, and then there's a handful of casual players... it takes quite a bit of time for them to actually find their rhythm together.

One of the best things about the way school sports are structured is how evenly represented different states are at the national level—aside from places like New York or California, which usually send two representatives—so at the state championships, you get this great mix of elite prospects and just regular kids playing for fun.
The kids all travel together, hanging out for a few days, and it creates some genuinely wonderful memories.

Well, look—one thing is the points from school-level competitions, which apply to all high schools, but you obviously have to hit a certain threshold before those even count.
Then there’s a completely different set of points for specialized sports academies versus regular tracks. Those come from national championships.
But honestly, parents tend to get everything mixed up.
We’re heading into that sports placement screening next year, so... God help us.
If they don't make the cut for a sports-focused track, I'm not entirely sure if we even have the option for a standard enrollment during the summer or fall sessions? That part still confuses me a bit.

A little update regarding entrance exams, specifically how things are looking this year in Washington, D.C.....

“I can't say for sure how many students with scores of 80 or higher ended up skipping our school, since that list was shifting every single day. But right now, looking at the system, I see 36 students who hit that 80-point mark and chose Harvard Kennedy School as their top priority, yet they didn't end up enrolling here,”

That’s 36 students—basically an entire class and a half...

It’s entirely possible, she adds, that because entrance exams were introduced, someone might have decided not to apply to Phillips Academy, which in turn opens up a spot for someone with a slightly lower score. “We actually had students with 76 or 77 points get in just by crushing the entrance exam. Meanwhile, several students with 80 points couldn't secure a spot.”

I honestly think the mere fact that there's an entrance exam available—giving those who are prepared a chance to shine—really opens doors for people...
and that's a great thing in my book.

This is definitely a step in the right direction, I suppose—but honestly, everyone is still going to be gunning for that 5.0 mark because, well, certainty is everything...

mellowskipper said:This is definitely a step in the right direction, I suppose—but honestly, everyone is still going to be gunning for that 5.0 mark because, well, certainty is everything...

I honestly think a huge number of students who were targeting those top-tier magnet schools ended up pivoting toward general public high schools instead...
especially the ones looking to dodge the entrance exams, or maybe even the kids who took the tests but didn't exactly ace them.

At the end of the day, the more important thing is that the entrance exams provide a real opportunity for kids who actually have a knack for math, physics, and computer science—getting them into a school that can actually help them develop that potential further.

I'm hoping they'll start offering language courses soon too. 😁

I suppose we should probably just open up enrollment for all high schools nationwide at once.

rowdypanther12 said:I'm hoping they'll start offering language courses soon too. 😁

I feel the same way! I really hope that language programs—and honestly, any school offering a second language throughout all four years—allow students to take an entrance exam specifically for that second language. It would make so much sense to create more advanced track classes based on those results. They could even offer extra credit or priority to students who commit to studying that language at a higher level. It’s mostly about fine-tuning those GPA nuances, but it matters, especially when middle schools are already pushing two different foreign languages on kids.

For schools that have specialized tracks where most instruction is in another language, they currently require an entrance exam for that subject, but you first have to meet the general enrollment cutoff. In my opinion, it would be much better if students just had to hit a specific proficiency threshold instead. This year, tenth graders had to pass math and use their middle school grades before they were even allowed to sit for the English exam, which feels a bit redundant... especially since many have already passed language certifications from private academies after years of study.🤷

Also, I was actually surprised to see that a top-tier prep school like Lincoln High didn't even hold an entrance exam for their English immersion track this year...

With textbook shopping season right around the corner, I’ve been spiraling a bit wondering how much these contents actually shift in just a single year. It seems like some books from the 2020 edition were already being overhauled by 2021. Does anyone here actually go out and buy those older editions? I’ve noticed some local used bookstores acting all high and mighty, claiming their stock meets the latest state-approved curriculum, when in my opinion, they’re really just trying to offload outdated inventory to unsuspecting parents.

Textbooks officially last for 4 years

Larry Walker24 said:Textbooks officially last for 4 years

Okay, sure, but honestly, who on earth is supposed to know which specific year we start counting those four years from? I mean, if they aren't replacing every single textbook at once, but just swapping out a few books for certain subjects here and there, how are you even meant to track it? I don't know if it's just me, but it feels incredibly complicated to actually find any solid information regarding the exact year the last update occurred.

Susan James said:I feel the same way! I really hope that language programs—and honestly, any school offering a second language throughout all four years—allow students to take an entrance exam specifically for that second language. It would make so much sense to create more advanced track classes based on those results. They could even offer extra credit or priority to students who commit to studying that language at a higher level. It’s mostly about fine-tuning those GPA nuances, but it matters, especially when middle schools are already pushing two different foreign languages on kids.

For schools that have specialized tracks where most instruction is in another language, they currently require an entrance exam for that subject, but you first have to meet the general enrollment cutoff. In my opinion, it would be much better if students just had to hit a specific proficiency threshold instead. This year, tenth graders had to pass math and use their middle school grades before they were even allowed to sit for the English exam, which feels a bit redundant... especially since many have already passed language certifications from private academies after years of study.🤷

Also, I was actually surprised to see that a top-tier prep school like Lincoln High didn't even hold an entrance exam for their English immersion track this year...

Are you talking about the English immersion program over at the academy? I think that’s a recent change. Last year, they only required an English proficiency test. I have two friends whose kids applied to that specific program last year, and as far as I can recall, neither of them mentioned having to take a math exam.

