Success Academy High School of the Liberal Arts Is

At Success Academy, we believe high school should be the best four years of a pupil's life, and that experience includes non simply collegiate-style academics but robust visual and performing arts, sports, codathons, competitive debate, and more than. What is life equally an SA high schooler really like? We compiled some of the most frequently asked questions from middle schoolers beyond the network to assistance shine some light on the SA high school experience. Our website is another peachy resource.

Please also visit our HS Placement site for all the admission details on how to rank your high school choices.

Academics

How does SA HSLA compare with other elite high schools?

Is SA HSLA a STEM school or an arts school?

How many hours of homework per week should I wait?

What is the schedule like?

How big are the classes and how tin can I get more one-on-one support from my teachers?

Are there classes relating to: Law? Concern? Entrepreneurship? Nursing? Paleontology?

How exercise credits work? How many credits can nosotros accept per year? Tin can you graduate with more than than 23 credits?

Is it possible to have all of the APs offered? Can freshmen take AP Biological science and AP Chemistry?

College Admission & Persistence

Does SA HSLA provide the help the students need to get into college?

Does SA HSLA give out scholarships?

Can scholars earn higher credit?

What are other ways I can brand my college application stand up out by attention SA HSLA?

Beyond the Curriculum

What are the arts and athletic offerings? Is there a argue squad? Trip the light fantastic toe? Theater?

How many electives practice students take in one semester? Tin yous switch your electives?

What types of clubs does HSLA offering? Are we able to bring together more than one guild? What is the process of making a student-led club?

Practice y'all take any clubs or classes that could fulfill community service?

What is the Success Academy Summer Feel?

Are in that location any trips?

What is the culture like among students and betwixt students and adults?

Are SA loftier schools diverse?

Full general

Who tin can go to HSLA? Is there a minimum GPA requirement for 8th graders in social club to be accepted?

How many SA loftier schools are there?

What materials do I need to purchase for the commencement day of school?

What does the consequence policy look like?

In an increasingly global world that our kids volition work in someday, many of us would like to see strange languages offered in middle school. Can you please share your latest thinking on this?

Academics

How does SA HSLA compare with other elite high schools?

HSLA is like to NYC's other elite high schools, with collegiate level academics that include a full pick of AP courses and the option of Honors STEM or Honors Humanities program. We besides offer a wide variety of electives, arts and athletics programming and enrichment opportunities. What sets our high schools apart from specialized loftier schools is the personal attention and individualized back up scholars receive from kinesthesia and throughout the college admissions procedure. Elite schools similar Stuyvesant have one higher counselor for hundreds of students; at HSLA the ratio is 1:60. While some aspects of SA HSLA will exist familiar to incoming freshmen — the high expectations, the respect shown to both teachers and scholars, the obsession with books and reading — this volition exist a whole new educational experience. Nosotros emphasize independence and self-advancement, and invest scholars in owning their own education. The courses are very rigorous, preparing scholars for college work just also prioritizing appointment and scholar interest. Scholars come up to SA HSLA from beyond the unabridged SA network, so there are a lot of new faces and new friends!

Is SA HSLA a STEM school or an arts school?

The loftier school offers students the option of both Stem and Humanities tracks. We emphasize scholar option within core subject areas, so scholars can pursue the topics and Advanced Placement courses that most interest them. Be sure to explore the official Orange Book for more than details!

How many hours of homework per week should I look?

Like elite private high schools and specialized high schools, HSLA expects students to invest in learning time outside of the classroom. On boilerplate, students can expect to spend 18 hours per calendar week on homework: about 2 hours per weeknight and 4 hours per weekend day.

What is the schedule like?

Currently, our bell schedule is built around "Anchor Days," which occur on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, and "Orange and Blue Days," which occur on Wednesdays and Thursdays, respectively. The HS schedule is built around "Anchor Days," which occur on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, and "Orangish and Blue Days," which occur on Wednesdays and Thursdays, respectively. On Anchor Days, scholars will have all of their courses; on Orangish Days, scholars will take half of their courses in longer blocks; on Blue Days, scholars volition take the other half of their courses in longer blocks, will attend House Huddles or Advisory. Teams, clubs, and advanced labs come across afterwards school.

