Letters are now up at echoices.lausd.net. Please DO NOT call schools on Friday asking about wait lists. It’s a minimum day at many/most schools. No school will have any info until after the acceptance deadline of April 8.
When the magnet letters go out, please post the school, points, accepted or waitlisted, and anything else that you think might help us read the proverbial tea leaves to determine who got in and where the wait list starts.
Feel free to share this post with other families so we have more complete information. I definitely see new schools in the mix of acceptances and waitlists. Thanks to all posting.
Walter Reed acceptances have also gone out.
Good luck to all. This is the first year after 20 where I haven’t had to fill out an application. 🙂
Ask A Magnet Yenta 
Walter Reed IHP emails definitely went out tonight.
Thanks for the updates.
I have been told by the magnet coordinator that magnet acceptance letters will be mailed to parents the week of March 14th, probably on Friday before Spring Break.
I would love to hear any recent feedback from current Reed IHP’s parents. We have to sign SLC enrollmeng commitment form before March 15th.
In recent years they’ve been sending them out the Friday of Spring Break. I have a theory that it’s to reduce the phone calls to the schools (and the magnet office downtown). When Easter is really late, however, in a year or two, we’ll see how they respond.
Got acceptance letter for Reed Humanities last week
Results of the 2016-17 eChoices/Magnet lottery will be emailed/mailed next Monday, March 14th.
Just saw this post on FB.
Sounds good. And don’t be surprised if it doesn’t slowly move to Friday afternoon.
I just emailed Student Integration Services, they said probably Wednesday (March 16).
The common trend of the last several years has been the Friday before Spring Break with the common thinking that no school is capable of handling the rush of phone calls. If the schools are closed, folks find the information online, make decisions, think about their acceptance, talk to friends, etc., and come to some level of calm before the schools are back in session.
I don’t know what they will do in the years that spring break is in late April, but I’m seriously guessing that the letters will be released online at 5 pm on Friday and appear in snail mail a few days later. It doesn’t seem to be a rolling basis, because the answers and families’ reactions seem to be almost instantaneous on this blog and social media.
If you log in to your account, you can see the letter.
https://apply.lausd.net/Login.aspx
I ran into the magnet coordinator this morning at our daughter’s elementary school and she was told the letters are going out today and tomorrow.
I just spoke directly to someone in Student Integration Services. Her response was that “we were hoping to get the letters out this week, but they may end up going out next week.” Which is odd, considering they’ll be closed next week. Maybe she meant Friday at or after 5pm. She also mentioned that they were “currently actively conducting the selection process as we speak.” But maybe she was just giving me a conservative estimate to play it safe. Or maybe they send them out on a rolling basis?
If you applied online, you’ll be able to check online and may actually receive an email instead of snail mail. you can check here http://echoices.lausd.net/ParentInformation.aspx but there’s nothing as of today.
I just got the letter online. My daughter got into Millikan Peforming Arts magnet with 16 points. Our first choice was LACES.
Congratulations! You’re our first official 2016-17 notification.
Good luck at Millikan!
Our selection letter is not available yet. It must be on a rolling basis, but our child’s school just notified us that our child qualifies for a new math program in middle school (Accelerated Pathways). We must attend one of the informational meetings and sign an acceleration agreement.
Accelerated math is an interesting prospect. I think it’s available at some if not many middle schools. As you get more info, please feel free to share what you learn. As my daughter is in 9th grade, she got in just before the ‘accelerated’ program, and was able to take 6th grade math, Algebra, and Geometry in middle school without it being a whole program. At her middle school it includes homeroom to continue the work.
The school said our child is one of the students who were recommended for the program. My child was recommended based on report cards in 4th and 5th grade math and perfect SBAC score. The school said we will need to go to the parent informational meeting and sign an agreement and our child will need to take a math test to participate (probably in May).
Yes, there’s a test in the spring after the children are recommended based on report cards/testing. The parent meeting is important because the kids are either doing 4 or 5 years of math in 3 years and they aren’t glossing over the math. At the last district meeting I attended, they were recommending less than 1% of the kids districtwide be in the 5 years in 3 school years math track. I have a feeling it will be more than that, based on family and school demand, but everyone has to be on board for the child to be successful. Essentially the district doesn’t believe that Geometry can be completed in middle school. We’ll see how folks push back on that, but originally they said NO one could accelerate, and they had to back track on that one.
I assume you applied online. Did you get an email notifying you or did you just go to the website and check?
No email. I just went to the link posted by the previous commenter. We did apply online.
We just got a letter and we were wait listed for melrose elementary…now we are distraught as our home school is terrible. I really hate this system.
The more info you share the better we can help. Grade level? How many points? Race? There will be about two weeks for families to choose, then they will start on the wait list.
In addition, open enrollment and SAS lotteries are coming up in April and May. There is a school for everyone.
kindergarten, mixed race/white with 4 points. I am just super bummed right now.
