A Comprehensive Guide To Applying To Public High Schools

The High School selection process is one of the most critical moments in your  education and possibly your life. High School is the first time that you’ll be able to explore your interests and possible career paths. It’s essential that you choose a high school that will fit your needs and interests to help you properly prepare for college and life. Here’s a guide that will help you find a high school that’s right for you. It’s a pretty long read so we have broken it down for you into different sections.

• Our NYC High School Admissions Tool

• What to Consider When Applying to Schools

• Types of Schools

• Types of Admissions

• How to Apply

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Our NYC High School Admissions Tool

Looking for schools you may be interested in can be a daunting and difficult task! Luckily, Synergy Prep has made that task easier for you. By pulling information from the DOE (attendance, graduation rate, safety rate), we have created a NYC High School Admissions tool that evaluates and ranks all the NYC schools to help you find schools that fit your interests and academic standing. Here’s a guide on how to use it: 

Step One 

Choose the boroughs that you are interested in attending high school in. Then, select your middle school and home school district. If you do not know this information, you can find it here. This will help narrow down any schools that you have admission priority in. Here’s a provided example for you: 

Step Two 

Select all the areas of interest you have. If you’re not sure what interests you, click ‘Select All’. This feature will match you with career-based schools that offer programs related to your interests. \

Step Three 

Input your 7th-grade scores for each subject. All grades should be inputted out of a 100, while your state test scores should be inputted out of 4.5. This will narrow down which screened schools you will be able to apply to. 

Step Four

A list of up to 25 schools will appear. Everything under “Best Overall Programs in All of New York City” will show you the best high schools in the city that you qualify for. The next section includes school programs based on your search criteria. The last section provides safety schools that you will most likely get into. Each recommendation provides the program name, a description of the program, the program code, and any required minimum grades (if any) and test scores needed to get in.

If you are wondering why a particular school didn’t show up, it is most likely because you are not eligible for it, or your search criteria excluded the school. Remember that this list is not definite! While this is an excellent way to find possible high schools you are interested in, you should do more research into these schools to make sure its the right choice for you. You should also look into any other schools that are not on the list that interest you. 

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What to Consider When Applying to Schools

Statistics

You should look into statistics relating to graduation rates, attendance, school safety, and test scores (SAT, AP, and regents). These measures will provide you with an understanding of how passionate and diligent the student body is. The more passionate and diligent the student body is, the easier it will be for you to develop and grow academically while exploring different interests. Schools work to fit the needs and wishes of their students. If the student body is not motivated, the school will see no reason to provide them with upper-level classes and unique opportunities.

If you are a student who prefers one-on-one teaching, you should look into class sizes. Smaller class sizes will mean that the teachers will be able to help you more and adapt to your personal needs. Larger class sizes usually correspond to a greater variety of extracurriculars and courses because there will be greater diversity in student interests. You can find all these statistics here and in your High School Admissions Guide. 

Upper-Level Courses 

Upper-level courses, such as AP courses and electives, will give you a head-start in your field of interest and strengthen your college application. AP classes are taught at the level of college introductory courses and at the end of the year they can be counted as college credit after taking the AP exam for that subject.

These credits will allow you to save money and get a head start in college as you will be able to move onto higher-level classes as a freshman. Other college-level electives will give you a more focused study into specific subjects, like Nutritional Science or Software Engineering. You can find a list of the AP classes offered by a school here under the Academics tab, in your High School Admissions Guide, or directly on the school’s website. 

Extracurricular Activities 

Extracurricular activities encompass clubs, teams, and student governments you participate in outside of school time. These activities cover a range of interests, like debate, football, or even video games. You can use these activities to strengthen your career, academic, or recreational interests. Extracurriculars will also help you stand out from other college applicants and will show them a holistic view of your interests.

Make sure to look into what types of clubs and teams there are at your prospective school. If you can’t find any schools with an activity that interests you, look into if you can start your own club or team at your prospective schools. You can find this information here under the Activities tab, your High School Admissions Guide, or directly on the school’s website. 

Commute

Another critical point of consideration is the commute time. If your club or team practice ends at 6 PM and you live about 2 hours away, you will be home by 8 PM. This gives you little time to complete your homework, study, and rest properly before having to get up before 6 AM to get to school on time. You can check how long it will take you to get to your schools by using the direction feature on Google Maps. You can find more information on what to consider here. 

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Types of Schools

There are a variety of public high schools, all of which have their own unique characteristics and goals. To help you understand each kind of high school and choose the one best suited for your interests and goals, here is a list of some types of programs outside of regular public schools: 

Specialized High Schools

Specialized High Schools are nine prestigious high schools within NYC that have gifted students. These schools include Stuyvesant High School, Bronx High School of Science, Brooklyn Technical High School, Brooklyn Latin, High School of American Studies, High School of Math, Science, and Engineering, Staten Island Technical High School, LaGuardia High School of the Arts, and Queens High School for the Sciences. These schools receive ample funding from the Department of Education, allowing them to offer more extracurriculars and courses. 

Their reputations also give them prestige among top colleges, giving their students an upper hand to get into the best colleges. For example, the top ten universities can recruit about 20% of the students at a selective school such as Stuyvesant vs. 0-2% at a local school. Acceptance to eight of these schools is based solely on your SHSAT score. LaGuardia High School only accepts students based on auditions or portfolios. Speak to your guidance counselor in September on how you can take the exam or get an audition. To help decide between specialized high schools and regular public high schools, read this. 

