High School Guide: Admissions, reviews, and advice

@Mart28

Private schools are basically just a rounding error in these statistics at this point. Plus, they’re probably baked right into the data itself.

I honestly can't believe we're still talking about this, but here we go again. It feels like every time I turn around, there's some new debate heating up, and frankly, I’m exhausted. It's like watching the same rerun of a sitcom where you already know the punchline, only nobody is actually laughing. Look, I get why people are fired up. I really do. But if we take a step back and look at the big picture, isn't it obvious that we're just spinning our wheels? It’s like trying to drive a car with no tires—you can floor the gas all you want, but you aren't going anywhere fast. We need to stop focusing on the tiny, insignificant details and start looking at the actual foundation of what we're discussing. If the base is shaky, the whole house comes crashing down, regardless of how much you paint the walls. I've seen this pattern before, and it always ends the same way: a lot of noise, zero progress, and everyone walking away feeling frustrated. Let's be smarter than that. Let's actually tackle the core issue instead of just shouting at the clouds. kaže:
My daughter was actually looking at getting into graphic design for web work, but her school totally poisoned the well. They basically drilled it into her head that the whole field is a dead end and that everyone in the industry is just cutting corners and playing dirty.
So, she told me she wants to go to prep school because that's where all the "smart kids" end up. Honestly? It’s just pure pressure. She’s terrified that if she doesn't get in, everyone will look at her like she's some kind of airhead. It’s that classic fear of being left behind while everyone else moves on to the big leagues.
Coma.

When he started bringing up Isaac Newton, I was absolutely floored. 😵He ended up heading back to high school just a few days later, but looking back—and I’ve really given this some thought this time around—I truly believe that enrolling him at a place like MIT would have been the right move for him. It’s a shame he walked away from it. He’ll definitely have a backup plan, and honestly, he’ll probably end up getting into his first choice anyway, but man, what a missed opportunity.

Look, I’m not trying to micromanage anyone here, but I really think he needs to hit up the open house events at every single school he’s looking at. It’s just common sense.

Honestly, all I really want is for him to find a school where he’s actually happy, but one that still keeps him on his toes. It's that sweet spot between being comfortable and being challenged. But let's be real—trying to predict or pin that down from a parent's perspective? That's nearly impossible. It's like trying to guess exactly how much spice someone can handle in a dish before they stop enjoying it; you just can't know until they're actually sitting at the table.

Adam Diaz67 said:@Mart28

Private schools are basically just a rounding error in these statistics at this point. Plus, they’re probably baked right into the data itself.

Yeah, from what I can gather, there aren't many of them.
But this whole quota system just feels fundamentally skewed, especially when the private sector is such a minor player in the equation.
I think I much prefer the idea of having more options after high school... you know, where everything stays open rather than being locked behind these rigid paths.

Well, things work pretty much the same way here in the States—you can actually jump from any four-year vocational program straight into taking the SATs and heading off to a university. It’s also possible if you finish a three-year technical track to just tack on an extra fourth year to get that high school diploma, sit for the exams, and then move on to college. Actually, I think if you enroll in that fourth year immediately after finishing your third, it might even be free? But hey, don't quote me on that, I could be totally off.

I’d love to hear what American moms think about this 😬 I get the feeling we don't actually have much choice here—aside from just picking whichever local high school happens to be closest to home. And even then, there isn't much variety; you basically have two or three options unless you're counting religious schools as another way to go 😬

Sarah Hall53 said:Well, things work pretty much the same way here in the States—you can actually jump from any four-year vocational program straight into taking the SATs and heading off to a university. It’s also possible if you finish a three-year technical track to just tack on an extra fourth year to get that high school diploma, sit for the exams, and then move on to college. Actually, I think if you enroll in that fourth year immediately after finishing your third, it might even be free? But hey, don't quote me on that, I could be totally off.