After spring break, give them a week or so and call to ask where you are on the wait list. Then if you find out there’s no way you’re getting in from the wait list, you can be bummed. Right now you don’t have enough information to expend that kind of energy. Point totals for kinder are generally 7 (sib, PHBAO) and then 4 (PHBAO). You could be the first 4 who didn’t get in, or 100 down. You don’t know yet. So hang tight.
Thanks. You make a solid point and I am just crossing my fingers that something comes through.
excellent advice, Angel. how many magnet kindergarten classes are there at Melrose? one or two?
Same here. My daughter is also on wait list for Melrose elementary. She has 4 points
Just checked online, looks like Revere Middle School. 16 points, white/mixed. 1st choice was LACES, this was the second choice (although turns out
it was my wife’s first preference). We do qualify for transportation, but the logistics are going to be shall we say interesting.
6th Grade, Male, Asian, 4 Points
Applied to: Paul Revere, Nobel and Frost.
Did not get into any of them, therefore my son is wait-listed at Paul Revere.
Nobel definitely requires more than 4 points. You could get into Frost via the wait list, but only as a first choice as you’ve alluded to.
Paul Revere, Nobel and Frost are quite a ways away. Did you really plan on sending your child to any of those 3?
Out rent in Studio City has been going up quicker than our incomes. However, we continued to pay the price to make sure he was at Carpenter (legally). If he got accepted into one of the magnet programs, the plan was to move to a cheaper area where the bus could pick him up. If he got into Paul Revere, we would move to Koreatown, and Nobel/Frost to Arleta/Sun Valley area.
My son did get into the STEAM program at Walter Reed, but we are unsure if we can afford to live in the Valley Village/North Hollywood area.
That makes more sense. I can’t imagine the commute over the hill either way. We opted not to apply to Hamilton for that very reason.
As I can’t continue to afford where I live now, the plan was to move to a cheaper location based on which program my son got into. If he got into Paul Revere, we would move to Koreatown and if he got into Nobel or Frost, we would have moved to Sun Valley/Arleta.
Waitlisted for Melrose 😦
Kindergarten, Male, Asian, 4 points
Waitlisted at Melrose 😦
Kindergarten, Male, Asian, 4 points
Portola HGM
16 points/white
Grade 6
Accepted
Cleveland Humanities Magnet
Asian 12 pts – in waiting list
Balboa Magnet
8 points/Asian
Grade 1
Accepted 🙂
Balboa
Second grade
Zero points
Caucasian
Accepted!
I’ve been following you since my son was two. I have to admit that I did NOT take your advice and tell his kindergarten teacher I was applying. She did not verify him and I was insulted. This time, I did what you said, his first grade teacher verified him, and he’s in! It’s a miracle there’s space for a white kid with no points the second year! Thank you and all the other parents here that have helped me. I’m so grateful to you for sharing your knowledge as we all play this game.
You are SO welcome. Someone put me under their wing back when my son was in kinder. I’ve felt I have needed to pay it forward from then on. It’s been my pleasure.
Good luck and enjoy!
As a note, this is the first time I’ve heard of a first grader getting into Balboa from the actual lottery with zero. Folks reading this in future years should probably not count on this kind of luck.
Van Nuys Performing Arts High School, Caucasian, 8 points, accepted.
My son is at Balboa in 2nd grade — let me be the first to welcome you!
Just an FYI that they add two classes to 2nd grade (there are four 1st grade classes, but six 2nd grade classes). So, 2nd grade is actually a good entry point because they are adding 48 new students. It gets harder for 3rd grade because they only add one class of 24 students…and 4th & 5th grade are even worse (just a handful of students, at best). In your son’s class next year, there will be 8 students out of 24 who are brand new to Balboa…so he will not be the only “new kid”.
I was in the Balboa office this afternoon, and they are already getting calls about the waiting list. I believe I overheard that the waiting list for 1st grade is over 100 students long….
Thank you, Lisa. That’s very sweet of you because all afternoon I was thinking about saying goodbye to some really great parents I’ve come to know at Woodland Hills Elem. I’m elated, sad, and confused all at the same time.
I don’t think I knew they added two more classes to second grade. That’s very good information!
I was thinking about the zero points I said my son had… Our school of residence is Shirley Ave. I think that counts as 4 PHABAO points. Am I right? He’s the eldest, so no sibling points and no wait list points for reasons already mentioned. I highly value the reliability of information I get from this site. Let’s get this right so that no one is misinformed and has false hope. Should I call the office to verify?
Shirley is a PHBAO school, so you had those points. You might want to edit your post so that others don’t start calling the school, wondering why you got in with zero points and they were wait-listed with 3 or 4 points.
2015-2016 Overcrowded and PHBAO Schools
Click to access PHBAO_Overcrowded%20Schools%202016-2017.pdf
I mistakenly posted “Zero points.” I remember now that our school of residence, which my son does not attend, is a PHABAO school. His current school is not PHABAO. See what I did there? Sorry for the misinformation. Please consider the original post to be edited to read as follows:
Balboa
Second grade
Four PHABAO points
Caucasian
Accepted!
