New York City

This morning we had a parent question about what the difference between the OLSAT and the ERB exams in New York City.

High school applications in New York City are due December 2. Based on the schools you are considering there are different components to your application – samples of your classwork, transcripts from your guidance counselor, essays, interviews or auditions.

Here are some ways to ensure that you have done your best on the application.

• Make sure you have all the elements you need for each school. Check with each school and read the instructions on the application carefully.

Recent independent movie release The Best and the Brightest takes the stressful theme of last-minute kindergarten admissions and blows it into a comic absurdity. Actors Neil Patrick Harris and Bonnie Sommerville play all-too-easy to recognize middle class parents looking to get their daughter into the best Manhattan private school possible but things go awry thanks to misguided help from NYC education consultant Amy Sedaris and close friend Peter Serafinowicz.

Congratulations to the many Aristotle Circle parents who had children qualify for the NYC gifted and talented program!

As last month’s Wall Street Journal reported, test preparation made a significant difference in children getting high scores. We are pleased to have helped so many parents prepare their children in the best possible way for the OLSAT and BSRA tests.

With the release of the NYC Board of Education G&T scores this week , parents may be thrilled with their child’s performance, perhaps disappointed and confused, or anywhere in between. Here is some information that may help parents as they reflect upon their children’s scores:


My child did wonderfully on the WPPSI but not on the OLSAT – what happened?

Pearson, the publisher of the WPPSI™-III, is currently in the process of collecting and analyzing data that will be used to determine revisions that may be made for the WPPSI™-IV. Among some of the possible changes are the elimination of the Coding section, the use of a hand-held stamp (in lieu of an eraser-less pencil) for the Symbol Search subtest (Processing Speed), a Working Memory task, and updated illustrations. Overall any potential revisions are expected to be minimal.

This year the English Regents exam is undergoing some changes. The test will last only one day and will be administered on January 11 rather than taken over the course of two days during the week of January 25.

Critics, including NYC teacher Arthur Goldstein, say the changes leave students and teachers unaware of what to expect on the test and with less time to prepare.

Dr. Kim Har, director of early education at Aristotle Circle, discusses the ERB/WPPSI Workbook. She outlines ways to practice the coding, picture completion and block design sections of the test in order to help your child score well for kindergarten admissions.

The National Center for Educational Statistics released its annual study on the nation’s 100 largest public school districts yesterday. It got me thinking about how to choose a school. Can the statistics help students know their chances of graduating?