Public Magnet and Most Area Charter Schools
Students applying to Newark Magnet Schools (American History High, Arts High School, Bard High School Early College, Science Park High, Technology High, and University High) or Charter Schools (i.e. North Star Academy CS, KIPP NJ -TEAM Academy CS, People’s Prep CS, Great Oaks CS, etc.) must complete the NewarkEnrolls Application at www.newarkenrolls.org. These schools generally require that the family resides in the city of Newark. (Timeline: Application usually opens in early December, and closes in mid-February, with an exam for Magnet Schools in mid-February.)
Essex County Technical Schools
Students applying to Essex County Technical Schools (Donald M. Payne Tech aka Payne Tech, Newark Tech, & West Caldwell Tech) must complete the online application at www.essextech.org. These schools require that the family lives in Essex County. (Timeline: Application usually opens in November, and has a few test date options in December, January, and February. Interviews are required too. Decisions are typically shared out in the spring.)
Catholic High Schools
Students are encouraged to select THREE school from the list below before he/she takes the HSPT/COOP Exam in November as they will be asked to list them on the exam as schools they will apply to.
Here are links to some Catholic high schools, and well as links to the schols’ applications and financial aid forms:
Cristo Rey Newark, Newark
Website Application Financial Aid
Immaculate Conception High School, Montclair
Website Financial Aid Applications are available at the school.
Marist High School, Bayonne
WebsiteApplicationFinancial Aid
Union Catholic Regional High School, Scotch Plains
WebsiteApplicationFinancial Aid
St. Vincent Academy, Newark (girls)
WebsiteApplicationFinancial Aid
Financial Aid: Please request a hard copy or Word-doc from Mr. Silver at gsilver@linkschool.org
Benedictine Academy, Elizabeth (girls)
WebsiteApplication
Lacordaire Academy, Montclair (girls)
Website Application Financial Aid Scholarship
Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child (girls; does NOT use HSPT/COOP exam)
Website Application
St. Benedict’s Prep, Newark (boys)
Website
Application: Students must attend an OPEN HOUSE to obtain an application.
Register for an Open House on St. Benedict's website.
Financial Aid: This is completed upon acceptance into St. Benedict’s Prep, in January.
St. Peter’s Prep, Jersey City (boys)
Application Financial Aid
Seton Hall Prep, West Orange (boys; does NOT use HSPT/COOP exam)
Application Financial Aid
FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION (Catholic Schools)
To earn enough financial aid/scholarships to attend Catholic high schools, parents must complete the following applications. Students can earn thousands of dollars for tuition by applying to these programs:
Tri-County Scholarship
https://online.factsmgt.com/aid
Scholarship for Inner-Inner City Children
http://www.sficnj.org/apply/
Student/Partner Alliance
http://www.studentpartneralliance.org
INDEPENDENT DAY AND/OR BOARDING SCHOOLS
Students applying to the most prestigious schools in the country - independent day and/or boarding schools, the process is much more rigorous and requires attention to detail, and significant effort by the parent, student, and Link Community Charter School’s guidance office and supporting teacher. These schools are for the highest achieving scholars, who not only are committed to academics, but are also involved in extra-curricular programs, and have a consistently strong attendance/punctuality record. These schools have very high tuition amounts, but also are able to offer significant or full financial aid/scholarships to deserving students. There are approximately ten independent day schools in the region and hundreds of boarding schools across the country. The deadlines for these schools’ applications range from December-February, with decisions being made in March. There are THREE main avenues that these schools use for the application process:
Individual Online Applications: Some schools ONLY offer this option (i.e. Newark Academy). And most schools offer the individual online application as an option.
Standard Application Online (SAO) via www.ssat.org: Many independent day and boarding schools use this “Common Application” as a way to streamline the application process, the distribution of academic records, SSAT or ISEE test scores, and Teacher Recommendations. Using this system, students can apply to many day and boarding schools, by only doing one application.
Gateway to Prep Schools: Similar to the SAO, Gateway uses a “Common Application” system that students can use, to apply to many boarding schools. Not as many schools use Gateway in comparison to the SAO, but it is still an effective way to apply to many of the most exemplary boarding schools in the nation.
The ability to navigate the technological expectations is critical to the success of an independent day/boarding school application.
The general requirements for applications are:
- Creating log-in accounts (username/passwords) that can easily be accessed at school and at home.
- Family Information: Simple biographical information
- Short Answer Questions & Essays
- Teacher and Guidance Counselor Recommendations: Usually Math, English, Guidance Counselor (Director of High School Placement), and often Science or Social Studies or a coach/mentor/etc. are required to complete Recommendations. This is almost always done via the online applications.
- Entrance Exams: SSAT or ISEE are the most common tests used. Some schools use their own Entrance Exams.
Financial Aid Applications: The two systems that most schools use are either SSS or TADS. This requires parent involvement and attention to detail, in order to complete the financial aid application successfully.
