Seventh grade is one of the most important years in a child’s educational journey. It is the result of what happens in seventh grade that determines the high school a student will qualify to attend. It is vital that in the students’ seventh-grade year that they not only have very good grades and test scores but also few absences and tardies, to be able to access these schools.
There are a lot of notable high schools in New York City. Quite a few of them are located in Queens. The tables below list five of the best high schools in Queens as well as five of the best high school programs in Queens.
Queens High Schools and Their Requirements
| Â
School |
Attendance (A)
Punctuality (P) |
Course Grades | Standardized Test Scores | Â
Other |
||
| Baccalaureate School of Global Education |
A |
93–100 |
ELA |
3.4–4.5 |
||
|
Math |
4.0–4.5 |
|||||
|
Bard High School Early College Queens
|
85 or above
|
Math Test and Writing Exercise given on-site. |
Interview required. Apply in September of eighth-grade year at www.bard.edu/early college |
|||
|
Frank Sinatra School of the Arts High School
|
Depending on discipline, 79/87–100. |
ELA |
2.3/2.7–4.5 |
Audition |
||
|
Math |
2.3/2.8–4.5 |
|||||
|
Townsend Harris High School |
A |
94–100 |
ELA |
4.0–4.5
|
||
|
Math |
4.0–4.5
|
|||||
|
Scholars Academy |
A/P |
Admissions screened. They do not post scores. | ||||
Queens High School Specialized Programs and Their Requirements
| Â
School |
Â
Specialized Program |
Attendance (A)
Punctuality (P) |
Â
Course Grades |
Standardized Test Scores | Â
Other |
||
|
Bayside High School
|
Environmental Engineering & Technology |
A/P |
Math |
88–100 |
ELA |
3.0–4.5 |
|
|
Science |
88–100 |
Math |
3.3–4.5 |
||||
|
Benjamin N. Cardozo High School |
DaVinci Science/Math Research Institute |
A
|
Math |
90–100 |
ELA |
2.9–4.5 |
Honors and/or accelerated coursework in Math and Science |
|
Science |
90–100 |
Math |
3.9–4.5 |
||||
|
Forest Hills High School
|
Carl Sagan STEM Honors Academy |
A/P
|
ELA/SS |
87–100 |
ELA |
3.0–4.5 |
|
|
Math/Sci |
88–100 |
Math |
3.5–4.5 |
||||
|
Francis Lewis High School
|
Engineering & Robotics |
A |
ELA |
88–100 |
ELA |
3.0–4.5 |
|
|
SS |
89–100 |
Math |
3.9–4.5 |
||||
|
Math/Sci |
90–100 |
||||||
|
Francis Lewis High School
|
University Scholars |
A |
ELA |
3.2–4.5 |
|||
|
Math |
3.4–4.5 |
||||||
In seventh grade, students need to start prepping for the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) that is administered in October of eighth grade. This is the only requirement to get into one of the eight specialized high schools, e.g., York Queens High School for the Sciences at York College, Brooklyn Technical High School, or Stuyvesant High School.
Some middle schools are not teaching the level of Algebra and Geometry needed to pass the SHSAT. It is important that a student obtains that foundation from a tutor, test prep classes, or online self-paced practice resources. The best way to prepare for the ELA section is to read—and read a lot!
Hunter College High School
For Hunter College High School, the most important year is fifth grade. It is the result of what happens on the fifth-grade state ELA and Math test that determines if a student qualifies to take the admissions test. Hunter College High School’s criteria for ELA is at least a 350 scale score, and for Math at least a 355 scale score. The deadline to apply to take the test is early November of 6th grade. For students who attend independent and parochial schools, there is a list of tests that they accept. For more information, visit https://www.hunterschools.org/page/high-school/admissions/high-school-admissions.
Knowing this information ahead of time can best prepare our students before they make their school selections in November of eighth grade.
Next month’s article…Strategies to Help Our Students Improve Their Math Test Scores!
Allison Shillingford is the founder of Navigate the Maze to Achievement, a non-profit that prepares under-represented students for the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) and supports students academically and socially while in high school.