Ryan Thomas7 said:Are you talking about the English immersion program over at the academy? I think that’s a recent change. Last year, they only required an English proficiency test. I have two friends whose kids applied to that specific program last year, and as far as I can recall, neither of them mentioned having to take a math exam.

Lincoln High offers both the advanced STEM track and the regular program.
For the STEM track, they organized a math entrance exam this year.
As for the English immersion program—which is available for both tracks—they've actually been holding entrance exams for that for quite a while now.

Hey everyone! So, I’m officially enrolling this year, and I wanted to pick the brains of anyone who’s been through this before. I’m currently torn between choosing a science-focused high school in Des Moines or heading to the University of Chicago in San Diego. I’m originally from San Diego, and my big dream is to go into medicine. My top choice is definitely the school in Des Moines because their curriculum is super heavy on the sciences you actually need for med school, plus they’re known as one of the top schools in the US. The catch? Some people think I’m being a bit extra by planning to move three hours away from home when I'm only 15. Honestly, I’m feeling pretty optimistic about getting in despite the entrance exams, though! On the other hand, the University of Chicago option has amazing stats for national exams, but I really don't want to spend four straight years drowning in nothing but computer science and math. Also, looking at the big picture, I feel like moving to NYC and living in a dorm might actually be better for my mental health. If anyone has any advice or has been in a similar spot, please help a girl out! 🙏

Help with what?

Frank Diaz6 said:Hey everyone! So, I’m officially enrolling this year, and I wanted to pick the brains of anyone who’s been through this before. I’m currently torn between choosing a science-focused high school in Des Moines or heading to the University of Chicago in San Diego. I’m originally from San Diego, and my big dream is to go into medicine. My top choice is definitely the school in Des Moines because their curriculum is super heavy on the sciences you actually need for med school, plus they’re known as one of the top schools in the US. The catch? Some people think I’m being a bit extra by planning to move three hours away from home when I'm only 15. Honestly, I’m feeling pretty optimistic about getting in despite the entrance exams, though! On the other hand, the University of Chicago option has amazing stats for national exams, but I really don't want to spend four straight years drowning in nothing but computer science and math. Also, looking at the big picture, I feel like moving to NYC and living in a dorm might actually be better for my mental health. If anyone has any advice or has been in a similar spot, please help a girl out! 🙏

From what I can gather, Des Moines is your top priority. If you have a perfect GPA, maybe look into prep courses to ensure your spot. If moving away from your current environment is crucial for your mental health, you could always list all six schools located in NYC. You can even apply to Harvard from a general high school track, provided you take the necessary prep classes.

Frank Diaz6 said:Hey everyone! So, I’m officially enrolling this year, and I wanted to pick the brains of anyone who’s been through this before. I’m currently torn between choosing a science-focused high school in Des Moines or heading to the University of Chicago in San Diego. I’m originally from San Diego, and my big dream is to go into medicine. My top choice is definitely the school in Des Moines because their curriculum is super heavy on the sciences you actually need for med school, plus they’re known as one of the top schools in the US. The catch? Some people think I’m being a bit extra by planning to move three hours away from home when I'm only 15. Honestly, I’m feeling pretty optimistic about getting in despite the entrance exams, though! On the other hand, the University of Chicago option has amazing stats for national exams, but I really don't want to spend four straight years drowning in nothing but computer science and math. Also, looking at the big picture, I feel like moving to NYC and living in a dorm might actually be better for my mental health. If anyone has any advice or has been in a similar spot, please help a girl out! 🙏

Honestly, if you don't make it through the entrance exam, then that school probably wasn't the right fit for you anyway.🤷

Regarding housing... living in a dorm and being far from home definitely has its pros and cons. One big plus is that you'll have built-in study support, but the downside is the strict set of rules. It's much easier to avoid those kinds of restrictions if you're still living with your parents (like curfews or check-in times). You'll likely have your own room, but you still have to deal with whoever you end up rooming with, and you'll be sharing common areas like bathrooms, which means dealing with waiting your turn and adjusting to other people's hygiene habits.
If you're looking to get some distance from home, choosing the school in Des Moines sounds like a solid move.

Back in my high school, we had two girls who moved from out of town. One of them struggled so much she ended up dropping out during the first semester—it turned out her group of friends back home was miles away from the social circle we had here. The other girl finished the program; she had a rough start too, but we didn't know her all that well since she went home every weekend.
I think those differences are becoming less common now, but you can always find out more through the entrance process if there are any major hurdles.

I'd definitely recommend asking about the dorm rules, especially regarding how they handle weekends. Being part of a social group is so important at that age, especially making friends with your classmates, but if the dorm has super strict weekend policies, it can feel like total hell.
And honestly, just the daily stuff, like coming home after school or dealing with late arrivals...

This info is 15 years old, so take it with a grain of salt, but maybe it'll help you out.
A girl I went to high school with lived in a dorm—four girls to a room. Every morning, they’d do these inspections just to make sure your bed was made properly. And after school, she basically had to head straight back to the dorm if she didn't want to miss lunch, which meant she missed out on all those after-school hangouts at coffee shops. On weekends, she was mostly just traveling back home to her parents.

She didn't really get to experience any actual social life or going out until near the end of high school, when she finally decided to stay in NYC over the weekend and crash at one of her friends' places.

skyfall, what kind of fair is this anyway? Is it just a sudden influx of high schoolers?...