The daily bell schedule is every bit follows:

How big are the classes and how can I get more ane-on-1 support from my teachers?

Most classes average 32 students, with English language classes disposed to exist smaller in size. Teachers offer office hours that are optional, but highly encouraged as a addiction that the most successful college students develop.

Are there classes relating to: Law? Business? Entrepreneurship? Nursing? Paleontology?

SA HSLA is a true liberal arts high school. Our focus is on offer collegiate-level academics, while too encouraging students to explore special interests. If you are interested in a particular career, it is of import to use your dean or advisor every bit a resources. Students take opportunities to explore a variety of fields and career interests, including information science, business organization, medicine, and others, through dual-enrollment partnerships with Columbia, NYU, and Georgia Tech, too as through SA'south Summer Experience Program. There are many options!

How do credits piece of work? How many credits can we take per year? Can you graduate with more than 23 credits?

To graduate from SA HSLA, a scholar must fulfill grade credit and exam credit requirements. Scholars must earn a passing form of lxx% in 23 courses beyond our bookish cadre and Arts and Athletics offerings. English, History, Math and Science are considered core courses. To graduate from SA HSLA, a scholar must as well laissez passer 5 external exams (Regents or Advanced Placement exams). It is possible to graduate with more than than 23 credits, in fact most all scholars will graduate with far more.(See folio 78 in the Loftier School Curriculum Guide.)

Arts and constituent credit tin be satisfied by participating in a team that has been pre-approved for credit. New teams may petition to be included.

Is it possible to take all of the APs offered? Tin freshmen take AP Biology and AP Chemistry?

We offer a wide range of AP courses, which would get in very difficult for any scholar to attempt to accept every AP course offered. Certain AP courses accept required prerequisite courses (for example, Principles of Biology and Principles of Chemistry are prerequisites for AP Biology and AP Chemistry).

Freshmen tin take AP Art History if they accept been pre-approved, based on his/her middle schoolhouse humanities coursework. (Discover out more nigh AP courses in the High School Curriculum Guide.)

Freshmen tin accept AP Art History if they have been pre-approved and will be based on his/her middle school humanities coursework.

College Access & Persistence

Does SA HSLA provide the help the students demand to go into college?

Emphatically, yes! From our low student-to-advisor ratio (12:i) to our all-encompassing bookish and extracurricular programs, our entire high schoolhouse pattern is centered on preparing our students to persist in a rigorous higher environment. We offer an unparalleled level of individualized higher counseling. Our Higher Access & Persistence squad will guide you and your family unit through the college application process to lucifer you to the college or academy where you tin can maximize your graduation outcome and detect your financial fit. Nosotros likewise provide crucial Saturday prep — our seniors typically earn an average SAT score 200 points to a higher place the national average! Then far, every graduating senior from SA HSLA has been accepted to college.

College counseling formally begins in 11th grade, but our doors are open to all SA HSLA students, and many ambitious underclassmen proactively schedule meetings with the Higher team.

Does SA HSLA give out scholarships?

We prioritize supporting scholars through the circuitous financial assist process. We strategically match scholars to colleges that will be a financial fit for their families, and coach our scholars to abet for themselves with Fiscal Aid offices. By request, the College squad volition also support scholars through external scholarship applications to ensure that they submit stiff applications.

At that place are donor-established scholarships, such as the Ruth and Norman Rales Foundation Scholarship and the Daniel Feinberg Success in Chess Award, that are awarded exclusively to qualified SA students. These scholarships are not awarded by SA HSLA; we are extremely grateful for our donors' back up.

To date, a number of HSLA graduates have likewise been selected for the Posse Scholars program.

Can scholars earn higher credit?