Within a two-year window, they have the right to enroll as a full-time student. That two-year period serves as the deadline for passing those specialized and makeup exams from the first four years. After that, they enter their fourth year.

Leah, I'm not from Cleveland, but it doesn't look like there are only three high schools on the list. Or were you looking for specific advice regarding certain schools?

mellowskipper said:My daughter originally wanted to go into graphic design for web work, but her school basically brainwashed her into thinking it was for losers—telling her everyone there was just out to cause trouble.
Now she’s insisting on going to an academic high school because, apparently, that's where all the "smart" kids go. I suppose she's just terrified of looking unintelligent.
It's a mess.

Take a stroll by the school while classes are in session. They’re always on the morning shift, then they head out for internships in the afternoon.

Check it out during an open house.

Is there smoking? Sure. But you'll see college students hanging around them too, so honestly, it's hard to tell who is who half the time.

I actually smoked with them back when I was teaching there. 🤣

Every school has its pros and cons, but I know for a fact they're obsessed with their rankings.

There's definitely more risky behavior, yeah, but it's not that old-school "dropout" vocational program it used to be. This principal—I'm not even sure if he's still there—really leveled up the school, and you have to give him credit for that, even if he wasn't exactly my cup of tea and didn't exactly focus on building rapport with the staff.

The faculty culture was... interesting, to say the least. You mostly had to keep to yourself just to make it through the day. Who knows what it's like now? Also... if you're the type of person who needs everything perfectly orderly and finds eclectic personalities off-putting, this school isn't for you. It's not a "family" environment, because even the teachers... well, they're pretty eclectic. 🤣 (I certainly wasn't "normal" myself—not in my style, not in my looks, and certainly not in my teaching methods).

Well, now I’m actually starting to like graphic design 😂
To be honest, back when I was picking out my major, my friend's buddies used to give him a hard time for being a little too eccentric 😬

Kenneth Garcia9 said:Within a two-year window, they have the right to enroll as a full-time student. That two-year period serves as the deadline for passing those specialized and makeup exams from the first four years. After that, they enter their fourth year.

Leah, I'm not from Cleveland, but it doesn't look like there are only three high schools on the list. Or were you looking for specific advice regarding certain schools?

I was talking about locations—basically. There are two main areas where three high schools operate, each offering three different tracks. Then you've got the Salesians school, which requires certain religious affiliations. Add in a newly rebranded high school that wasn't originally a prep school, plus a private option... so, if you're looking for the established ones, you really just pick between those two locations and call it a day. If you're STEM-focused, there isn't exactly a massive menu to choose from anyway.

nimblelynx7 said:Back in St. Louis, we have an arts academy—it’s technically a school for applied arts. I’ve had to swing by there a few times for work, and honestly, the scenes are pretty wild. We walked past dozens of students, and man, they are inspired by everything under the sun. Hair colors that look like a botched paint job from an auto shop, hairstyles that look like a failed experiment at a salon, and clothing styles that scream "natural disaster meets zero cares given"...
And yeah, every single one of them was smoking right out front of the building.

All art schools are like that, really—even our Shell institute in New York is the same way. >

fadedrider17 said:The only saving grace here is that you haven't been the one feeding her this nonsense—most parents are actually the ones who mess these things up in the first place.

I actually ended up being obsessed with graphic design.

John Palmer9 said:You should probably show her this article right away
cnn.com/success-stories/how-designing-school-newsletters-saved-my-career

I mean, you look at someone who studied hospitality, taught themselves coding and web design, and then actually built a successful IT business out of nothing... I guess a vocational track focused on design could be a pretty solid choice, really.

Great article, really good story.

Jason Ortiz5 said:Around here, you actually needed a GPA similar to what you'd need for a top-tier prep school just to get into the tech programs. Though, I think they only had one class per grade level, so maybe that's why.