I have to edit this post YET AGAIN! I called SIS to find out if I didn’t accept the spot at Balboa would my son still hold on to the GATE designation. The lady didn’t know (wrong department, but hopefully you can tell me), but she looked up his name and mentioned that he had eight points. I asked how that was possible. She reminded me that I applied for Valley Alternative for kindergarten. Like a bonehead, I didn’t remember that the points roll over for three years. I thought that since his K teacher didn’t verify him all the points were wasted. Not so! Here’s the new, updated, and official info:
Balboa
Second grade
Eight points
Caucasian
Accepted!
And since I had forgotten about kindergarten, I neglected to apply for my daughter and now she won’t have those (hopefully) wait list points. I’m really bummed about dropping the ball with her.
GATE is definitely a separate designation. Your child can be blond and like sports. Not liking sports, your child can still be blond.
The GATE designation allows your son to qualify for gifted magnets, SAS programs, and honors tracks at any middle or high school (along with grades, parental consent, and a few other things).
Thanks for the clarifcations. Valley alt didn’t require a gifted designation. Assuming she goes to the same school that her brother goes to, she’ll get 3 sibling points, so that’s a plus too.
Portola Highly Gifted – ACCEPTED!!!! ☺
– Hispanic Girl
– Highly Gifted Applicable
– Grade 6
– Points 16
Balboa Gifted – ACCEPTED!!!! ☺
– Hispanic Girl
– Grade 3
– Points 12
Community – Wait Listed!!!! ☺
– Hispanic Girl
– Grade Kindergarten
– Points 4
Congrats!!
Thanks!!!!
This November I will be applying to Balboa Gifted for 1st grade. My daughter will have 11 Points; 3 Sibling, 4 Wait List points, 4 PHBAO!!! : )
Just remember you can still get called for the wait list until norm day–a month into the school year. Regardless you won’t lose the PHBAO or the sibling points.
Hoping its NOT the case and she stays Wait Listed!!!!
Academy for Enriched Sciences. 1st grade. 4 points. Waitlisted. 😦 Still hoping to get in!
Just notified that our son is on 1st page of waitlist, 8 names to a page. Do you know if there is one waitlist for the entire school? Or one waitlist for each grade?
If we got waitlisted for our first choice.. will we get another notification for our second/third choice? This is our first year applying and I’m still a little confused 😦
You are only waitlisted at your first choice. They only run the application for second and third choices one time. In a week or two, after Spring Break, you can call the school (calling tomorrow is a bad idea) and ask where you are on the wait list. They can also tell you the likelihood of getting in from that position. You’ll be able to decide what other programs you want to look at for back up at that point.
Thank you for the advice! I will definitely call in a few weeks to see where we’re at 🙂 So if our 2nd/3rd choice is run once and we get accepted/rejected, we will be notifed through the website as well? Thanks again for your help! :]
It’s already been run. They run the three choices one after the other at the time of application. The notification you got is the only one through the website. The next call you might get will be from the magnet coordinator saying a spot opened up and you’ll have a short time to accept or decline it.
I see. Thanks for the clarification 🙂
Valley Alternative – Kinder – Asian boy – 4 points – Waitlisted 😀
Community Magnet – Kinder – Asian girl – 4 points – Accepted😕
Nobel – 6 grade – white girl – 16 points – Accepted😀
Eagle Rock Elementary Gifted/High Ability Magnet
Female, Hispanic
Grade 3
Waitlist and now we have 8 points
Please, please, don’t count on the wait list points until late September. The ‘rejection’ letter is really a wait list letter, and you could conceivably be called until norm day four or five weeks into the school year. If you’re hoping to get rejection points, you’re not ‘safe’ until mid September. Given how funding works, schools will absolutely continue to call until norm day.
Welby Way HG
1st grade
4 points
Accepted.
Baldwin Hills Gifted Magnet
1st grade
Mixed race/Hispanic/Black
8 points
Accepted.
SO HAPPY. WE LOVE THIS SCHOOL!!!
Congrats!
Welby Way HG
Asian 4 pts
2nd grade – Waitlisted
Valley Alternative
White girl 8 points
2nd grade – accepted
I was hoping for waitlist as I want my daughter to go to SOCES where her brother goes. I’m trying to decide if I should decline and take my chances for 4th grade.
IF she gets waitlisted next year and we can use PHBAO and sibling, she’ll hopefully have 11 points by then. What do you think?
She will have two decent chances at SOCES: 4th and 6th grades. And since her brother goes there, you’d be willing to switch far closer to when school starts (or even after school starts through norm day?). There’s no guarantee, but I’ve seen some low totals get into SOCES in the past, esp. from the wait list. I take it you didn’t tour Valley Alt? It’s hard because there are no matriculation points, making leaving Valley Alt harder for middle or high school if your child wants to opt for a true “high school” experience. On the other hand, SOCES too is a small school with many grade levels.