Early College 

Early College High Schools allow you to graduate with both a high school degree and an Associate’s Degree at no extra cost. The credits for the Associate’s degree can then transfer to your future college, giving you up to a two-year head start in your college education. A prominent early college high school is Bard Early College High School. You can find a list of early college high schools by searching “Early College” here. 

Career-Based Schools 

Career-based high schools are schools that specialize in career programs. If you know what career field you want to go into, you should look into these schools. Each program provides students with distinct curriculums, internships, mentors, and shadowing opportunities specific to the different career fields it offers. There are over 130 schools with 260 programs of study to choose from. You can find out more about these programs here. To find Career-based schools, click here, or search “CTE” in the search engine here. 

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Types of Admissions

To understand how to apply to high school, you must know the different types of admission:

Testing

This form of admissions only looks at the student’s score on the SHSAT. The only schools that use this type of admissions are eight specialized high schools. To attend these schools, you must schedule to take the SHSAT, and rank the high schools in the order of your preference during the exam. You can find more information on the SHSAT and specialized high schools here.

 Screened or Audition 

Schools using this form of admission rank students based on selection criteria. These selection criteria may include assessments, portfolios, essays, state test scores, grades, auditions, interviews, and/or academic records. Schools do not use all of these, but rather a combination of a few to evaluate each applicant. Students are then admitted based on their ranking, the highest-ranked being admitted first.

It’s important to note that some of the best high schools in the city are screened schools, such as Beacon High School, NEST+m, and Townsend Harris High School. Make sure to keep track of deadlines and test dates when applying to these schools. All of this information can be found on your MySchools account or on the school’s website. You can find a list of audition dates for art schools here.

Education Optional 

Ed. Opt. programs are designed to admit students from a wide variety of academic standings. While some schools rank students based on academic records, others rank students randomly. Some schools also use admissions priorities, giving certain students first priority to offers. Admissions priority is usually based on the school district, borough residents, or if the student attended the school from K-8. 

Zoned

Zoned schools give priority and sometimes even guaranteed offers to students based on where you live. To find your zoned school, type your address into the top search engine, and change the filter to ‘Zoned’ here. 

Open 

Open schools are schools that do not have any admissions requirements. Students are ranked solely on their priority group and given a randomly assigned number. Depending on your academic performance, it might be wise to have one open-admission school listed on your application as a safety. 

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How to Apply

Now that you know what to consider and how to find possible schools, you can now apply to the programs. Here are some guidelines on application timelines and how to use myschools.nyc to apply. 

Application Timeline 

June-August: Start exploring schools you may be interested in online and on MySchools. Attend high school family workshops and begin to prepare for any high school entrance exams you need to take if you haven’t already. 

September-November: Attend high school fairs and open houses. To find a list of open house dates and times, click here and look under the ‘View Our Open House’ tab, or check the calendar on the website of the school you are interested in. Meet with your guidance counselor to gain access to your MySchools account and discuss your options. From here, you can save up to 25 of your favorite programs, add up to 12 programs to your application, and schedule any tests and interviews you may need to complete for your application. If you wish to attend a specialized high school, register for the SHSAT, get your ticket, and take the test. This is the same procedure for Laguardia’s auditions, the only difference being the completion of an audition instead of the SHSAT. You can apply to take both the SHSAT and audition. 

December: Through MySchools, your guidance counselor, or a Family Welcome Center, send in your application by December 2nd. If you have any assessments, submissions, or interviews scheduled after this day, make sure to complete them on time.

March: Get your offer letter. This letter will include your high school offers, your SHSAT score, and any offers to a specialized high school. Note that if you auditioned for Laguardia and took the SHSAT, you may see two specialized high school offers (one from Laguardia and one based on your SHSAT score). 

You can find this timeline when you log into your MySchool account and in the form of a checklist here. To help keep track of things, you should print it out and check off each as you complete them. Noting submission due dates, test dates, and interviews in a calendar can help you keep track of when things should be done by. 

The Application 

You can apply to high schools in three different ways: your guidance counselor, Family Welcome Centers, and MySchools. Guidance counselors can help you apply to high schools during and after school hours. You can apply in person at Family Welcome Centers, where you can find translators to help you if English is not your first language. However, you can only use this method during the times the center is open. MySchools is the online option for the application that you can complete by yourself. It is running 24/7, so it is always accessible. Listed below is a guide on how to use this website. 

Finding Schools 

To find programs that match your needs, use this function on the website. You can use filters like subways, school size, sports teams, eligibility, borough, admissions method, uniform, and diversity to narrow your searches. Make sure to click the ‘Eligible’ filter to get a list of schools that you can list on your application. You can also use the search engine provided to search names of schools, types of schools, and your interests. For example, if you search ‘Medicine’,  a list of schools that have medical programs will appear. 

After clicking on the school’s name, you will be provided with information on the school. The school’s address, contact info, school size, class times, and any transportation methods will appear directly under the name. The overview will give the school’s mission and a brief summary of what makes it different from others. 

Under the Performance tab, you will find statistics on graduation rates, college enrollment, attendance, and safety. Under the Academics tab, you see all AP classes, college-level electives, languages, diploma endorsements, and ELL programs offered by the school. The Activities tab will show what sports teams the school has. You can find other information and accessibility information under the ‘Other Features’ and ‘Accessibility’ tabs.

