Happy First Week of School to our BEAM New York High School Freshmen!

With students heading back to school campuses this past week, BEAM is reflecting on the success of our rising high school freshman class in New York. We’re so proud of the achievements of these students:

Admissions results:

• 64% received offers from high schools that we rank as “Tier 1”; these schools offer AP calculus or an equivalent and more than 85% of graduates are college ready — fewer than 10% of schools qualify;

• 90% received offers from “Trusted” schools with good course offerings and support;

• 12 students were admitted to specialized high schools including Brooklyn Latin; Brooklyn Technical High School; High School for Math, Science, and Engineering; and Stuyvesant.

BEAM works closely with each individual student as they navigate the complex path of choosing the best high school to fit their needs. Our goal is for every student to find a “strong-fit” high school; a school that provides high-quality classes and advanced math classes (especially calculus) as well as plenty of support and college counseling. 

In New York City, all 8th graders must apply to high school. Since most schools do not offer advanced STEM coursework — fewer than half of schools offer calculus or even precalculus — the school a student attends determines a lot about what opportunities they will have. BEAM works one-on-one with students and families to ensure they can navigate the application process successfully, which helps keep students on-track to pursue STEM degrees and careers. For students who are interested in going to a specialized high school, we offer classes to prepare for the exams that determine admission. We also provide office hours where students can get help writing application essays, assembling portfolios, scheduling interviews, and more.

Here’s a complete list of NEW YORK high school admissions for BEAM students:

• A. Philip Randolph Campus High School

• Academy for Software Engineering (3)

• Aviation Career & Technical Education High School

• Baruch College Campus High School

• Beacon High School

• Bard High School Early College Bronx (2)

• Bard High School Early College Manhattan

• Bard High School Early College Queens (2)

• Bronx Center for Science and Mathematics

• Brooklyn Collaborative Studies

• Brooklyn College Academy

• The Brooklyn Latin School

• Brooklyn Technical High School (3)

• City College Academy of the Arts

• Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School

• George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education

• Gotham Tech High School

• High School for Construction Trades, Engineering, and Architecture

• High School for Environmental Studies

• High School for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at City College

• John Browne High School

• Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy International

• Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics (4)

• Manhattan Village Academy (2)

• Midwood High School (2)

• Park East High School (2)

• Queens Gateway to Health Sciences Secondary School

• Staten Island Technical High School

• Stuyvesant High School

• Susan E. Wagner High School

• University Heights - STEM Program

• Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School

• Williamsburg High School for Architecture and Design

We’re overjoyed to share these incredibly strong results and are so proud of our BEAM students.

Congratulations BEAM NYC 9th Graders!

Each year, New York City’s rising freshman apply to high school, and last year was a year unlike any other.

The high school admissions process in New York City marks a pivotal step in students’ academic careers. Unlike in most other school districts, all New York City public school students must apply to high school. What school a student attends determines a lot about what opportunities they will have, including opportunities to study advanced math and science that will prepare them to study STEM in college. Consider, for example, that most high schools in New York City don’t offer precalculus, much less calculus. BEAM works with students and families to ensure that students can successfully navigate the application process and apply to high schools with strong course offerings and good support, which open the most doors to a successful STEM career.

The admissions process in 2021-2022 continued to be affected by the pandemic, with changes to admissions criteria and timelines creating another year of bureaucratic confusion in the New York City public school system. Many middle schools, especially under-resourced schools still grappling with the effects of virtual schooling, were unable to provide the individualized admissions support students and families needed.

BEAM worked with our 8th graders to ensure that students and families had access to the information and advice they needed, including updated deadlines and requirements. BEAM also offered admissions office hours, where students could seek additional virtual support on applications and essays.

With BEAM’s help, our 8th graders earned admission to great high schools in the spring, including Bard High School Early College and Beacon High School! Eighteen students were admitted to specialized high schools, including Stuyvesant High School and Bronx High School of Science.

Admissions results:

• 50% of BEAM 9th graders are attending schools that BEAM ranks as Tier 1*

• 72% of students are attending schools that BEAM considers Trusted+**

• 18 students were admitted to specialized high schools, including Brooklyn Technical High School, Stuyvesant High School, and Bronx High School of Science.