Yep! We offering a growing list of Advanced Placement courses, which are certified by the College Board's internationally recognized college-level curriculum. Students enrolled in AP courses at SA HSLA are required to take the external AP exam at the stop of the year, and students often earn college credit for their passing scores on AP exams. Nosotros also partner with Columbia Academy, New York Academy, and Georgia Tech to let our highest performing scholars to take higher courses alongside undergraduate students, tuition-complimentary. Scholars who take and pass these courses tin earn college credit. (See page 10 of the Loftier School Curriculum Guide.)

What are other ways I tin make my college awarding stand out by attention SA HSLA?

By excelling in our advanced curricula, and taking advantage of our intensive Saturday prep programme, you will brand a compelling argument that you lot are prepare for higher level work. But that is not all that selective colleges consider. Subsequently academics, the next nearly important factors are a student's leadership and personal character, which is evaluated through your extracurricular resume.

To support you, we have a number of opportunities within electives, clubs, and teams that help you develop as a community member and a young leader. A great style to distinguish yourself is to first a club, or accept on a leadership position in a club, have an advanced elective, or participate in the Council of Educatee Affairs. We accept college counselors who are available to yous every bit soon as you enroll at HSLA, in improver to your advisor, who can help direct you on extracurriculars.

Beyond the Curriculum

What are the arts and athletic offerings? Is there a debate team? Dance? Theater?

Currently, nosotros offer: Visual arts, photography, filmmaking, debate, chess, band, choir, theater, theater technology, conservatory and commercial dance, basketball, runway and yoga. Our Performing Arts program is thriving and very popular. Each semester features a scholar-led, sold-out operation on stage and there are numerous performing arts electives and clubs to cull from.For more about our extensive electives, clubs, and teams, see pages 45-71 in the High Schoolhouse Curriculum Guide.

How many electives practice students take in one semester? Can you switch your electives?

Underclassmen (freshmen and sophomores) volition have three electives (including academic electives like art history, computer science or engineering). Upperclassmen (juniors and seniors) have 2 electives, with an option to take a third. Much like college, students may spend the start few weeks of the year adjusting their schedule. If you would like to switch your schedule, y'all should consult with your advisor.

What types of clubs does HSLA offering? Are we able to join more than than one club? What is the procedure of making a student-led club?

Many scholars choose to bring together or outset more than one club. Clubs currently on offering include:

Afrobeats Dance • Chess and Strategy Games • Council on Scholar Affairs (COSA) •Echo A Cappella Choir • Movie Appreciation Gild • Fine Line Art Club • Finance • Gaming & Blueprint • Gay-Straight Brotherhood • Hawk Drumline • HSLA Ambassadors • HSLA Mentors • Improv Troupe • International Histrion Society • Musical Theater• National Arts Honor Club • Naturally Me • Oh Snap! Photography Gild • Ping Pong Guild • Playwriting • Pre-Med • Psychology • RockHawks (Modern Pop Band) • SA-NAN (No Adults Needed) Student Tutoring • Sketch Comedy Coiffure • Studio Squad Elite Photography • Theater • Theater Tech Crew

Typically, forming a student-led club will crave a brief description of the club, a petition with x student signatures, and identifying a staff counselor. Advisors coach and guide students, but the clubs are student-led
Exercise you take any clubs or classes that could fulfill community service?

Any student can choose to starting time a club. Currently, our Humanitarian Social club is i of the most active in the schoolhouse. They typically meet twice a month on the weekend to volunteer throughout the city.

What is the Success Academy Summer Feel?

All scholars are encouraged to apply to SA Summer Feel. Admitted participants volition have their awarding fees, plan tuition, and room and lath fully paid for past Success Academy! Scholars have the take a chance to attend collegiate, creative, and outdoor leadership opportunities both locally and beyond the country. We are very proud of our Summer Feel opportunities and take spent years curating our expansive listing. We practice not subsidize programs exterior of this list and encourage students to thoroughly review the options nosotros've identified. Find more about SA Summer Feel on page 72 of the High School Curriculum Guide.

Are there any trips?

Every twelvemonth nosotros add together more and more trips! Before the pandemic, we visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Brooklyn's Waste Management Handling Middle for our Ecology Engineering course, the NY Federal Reserve, Chicago on Broadway and others. We too have monthly advisory competitions where the winning advisory groups can choose their team's outing. Some have gone to family unit dinners, ice skating, the movies and more! We even sent a lucky group of sophomores to Chatsworth in England, where they met the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire!