I can’t tell what to do, but it does seem like you’d have more than one shot at SOCES in upcoming years if that’s what you want to do.
Thanks for your input. I did tour Valley Alt a few years ago and really liked it which makes my decision harder. There is some very positive and very negative comments about Valley Alt online. If anyone has any firsthand experience about what it’s like now, I’d appreciate it.
Hi,
My daughter got accepted at Van Nuys magnet middle school. Our home middle school is Hesby Oaks. Any thoughts about those two schools will be greatly appreciated.
Hesby, like any span (K-8) school is smaller than a typical middle school, so teachers will get to know the kids much more personally. Typically there are two classes at each grade level, so there’s an advanced/honors class and a regular class. The downside to ANY school that small is that if there’s an issue with a teacher or a student, there’s not much flexibility to move the child without affecting the level of learning the child requires. On the other hand, the size is often a drawing card for families of children with special needs as the child is not going to get lost in the shuffle. If your child currently attends, this is the school they’ve known. Making the transition to high school will be a huge leap in size and social complexity, but in three years they may be better able to handle that transition.
Van Nuys is a Math/Science magnet, they do seem to require uniforms (many middle schools do) and the API for the school in the last year tested was 896. The coordinator is the former math teacher at Millikan charged with teaching the high end math kids. With 1300 kids, it’s a lot smaller than some other middle schools. Here’s their brochure. https://d3jc3ahdjad7x7.cloudfront.net/kjuoMBmHVUGuPkRpzevwR2rmrQdCZCF8b4rdp3h0kP7cQLSm.pdf If you toured it, I’m sure there were things you liked and maybe even things you didn’t. You’ll need to weigh those things to decide which is the better fit.
Our daughter was accepted into both Millikan’s Performing Arts Academy and Peforming Arts Magnet. Other than staying on the magnet track, can anyone speak to the differences between the two, whether the academy students are segregated from the magnet, or whether they take all classes together.
They are similar, and yet they’re different. The magnet is a desegregation program and there’s no previous ability required. The academy was created to allow neighborhood kids to have the opportunities that the magnet students had, but might not be able to get into because of the magnet requirements. Magnet classes are generally separate for core (math/English/science/social studies) and classes must maintain 75% magnet students. As students show talent in 7th and 8th grade, they tend to ‘specialize’ into musical theatre or concert band or higher levels of dance and those kids do mix more. Where Millikan shines is that with the size, kids who do need a high end math class might end up (magnet or academy) with the Math Academy kids. Magnet classes are slightly smaller (38 or so rather than 42). There are phenomenal teachers in both programs.
SOCES – accepted
Boy, white, 5th grade
12 points
I just read some recent negative reviews online that have me reconsidering. If anyone with students currently at SOCES would be so kind as to tell me about your child’s experience there, I would greatly appreciate it!
I will try to recruit a few. Please be careful with review sites, as unless you know the person commenting you can’t tell their disposition. I know several folks who have kids there and even a couple who teach there. It would have been a good fit for my daughter academically if she hadn’t been also so into playing music.
Thanks. I’ll take the online comments with a grain of salt. I would love to hear more. To be honest, I applied mainly hoping for rejection points and didn’t tour. I am torn about moving my son for 5th (he’s been at his current very good school since K), but it may be worth it to already be there for middle school if their program is fantastic. Or is middle school a separate application?
Glad to hear it would’ve been academically good for your daughter. Do you feel it would be good for a gifted but unmotivated student?
My son is in 5th grade in SOCES. He started last year. We have had a good experience and do like the school. The elementary kids are in their own area where the older ones aren’t even allowed. I haven’t had any trouble communicating with the teachers, it’s usually by phone or email, and scheduling a one on one conference has not been a problem. In 5th grade they switch between 4 teachers English/Lanuage Arts; Science/History/Math and then their elective. My son hasn’t had any issues with bullying. I am hoping my daughter can go there as well. Hope this helps.
Thanks so much for your input! Has the schoolwork been “enriching” and/or kept your son’s interest? How do you feel about the middle school?
There is a new change for SAS application this year, students who scored in the “Exceeded” range on spring 2015 SBAC in both ELA and Math are also eligible to apply. Students will need to provide a copy of the most recent SBAC scores with SAS application.
Students currently on the magnet waiting list for gifted/high-ability
magnet centers, must provide a copy of the letter stating the student is on a waiting list.
Community Charter
Girl
Latino
1st grade
4 points PHBAO
Waitlist
I noticed some people are happy to receive a waitlist status. I understand this is in hopes to increase their points. With that said, for a school like Community what can be expected to be accepted off the waitlist? Are there really that many people declining when getting an acceptance call? Thanks so much for your input to all of us magnet new-comers!
Hard to tell. A call to the school or a conversation with the coordinator might help. Bottom line, some schools like Valley Alternative do get a lot of unexpected acceptances, and turn downs, but I don’t hear of that many folks applying to Community for the same purpose. I’m sure it happens.
