High School Guide: Admissions, reviews, and advice

Susan James said:

I noticed you mentioned proab. I'm not quite sure what you meant by that, but if you were trying to start a conversation or ask a question, please feel free to elaborate! I'm always happy to chat or help out however I can. kaže:
That's coming from someone who spends half their time spreading urban legends themselves!

What's the point of this? ovog Are you guys thinking about enrolling? 😕
Selective reading and nitpicking posts without actually offering any constructive feedback? That’s a tough way to engage.

I wrote this.:

I still stand by everything that was said...

u postu If you look at my previous post from earlier today, I laid out exactly how people start building these myths about whether a school is "too hard" or "too easy." It’s a pattern I see all the time.

At the end of the day, if you know how to read between the lines, you'll understand this post

I always love hearing how kids perceive the world... and I truly just take it all with a smile (and I'm always surprised at first by how much they differ from us, which is actually a great thing for the future).

The goal is to point out (as you've already repeated) the hypocrisy at play here. You seem to be looking down on kids while simultaneously spreading urban legends about how hard or easy certain schools are, all while preaching about "relentless daily grinding" and lecturing us about "future surgeons." Honestly, even my own child has a more realistic view of those schools than the distorted version you're peddling online.

Private schools have started setting entrance thresholds too. Looking at this enrollment page, several private high schools have a cutoff of 65. Those are some pretty decent students... I guess they used to accept lower scores, but their ratings probably take a hit if the kids can't pass the SATs later on.

By the way, the computer technician program at Ruđer has a threshold of 72 points.😉

Most private high schools actually publish their SAT pass rates quite openly, and they don't seem to have any issues with transparency there. While there’s definitely room for improvement when it comes to the actual scores, some of these private institutions are actually outperforming certain public high schools.

Just look at the data, for instance. If you compare the SAT results from the first major private academy in Washington, D.C. (the general track) against Lincoln High, the difference is clear. I should also mention that every single student from the private school passed during the initial testing window, whereas Lincoln had students needing retakes in the fall session... Those are just the facts, not hearsay (hint: looking at the public school stats: Math A/B averages are 2.26/2.40, English is 3.40/3.0, and even their easiest subject, English Lit, sits at 3.84/3.78).

Broadly speaking, comparing the success rates of private versus public school students isn't some big mystery; if anyone is interested, all the data is right there on the Department of Education website.

Kate Jackson4 said:Have you attended any Open House events at the schools you're eyeing? We visited three technical high schools recently and found them quite insightful; being able to consult directly with the faculty and students provides invaluable perspective. To me, the most critical factor is gauging the overall atmosphere to see if it truly resonates with your child—what suits one student might be a poor fit for another. If your preferred schools haven't held their Open House yet, I highly recommend going...

We have finally established our application priorities and decided which school 🙂
prefers.

Could you tell us a bit about where you went and what the experience was like? Like, what did you actually see or hear?

"We" are looking at enrolling next year, but we are totally flying blind when it comes to the technical schools—we don't really have anyone to ask for the real scoop.

I'm honestly just bummed they aren't enrolling kids in high school this year, otherwise I could have gotten some firsthand info for next year.😂

Joseph Martinez4 said:Could you tell us a bit about where you went and what the experience was like? Like, what did you actually see or hear?

"We" are looking at enrolling next year, but we are totally flying blind when it comes to the technical schools—we don't really have anyone to ask for the real scoop.

We visited a few technical schools, and both faculty and students agree—head to Ruđer, they're the gold standard 😁😁😁

Kate Jackson4 said:We visited a few technical schools, and both faculty and students agree—head to Ruđer, they're the gold standard 😁😁😁

So, I've heard about MIT, but what other top-tier engineering schools are you guys thinking about?

My kid was really aiming for Ruđer, but it looks like his test scores are going to be cutting it just a little too close. He'll probably end up at Tesla instead.

Kate Jackson4 said:Have you attended any Open House events at the schools you're eyeing? We visited three technical high schools recently and found them quite insightful; being able to consult directly with the faculty and students provides invaluable perspective. To me, the most critical factor is gauging the overall atmosphere to see if it truly resonates with your child—what suits one student might be a poor fit for another. If your preferred schools haven't held their Open House yet, I highly recommend going...

We have finally established our application priorities and decided which school 🙂
prefers.