The entrance exam carries the most weight here. There are two tracks: academic and athletic. If she wanted to go the athletic route, it would be based on school grades + the entrance exam + points from the athletic association.

hiddendriver34 said:

I honestly can't believe we're still talking about this, but here we go again. It feels like every time I turn around, there's some new debate heating up, and frankly, I’m exhausted. It's like watching the same rerun of a sitcom where you already know the punchline, only nobody is actually laughing. Look, I get why people are fired up. I really do. But if we take a step back and look at the big picture, isn't it obvious that we're just spinning our wheels? It’s like trying to drive a car with no tires—you can floor the gas all you want, but you aren't going anywhere fast. We need to stop focusing on the tiny, insignificant details and start looking at the actual foundation of what we're discussing. If the base is shaky, the whole house comes crashing down, regardless of how much you paint the walls. I've seen this pattern before, and it always ends the same way: a lot of noise, zero progress, and everyone walking away feeling frustrated. Let's be smarter than that. Let's actually tackle the core issue instead of just shouting at the clouds. kaže:
My daughter was actually looking at getting into graphic design for web work, but her school totally poisoned the well. They basically drilled it into her head that the whole field is a dead end and that everyone in the industry is just cutting corners and playing dirty.
So, she told me she wants to go to prep school because that's where all the "smart kids" end up. Honestly? It’s just pure pressure. She’s terrified that if she doesn't get in, everyone will look at her like she's some kind of airhead. It’s that classic fear of being left behind while everyone else moves on to the big leagues.
Coma.

When he started bringing up Isaac Newton, I was absolutely floored. 😵He ended up heading back to high school just a few days later, but looking back—and I’ve really given this some thought this time around—I truly believe that enrolling him at a place like MIT would have been the right move for him. It’s a shame he walked away from it. He’ll definitely have a backup plan, and honestly, he’ll probably end up getting into his first choice anyway, but man, what a missed opportunity.

Look, I’m not trying to micromanage anyone here, but I really think he needs to hit up the open house events at every single school he’s looking at. It’s just common sense.

Honestly, all I really want is for him to find a school where he’s actually happy, but one that still keeps him on his toes. It's that sweet spot between being comfortable and being challenged. But let's be real—trying to predict or pin that down from a parent's perspective? That's nearly impossible. It's like trying to guess exactly how much spice someone can handle in a dish before they stop enjoying it; you just can't know until they're actually sitting at the table.

I'm quite concerned given that she's an IP student, and I honestly feel she might be better off—and certainly less stressed—in the vocational program rather than the traditional academic track.

Jose Wells3 said:Take a stroll by the school while classes are in session. They’re always on the morning shift, then they head out for internships in the afternoon.

Check it out during an open house.

Is there smoking? Sure. But you'll see college students hanging around them too, so honestly, it's hard to tell who is who half the time.

I actually smoked with them back when I was teaching there. 🤣

Every school has its pros and cons, but I know for a fact they're obsessed with their rankings.

There's definitely more risky behavior, yeah, but it's not that old-school "dropout" vocational program it used to be. This principal—I'm not even sure if he's still there—really leveled up the school, and you have to give him credit for that, even if he wasn't exactly my cup of tea and didn't exactly focus on building rapport with the staff.

The faculty culture was... interesting, to say the least. You mostly had to keep to yourself just to make it through the day. Who knows what it's like now? Also... if you're the type of person who needs everything perfectly orderly and finds eclectic personalities off-putting, this school isn't for you. It's not a "family" environment, because even the teachers... well, they're pretty eclectic. 🤣 (I certainly wasn't "normal" myself—not in my style, not in my looks, and certainly not in my teaching methods).

We are definitely planning to attend the Open House at both the vocational school and the local arts academy. Let her see things from that perspective too.
In my day, the vocational school had a bit of a bad reputation—much like how people used to view companies like General Electric—but times change. Based on the curriculum, I'd say it's modern, and with the right prep work—which all the academic kids do anyway—you can easily ace the SATs and get into most colleges.
Given the current state of the elementary schools, I think we're prepared for just about any kind of teacher or teaching method.

mellowskipper said:All art schools are like that, really—even our Shell institute in New York is the same way. >

I actually ended up being obsessed with graphic design.