* Tier 1 high schools offer Advanced Placement calculus or its equivalent (like the opportunity to take a college-level math course), and more than 85% of graduates are prepared for college. BEAM counts only about 40 high schools citywide, or about 7% of New York City high schools, as Tier 1; all are highly selective for admissions.

** Trusted Schools have good course offerings and support. Trusted+ Schools have earned this status with BEAM, or higher.

Way to go BEAM 9th Graders! 

Here’s a complete list of high schools admissions for BEAM students:

• University Neighborhood High School

• Urban Assembly School for Criminal Justice

• Urban Assembly School for Applied Math and Science

• Pace High School

• High School of Economics and Finance (3)

• High School for Service & Learning at Erasmus

• Francis Lewis High School

• The High School of Fashion Industries

• Medgar Evers College Preparatory School

• East Side

• Benjamin Banneker Academy

• Academy for Careers in Television and Film

• University Heights Secondary School

• NYC iSchool

• NYC Museum School

• Millennium Brooklyn HS (2)

• Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics

• Leon M. Goldstein High School for the Sciences

• High School for Dual Language and Asian Studies

• Bard High School Early College Queens (3)

• Beacon High School (3)

• Academy of Finance and Enterprise

• Academy of American Studies (2)

• Urban Assembly Media High School

• The College Academy

• The Boerum Hill School for International Studies

• New Visions Charter High School for Advanced Math

• Midwood High School

• KIPP NYC College Prep High School

• High CSchool for Health Professions and Human Services (2)

• Harlem Village Academy Leadership Charter School

• Frederick Douglass Academy

• East West School of International Studies

• DeWitt Clinton High School (2)

• Coney Island Prep

• Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music

• A School Without Walls

• Academy for College Preparation and Career Exploration

• Immaculate Conception School

Specialized High School Admissions included:

• Stuyvesant High School (3)

• The Brooklyn Latin School (3)

• High School for Mathematics, Science and Engineering at City College (3)

• Brooklyn Technical High School (6)

• Bronx High School of Science

• Queens High School for the Sciences at York College

• Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art

We’re so proud of our 9th graders, and wish them all the best this academic year. We’re here for you!

Announcing BEAM NYC High School Results!

High school admissions were turned upside down in New York City this year.

The pandemic forced major changes in the admissions process and meant families faced delays and uncertainties. Under-resourced middle schools, still struggling with online learning, were often unable to help students.

That’s where BEAM stepped in, to fill the gaps and provide the support students and their families needed to successfully navigate the process.

BEAM 8th graders, with our help, earned admission at great high schools this spring!

Results to date:*

• 86% of BEAM 8th graders earned spots at high schools BEAM rates at Trusted+. These are schools we think have good course offerings and support.

• 54% of BEAM 8th graders earned spots at high schools BEAM rates as Tier 1. Tier 1 high schools offer Advanced Placement calculus or its equivalent (like the opportunity to take a college-level math course), and more than 85% of graduates are prepared for college. BEAM counts only about 40 high schools citywide, or about 7% of New York City high schools, as Tier 1; all are highly selective for admissions.

• 12 BEAM students were admitted to Specialized High Schools, including Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Tech, and Bronx Science.

In New York City, what high school you attend determines a lot about what opportunities you’ll have in the future. So, we know it’s important to find a strong, good-fit high school. Given all the uncertainties right now, finding a strong school was even more vital this year.

BEAM provides individualized support to our students and their families throughout the admissions process. This year, we also built an online high school admissions portal to connect students and their families to even more resources.

Here’s what Brandon C. said about his admissions experience:

“The high school admissions process was smooth for me. BEAM made this possible. They were able to give me a list of top schools that fit my interests. From there I looked through the schools and made a list and then ranked them based on what they offered and what I liked. My first choice was Bard High School Early College. They required me to do essays on humanities and STEM [to apply]. Elyse [BEAM’s Enrichment Coordinator] was very helpful in this process. She helped me review my essays and gave me feedback on what to change and what to add. I am very pleased to say that I got into my first choice. I am very grateful for BEAM’s support. I felt very happy and delighted when I got my results. When applying I was very nervous but at the same time felt confident because BEAM helped me in the process.
”

Brandon is looking forward to attending Bard High School Early College Queens in the fall, where he hopes to play on the basketball team.