I think a lot of people that don’t live in the Valley apply to Community hoping for waitlist points. There were 3600 applications to the school (K-5), so I’m sure a lot of those are hoping to accumulate points.
They have 3 classes of 24 in K-3 and increase class sizes in 4th grade to 34. So, there probably won’t be that many spaces opening up for 1st graders.
Thanks for the insight, Ellen! 🙂
Eagle Rock Elementary Gifted/High Ability
Multi-racial/Asian girl
4th grade
4 points
Waitlist
So bummed 😦
There are very few spots for grades beyond 1st. On the other hand, so few people will move a child that late in elementary, you might still get a call. But generally as the spots are only from attrition, there could be only 1-2 spots for grades 3, 4, 5 at many elementary magnets.
I talked to the magnet coordinator in the fall on the tour and she said that in 4th grade the class size increases to 34 from 24 in grade 3, so I was hoping that the 10 extra spaces would make it slightly more likely for us to get a spot. She did also say that often in 6th grade spots open up because some kids end up moving to a different middle school that begins in 6th grade rather than staying for 6th grade there and then going on to Eagle Rock Jr/Hr gifted.
My son got accept into Brentwood Sci Magnet. This was my third choice and first was Community. Does anybody know how this school is?
My son got accepted into Brentwood Sci Magnet. This was our third choice. I was wait listed last year at Community. Does anybody know how this magnet is?
Hi, My daughter got accepted for 5th grade at Mid-City Prescott School of Enriched Studies. She has 12 points and is caucasian. Our home school is Buchanan Elementary in Highland Park, but she has attended Mt. Washington Elementary since K through open enrollment.
We applied to Mid-City because it feeds into LACES and we also figured if we had to roll the waitlist point dice for 5th grade, we might as well roll them with a school that would guarantee enrollment to a great middle and HS. The staff at Mid-City told us they NEVER have openings in 5th grade so we weren’t expecting to get in. We didn’t even tour the school. Now we’re torn!
Our daughter is identified “gifted” and we’re worried about sending her to a school that seems to be really struggling academically. Like a lot of other parents here we’re also trying to figure out if sending her to a school far from home makes sense for our family. I’m afraid we boxed ourselves in though by applying to Mid-City. If we decline, we will have lost the chance for her to go to King M.S., and probably also Eagle Rock Jr. High/HS.
Does anyone on here have children who attend Mid City? I would love to hear from anyone with experience with the school. We’d welcome any advice actually! To make things more complicated, we have two other kids at Mt. Washington and this is the first year they’ve all been in the same school. We’re really hesitant to disrupt our routine now that it finally feels calmer. Is LACES worth the sacrifice??
We went to LACES via MCM. We loved our elementary, were very happy there but when we got accepted into MCM we felt we had to go for it. And we have no regrets. give me your email and I’ll email you.
send me email byjove2@gmail.com
My friend did exactly the same with her son this year and also got in to MCM (with just 4 points I think). She is also struggling with the decision, mainly because of the commute (unfortunately she lives on the opposite side of town from you!). There will be others there who applied for the same reasons as you and are motivated by the guaranteed route to LACES.
White girl
5th grade
8 points
Community Magnet Charter
Wait list! 😃
She is on page 6 of the wait list. Each page is 15-20 students. So she’s about number 100. Makes me hopeful she won’t get in for 5th grade! So far so good!
White girl
Kindergarten
4 PHBAO points
Valley Alternative
waitlisted 🙂
Sure hope it stays that way if that’s what you’re hoping for!
Palms Middle School Gifted Magnet – 12 points – Mixed Race Girl 6th Grade – Accepted.
Was 1st choice because it is also our neighborhood school (2nd LACES 3rd Paul Revere)
(Applications must be down because I heard you wouldn’t get in with less than 16 points??)
For the last several years, people have been able to get into Palms with few points, I have heard as low as 4. A lot of people pick Palms as a backup, and decline once they get into other schools (such as charters).
Can I ask a question? My two children are on the wait list for Balboa (1st and 4th grade). They have a policy to not let anyone know where they are on the wait list except for top 50% or bottom 50%. They did let me know that both are in the top 50%. Then I asked if they could let me know if they had a chance so I can make a better judgement call about next year. One child goes to private school and I would be bound to a contract if I signed up again for the fall. The lady told me that she felt they had a good chance (more for the 1st grader vs. the 4th grader given the number of spots available – I was told only TWO natural spots for 4th grade this year). She said they were both in the TOP top 50%, but that the racial makeup of the declines come into play so that’s why they don’t tell you what number you are because you can be passed up if the child who declines acceptance is not the same racial makeup. My question is, do they start calling you right after the April 8th acceptance cutoff? Do they look at the racial makeup based on minority vs.non-minority or do they look at it Caucasian vs. Asian vs. African-American, etc.? Do we honestly have a shot being Asian? I’ve been applying for my oldest child for many years and I feel disheartened. This is the first time that I actually feel like there might be a glimmer of hope given where we are in the wait list. Thoughts?
