More changes for high school this fall

By Joyce Szuflita
The high school application is going to be electronic this year. There is a new sheriff in town and it is called “MySchools”. It looks like this will ultimately be the ‘go to’ platform for all DoE applications, but they are starting out the season with high school applications.

Props to Elissa Stein at highschool411nyc who ferreted out the earliest, clearest and most extensive information on what is going on here.

If you are applying to high school this fall, you will receive a letter shortly about how to create an account on MySchools. It is both an online directory of NY Public Schools and a personalized application. If you don’t get your instructions in the mail next week, speak with your school counselor for help. Private School parents should contact admissions to find out how you register for MySchools (you will need to get code #’s from them to register). You will need both your child’s OSIS# (if you are in public school, it is the number associated with your student for their entire school career and can usually be located on their report card) and an account creation code that’s related to your school that you’ll get in a letter from the DOE.

If you don’t like MySchools, you can also apply through guidance or the Family Welcome Center, but when the DoE makes a change like this, the easiest and surest way is through the new system.

You can use it to schedule your SHSAT or register for your LaGuardia audition by Oct. 11, 2018.
You will also use it to apply to your regular list of high schools, or you can go through your guidance counselor or Family Welcome Center.

This next information is second hand, so we will see how accurate it turns out to be, but…
* apparently, this year, every student will come out of Round 1 with a placement. If a student does not place with a school that he or she listed, the DOE will select for you - like the middle school process. Students will still be able to participate in round two and to appeal, regardless of the fact that the DOE placed them. In the past, everyone had to get a placement through the 2nd Round before appeals, so this streamlines that process.
* In March, results will be posted online.  Every student will have access the same way at the same time, instead of people running to the DOE to pick up the results, or students waiting for the schools to mail or hand out.
* Students may now select EITHER the Saturday or the Sunday of the SHSAT test, unless they get extended time- that is offered on a select date.