Transfer from a private school at the beginning of next school year

January 24, 2013 1:14 PM

Dear Interlocutors from Ask MetaFilter, Please help me understand if the sequence of the steps I figure out to transfer my son Edoardo from a private school in New York State to the New York City public school system is correct. Unfortunately the staff of the High School Enrollment Office is very laconic. 1) I have Edoardo's current school complete the "Out of City Request Form" 2) I fax the HS Enrollment Office 2 documents as a proof we are residents in New York City 3) I enter my high school choices in priority order on my "Round 2 and New Schools Choice Form". My question is: where may I find this form? 4) I return the completed and signed "Round 2 and New Schools Choice Form" to my guidance counselor. Here my question is: who is my guidance counselor? Best, teebay

Moreover, can you also please explain to me if the only possible schools I can enter in the Choice Form are those ones listed in the "2012 High School Admission Round 2 Program List"? Since only a couple of days ago I realized such a list exists, I had previously directly contacted some Manhattan schools, telling them our decision to transfer Edoardo to an American public high school at the beginning of next school year (10th grade) and asking them to please schedule a visit. It happened that one school, scheduled an appointment for me; a second one informed me that "as of right now we have no openings in the 10th grade for next school year. You can try contacting us in August to see if anything changes"; a third one wrote that my son must have an 80 average, that they need his report card and transcripts and that I will have to go to one of the enrollment centers only after the principal will have made the final decision. None of the school I contacted so far ever mentioned Round 2 or the Choice Form or the 15th March, so I am rather confused, also because I lived till last year in Germany, where the school system is different.
Can you please help me?

Best,
teebay

posted by teebay to education (5 answers total)

I don't know anything about this particular situation, but since your question isn't getting many responses I can give you two suggestions:

1. Call your son's current school and ask for the guidance counselor.
2. Like I said, I'm not familiar with the NY public schools and the admissions system, but I did google it and found this website that suggests that yes, the only schools you can enter on the Choice Form are the schools on the Round 2 Program List.

The site I found also specifies this:
"Questions? Email us at [e-mail]"
"If you have questions about Round 2 high school admissions, please call [phone]."

The FAQ section on that site also says that if you are transferring from a private school to a public school that your main point of contact should be the guidance counselor at the current school, so again I think your first step is contacting that person.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 7:36 PM on January 24

I would have a back up to this plan. Good public high schools in New York City are selective and competitive and parents spend literally years preparing their children to be admitted. There is a high chance that you will be unable to obtain a seat at a school with suitable academic attainment, and a fair chance you will only be admitted to a school which is outright terrible for your son on many dimensions. By contrast, admission to a good or even great high school in many close-in suburbs is automatic for residents, even those who just arrived. Catholic schools can be an alternative to the sky high tuitions if independent schools, but at the high school level in NYC the quality is really variable, ranging from a moderately better than a neighborhood public school, to world class.
posted by MattD at 4:31 AM on January 25

What high school are you zoned for? Why don't you try contacting a guidance counselor there.

I think what is confusing you is that you are applying too late for the more selective schools - the deadline for that is in December, so now you are limited to those programs that are open to students who were not selected for any of their first choices.
posted by JPD at 9:37 AM on January 25

Thank you treehorn+bunny, MattD and JPD for your informative answers so far.
It came out that who submitted the Out of City Request form from my child’s current school would be the HS Enrollment main point of contact, acting as a guidance counselor.
I understand that to be admitted in a good school will be a lottery. If the match will sound terrible, I will also consider Catholic schools as an alternative, preferably in Queens or Brooklyn, since those ones in Manhattan have the same sky high tuition as not religious independent schools.
posted by teebay at 6:22 AM on January 26

To be cynical for a moment - it will almost certainly be terrible. Your catholic school choices will be better, but make sure you check those deadlines. I guess St Francis Prep and Archbishop Molloy are your best choices in Queens. Xavier might be an option in the City, but I don't know what the admissions policy is like there for 10th graders.
posted by JPD at 7:50 AM on January 28