Do they start calling you right after the April 8th acceptance cutoff?
-It is possible, but not guaranteed. You can call again after April 8th to check your chldren’s current status.
Do they look at the racial makeup based on minority vs.non-minority or do they look at it Caucasian vs. Asian vs. African-American, etc.?
-Balboa need to maintain their magnet ethnic balance (60/40) White 40% & Minority 60%.
Minority-non minority. They don’t break it down beyond that. And with 2 spots (plus any kids who might move later in the summer) it’s not great. On the other hand, we turned down a 4th grade spot, so sometimes they do happen.
Do you mean that kids moving away from the summer will open up more spots potentially? I kind of figured that my 4th grader was a bit of a hopeless case which I’m bummed about, but my hopes are much higher for my 1st grader. Does the school typically always have some people who decline or is it more typical for everyone to accept? Thank you!
People decline. There’s never any guarantee that students will or will not get in from the waitlist. Each year, people are surprised. If you do get in, I’d love for you to post when you find out–as both hope and a warning for folks who are already counting wait list points.
Some kids do move. Or if the school wasn’t the best fit, they might find another place. And in the not so distant past, someone applied to SOCES only to find out they got in, and lost their spot automatically at Balboa. First graders applied in kinder, and we turned it down then too. Our daughter had already created a solid posse of friends, her school was eager to differentiate, and we liked where she was. So some first graders decline, but I suspect that’s fewer than the fourth graders who just don’t want to leave a school so close to graduation, too.
So if your kids are solid right now, hang in there. If not, come up with a decent plan.
Waitlisted for Harbor ES HA/G/HG with 7 pts., Hispanic, for 5th grade. My youngest already goes there and he was waitlisted too last year. I already called to get his number on the waitlist but I was told the usual (wait until they get acceptance/rejections back, find out who moved away). I’ll call when they get back from spring break. I’m confident that he will be going there next year. 😊
I have a few questions, hope answers are easy.
Going to Welby HG as 1st grader next year. Do we need to start applying for points in 2nd grade for a middle school HG?
If so, and we don’t get into a middle school HG magnet, would the district really send a smart kid back to his home school regular tract? Our home middle is actually Portola which has a HG program. How would that work?
You’re going to automatically get points as your child graduates–the same 12 as if you tried for wait list. So sit back, wait til your child is tested, and enjoy the next few years. You can start thinking about where you might want to send him in fourth grade. Sepulveda puts on an excellent magnet night where you can visit with 3-4 schools and figure out where you want to tour.
But for now, please enjoy having a small person 😉
Just notified that our son is on 1st page of waitlist, 8 names to a page. Do you know if there is one waitlist for the entire school? Or one waitlist for each grade?
I have a question about the waiting list points. Let’s say I started to apply for magnet when my daughter was in 3rd grade. We go through 3rd and 4th and end up on waiting list. Now I have 12 points going into 5th grade (8 wait list points and 4 phbao). At this point I would like my daughter to finish 5th with her classmates and culminate with her elementary school. If I do not apply for any magnet when she goes into 5th, does she lose all waiting list points and will have 4 phbao points only for middle school application? Or does she only lose points for that year? Any idea?
If you’re hoping not to get a surprise acceptance for fifth grade, you’ve highlighted a very viable solution. Point totals continue to go down as school options increase. And assuming 12 points is enough to get your daughter into the magnet you wish, go for it. Wait points accrue for three years, so her 3rd and 4th grade points would still be there for her application to 6th. After that, the points for the oldest year drop off, but your plan is a solid one.
I just realized that in my daughter’s confirmation letter that they have her listed for 5th instead of 4th. Major mistake on my end. My son is also waitlisted at the same school for kinder, but deep in the middle of the list. Our 2nd and third options for our daughter were a fail too. Feeling pretty bleak over here. This is our first foray into magnet hell. I guess we will be checking out other options. I wish LA was less difficult with regards to schools.
Did you apply online or by paper application? Was the mistake on the confirmation paperwork that came out probably back in January or so?
Please call downtown and see if the error can be corrected, but know that openings in 4th and 5th are very limited.
We applied online. And I did have her listed for 4th grade. The mistake was on the confirmation paperwork, so in the end it’s on me. The issue is that the 2nd and 3rd choice schools on her application actually opened up spaces for 4th grade, instead of this happening in 3rd.
I’ve known of point totals being corrected in the spring after letters went out (child got the next spot, didn’t bump anyone). If that’s your choice, PLEASE talk to downtown and/or the school to see what recourse you have.
Thanks, I will check it out.
Our daughter was accepted to both the Performing Arts Academy and Magnet at Millikan. We know some benefits of the magnet are that she would keep her magnet points as well as have a little smaller academic classes, but what are the benefits of the academy compared to the magnet? Our impression is that because academy students audition to get in, she would be with other kids that are more serious about performing. Any insights would be appreciated since we need to decide whether to accept or reject the magnet by tomorrow. Do the academy students have a better chance in seventh grade of getting into the musical theatre program and better roles?
