New York Magazine
has an item about a change in how
children are accepted into the gifted and talented programs in the Big Apple
(G&T, in the parlance). In addition to a gigantic increase in the number of
applicants, the notification letters for these special public schools now come
at the end of March. Why does this matter? Because by then all the private
schools will have sent their letters and demanded that you turn over
your ATM password - er, I mean ask for a deposit - to hold a spot. Of course,
that's assuming that your child got in to private school and you have that
choice to make.
If you're unfamiliar with the kindergarten application
process in Manhattan, let me break it down for you. IT SUCKS. If, for whatever
reason, you don't want to send your little one to the local public school, you
need to start requesting applications several months in advance from the
various alternative learning venues: the independent (private) schools, and
also the public schools that are either above average (G&T programs) or are
public and free yet exist outside of the influence of the city bureaucracy
(Hunter). No matter what route you choose, there are tests, a different one for
independent schools than for the others. Then you have to spend many hours
going to tours and interviews. If you forgo the independent schools, you don't
have to spend as much time interviewing and touring but you are also putting
all your eggs in one basket.
That basket has gotten much, much smaller while the number
of eggs has grown by - wait for it - more than 25 percent since the year 2000,
according to the article. (An official at a local child services organization
at a meeting I went to recently backed up this frightening stat. And I
apologize for working the egg/basket metaphor so hard, but Easter was this
week.) Why are there so many kids in NYC? Mostly it's the economy, stupid, or
at least, it was. The economy was doing well, so people had more kids and
rather than move those kids to the suburbs, they stayed in town and bought
bigger apartments. So when the economy declines they'll move, right? Not
really. Think about it: you spent a fortune on a huge apartment, and now the
value of that apartment isn't as high because of a sagging economy. You can't
sell, so you stay. (That particular line of reasoning I can't back up with
outside opinions; it's just my speculation.)
At the moment, we have one kid who is already attending an
independent school and another who we deeply hope will be accepted to the same
place when the time comes, which isn't for another couple of years. The idea of
the application process being more frustrating than it was when we did it a
couple of years ago is hard to fathom. Everything worked out for the best for
us, and therefore all the time we spent was worth it (cough, cough). Maybe by
the time we need to do it again everyone will have moved to Scarsdale. But I
kinda doubt it.
image: AlbertMohler.com