By clicking on the names of programs, you can get a brief overview of the program. There is sometimes an Eligibility tab that shows you who is allowed to apply for the program. The Admissions Method tab will show you how students are chosen, who the priority groups are if there are any, and the Demand. The Demand section indicates how many applicants there were per seat, how many seats there were, how many applicants there were, and if the seats were all filled last year.

This gives you an idea of how many students you are competing with for an offer at that school. If it is a screened program, the Admissions Method tab will also provide you with information on what schools look at to rank students. The Additional Information tab will have extra information you may need, like if they take transfer students or the interest area of the program. If you are interested in the program, you can click the star to favorite it. This does not add the school to your application but instead saves it so you can find it easily later. 

It’s important to note that some schools recruit a majority of their students or students exclusively from certain boroughs or school districts. Do not apply to schools that do not recruit from your residence or school district. The DOE doesn’t tell you that you have no chance, it just says you are in the lowest priority.

Check the handbook to find the actual recruitment percentage from your district and borough. The rule of thumb is not to apply to a school program that recruits less than 30% of their applications from your residential priority group. For example, if you live in district 10 and the school recruits 99% from District 2 alone, DO NOT APPLY since it is a wasted application.

Submitting Your Application

You can build your application on the ‘Apply’ and ‘Your Application’ page. You can move programs from your favorites list (located on the right side of the page) to your application by clicking the “+Add” button or by dragging it to your application. You can also search for program names and directly add them to your list from this page.  You’re allowed to apply to up to 12 programs. Make sure to order them based on preference, with the first program on your list being the one you wish to attend the most.

High schools will not see your application choice order, so they will not know if they are your first or twelfth choice! However, you will be offered seats based on your order. For example, if you do not get into your first choice, then you will be considered for your second choice. Remember, you can only be accepted to one school from this list. If you wish to look at program details, you can find them by clicking on the program name. You may change your list as many times as possible before submitting it. Note that you should not add any specialized high schools to this list as they use a separate application given to you during your SHSAT test.

When composing this list, make sure that you are eligible for the programs you are applying to. You can check your stats (grades, attendance, school district, etc.) after clicking the ‘Edit Profile’ button on the homepage after logging in. Make sure all your information is correct. If it is not, speak to your guidance counselor to get it fixed. Then, you can check eligibility for a program by hovering over the circle to the right of the program name and by clicking ‘My Chances’ under the program details. If you’re not eligible to apply for a program, the circle to the right of the program name will be red, and you will not be able to add them to your application.

If you are applying to a screened school, remember that they have their own admissions requirements and their own respective application deadlines. Make sure to take note of any specific deadlines, such as essays, exams, or portfolio submissions by visiting the school's website that you are interested in applying.

Mark these submission dates in your calendar and make sure to get these done and submitted by the due date. You should also take note of and RSVP for any tests, interviews, or auditions dates and begin preparing for them. You can also find this information on MySchool under ‘Your Key Dates’ on the right side of the homepage of the website after you log in.

After talking with your parents and guidance counselors and reaching a final decision, submit your application by clicking the ‘Next’ and then ‘Submit Application’ buttons before your deadline on December 2nd. You’re finally done! 

You will receive your offer letter in March. From there, you can make a final decision on where you want to spend the next four years of your life. Remember that not getting into your dream high school will not ruin your life and chances of getting into college. Although the features offered by a program or school may seem beneficial, it is ultimately up to you how hard you work and excel in academics.

A student at a smaller, lesser-known school may do a lot better academically and get into a better college than a student at a more prominent, prestigious high school. If you are still having trouble with applying to high schools, Synergy Prep offers high school application counseling. We also provide SHSAT tutoring for any students wishing to take these exams. 

Strategies to Improve Your SAT Score

The SAT is one of the most important standardized tests in your life. Your score on the test will be a big factor in your college applications. The strategies listed below will help you ace the exam and strengthen your chances of getting into your dream college. 

General Strategies 

Practice Tests

The first step to achieving a high score is figuring out where you are now. Take a practice test under testing conditions. While you are taking the practice test, you should time yourself while being in a quiet area. The SAT is broken up into four sessions. The reading section is 65 minutes long, the writing section is 35 minutes long, the no-calculator math section is 25 minutes long, and the calculator with the math section is 55 minutes long. Make sure to give yourself a 10-minute break in after the reading section and a 10-minute break after the no-calculator math section. After finishing the practice exam, grade yourself honestly and review the questions you got wrong. This will help you learn your weaknesses and strengths and create a study schedule.

You can find multiple SAT practice tests online on the CollegeBoard website and Khan Academy. You can also find some in the back of SAT workbooks, like Kaplan, Barrons, and The Princeton Review. 

Study Schedule 

When creating a study schedule for the SAT, first make sure to set a target score and an estimate of when you want to take the test. This will help you determine how much and how frequently you will study. Khan Academy creates a personalized study schedule for you based on your diagnostic score and test date. You can use this as a template and change it for your personal needs. During your study sessions, you should be learning/reviewing content, doing practice questions, and brushing up on your weak areas. Make sure you set aside time to take a practice test every two weeks to check on your progress. As you get closer to your test date, increase the frequency and time you study. However, don’t study hard the day before the exam. On the day before your test, you should review your weakest topics and rest. 

Timing 

Finishing the sections on time can be difficult at first. You can’t go back to sections once the time is finished. If you’re having trouble completing the reading passage, consider only skimming the passages rather than closely reading it. Most of the questions focus on one word, line, or paragraph that is stated in the question. These answers can all be found from skimming the passage and going back to reread. The only specific questions asked are the ones asking for the meaning of a quote. You only need to read these sections closely. This goes for the SAT grammar section as well. If you’re having trouble completing the math sections, mark and skip any questions that are taking you more than a minute to do so you can come back to them later. 