Class size is not that different. Generally 37.5 for magnet (never understood the half) and maybe 40 for the academy. There are great teachers in the magnet and equally good teachers in the academies (at least as far as the honors track goes).
There are serious performers in both groups. I don’t believe the magnet nor the academy had a better shot–all those roles are auditioned for.
Regarding keeping options open for HS, if you choose academy, you will be able to apply to Millikan magnet the next two years and regenerate 8 points. If you were to get in, it’s only the movement of a few teachers in the schedule.
If you choose magnet, you would just forget about it for the next few years and apply where you want for HS.
Have you talked to Ms. Covert in the magnet office? She also can shed light on the academy.
Good luck.
Thank you. It is incredibly hard to get a hold of Ms. Covert. I have tried this week via email, phone and in person to no avail and to say I am frustrated would be an understatement. After trying for about a dozen times last Friday, I finally got through via phone near the end of the school day and she did tell me that one of the differences was that magnet students take a half year of chorus and a half year of drama, while academy students do only one of those for the year, but academy students needed to qualify to do the chorus via the audition. I asked her whether my daughter qualified and she indicated she wasn’t need that information. I’ve tried since Monday to get that information.
We dealt with the same communication issues, or lack thereof, when we were trying to get information for the application process and audition because dates and the process kept changing. The administration always seems chaotic to me.
For all those who did not get in to one of the Eagle Rock Elementary Magnet programs, I just found out the home school is giving permits for kinder, 5th and 6th grades. The Magnets are great, but the home school has an excellent program for kids in the GATE program. And most kids in the main school program get in to the Eagle Rock Middle Gifted Magnet.
You can contact the main office at 323-254-6851 for more info. Permits are given out until spaces run out.
Does anyone know if there are always 1st graders who decline to Balboa magnet or if this is typically not something that happens? I guess some kind of statistics? Just curious. Thank you!
There will be some. We were one family. Families must apply so early in the school year, that it’s difficult to know what the options will be. As my daughter was happy, well adjusted, made friends, and the school was eager to differentiate for her, we turned it down for first grade.
The district doesn’t publish any details on the folks who are accepted and then reject. Are you on the waitlist?
Yes. Waitlisted and originally was told that the magnet coordinator will start calling potentially by the end of this week. Then they said they won’t call until all registration paperwork is actually received so most likely not by the end of the school year. I guess I don’t understand why they don’t consider the “no answers” by April 8th as declined as it states on echoices. They said only the district considers that, but they always call everyone to verify. I guess this is easy to say since I’m sitting on the other side of the grass. They did tell me that my child is in a position that is better than most. I’m just chomping at the bit. 🙂
I totally get your anxiety.
There is good reason to not jump down the list, including the fact there are only a few people to process ALL the paperwork. The district doesn’t provide additional staff. By waiting, they can finish with the stuff for *this* year before they go down the list. And while you’re in a good position, and you’re eager, you could still get that call all the way into September because people decide it’s not a good fit, need to move, or other reasons. By slowing down on the list, they eliminate the families who say ‘yes’ until other options come through. It may be frustrating, but it’s not personal.
I get it. I know it’s not personal. Just wish it was simpler, but everything happens for a reason. Thanks so much for the input! Will keep you posted on the results.
If it were easy, you’d be paying for it. This is LAUSD, and while it’s free, you gotta work for it a bit.
Good luck, and definitely let us know.
We are at Balboa now, in 2nd grade. Last year, I knew of a family that was accepted for 1st and chose not to go. The mom was a teacher at another school, and decided it would be too difficult to have her daughter at a school other than the one at which she teaches.
Also, in January last year, one of the 1st graders didn’t return after the break. They filled the spot immediately. I also heard that one of the 2nd graders during the current school year left in March, and they filled that spot. My point is that spots open up, but you never know when it might happen.
Thank you so much for the insight. I was just wondering as I see why the other grades might have some fallout given that they’ve made friends or have a good support system already, but first grade is usually a start point so I figured why would anyone decline if they get in. I guess it’s just a wait and see game. I was just hoping to plan better since my child is not in public school right now but rather private. It would have been nice to get a response prior to the year ending. Thanks again!
Like I said, we declined, and we weren’t the only ones at our elementary. When applying less than two months into kindergarten, there’s no way to know what a school is going to be like. Strong elementary schools do try to hold on to the kids, and when families approach the schools about getting into Balboa, it’s not uncommon for the schools to try to keep the student.
Yes I have actually seen this as well with people applying from very good schools. And I can see why people would want to stay if they are already in a very strong school, but still feel the need to apply because they are unsure at the time. Makes total sense.
This magnet process is beyond frustrating.
Balboa Magnet
Minority boy 2nd grade 7 points Waitlisted.