I suppose I’d suggest heading out to the Open House—specifically for those first two schools you put down on your application. It might be worth it, I guess.
That’s exactly how they did it—it was done quite well, I suppose. You can really see the training behind it—the way they engage with the students, talk things through with the faculty, and actually take the time to get a genuine feel for the campus atmosphere...

Kate Jackson4 said:Private schools have started setting entrance thresholds too. Looking at this enrollment page, several private high schools have a cutoff of 65. Those are some pretty decent students... I guess they used to accept lower scores, but their ratings probably take a hit if the kids can't pass the SATs later on.

By the way, the computer technician program at Ruđer has a threshold of 72 points.😉

Where on earth are you getting those numbers for Ruđer? I’m looking at the 2022 data right now—the last entry I see shows 76.11.

rowdypanther12 said:I'm honestly just bummed they aren't enrolling kids in high school this year, otherwise I could have gotten some firsthand info for next year.😂

You’ll get all the information you need—don't worry about that. I personally find the e-enrollment Viber channel pretty handy; it basically serves as a constant reminder, which helps me stay on track. Also, there is that helpful webinar hosted by the local school district specifically for parents and students—it walks you through the entire enrollment process step-by-step, and they even do a live Q&A session to answer questions in real-time... I guess that covers the basics.

Kate Jackson4 said:We visited a few technical schools, and both faculty and students agree—head to Ruđer, they're the gold standard 😁😁😁

If they have a technical bent, then definitely go with MIT. It’s an incredible school—honestly—and I wouldn't worry too much about it being "male-dominated," because smart kids go there regardless, and besides, since it's graphics, there are plenty of women in the program anyway.

Mark Johnson12 said:My kid was really aiming for Ruđer, but it looks like his test scores are going to be cutting it just a little too close. He'll probably end up at Tesla instead.

And honestly, Tesla, Inc. is a solid choice. A whole bunch of them usually head off to places like Georgia Tech, the FBI, or MIT.

Mark Johnson12 said:My kid was really aiming for Ruđer, but it looks like his test scores are going to be cutting it just a little too close. He'll probably end up at Tesla instead.

Wait, so there isn't even a computer technician track over at Tesla?

Kate Jackson4 said:Private schools have started setting entrance thresholds too. Looking at this enrollment page, several private high schools have a cutoff of 65. Those are some pretty decent students... I guess they used to accept lower scores, but their ratings probably take a hit if the kids can't pass the SATs later on.

By the way, the computer technician program at Ruđer has a threshold of 72 points.😉

mellowskipper said:I suppose I’d suggest heading out to the Open House—specifically for those first two schools you put down on your application. It might be worth it, I guess.
That’s exactly how they did it—it was done quite well, I suppose. You can really see the training behind it—the way they engage with the students, talk things through with the faculty, and actually take the time to get a genuine feel for the campus atmosphere...

Where on earth are you getting those numbers for Ruđer? I’m looking at the 2022 data right now—the last entry I see shows 76.11.

You’ll get all the information you need—don't worry about that. I personally find the e-enrollment Viber channel pretty handy; it basically serves as a constant reminder, which helps me stay on track. Also, there is that helpful webinar hosted by the local school district specifically for parents and students—it walks you through the entire enrollment process step-by-step, and they even do a live Q&A session to answer questions in real-time... I guess that covers the basics.

If they have a technical bent, then definitely go with MIT. It’s an incredible school—honestly—and I wouldn't worry too much about it being "male-dominated," because smart kids go there regardless, and besides, since it's graphics, there are plenty of women in the program anyway.

The minimum requirement set by a school isn't the same thing as "the last person who got in had this score."

A cutoff is just the bare minimum score a student needs just to put a school on their application list—it's decided before admissions even start.

The actual score of the last person admitted is just what happens after the dust settles. It might be higher than the cutoff—assuming the school even has one.

Personally, I feel like Tesla isn't quite measuring up to Isaac Newton, especially when you look at the GPA rankings and those final high school graduation scores.

Joseph Martinez4 said:Wait, so there isn't even a computer technician track over at Tesla?

Actually, no.
You’d still find that kind of specialization back in Technical High School (like the old General Electric vocational program)
Last year, the cutoff score for the final student admitted was somewhere around 69 points.

Michelle Nelson4 said:Actually, no.
You’d still find that kind of specialization back in Technical High School (like the old General Electric vocational program)
Last year, the cutoff score for the final student admitted was somewhere around 69 points.

So that's pretty much the whole story?