Strategies  To Improve Your SAT Reading:

If you’re having trouble with the Reading section of the SAT, here are some strategies that can help you improve your score:

Read More 

Most of the SAT passages are about science, social studies, or historical documents. Try reading an article a day from places like The New York Times, The New Yorker, Scientific American, or The Washington Post. Reading these types of articles will improve your reading comprehension, vocabulary, and grammar significantly. These articles are similar to the passages you will see on your SAT in terms of difficulty and vocabulary. Getting familiar with this reading level will help improve your speed and comprehension during the test. After reading, make sure you understand the main idea and key details of the article. Make sure to also focus on historical passages. Students have difficulty understanding the language in these types of passages. To familiarize yourself with this type of passage, you should read autobiographies and historical documents.

Although reading these articles from the outlets listed above are recommended, you do not have to stick to only these. Reading, in general, will help improve your score. You should make reading, whether it be nonfiction or fiction, a daily habit. Start by reading a book at your level and then build your way up to more difficult texts. Choose books that interest you, as it will make you more inclined to keep up your daily reading. 

 However, if you have less than a month before your SAT, be wary of this strategy as this is a long-term strategy to improve your score and you may not see much improvement by your test day. 

Annotating Passages 

If you’re getting less than 35 questions right in the reading section, you should consider annotating your passages. Questions on the reading section of the SAT typically ask for key ideas, tone, and main ideas. Taking notes on the margins of the passages and underlining important details will improve your reading comprehension by helping you understand the passage. It can also allow you to answer the questions more easily and faster since you already have the answer written in your annotations. Practice doing annotations on your daily articles. 

Vocabulary 

The SAT uses relatively difficult vocabulary. Not knowing what one word means can throw you off your game or make your interpretation of a section/sentence completely incorrect. To prevent this, you should become comfortable using context clues. This way you can easily figure out what an unfamiliar word means. Both the reading and writing sections of the SAT ask vocabulary questions requiring you to choose the meaning of a word from the passage that has multiple meanings. You will have to use context clues to figure out which definition is correct. You can practice this by predicting what an unfamiliar word means before looking it up while reading your daily articles. 

Learning new vocabulary words can also help. Although the SAT no longer requires you to memorize challenging vocabulary, you should still learn vocabulary that is about a medium-level difficulty. You can do this by looking up any words you don’t know during your daily readings. There are also apps available on the app store that will teach you a new SAT vocabulary word every day, like SAT Flashcards: Prep & Vocab by Magoosh. You can find out more information about how to study SAT vocabulary here. 

Ways To Improve Your SAT Writing:

The SAT Writing section focuses on grammar, vocabulary, and editing/revising skills. If you’re having trouble with any of these, consider these strategies: 

Content 

The SAT Writing section focuses on around 50 grammar topics, like sentence structure, sentence modifiers, and style and tone. You can learn these topics from an SAT workbook or online. Remember that you don’t need to memorize the different topics and rules, but be able to use them in practice on the day of the test. After learning how to apply each rule, make sure you get as much practice as you can. Practice problems can be found in workbooks and online. Make sure to check your work and understand why you got a question wrong. An easy way to practice editing and revising is by editing your old essays and writing assignments. 

Ways To Improve Your SAT Math:

If you’re having trouble with the SAT math sections, here are some strategies that can help you: 

Concepts

The SAT math section includes around 30 topics on algebra, basic statistics, nonlinear functions and graphs, and volume. Learn all the topics from workbooks or online. After doing practice problems, determine which concepts you are the weakest in and focus on those. Spread out the days you learn each topic to fit a schedule that works for you. However, make sure you give yourself ample time to review your weakest topics before your SAT test date. Generally, students have trouble with functions, statistics, and number theory. Give yourself double the amount of time to study these concepts than you would any other. If you’re having trouble grasping the concepts, try watching videos surrounding the topics and continue practicing. You do not have to memorize any formulas as most are provided to you on a reference sheet on the day of the test, but make sure you are comfortable using them. 

Shortcuts 

Most math questions on the SAT are straightforward. If you learn shortcuts for each concept, you will be able to work more efficiently. For percentage, algebraic expressions, and word problems, try plugging in an answer choice instead of using a variable. Being familiar with your calculator can also help you easily find correct answers on the calculator section. For example, instead of calculating intercepts by hand, you can graph the equation on your calculator to find the answer. 

Conclusion
At the end of the day, the best way to achieve your target score is to practice as much as possible. Even if you don’t get your target score, don’t get disheartened. Remember you can take the SAT as many times as you need. Learn from your mistakes and work harder next time. If you still can’t improve your SAT score, consider hiring a tutor who can help you with your weak areas. Synergy Prep offers SAT tutoring, where you can take practice tests, receive a breakdown of your scores, and be taught by an experienced instructor. You can find out more about our SAT program and how we can help you achieve the best score possible on the SAT by clicking here.

10 Strategies to Improve Your SHSAT Score

The SHSAT is one of the hardest standardized tests you will have to take in your middle school career. Although it may seem daunting at first, with practice you can achieve a high score and get into your dream high school. The strategies listed below can help you tackle the SHSAT and come out on top.