I’m not holding my breath that he’ll be getting in this year. He along with his older siblings have always been on the “top 50th percentile” on the wait list but never have been called. Yet there are others with 8 points accepted because of the one extra point even without any siblings. Should’ve siblings have some advantage at all? They give you the 3 sibling points ONCE which does not help much. Sigh.
Would love to hear of any other experiences with people who have gotten in from the Waitlist.
It’s truly hard to know where someone is on the list if they are only giving you ‘top 50%’ information. Many magnets don’t work that way, and will give out actual numbers of ‘typical’ or ‘previous’ years. I am sorry you have to endure the process.
Suffice it to say 7 points is hard for 2nd grade at Balboa, when many students have that in first grade (by applying to one of the hard-to-get-into kinders).
Balboa might be one of the last of the old fashioned, truly hard to get into magnets (along with LACES). There are other options out there. We’ve watched magnet totals drop for years, and the addition of new magnets is helping this, but there are always going to be a few that defy explanation.
I wish you luck. We did get in for first grade and turned it down, and she got in again for 4th grade (from the waitlist), and we turned it down again. Then we were recruited for 5th grade from San Jose, and definitely turned that down. So maybe it will still happen for you guys.
Hi EJ,
My son got in with 8 points, but he’s white. Ethnicity is just as important as points. The sibling thing is frustrating, though. It should count for 5 points, not 3.
Good point. Some magnets are 60/40 and others are 70/30. Given that LAUSD’s overall population is something like 9% white, and 90% minority, the ratios will cause some folks to wait longer than other folks. At some magnets, they are always seeking minority students. At others, white students are more easily admitted. And some, it’s pretty even.
Hi Magnet Yenta,
I spoke to someone in integration services and she told me that all minorities are lumped together; there are no quotas for each minority. I thought this was not the case. Do you know anything about this? I recall you advising parents to ask the school from year to year which ethnicity designation would help their chances of being accepted in mixed race situations. Please clarify this if you can.
To be clear: ALL minorities are grouped together.
When I suggest which ethnicity would help in a mixed race family, I am referring to white/minority, as that is the only designation LAUSD distinguishes. Again either 60-40 or 70-30. In some schools, even with 70-30, it’s better to be in that 30 percent.
To use her exact wording, she said, “There is only white or PHABAO.” Many parents I’ve talked to in the magnet system thought I was misinformed. This is very crucial information and will doubtlessly dash the hopes of many. I will pass on your confirmation of what IS told me. Thank you for clarifying.
I can’t speak for others, but this has been the way it’s been for the entire time I’ve been a magnet parent (20 years of applications).
Generally a school will tell you if there is a distinct advantage. My daughter’s HS told everyone at each tour that being white or being multiracial and being able to choose white would increase the odds of selection significantly as the school’s general population is nearly 100% minority.
We knew years ago that my son’s chances of getting into Granada’s magnet were slim and none. They waitlisted 20s and only 23s got in guaranteed. As his sibling is 10 years younger, he couldn’t count on getting in. It was also about the time of the charter conversion and we opted to apply elsewhere. I truly live by the mantra forewarned is forearmed. Know your chances, and apply accordingly.
In addition, the only ‘authority’ in the LAUSD magnet system is the SIS folks downtown. I’ve sat through presentations for magnets *by the magnet coordinator* telling people who had no chance of getting in to apply to the school anyway because they’ll get rejection points for the next year. If 12 points isn’t getting your kid in for 6th grade, 4 points isn’t getting them in for 7th. I do think some schools like the notoriety of turning down more applicants.
Is there a magnet coordinator at SIS? If so, I think I’ve spoken to this person.
Also, is there a teacher verification form for highly gifted or is this strictly done by testing only?
Magnet coordinator is a job position at the school site. At the Student Integration Services office downtown, there is an Executive Director and a variety of other folks who work in the office, but a magnet coordinator works at a school site.
I am late to reply! Cleveland Humanities. 12 pts. Caucasian/male. Still on the wait list. I got an email today encouraging to take math/Spanish placement testing, but we won’t be doing that.
Do you already have other plans, Melissa, or are you just not interested in taking the placement tests if he won’t get in?
White, girl
2nd grade
Accepted to Balboa from waitlist on April 21st (told we were near the bottom of the top 50%)
4 points
Thanks so much for posting!
Are you saying you got called from the wait list already this year? I thought they hadn’t called anyone from the wait list and we’re waiting until registration was over. Is this not the case?
Yes, she was originally wait listed, and Balboa called on April 21st offering a spot for second grade. They have a registration event tomorrow and one next week.
Congrats! It’s great to hear that they are calling from the waitlist. Waiting for a miracle….
Latino boy
7th grade
accepted to Valley Alt Magnet after being waitlisted and with zero points. TBH, we were looking for points, but we’re going for it since his current school (OCS in Chatsworth) has completely come off the rails this year. Would love any feedback about Valley Alt as it is nowadays.