SCCS Admissions

Sign up for a high school admissions email list! This is a great way for families of 8th grade students to receive email notifications about the 2021 combined guide and other high school admissions announcements.

This guide (linked under Resources) is for families of students who will be participating in high school admissions during the 2020-2021 school year, and any school staff who are supporting those students and families.

Important updates this year:

• Based on feedback from students, school staff, and families, we have made some exciting changes to the admissions guide this year. Learn more below.
• Due to the ongoing public health crisis, we have revised the delivery and distribution plan for the 2021 admissions guide so that all families and staff can access the admissions guide safely. This year’s plan is outlined below.
• We will be releasing a series of videos starting in June to inform and engage current seventh grade families in high school admissions.

Two Admissions Guides in One Book

In previous years, we provided two separate print publications families to learn about high school admissions and school options:

• The NYC High School Admissions Guide (formerly called the NYC High School Directory)
• The Specialized High Schools Student Handbook

For 2021 admissions, we have combined these two guides into one publication offering all the most salient school and admissions information for students applying to high school, all in one place. This combined book is designed as two guides in one and organized as a flip book with two covers:

• Side A is the 2021 NYC High School and Specialized High Schools Admissions Guide:
  • This is the guide for all paths to public high school in New York City:
    • Understand, complete, and submit your high school application.
    • Understand and participate in admissions for the Specialized High Schools, through the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) and audition for LaGuardia High Schools. Much of this information was included in the Specialized High Schools Student Handbook in the past.
    • Like past years, this guide includes key information about every public high school, including the Specialized High Schools, to help families make informed choices.
    • Based on feedback from families and school staff, this guide now includes more information about each high school. Here’s what’s new for the printed guide this year:
      • Demand for each admissions program and seat group (applicants per seat).
      • Priority groups for each admissions program, including the percentage of offers that were made this year to students in the first priority group at each admissions program.
      • Specific eligibility requirements for each admissions program.
      • District 75 inclusion programs.
      • ACES, ASD, and NEST programs.
      • Schools that are implementing a Diversity in Admissions (DIA) initiative.
      • More information about all Transfer High Schools across New York City.
      • QR codes that when scanned, take you to the online directory page for the school in MySchools.
• Side B is the NYC Guide to the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test for 2021 Admissions. This is a guide to preparing for and taking the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT), featuring practice tests.

As in past years, the information in the printed guide is accurate as of the time of publication and may be subject to change. Families and staff are always encouraged to find the most up-to-date information on admissions, events, schools, and programs at schools.nyc.gov/high, schools.nyc.gov/SHS, and myschools.nyc.

Delivery and Distribution Plan for High School Admissions Resources

Due to the ongoing public health crisis, the Office of Student Enrollment will follow this plan for delivery and distribution of the 2021 combined directory:

• May 29 – June 30: printed versions of the 2021 combined guide will be delivered to families of current 7th grade students who do not have an internet device, and families of 7th graders who live in shelters. Publications will be delivered to students’ home address according to ATS. All these students will receive a printed guide in English, and those students whose home language (according to ATS) is one of the nine DOE languages will also receive a printed guide in their home language.
• On approximately June 15:
  • The combined 2021 NYC High School and Specialized High Schools admissions guide will be available online (at schools.nyc.gov/High) as a PDF. Families, school staff, and DOE staff can access these PDFs in English and the nine DOE languages.
  • The searchable online directory in MySchools will be updated with school data for 2021 admissions. Families can use this searchable directory in English and the nine DOE languages.
  • Families of 7th grade students will be notified of the changes outlined above and the plan for delivery and distribution of the 2021 combined guide.
• When FWC and other DOE locations open (likely September): printed versions of the 2021 combined guide will be delivered to Family Welcome Centers and other DOE offices. These deliveries would normally take place in May and June.
• September (or when schools open): printed versions of the 2021 combined guide will be delivered to schools that serve 8th grade. Each 8th grade student will receive a copy of the 2021 combined guide in English, and those 8th grade students whose home language (according to ATS) is one of the nine DOE languages will also receive a printed guide in their home language. These deliveries would normally take place in May and June.

We encourage 7th grade families to join our email list. This is a great way for families of 7th grade students to receive email notifications about the 2021 combined guide and other high school admissions announcements, even before they can create an account in MySchools. Families (and school staff) can sign up here: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/sign-up