Magnet schools are part of the public school system but they typically offer additional advantages or a specific area of focus. Some magnet schools are very popular and get more applications than the amount of available spots, which require them to set criteria for who to accept. This page is a guide on how to get into a magnet school.
Introduction
Magnet schools are schools that are part of the public school system but which are not subject to zoning regulations of public schools, allowing prospective students to apply to magnet schools outside their school district. This can make it difficult to get into the magnet schools which get more applications than the available spaces. As a result, some magnet schools only accept students with good academic record and provide a more intense education than some public schools.
Step 1: Location
You can typically apply to any magnet school you want to, although you need to take into consideration the travel distance to the school and other factors for your own convenience. For magnet schools that receive more applications than available slots, there will be an application procedure to determine who gets into the school. Sometimes, locals have an advantage in that they don't have to meet the admission criteria. At other schools, they are treated the same as other applicants.
Step 2: Admission Process
Some magnet schools have an admission procedure and admission criteria in place because they get more applications than they can accept. These schools usually base the decision on who to accept on one or several of the following factors:
- If the applicant lives in the neighborhood
- How early an application was received
- By chance, often through a lottery system
- If a sibling is already attending the school
- Other admission criteria, such as grades and record at the current/previous school
Step 3: Getting in
You will only be able to improve your changes of getting accepted into a magnet school if the school uses admission criteria to determine who gets accepted (unless you and your family decide to move close to a magnet school which bases the application partly on area of residence). If the school uses admission criteria, you will want not only to improve your grades and academic record, but also behave well in school, as some magnet schools also look at your attendance and other aspects of behavior.
Conclusion
To get into a magnet school, first find out how many percentage of applicants are accepted into the school. Keep in mind that many magnet schools accept most of their applicants, while others only accept a few of them. If acceptance is limited, find out what criteria the school uses to select applicants before applying.