Basic Strategies:

          The first step to successfully study for the SHSAT is to familiarize yourself with its content, length, and structure. This way, on the day of the test, you won’t waste time figuring out the SHSAT structure, but rather getting the right answers. Like all standardized tests, the SHSAT repeats topics every year. If you’re familiar with the test, you’ll know what topics to study and no type of question can surprise you. The best way to familiarize yourself with the SHSAT is to take practice tests. This way you won’t get confused by the wording of questions while taking the actual test.

1.     Practice Tests

The best way to improve your SHSAT score is through practice. When taking a practice test, you should recreate the testing conditions of the SHSAT. This means a quiet and distraction-free area. To recreate this type of setting, you should put away all electronics and sit at an empty desk in a quiet room. Make sure to time yourself. The SHSAT is three hours long. Although there aren’t any time restrictions for the sections on the SHSAT, you should split your time equally between the two sections. This means you should spend 90 minutes on the ELA section and 90 minutes on the math section. After taking the practice tests, you should grade yourself honestly and go over all the questions you got wrong carefully. Make sure you understand why you got each question wrong and how to correctly solve the problem in the future. By doing this, you can also find your weaknesses (ex. probability, verb tenses). Based on that, you can set up a study schedule.

You can find some practice tests in the back of SHSAT workbooks, like Kaplan, Barron’s, and Argo Prep. You can also find a number of practice tests online in the SHSAT handbook.

2.     Study Schedules

Set aside time each day to study for the SHSAT. This time should be based on how much studying you need and should be at least an hour long. If you are unable to study an hour each day, try aiming for two hours every two days instead. These study sessions can include taking tests, doing practice problems, and learning/reviewing topics. You should spend most of your time on your weak areas, whether it be the ELA or math. As you get closer to the SHSAT test date, you should increase the amount of time you study. Allow yourself to review some of the topics the day before the actual test. However, do not study too much the day before the SHSAT. All the studying that you have done in the past should be enough. 

3.     Timing

The SHSAT itself is three hours long, and while you can take as long as you want for any section, it’s recommended that you use half your time for ELA and half your time for math. If you’re not finishing the test within the recommended times, figure out what topics/sections are taking the longest time and study those. Before your SHSAT test date, you should take two practice tests, one doing the ELA section first and the other doing the Math section first. Figure out which order works better for you. If you realize that you are better in one section than the other, try starting with the harder section first so you can approach it with a fresh mind.

Ways To Improve Your SHSAT Math Score:

If you’re having trouble with the math section of the SHSAT, here are some strategies on how to improve your math score:

1.     Concepts

Learn all the SHSAT math concepts from a workbook or the internet. There are around 40 math concepts you need to know. You should try to learn at least one each day. Then, figure out which concepts you have the most difficulty with and focus on those. Generally, most people have trouble with probability, distance, permutations/combinations, and volume problems, so be sure to spend extra time on those. Take at least two days to learn and practice these concepts specifically.

A majority of SHSAT math questions are word problems that are based off a list of equations, so make sure you read each question carefully and know how to use the information you’re given. You should also make a study guide of all the equations you must know for the SHSAT and memorize them.

2.     Question Difficulty

            Based on the difficulty of the problem, you should approach it differently. Easy questions, which should take you the least amount of time, tend to try to trick you. Make sure to read these questions carefully! For questions with medium difficulty, you should learn shortcuts that make it easier and quicker to solve. If there are any questions that you find difficult to do, relearn that math concept and figure out any shortcuts that can help you.

Ways To Improve Your SHSAT ELA Score:

If you’re having trouble with the ELA section of the SHSAT, here are some strategies that can help you improve your score:

1.     Read more nonfiction

            Most of the SHSAT passages are informational nonfiction, which most people don’t read often. Reading articles from places like the New York Times can help you familiarize yourself with the genre and improve your vocabulary, reading comprehension, and grammar.

2.     Annotate Passages

            SHSAT passage-based questions consistently ask about main ideas, key ideas, major turning points, and shifts in tone/narrative. To effectively answer these questions, you should do quick annotations while reading the passages. Taking notes in the margins of passages and underlining important details can help you better understand the passage and makes it easier to find information when you are doing questions.

3.      Grammar

             The SHSAT grammar questions focus on basic grammar (punctuation, clauses, etc.), transition words, combining two sentences, and identifying irrelevant sentences. Learn the different types of punctuation and grammar concepts they have on the SHSAT from a workbook or online. Then, practice by doing practice problems from workbooks and online worksheets. Make sure to check your work and understand why you might have gotten a question wrong. Another way to practice spotting errors is to go back to your old writing assignments and revise them. While doing SHSAT grammar questions, you should also make sure you understand the main idea of each passage because it is necessary when answering questions about transition, relevancy, and placement.

The best way to study for the SHSAT is to figure out what methods and strategies work for you and continuously practice them. Practice makes perfect. With the right amount of practice, you can get well above the score you’re aiming for. If you’re still having trouble improving your SHSAT score, you should consider tutoring. A SHSAT tutor can help you implement the strategies mentioned above, work on your weak areas, and figure out strategies that work for you. Synergy Prep offers SHSAT tutoring, where you can take practice tests, receive a breakdown of your tests, and attend workshops focused on specific topics.

Useful tips on how to write a good College Essay

The personal essay is one of the components of the Common Application for college admissions. While it isn’t weighted as heavily as factors such as grades and standardized test scores, your personal essay can indeed make or break your application. A strong essay can set you ahead of students who have similar grades and SAT/ACT scores as you. Likewise, a weak essay can undermine an otherwise stellar application.

