High School Admissions Peril Part II

Okay, if your middle school guidance counselor is on the ball, he/she will already know which students are planning to take the SHSAT (Specialized High Schools Assessment Test) and who plan to audition for the arts programs at other high schools.

If you have not heard from your guidance counselor by October 1, then you need to light a fire under them. Take the initiative, do their job for them — and then tell them you have done their job for them.

But this entry is not to pick on the guidance counselors; they have their work cut out for them dealing with the high school applications as well as helping out troubled students. Schools are under–staffed due to being under–funded.

My beef is with the New York DOE (Department of Education) this time.

Who is the Rocket Scientist that scheduled the first SHSAT on the same day as the first LaGuardia audition?

Do they think that artistically–inclined children are not book–smart, competent test–takers who could be interested in science high school curriculum?

Hasn’t it been proven that studying music improves math prowess; that studying the arts in–general develops problem–solving skills and increases self–esteem?

Makes “Department of Education” seem like an oxymoron.

A Bad Idea.