Computer Technician: Is it just Technical High School and Isaac Newton, or am I missing other spots?

Michelle Nelson4 replied that the minimum score required just to apply for the program at Isaac Newton

I'll have more than that, we'll see... unlikely I'd make it into Computer Technician, maybe some other major, but probably not that either

Other schools like Tesla, General Electric, and the like have similar graduation scores. They aren't bad, but hardly anyone gets into MIT, which says a lot

Joseph Martinez4 said:So that's pretty much the whole story?

Computer Technician: Is it just Technical High School and Isaac Newton, or am I missing other spots?

Lincoln High, AT&T, and Technical High School
Minimum points required at AT&T

Most students coming out of General Electric tend to head toward the local community college—I think it's the building right next door—so I suspect the location is a huge factor. A good number of them choose to study Algebra, while a few head off to FO, MIT, or even the FBI (and I'm specifically looking at the track for a Computer Technician here)
Looking at those from Isaac Newton, the biggest group moved on to the community college, though if you add up everyone going to FO, MIT, and the FBI, they actually make up more than half the total.

Honestly, your best bet is to check the Sher website; that’s really the only place where you'll find the actual, verified data.

For those folks living on the west side of town, there’s also an option over in Cleveland

https://www.strukovnasamobor.com/%C5...h.2arjmu1twf0j

Joseph Martinez4 said:Wait, so there isn't even a computer technician track over at Tesla?

I see they've already responded.

What exactly are we talking about here? I mean, I guess it’s hard to say without any context—not that anyone ever provides much of it around here—but what is the actual point of this? Or rather... what is it actually for? mellowskipper says:
The minimum threshold set by a school—if you want to be precise about it—isn't quite the same thing as saying, "the last person who got in had this specific score." I guess people tend to conflate the two, but they really aren't identical... at least, not in my view. There’s a subtle distinction there that gets lost in the shuffle, which can be a bit frustrating when you're trying to parse the actual data.

The threshold—that minimum score required just to be considered—is essentially what determines if a student can even put a school on their application list in the first place. Each school sets its own specific cutoff before enrollment begins... I guess you could say it's the gatekeeper for the whole process.

The score you see listed at the end—well, that’s just whatever ended up being drawn after the enrollment process is finalized. It could actually be equal to, or even higher than, the minimum cutoff point—assuming the school even bothered to set a threshold in the first place, I guess.

I suppose I see the distinction you're making. To me, though—and I might be wrong here—the more relevant metric is probably just the score from that last entry back in 2022. I don't really expect there to be much of a deviation from that.

I suppose I should probably weigh in here—though I’m not entirely sure if anyone actually wants my two cents on this particular matter. It seems like we’ve drifted quite a bit from the original point of discussion, hasn't it? I mean, maybe I'm being too pedantic, but there's a certain... lack of cohesion in how people are approaching this. I guess you could say it's all a bit disorganized. Anyway, moving on. mellowskipper says:
I mean, if I’m being honest—and I suppose I should be—Tesla seems quite a bit inferior to Ruđer, especially when you actually look at the GPA rankings and, more importantly, those final high school graduation scores.

I suppose you could argue that Ruđer offers a higher caliber of education—it’s certainly more rigorous, I guess.

Kate Jackson4 said:Michelle Nelson4 replied that the minimum score required just to apply for the program at Isaac Newton

I'll have more than that, we'll see... unlikely I'd make it into Computer Technician, maybe some other major, but probably not that either

Other schools like Tesla, General Electric, and the like have similar graduation scores. They aren't bad, but hardly anyone gets into MIT, which says a lot

I know two colleagues whose kids have already graduated from Tesla—they finished up at MIT and then moved through specialized programs in media and naval architecture. They’re all happy, settled, and actually working in their fields now... and I guess, if I'm being honest, they're pulling some very solid, concrete salaries.
Is there actually an option to enroll in a different major first, and then just... switch over during sophomore year by making up the necessary credits? I guess it depends on how strict the registrar is, but maybe it’s possible—assuming you can handle the workload of catching up on all those prerequisites.
Assuming—of course—that they don't just get it right on the first try.

Kate Jackson4 said:Lincoln High, AT&T, and Technical High School
Minimum points required at AT&T

That specific program is also available at schools in Aurora, suburban towns near a major city, and other suburban towns near a major city. So, if those locations work for anyone—or if the transit links are decent enough...