The personal essay is a space to showcase your character, personality, and story to admissions officers. It paints a more holistic picture of who you are as a person beyond the stats.

Guidelines

Choose one of the provided Common App essay prompts and respond in 650 words or less. These are the prompts for the 2018-2019 admissions season:

1.      Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

2.      The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

3.      Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

4.      Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma – anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

5.      Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

6.      Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7.      Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Essay Writing Tips

-          Take the time to brainstorm. It may be the case that none of the prompts speak to you immediately. That’s okay. Go through each prompt and jot down some notes on potential topics you can write about for each one. Then narrow it down to a topic on which you have a significant story to tell.

-          Organization is everything. Always outline before you begin writing. Outlining looks different for everyone – find an outlining method that works for you and organize your ideas in a coherent and logical manner.

-          Use concrete examples. It’s not enough to state that you are passionate about environmental issues. Instead, highlight an experience that illustrates how you are passionate about environmental issues. Be specific and detailed in your examples.

-          Analyze, don’t just summarize. Don’t spend the bulk of your essay merely describing an anecdote. You should certainly give an overview of the situation at hand, but the majority of the essay should be spent reflecting on the meaning and impact of the situation, rather than simply summarizing what happened.

-          Use sophisticated vocabulary. Since your essay is used to determine your college readiness, it’s important to utilize college-level vocabulary. That said, make sure you are using these vocabulary words correctly as well!

-          Avoid bragging. Many students use their college essay as little more than a chance to show off one or more of their impressive accomplishments. This is a wasted opportunity. Your essay is a space to demonstrate to colleges that you are a thoughtful and self-aware person who can analyze their experiences from a place of humility. While it’s wonderful that you scored the winning point and led your varsity basketball team to victory, what did you learn from that experience?

-          Proofread, proofread, proofread. Proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation are non-negotiable.

-          Get feedback. Give your essay to a few qualified individuals you trust, such as your college counselor or English teacher. Having these additional perspectives will enable you to view your essay more objectively and identify potential areas of improvement you may not have considered on your own. Use the constructive criticism from others to help you revise your essay as you see fit.

Above all, write about what matters to you. If you truly care about the story you are telling, your integrity will demonstrate itself on the page. A genuine, well-crafted personal essay can only strengthen your college application.

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SAT Subject Tests Breakdown: Which ones should I take?

The SAT Subject Tests are standardized tests given by the College Board on individual academic subjects.

Here are your options for the SAT Subject Tests:

• Math: Level 1, Level 2

• Science: Chemistry, Physics, Biology (Ecological/Molecular)

• English: Literature

• History: US History, World History

• Language: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Modern Hebrew, Latin, Spanish with Listening, French with Listening, German with Listening, Chinese with Listening, Korean with Listening, Japanese with Listening

Why take SAT Subject Tests?

There are a number of reasons to take SAT Subject Tests, one being that many selective colleges require them. In many cases you are expected to submit two Subject Test scores, in addition to your SAT or ACT score. Subject Tests are also a great way to highlight your academic strengths and showcase your competence in a subject. They can also be used to signal your interest and commitment to a specific college major/program. For instance, if you’re applying to programs in engineering, you should emphasize your strengths in math and science. In that case, a good idea would be to take the Math Level 2 test, as well as a science test such as Chemistry or Physics.

Which SAT Subject Tests should I take?

When deciding which SAT Subject Tests to take, consider which academic subjects you excel in and are most comfortable with. Take the tests in which you’re confident about getting a good score! In addition, you can choose your tests according to what you want to major in. Here are some Subject Test recommendations based on your intended major or career track:

• Engineering/computer science: Math Level 2, Physics

• Pre-med: Biology, Chemistry, Math Level 1 or 2

• Pre-law: English Literature, US History, World History

• Finance/business: Math Level 1 or 2

• Humanities: English Literature, US History, World History, any Language test

If you’re unsure about your prospective major, you can choose your tests based on the general area of study you may be interested in. It’s also wise to take a careful look at the admissions requirements of the colleges and specific programs you are interested in applying to – several colleges ask that you submit at least one score from a humanities test (e.g. Literature, World History) and one from a math/science test (e.g. Math Level 2, Chemistry). Specific programs within schools can also have their own special requirements.

Should I take science Subject Tests if I’ve taken the ACT?

While the ACT contains a science section, this is not meant to serve as a substitute for the science Subject Tests. The ACT science section assesses your general ability to think scientifically, rather than the specific content of your scientific knowledge. If you want to showcase your specialized knowledge in a science subject, you should take one or more of the Subject Tests in Chemistry, Physics, or Biology – even if you have taken the ACT and scored well on the science section.

SAT Subject Tests are an additional component of your college application that illustrate your skills and interests. Whether they are recommended or required by the colleges you’d like to apply to, it’s worthwhile to prepare for and take at least two Subject Tests to strengthen your college application.

What is considered a good score on the SAT Subject Tests?

In general, a good score on the SAT subject test would be anything above a 700. However, each subject test has a different average score.  For example, the average score for the Math Level II SAT subject test is 694. It’s not enough to just be above average though. We encourage that you try your best and shoot for a perfect score. That’s why, as we stated earlier, it is important that you choose subject tests that complement your strengths. The higher the score, the better.

You should also set a target score for yourself. Your target score will depend on which colleges you are interested in applying to. Research what the average SAT subject test scores are for those colleges and aim to get a much higher score than the average.

If you want statistics on the SAT subject tests, check out this article from PrepScholar. 

How should you study for the SAT Subject Tests?

