Winter has turned to spring and with the warm weather comes thoughts of summer. For many New York City parents, this is the time to start thinking about planning summer activities for the kids. Your children have worked hard for the past 10 months, and visions of hot summer days, ice cream cones, and water sports dance in their heads. It’s tempting to let them sit back, relax, and watch the days fly by. After all, isn’t this the time in their lives to let them lounge at the beach with their friends and get a tan?
The answer: your kids have the rest of their lives to do those things. But they only have this one moment to prepare for the New York City Specialized High School Admissions Test program. This is the time to make preparations for the future — preparations that will have significant and profound effects on their lives.
In an increasingly competitive world, getting into a specialized high school can make a pivotal difference in your child’s future. As former New York City Comptroller John C. Liu wrote for The Huffington Post, “The Specialized High Schools are the equivalent of New York City’s Ivy League. Admittance to these schools is a ticket to success. They bring an almost certain guarantee of high school graduation, in a city where the graduation rate is 65 percent, and an almost certain guarantee of college acceptance. More than a quarter of the graduates of Stuyvesant and Bronx Science go on to university in the real Ivy Leagues, at Harvard, and Yale, and Brown, or other top-tier colleges.”
Getting a high score on the test is the only way to gain possible entrance into a New York City specialized high school and enrolling your child in a competitive test prep course gives your child the strongest advantage.
There are many local test prep companies that offer comprehensive summer camp tutoring programs that have had tremendous success in helping students get into top New York City high schools. Classes often take place four days a week, with both morning and afternoons sessions offered. In addition, students can elect to attend weekend sessions instead. Some even offer trips for both high school and college tours on Fridays.
You may be thinking that your child can simply study for the test on their own, in their spare time, and ace it nonetheless. This is not a mistake you or your child can afford to make. Even the most disciplined students need a structured setting in order to properly prepare for this challenging exam. Especially during the summer, procrastination is far too easy of a trap to fall into, and these classes are necessary to keep your child focused. In addition, top-notch tutors will help your child truly grasp the material to an extent that no prep book can match.
And if you’re still not sure that you want your child to sacrifice his endless pool-lounging, just think about it. There is, in fact, still plenty of time to lounge by the pool or at the beach this summer. And that relaxation will feel so much better after a hard day of working and learning, knowing that you are taking key steps towards a successful future for your child. Over indulging won’t make you happy — but your child’s admission to Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, or the college of his dreams most certainly will.
Frances Kweller is an education and testing standards expert, and founder of Kweller Prep.