Way to go BEAM 8th graders! We’re incredibly proud of you. <3

Want to learn more? Check out this article in Chalkbeat featuring BEAM 8th grader Nevaeha Giscombe, and BEAM’s own Elyse Mitchell.

Here’s a complete list of high schools admissions for BEAM students to date:*

• A. Philip Randolph Campus High School (2)

• Academy of Software Engineering

• Academy of American Studies (2)

• Art and Design High School

• Aviation Career & Technical Education High School

• Bard High School Early College (7)

• The Beacon School (2)

• Bedford Academy High School

• Benjamin Banneker Academy

• Benjamin N. Cardozo High School

• Bronx Early College Academy

• Brooklyn Secondary School for Collaborative Studies

• Central Park East High School (4)

• Civic Leadership Academy

• Coney Island Prep

• East Side Community High School (2)

• Eleanor Roosevelt High School

• Energy Tech High School

• Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School

• Francis Lewis High School

• Frederick Douglas Academy

• Frederick Douglass Academy VI High School

• High School of Economics and Finance (2)

• Hostos-Lincoln Academy of Science

• Leaders High School

• Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics (6)

• Midwood High School (5)

• Millennium Brooklyn High School (2)

• Millennium High School

• Morris Academy for Collaborative Studies

• NYC Lab School for Collaborative Studies

• NYC Museum School

• Park East High School (3)

• Pathways in Technology Early College High School

• Science, Technology and Research Early College High School

• Thurgood Marshall Academy for Learning and Social Change

• Townsend Harris High School (3)

• University Heights High School (7)

• The Urban Assembly School for Law and Justice

• Urban Assembly Maker Academy

• Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School

• Williamsburg High School for Architecture and Design

• Young Women's Leadership School of Brooklyn

BEAM students also received admissions offers from the following Specialized High Schools:

• Bronx High School of Science

• Brooklyn Latin

• Brooklyn Technical High School (4)

• Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts

• High School for Math, Science and Engineering at City College

• High School of American Studies at Lehman College (2)

• Queens High School for the Sciences at York College

• Stuyvesant

Students admitted to Specialized High Schools will choose between these schools and other admissions offers they received.

We are incredibly proud of our students!

Ange was admitted to Beacon High School.

Brandon was admitted to Brooklyn Technical High School.

Estefani was admitted to Midwood High School.

Mansour was admitted to Bard High School Early College.

Yeshua was admitted to Central Park East High School.

Precious was admitted to Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics.

Yasong was admitted to Townsend Harris High School.

*We say to date because every year a few BEAM students are under-matched in this process. We are currently working with students who were not admitted to high schools that meet our standards to make sure that they can navigate the appeals process and find a good fit for the next four years.

Announcing BEAM NYC High School Results!

In New York City, every 8th grader in the public school system must apply to go to high school.

The application process is incredibly important because the high school a student attends is one of the biggest predictors of their future opportunities. Yet it is also incredibly difficult for many students, particularly those from disadvantaged communities and under-resourced middle schools, who must often figure things out largely on their own.

BEAM is there to help them bridge that gap.

BEAM helps eighth graders navigate the whole process, from personalized guidance on finding strong-fit schools, to information sessions and interview preparation.

Now the exciting part: BEAM 8th graders have received their admissions results!

Overall, 51% of BEAM students earned spots at high schools that BEAM rates as Tier 1. An additional 18% were offered seats at Tier 2 schools, and 21% earned spots at Trusted schools. In total, 90% of BEAM students earned spots at schools that BEAM rates as Trusted or higher.*

These results demonstrate achievement far outside of typical outcomes for underserved students in New York City.

