Admission
Applying to BHSEC Manhattan and BHSEC Queens
BHSEC is a public, non-specialized, and screened high school/early college.
- Eighth grade applicants who are interested in our program must fill out the Department of Education's High School Application. Please ask your guidance counselor for this form. For students in private or parochial schools, please speak to your current principal to obtain a DOE High School Application.
- You may rank 12 non-specialized programs/schools on the DOE High School Application in addition to the specialized and audition high schools.
Please note that if you are applying to both programs (BHSEC Manhattan and BHSEC Queens) you must list them as two separate choices. It is very important that the students review their program/school choices and carefully prioritize their high school list. We strongly recommend that students seek advice from their parents, guidance counselors and review the NYC High School Directory before ranking programs.
How To Apply
1. If you fit our admissions profile, reserve a seat at our next writing and math assessment. If applying to both schools, you only need to take the assessment once. Please do not register for an assessment at both places.
2. Bring a copy of your 7th grade report card on the day you are scheduled to take the assessment. The report card is for our records and will not be returned to you.
3. Rank BHSEC Manhattan and/or BHSEC Queens on your Department of Education (DOE) High School Application. Remember, if you are applying to both BHSEC Manhattan and BHSEC Queens, you need to list them as two separate choices. The Program Code for the Manhattan campus is M51A, and the Program Code for the Queens campus is Q74B. Click here for more information on the DOE high school admission process.
4. Students who demonstrate strong abilities in their grades and the assessment will be invited to an interview at BHSEC. Not all students will be asked to interview at BHSEC. We will contact students by email if they are eligible for an interview. This is the final step in the BHSEC admission process.
Students who are applying from private or parochial schools are advised to speak with your school's principal or headmaster to obtain a Department of Education High School Application. Students may rank up to 12 non-specialized programs/schools on the Department of Education High School Application in addition to the specialized and audition high schools. Please note that students who apply to both BHSEC Manhattan and BHSEC Queens must list these as two separate choices. Please review program/school choices and carefully prioritize the list. We strongly recommend that you seek advice from your guidance counselor and review the NYC High School Directory before ranking programs.
Applying to BHSEC Newark
How To Apply
The Bard High School Early College Assessment
The BHSEC Assessment was created and developed by the BHSEC faculty and administration to assess applicants writing, thinking, and mathematical skills.
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There are two parts to the assessment: a math section which assesses the student’s current math level, and an essay writing section based on a selected reading.
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Applicants are given one and a half hours to complete the entire assessment.
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There are no test preparation materials for this assessment.
Items to bring to the assessment session:
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A copy of your final report card from your previous grade. Applicants applying to the 9th grade should bring their final 7th grade report card.* Applicants applying to the 10th grade should bring their final 8th grade report card.
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A sharpened # 2 pencil.
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A watch to pace yourself. The proctor will announce when five minutes remain.
*If your attendance is not included on your report card, please submit an attendance report as well.
Items that will be provided at assessment session:
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A math grading sheet (Scantron sheet)
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White lined paper for the essay
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A folder which you will place your assessment, answer sheets, and report card. You will turn into the proctor prior to leaving the assessment site.
Items not to be used during the assessment:
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Calculators
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Any electronic device (cell phone, media player, head phones, camera ect.)
Frequently Asked Admissions Questions
1. Is Bard High School Early College a private school? No, Bard High School Early College is not a private school. It is a unique public school created by Bard College and the New York City Department of Education for New York City residents.
2. Is Bard High School Early College a specialized school? No, Bard High School Early College is not a specialized school. However, BHSEC is a selective school and all students who apply must meet all of our criteria to be considered for admission.
3. Who is eligible to attend Bard High School Early College? New York City residents. Please check our admissions criteria.
4. How do I apply to Bard High School Early College Manhattan or Queens campus?
5. Where do I get the DOE Application for Admission to High School? You should receive this form from your middle school guidance counselor. Private and parochial school students will need to ask their guidance counselor or contact their Borough Enrollment Office.