Great article, really good story.

The entrance exam carries the most weight here. There are two tracks: academic and athletic. If she wanted to go the athletic route, it would be based on school grades + the entrance exam + points from the athletic association.

I'm quite concerned given that she's an IP student, and I honestly feel she might be better off—and certainly less stressed—in the vocational program rather than the traditional academic track.

We are definitely planning to attend the Open House at both the vocational school and the local arts academy. Let her see things from that perspective too.
In my day, the vocational school had a bit of a bad reputation—much like how people used to view companies like General Electric—but times change. Based on the curriculum, I'd say it's modern, and with the right prep work—which all the academic kids do anyway—you can easily ace the SATs and get into most colleges.
Given the current state of the elementary schools, I think we're prepared for just about any kind of teacher or teaching method.

It’s wild seeing how much some people make who graduated from those tech programs and now work for companies supplying Tesla, handling major repairs for power plants all over Europe and the rest of the world.
I suppose the key is mastering the trade and getting your English down. Teaching isn't just about facts anymore; it's about mentoring and actually motivating kids, which is what we expect from educators today. It used to be that families or churches shaped the youth, then it was the hyper-politicized government, and nowadays... well, it's different.

Some folks are more pessimistic, like the well-known Korado Korljević:

"– We find ourselves on a path toward chaos, where the knowledge offered in schools is almost entirely irrelevant for unlocking the solutions to that chaos. The era of the digital revolution was fleeting, perhaps the shortest in history, creating a series of dramatic shifts that have left us stuck in a sort of civilizational blind alley."

istriaterramagica.eu/na-predavanju-korada-korlevica-kome-pripada-budućnost

There is just so much I don't want to have to wade through here.🙄
I suppose it’s inevitable that people will let those old biases about "better" versus "worse" schools take over, maybe based on how many kids seem inspired or, conversely, how many are getting into trouble, though I’m not sure how much that actually correlates to anything real.
And honestly, the whole idea that how close or far a high school is from home acts as one of these major deciding factors... I guess I’ve never quite understood why that matters so much, and I don't think I ever really will.

How could that be? 🤔 For example, there's no way my daughter would end up doing anything out in the suburbs or over in Jersey City.
I can't let her commute to a school that takes almost two hours one way. 🤷
Once enrollment starts, she'll get a list of schools within about an hour's drive, and then she can just pick one.

urbantinker8 said:There is just so much I don't want to have to wade through here.🙄
I suppose it’s inevitable that people will let those old biases about "better" versus "worse" schools take over, maybe based on how many kids seem inspired or, conversely, how many are getting into trouble, though I’m not sure how much that actually correlates to anything real.
And honestly, the whole idea that how close or far a high school is from home acts as one of these major deciding factors... I guess I’ve never quite understood why that matters so much, and I don't think I ever really will.

I'm with you on the first point, but that second part🤔?

How can you possibly be indifferent about whether you're commuting thirty minutes, ninety minutes, or if you can just walk there? We're talking about whether you spend ten minutes, an hour, or three whole hours every single day just stuck in transit.

I honestly don't see the issue with commuting to high school.🤷
We aren't talking about Tokyo here; I can't imagine anyone living within the greater metropolitan area—and I'm not even counting those trips across the river—who actually spends three hours a day just getting to class.
Besides, I know from experience how much kids just want to get away from their own backyard once they hit high school. They want to wander around the city with their friends after school or grab a coffee at a cafe that isn't just the local spot where you end up sitting right next to your dad or some neighbor.

