Ten years ago, journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones wrote about enrolling her daughter in a Brooklyn public elementary school where most families had low incomes. The choice reflected her commitment to school integration. Last month, she and her daughter, Najya, talked about how differently they remembered those years. Najya had wanted more from her education.
When it came time for high school, her mother let her choose, and she picked a selective public school where she initially struggled to catch up academically.
A dad I worked with once described my job this way: I can’t fix the system, but I can help you navigate it. That’s where I find myself with eighth grade families every fall. Parents want to give their kid some say, and they’re understandably nervous about handing over a decision that affects the next four years.
I usually suggest thinking about it like a restaurant menu. You look through it first, narrow things down to a few choices you can live with, and then ask what your kid wants. They still make a choice. You’ve done enough homework to be comfortable with the options.
Decide what goes on the menu
When I ask middle schoolers what they want in a high school, they usually mention academic reputation, distance, size, clubs, and sports. Those are reasonable places to start. A student who wants to keep playing soccer is giving you useful information about what their school day needs to include.
In NYC, I’d spend some time on the commute before getting too attached to a school. Try the trip during the hours your kid would actually travel. An hour each way becomes a different proposition when practice ends late and there’s homework waiting at home.
Then ask someone at the school to walk you through the courses. If your kid might want calculus by senior year, find out where they would start in ninth grade and what they could take each year afterward. We looked at this last month. Ask how students get extra help, too, and where graduates tend to go. These conversations will tell you more than a school’s reputation alone.
Your job is the list. Their job is the order.
Once you’ve found programs your kid would attend and you would support, let them put the list in order. NYC allows any number of choices on the main high school application and recommends at least 12. Schools cannot see where you rank them. Your kid can put a long shot first without hurting their chances at the programs below it.
As you build the list, check the MySchools offer estimates and include several programs with a high chance of an offer. Estimates aren’t available for every program, and even a high chance cannot guarantee a seat. Your school counselor can help you assess the choices and check for additional requirements. Catholic and independent schools have their own application processes, but I’d approach the family discussion the same way.
Friends will come up. I understand why an eighth grader wants someone familiar nearby, and I wouldn’t dismiss that. I do ask whether they would still want the school if none of their friends went. Sometimes that gets us talking about what they liked on the tour. Sometimes we realize we need to keep looking.
The main public high school application closes December 4, 2026. As you finish the list, ask your kid to talk you through their preferences. If they keep bringing up a school you’ve ruled out, find out what appealed to them. It may be something you can look for in the schools you’re still considering.
Links and further reading
Read our September issue, Calc BC is decided in 8th grade.
🗓️ NYC Opportunities
Every issue, we'll point you toward specific NYC programs, deadlines, and events that help your student explore what they're actually curious about and build the kind of depth colleges are looking for. Here's what's worth your attention this week:
1. Math Gym, National Museum of Mathematics (Grades 1 to 12)
Date: November 17, 2026, 4 to 5 p.m. ET
Students spend an hour choosing and working through challenging math problems, with guidance from an expert mathematician. Zoom breakout rooms group students by level. This is a monthly program, and families can register for the November session without committing to a full course.
Why it matters: Some kids enjoy math much more when they have time to puzzle through an unfamiliar problem. This is an easy way to see whether your child enjoys that kind of work. For a younger student, the ability to read the problems and work independently matters more than being ahead in the school curriculum.
2. AI in Action, New York Hall of Science (Ages 14 to 24)
Date: November 18, 2026, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. ET
This evening combines activities involving artificial intelligence with conversations about the careers and education behind it. Students can meet STEM professionals, ask about their work, and explore how AI is being used across different industries.
Why it matters: A student who says they're interested in AI may still have little idea what someone working in the field does all day. This gives them a chance to ask. I'd encourage them to arrive with two or three questions, especially about the skills people use and what they wish they had studied earlier.
Learn more and register →
3. Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition (High School)
Submit by: February 21, 2027, at midnight in the participant's local time zone
Eligibility: High school students worldwide; homeschooled students ages 14 to 18 are also eligible
Students develop a business idea and explain it in an English video pitch under five minutes. They can enter individually or in teams of up to five. Every participant must register and complete the competition's short online course, then use its business planning tools in the pitch. Students do not need an existing business to begin.
Why it matters: This gives a business club or a student with an idea a project to work on through the winter. A useful pitch has to explain who would buy the product, how it would work, and whether the numbers make sense. Starting now leaves time to talk with potential customers and revise the idea before recording.
4. Latest Generation Film Contest (Ages 14 to 22)
Submit by: February 28, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. CT
Eligibility: Ages 14 to 22 as of February 28, 2027; entrants must live or attend school in the United States
Students create a documentary lasting five to eight minutes around the theme "Stories of Repair." The film must examine an American historical subject from before 2005 and show how people responded to hardship, division, or injustice. Students can enter alone or in teams of up to three. A phone is acceptable filming equipment. The submission also requires an annotated bibliography and a short director's statement, so families should allow time for research as well as filming and editing.
Why it matters: This is a good fit for a student who enjoys both history and making videos. Turning research into a short documentary requires decisions about which evidence to include, whose perspective to consider, and what a viewer needs explained. The February deadline gives a student time to choose a manageable subject and work through several edits.
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