6. What is the school code? The code for the Manhattan campus is M51A and the Code for the Queens campus is Q74B.
7. What do I do if I’m interested in applying to both campuses? You will only need to fill out the assessment registration and take the assessment once. However, you need to indicate on your assessment that you are applying to both schools in order to be considered for both. You must also list BHSEC Manhattan and BHSEC Queens as two separate choices on your DOE High School Application.
8. What is the assessment? There are two parts to the assessment: a math section which assesses the student’s current math level, and an essay writing section based on a selected reading. Applicants are given one and a half hours to complete the entire assessment. There are no test preparation materials for this assessment.
9. How many times may I take the assessment? You may only take the assessment once during the academic school year. Students may take an assessment at either location to apply to the Manhattan campus, the Queens campus, or both. Students should choose the site that is most convenient for taking the assessment and for attending an interview. If applying to both campuses, students only need to take the exam one time.
10. When will I receive the assessment results? We do not give out assessment scores. The admissions decision is not based simply on the score from the assessment. When considering a student we look at the student’s academic record, the assessment and the results of the interview.
11. When will I be called for an interview? After review of the report card and the assessment exam, students who seem most likely to flourish at BHSEC are invited for an interview. We usually interview students 3 to 4 weeks after they have taken the assessment. The interview process begins in early to mid-October and can go as late as January, depending on the applicant pool. Students who are not invited for an interview are not being considered for admission. Students not being considered for admission will be notified by email.
12. When will I be notified of acceptance? Official notification of acceptance to all New York City public high schools is sent by the Department of Education to the middle school guidance counselors. The notification is usually sent out in February. Check http://schools.nyc.gov/ChoicesEnrollment/High/default.htm for more information.
13. May I re-apply? Students who are not accepted to the 9th grade may reapply the following fall for the 10th grade. Students who are not accepted to the 10th grade are not eligible to reapply. As a cautionary note, however, very few 10th graders are admitted each year and the number admitted is dependent upon the number of students admitted into the previous 9th grade class.
14. What if I do not a have an 85% grade point average? You may apply; however, the majority of accepted students have over an 85% grade point average.
15. What if I was absent or late more than 10 times last year? We will take medical issues into consideration. Please include a doctor’s note when you submit your report card.
16. Can I visit the Bard High School Early College? We welcome students applying to 9th and 10th grades to visit our school during the scheduled open houses. Registration is required to attend. Click here for upcoming dates.
17. What if an open house is booked before I get a chance to register? Unfortunately, because we are a small school we can only register a maximum of 400 people for each event. Please be aware, we do not give admission priority to applicants who attend our events. It is best to register early. Click here for upcoming dates.
18. Can I come on an Open House without registering? Please do not. Our open houses are too full to accommodate anyone who shows up unannounced, so please do not come if you have not received a confirmation for an open house.
19. Will I still be able to apply if I don't attend an open house? Yes. You are not required to visit the school to be considered for admission. We do not give preference to students who attend an open house.
20. How can I get more information on Bard High School Early College if I don’t have a chance to visit the school? On the website, you can find information about our mission, curriculum, faculty, college office, extra-curricular activities, admissions, and much more. In addition, representatives from our school will be at the DOE city wide and borough wide fairs in the fall. Check the DOE website for additional information.
How are applicants matched to BHSEC Manhattan or BHSEC Queens?
The DOE system will match students and program/schools: a student will be matched to only the highest choice school which also accepted that student to its program. Thus, students will not be notified of their acceptance or denial to all 12 schools; they will only know about their highest choice school to which they have been matched. Click here for more information on the DOE high school admission process.
We will consider all qualified students regardless of where they rank BHSEC. However, if a student is serious about applying to BHSEC, we encourage her or him to place BHSEC at the top of her or his DOE priority list. It is also important that students meet the DOE's admissions deadlines. BHSEC cannot consider any student for admissions who does not apply through the DOE and satisfies its application guidelines.
How are applicants matched to BHSEC Newark?