Are you seriously planning on giving these kids a list of "approved" schools? It feels a bit like telling a family which specific grocery store they're allowed to shop at.😲

urbantinker8, I'm not sure which part of the city you're in, but from my place, it takes me at least an hour to get to downtown by bus on a good day. According to Google Maps, it'll take her an hour and 40 minutes to get to the suburbs.
I'm definitely going to tell her that the suburbs just aren't an option. I don't quite get how she thinks the location and the commute wouldn't be a dealbreaker.

I guess I shouldn't even mention that an hour and 40 minutes doesn't account for any unexpected delays or the usual bus being skipped.🤔

I can't help but imagine if my kid—who absolutely *loathes* mornings—had to face a school schedule where they had to wake up two hours early every single day for four years straight. They’d either end up constantly fighting with us or just rack up a mountain of unexcused absences in no time.
Luckily, she's actually smart enough to realize how much she hates getting up early, so she keeps her eyes on the prize: afternoon classes. 👍

I think I’ll just put together a list of schools located within an hour or maybe 75 minutes at most. It’s a list, after all—otherwise, she won't have any way of knowing how much travel time she needs to get around a city like New York City. 🤷
Once she picks her school or schools, I'll have her practice the commute using public transit.

Luckily, I can drop her off near plenty of those schools in the morning, so at least she won't have to worry about having to wake up at 5:00 AM.

How could she not know how much time she needs? She has Google Maps at her fingertips. My daughter uses it religiously, and she’s even been using it to scout out schools and stuff 😁

Honestly, it bugs me how today's younger generation seems less resourceful than we were at their age, despite having way more tools to help them navigate life. So, I make a point of pushing her to figure things out on her own 😁 When we were recently in New York City, I was the one giving all the directions on our first day. But by the second day, it was suddenly—"Check Google, find which train goes to which platform, see where we need to transfer, which stop to get off at, how to actually find the platform, which train is arriving, making sure we don't miss our exit, where the stairs are, where we head once we're out..." and wouldn't you know it, after just three trips, she had it all figured out 😬

Now, she’s planning the whole trip from the house to the hotel, including everything from check-in procedures and luggage rules to navigating the airport itself ☕

Just putting this out there... New York City has public transit that’s easily a hundred times better, more organized, and more logical than what you see in Seattle. Sure—Seattle is smaller, but that only helps if you’re walking or driving. Around here, if you aren't lucky enough to have everything connected horizontally via overlapping bus lines, you're pretty much stuck. You might be fast on foot, but the city lacks any vertical connectivity—which is a massive issue. Plus, since buses don't have their own lanes or tracks, every time there's traffic or a bottleneck, you just sit there waiting because there isn't an alternative.

For instance, it takes me 10 minutes to get to work by car because I can cut across certain routes. On foot, it’s a 45-minute walk, but I have to pass through parts of town that aren't exactly safe for pedestrians, especially after dark, so I avoid it. Taking the bus would require switching between two or three different lines, pushing the trip well over an hour.

The sport my kid practices also has training sessions about 10-15 minutes away by car. Walking takes about 45 minutes too, but it's inconvenient because there are stretches without sidewalks if you try to take the shortest route. By bus? Forget it—you’d have to go all the way downtown and then head back out... at least an hour minimum.

There’s no infrastructure for bikes or scooters in Seattle; trying to use them is basically suicide.
And if that typical Seattle rain starts coming down... absolute joy. 😵

Edit: Before anyone jumps in to comment that traveling for an hour or two isn't a big deal... of course it isn't, but why bother if you have a convenient alternative nearby? Besides, everything in Seattle is scheduled under the assumption that you can arrive within half an hour—like a school ending at 7:10 PM, or practice starting on the other side of town at 7:30 PM. Parent notices and info are sent out promptly at 4:30 PM, because—well, everyone is assumed to be able to make it if they finish work at 4:00. You have to pick kids up from daycare by 4:15 or 4:30 at the latest, because after that, nobody is left except the cleaning crew. And so on.