 As with any standardized exam, it is recommended that you start preparing several months beforehand, if not longer. The SAT and ACT are two major exams that you should start studying for during the summer of your sophomore year going into junior year. Continue studying throughout your junior year and eventually take your first exam in the winter or spring. This way if you aren’t happy with your score the first time around, you can take it again in the fall of your senior year. Generally, we don’t recommend taking the SAT or ACT more than three times.

Give yourself ample amount of time to study and get the material down. The same applies to your subject tests. However, you don’t need to study for the tests over the span of a year. You can start studying for the test 2-3 months in advance. First take a diagnostic exam to see where you stand. Your study schedule will depend on what your score is.

Choosing a subject test that complements your strengths, a good workbook, and self-studying should be enough for you to do well on the exam. However, if you feel that you can’t grasp the concepts, finding a tutor is always an option. Synergy Prep also has a great course on SAT and SAT subject tests that you can check out here. 

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What to consider when applying to high schools (Part 2)

This post is a follow up to our last post on the different types of NYC high schools.

With hundreds of options at your disposal, it’s safe to say that applying to high school in NYC can be an overwhelming process. There are endless characteristics that can set one school apart from another. Here are some of the major factors to look at when choosing the best school for you:

Class Selection

If you have particular academic interests you would like to pursue, you can narrow your search to schools that cater specifically to those interests. Let’s say you want to dive into software development – you may look into schools that have strong computer science programs, and a large variety of math and technology classes available to you.

Advanced Placement Classes

One question you should ask yourself when choosing a school is: Does this school offer Advanced Placement (AP) classes, and if so, which ones? AP classes cover introductory college-level material in their particular subjects, and so they are good preparation for college courses. After taking an AP class, you can take the AP exam for that subject and earn college credit if you achieve an adequate score. Schools that offer a lot of AP classes can provide more opportunities for you to immerse yourself in college-level learning.

Click here to see a list of all the available AP courses.

Languages

At many schools, you will typically be required to take 2-3 years of a foreign language. The range of languages offered varies from school to school. If there is a particular language you’re keen to learn, check whether it is offered at your schools of interest.

Extracurricular Activities

In high school, it’s incredibly valuable to get involved in activities outside of academics. Take a look at the types of extracurricular activities available at different schools. For example, if you have a strong interest in acting, it might be a priority for you to attend a school that has a prominent theater club or society that puts on frequent performances throughout the year. From arts to sports to sciences, high schools provide diverse opportunities for all sorts of students to get involved.

In addition to your academics, having extracurricular activities is very important. For example, during the college-admission process, an extracurricular activity in your Common Application can be the deciding factor of getting into a school of your dreams. If you want your application to stand out from the rest, choose an extracurricular activity that you’ll enjoy and try to stick to it.

Statistics

For every school you’re interested in, make sure to check out graduation rates, as well as average scores on the SAT, Regents, and AP exams. This will give you a sense of the level of academic achievement of the average student at the school, and how well you might expect to do academically there. Greatschools.org and Insideschools.org are excellent resources where you can view these numbers.

School Size

Last but not least, consider the size of the student body. Large schools and small schools each have their unique advantages and disadvantages. Large schools tend to benefit from having more of everything – more classes, more extracurricular activities, more faculty and resources. The downside is that you won’t get as much individual attention, and it may take more work on your part to find a sense of community. Small schools often have a more tightknit community, and smaller student-to-teacher ratios mean you receive more individualized attention. On the other hand, you may discover a more limited range of academic and extracurricular activities and resources available to you.

All of these factors in combination can paint a picture of what your high school experience at a given school might look like, and help you choose the school that is the perfect fit for you.

If you ever need help choosing the right school for you, you can discuss it with us for FREE.

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What are options for NYC High Schools? (Part 1)

The public high school admissions process in New York City can get pretty confusing, to say the least. While many students attend their zoned high school, the school automatically assigned to them based on their geographic area, this isn’t always the case. First, not every student has a zoned school. Second, there is a wide range of other available options to consider. Let’s take a look at the different types of public high schools you can attend:

Specialized High Schools

The nine Specialized High Schools [link to SHSAT basics article] are some of the most prestigious public schools in the city. Acceptance to eight out of nine of these schools requires taking the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT), a competitive entrance exam. Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, a performing arts school, does not require the SHSAT for admission. Instead, students are admitted based on an audition.

Unscreened Schools

Unscreened schools accept students based on random selection. These schools will not look at your grades, test scores, or attendance when making admissions decisions.

Screened Schools

Screened schools will take a look at your grades, test scores, and attendance in 7th grade when making an admissions decision. In addition, some schools may require an extra component, such as an interview or portfolio. Here are some notable screened high schools to look out for, and any special admissions requirements:

• Bard High School Early College: requires an entrance exam and an interview

• Beacon High School: requires a portfolio and an interview

• The Baccalaureate School for Global Education: gives priority to Queens students or residents

• Townsend Harris High School: requires a minimum overall grade-point average of 90%

What are the benefits of attending a top high school?

Specialized High Schools and other top public schools such as Townsend Harris have top-notch reputations and offer a number of advantages. They provide challenging academic environments, as well as a wide variety of programs and extracurricular activities to help you explore and pursue your interests. They also generally have excellent resources to guide you through the college admissions process.

Which high school is the best fit for me?