What is the civilisation like among students and between students and adults?

Cultivating a warm and supportive learning environment is a superlative priority at SA HSLA. Scholars form friendships across grades and cheer for each other's accomplishments, going the extra mile to help each other succeed. Adults at SA HSLA focus on leading by example and encourage scholars to abet for themselves and ask for help when needed.

Are SA loftier schools diverse?

We strive to establish an inclusive and welcoming customs in our high schools, with teachers and staff coming from all backgrounds and scholars coming from across the city, who take a wide range of lived experiences. Our Summer Experience programs ensure scholars have a crucial opportunity to engage with peers from different races, socio-economic backgrounds, and experiences on college campuses across the country.

SA schools are located in many different neighborhoods across NYC, and primarily enroll students from their neighborhoods. Our scholars represent the populations — and variety — of their neighborhoods. In Harlem, the Bronx and parts of Queens and Brooklyn, our schools enroll primarily students of colour. In neighborhoods with more of a mix of racial and ethnic groups, our schools tend to exist more diverse. Scholars from all parts of the urban center enroll in our high schools.

General

Who can become to HSLA? Is in that location a minimum GPA requirement for 8th graders in gild to be accustomed?

Every SA middle schooler who passes graduation requirements has a guaranteed identify at an SA high school. To graduate from center schoolhouse, scholars must complete four years of coursework in English, mathematics, sciences, history, and electives (two courses per yr). Completion of a course is contingent upon a scholar earning a cumulative grade of seventy% or higher. Seventh and eighth graders must besides pass certain Regents exams with a minimum scaled score of 65%; Global History & Geography in grade 7 and Algebra I, Living Environment, and English language Linguistic communication Arts in course eight. They must likewise earn passing grades in each of their four core academic classes. Run across our Family Handbook for more than.

How many SA high schools are there?

There will be three loftier schools next twelvemonth:

Our Manhattan high school is on 33rd St. and Park Artery, right next to the 6 railroad train.
Our Harlem loftier school is on 129th and Amsterdam and is correct virtually the i railroad train.
Our new Brooklyn high school location is not yet approved, but we expect it will be in the building where SA Ditmas Park MS is at 72 Veronica Place, betwixt Nostrand and Bedford Avenues, just a few blocks from the Church Artery subway terminate for the #iv or #ii train, or the B49 or B35 motorcoach routes.

What materials do I need to buy for the first day of schoolhouse?

All students showtime the year with a high school starter kit that includes notebooks, pens and pencils and other necessary materials. High school uniforms will demand to be purchased to begin the school year.

What does the outcome policy look like?

The consequence policies adjust every bit students matriculate from underclassmen (freshmen and sophomores) to upperclassmen (juniors and seniors). Underclassmen follow a similar Kickboard claim/demerits system constitute in our center schools that lead to detention. Upperclassmen do not earn merits/demerits, just may earn detention for egregious behaviors. Scholars are required to abide by the SA Honor Code, which ways they are well-behaved, honorable and honest, on and off school campus. Scholars who discover violations of our Honor Lawmaking are expected to come up forrad. Those who witness violations merely practice not come forward are besides subject to disciplinary activity.

In an increasingly global earth that our kids will work in anytime, many of us would like to see foreign languages offered in eye school. Can you lot delight share your latest thinking on this?

We too believe in multilingualism. Our founder lived in France and studied French for many years. Information technology is not a question of belief.  It is far more than businesslike.  Nosotros find it difficult to find splendid linguistic communication instructors.  In Europe in that location is a tradition of teaching foreign languages and considerable expertise.  That is non true in the U.Due south.  So instead, nosotros focus on what nosotros can exercise excellently. We find that pragmatically the language we can do well is computer science and so that is our focus.

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Source: https://www.successacademies.org/education-blog/success-academy-high-school-of-the-liberal-arts-frequently-asked-questions/