*BEAM rates NYC high schools as Tier 1 (offers calculus and greater than 85% of students who begin in 9th grade graduate prepared for college), Tier 2 (good course offerings and greater than 70% of graduates are prepared for college courses), or Trusted (good support and acceptable course offerings). Of 400 public high schools in NYC, only about 40 qualify as Tier 1 by these metrics. All Tier 1 schools are highly selective for admissions, and many Tier 2 schools are, as well. Tier 1 schools include specialized high schools, like Brooklyn Technical High School, and early college programs, like Bard High School Early College.

Here’s a complete list of high schools admissions for BEAM students to date:**

• Bard High School Early College (10)

• The Beacon School (4)

• Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics (9)

• Manhattan/Hunter Science High School (2)

• University Heights High School (5)

• Benjamin Banneker Academy

• Midwood High School (4)

• Young Women's Leadership School

• Central Park East High School (2)

• East Side Community School

• Academy of American Studies

• Aviation Career & Technical Education High School (4)

• Bedford Academy

• Frank Sinatra School of the Arts High School

• Leon M. Goldstein High School for the Sciences

• Maspeth High School

• Medgar Evers College Preparatory School (2)

• Park East High School

• A. Philip Randolph Campus High School

• Academy for Software Engineering

• High School of Telecommunication Arts and Technology

• Pace High School

• Pathways in Technology Early College High School 

• Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology

• Urban Assembly Maker Academy (2)

• Urban Assembly NY Harbor School

• Urban Assembly School for Applied Math and Science (2)

• Urban Assembly School for Criminal Justice

• Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing & Visual Arts

• Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School (2)

• Inwood Early College for Health and Information Technology

• Mott Hall Bronx High School

• Repertory Company High School for Theatre Arts

The Williamsburg High School of Art and Technology

BEAM students also received admissions offers from the following Specialized High Schools:

• Brooklyn Latin (4)

• Brooklyn Technical High School (2)

• High School for Math, Science and Engineering at City College (2)

• Queens High School for the Sciences at York College

• Stuyvesant

Students admitted to Specialized High Schools will choose between these schools and other admissions offers they received.

We are incredibly proud of our students!

Abay was admitted to Bard High School Early College (BHSEC) Queens.

Sarah was admitted to Manhattan Center For Science and Mathematics.

Zhixing was admitted to Brooklyn Technical High School.

Nathaniel was admitted to Park East High School.

Emma was admitted to The Brooklyn Latin School.

Jason was admitted to Aviation Career & Technical Education High School.

Adrianna (Adri) was admitted to Bedford Academy High School.

**We say to date because every year a few BEAM students are under-matched in this process. We are currently working with students who were not admitted to high schools that meet our standards to make sure that they can navigate the appeals process and find a good fit for the next four years.

Got a few minutes and want to learn more about NYC high school admissions? Read this New York Times article about how game theory helped improve New York City’s high school application process.

Helping Students Navigate High School Admissions

On September 21, BEAM hosted its annual High School Information Session to help BEAM 8th graders and their families navigate the New York City high school admissions process.

BEAM staff broke down the application process step by step, while four BEAM high schoolers talked about their admissions experiences.

Hawa, who is now in 9th grade at Beacon High School, told BEAM students: "Keep in contact with the BEAM staff because they will help you if you have an issue. When I was applying to Beacon, I almost did not apply, but because the BEAM staff helped me with my mailing, I was able to get accepted."

What’s next for BEAM 8th graders?

BEAM staff are meeting one-on-one with 8th graders and their families to develop their lists of prospective high schools. (BEAM offers advising in Spanish, Chinese, and English.)

Since August, students have also been taking Saturday classes to prepare for the SHSAT and to work on writing admissions essays for selective high schools.

 BEAM staff will also be taking students on school visits soon, and will review students’ final school rankings with them before they are submitted in December.

 For families who missed the High School Information Session, another session is planned for November.

BEAM's Spring Newsletter has arrived!

On Friday, BEAM's quarterly newsletter arrived in the inboxes of all our subscribers. The newsletter featured:

• High school admissions results

• A look at our new empowerment groups

• Information on our job openings for summer staff

• "What We're Reading"

Missed it? You can read the newsletter now.

Make sure you don’t miss the next one! Sign up for our quarterly newsletter.