Choosing a high school depends on your personal needs and what the school is offering. Luckily, the DOE provides a very detailed directory for every public high school in each borough. The directory provides a lot of information on each school and we highly recommend that you check it out:

• Queens

• Bronx

• Brooklyn

• Manhattan

• Staten Island

Ultimately, if you’re at a crossroads when it comes to choosing a high school that is your best fit, there are multiple resources you can use to figure it out. Never come to the decision by yourself. Ask your guidance counselor, friends or relatives for advice about the schools you are applying to. Synergy Prep also offers excellent counseling on high school decision making and its absolutely free.  By understanding the different high school options available to you, you’re one step closer to figuring out which school is the best fit for you!

In an upcoming blog post we will be discussing what to look out for in a NYC high school.

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Should I take the 9th grade SHSAT exam?

While most students take the SHSAT in 8th grade, it’s also possible to take it during your freshman year of high school. Maybe you took the exam in 8th grade and weren’t accepted to one of the schools you wanted to attend. Or perhaps you have never taken the SHSAT but are now interested in attending a Specialized High School . In either case, there are several factors you should consider before taking or retaking the SHSAT as a 9th grader.

How is the 9th grade SHSAT different?

The first thing to note is that the 8th grade and 9th grade tests are not identical. While the Verbal section of both tests are more or less the same, the Math section of the 9th grade test is more advanced than that of the 8th grade test. One of the most notable differences is that the 9th grade test may include questions on basic trigonometry, which is not covered on the 8th grade test. If you are planning on retaking the SHSAT as a 9th grader, beware of the following topics for math:

• advanced algebra problems

• greater emphasis on coordinate geometry

• greater emphasis on 3D geometry

• basic trigonometry

• graphing

• slopes

• transformations

Click here for a sample of some math questions that you’ll find on the 9th grade SHSAT

What are my chances of getting accepted?

Keep in mind that the acceptance rates for 9th graders are significantly lower than the acceptance rates for 8th graders! Simply put, there are fewer available spots for incoming sophomores at the Specialized High Schools. This means the cutoff scores are generally higher for 9th graders taking the SHSAT. Overall, 9th graders need to achieve higher scores on the test in order to gain acceptance to a Specialized High School.

Should I retake the SHSAT?

If you took the SHSAT in 8th grade and weren’t satisfied with your results, retaking the test the following year is always an option. However, it’s a good idea to take your original score into consideration when deciding whether to retake the test. If your score was 449 or lower, the odds of improving your score enough within one year to gain acceptance as an incoming sophomore, when seats are significantly more limited, may be rather slim. If your score was 450 or higher, it may be worth your while to give it another shot. As always, studying consistently and effectively will go a long way in helping you get into the school of your dreams!

Tutoring/Test Prep

If you are considering taking the 9th grade exam, your best bet to increase your score or getting a high score is to sign up for a test prep course. Although there is a lot of material on the internet and books on the SHSAT, no instruction is more personalized than tutoring. A good tutor will help you through the questions you have difficulty with and give you regular practice tests to monitor your performance. If you are seeking a home tutor then Wyzant.com would be your safest bet. However, home tutoring could be a bit pricey and may not fit your budget. Check out Synergy Prep’s SHSAT program for more information on SHSAT tutoring.

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Study tips for the SHSAT

Not sure how to prepare for the SHSAT? We came up with a list of useful tips to make your test prep more successful and help you reach your target score:

General Tips

• First things first, get very familiar with the format of the SHSAT. If you haven't already, check out our last blog post on the basics of the SHSAT. Knowing what to expect on the day of the exam will not only reduce test-taking anxiety, but will also save you time since you’ll know exactly what is being asked of you.

• Take lots of practice tests! When you do, make sure to take them in a quiet environment and time yourself (the SHSAT is a three-hour long test). In other words, recreate the real-life testing conditions of the SHSAT when you take practice tests. Every year the DOE releases an SHSAT handbook which contains guidelines for the SHSAT and a full-length practice exam.

• Once you’ve taken a practice test, score yourself and review your answers. Identify your strengths and weaknesses, and do extra practice questions targeting your problem areas.

• For multiple-choice questions, come up with an answer in your head before looking at the answer choices. This can keep from you getting tempted by incorrect answer choices that sound appealing.

• Use process of elimination to rule out answer choices that are clearly incorrect. Each time you eliminate an incorrect answer choice to a question, your chance of getting that question right increases. Even if you’re not entirely sure what the correct answer is, guessing between two potential answers definitely gives you better odds than guessing between four!

• Work at a steady pace. Don’t get stuck on one question for too long – if a question is giving you a hard time, circle it and come back to it later. And remember: all questions are worth the same value, no matter how hard or easy. That said, make sure to answer every question! There is no penalty for guessing.

Math Tips

• When in doubt, work backwards. Plug in each answer choice into the question, and see which choice gives you the correct value.

• Figure out which topics you struggle with most, and spend extra time on them. Weak in geometry? Do extra geometry practice problems until you notice improvement.

Verbal Tips

• Remember that the correct answer must be supported by evidence from the passage. If you think an answer choice may be correct, make sure you can point to the exact part of the passage that supports this answer.

• Read as much as you can outside of test prep, particularly nonfiction! The passages in the reading section of the SHSAT are nonfiction informational texts. Reading publications such as the New York Times and Scientific American regularly will help you improve your vocabulary and become a better reader overall. Try reading two nonfiction articles a week. Write down the main idea for each one.

By incorporating these strategies consistently in your test prep, you can set yourself up for SHSAT success! Sign up for our weekly newsletter for more test-taking tips and strategies like these!

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