Seat grants vs choice ranking

[T.G.]

Hey fellow parents!

My question is about how ranking affects offers. In the question, I’ll refer to two SE programs — a more competitive program ‘A’ and a less competitive program ‘B’.

I’ve always heard that if a student was interested in two competing programs, they would want to select the most competitive ahead of the less competitive. This makes sense to me. If the student scored high enough to get into ‘A’, having that program listed first would grant a seat there. However, if ‘B’ were listed first, the system would grant the student a seat in ‘B’ and stop considering choices even though the student scored high enough to make it into ‘A’.

My question is about possible risks of missing out on a seat in ‘B’ because they had put ‘A’ as their first choice. Can you tell me if this scenario is possible? Our student lists their choices as #1-A, #2-b. However, they didn’t score high enough to make it into A. At the same time, there were many other kids who put ‘B’ as their first choice. The system looks at these ‘rank B first’ kids and assigns them seats in B and that program fills up. So, our student misses out for a seat in B even though they scored higher than some of the ‘rank B first’ kids. The take-away here would be that it’s unwise to list more competitive programs first because you might miss out on a less competitive program to students who might have scored lower, but listed it first. To ask it another way, will a program seat ever be offered to a student who scored fewer points than a student who scored more points but listed the program lower on their list?

Does that make sense? Is it possible or do I have that wrong?

Thanks!

[ES]

Before any offers are made, all students who tested are ranked first. Those who are higher in rank are made offers before lower ranked students. So, if a higher ranked student did not score high enough for program “A”, they will be considered for their 2nd, 3rd, and so on choices and will be made offers before the computer moves on to the lower ranked students. So, no, you are not risking program “B” by putting program “A” as your first choice.

 

[chicagoschooloptions]

This is from page 15 & 48 of this helpful doc: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lxIrTjYrRjk01Iz8ETxgzs_90xswuYm8/view

TIER PROCESS: Selective Enrollment Elementary Schools
For the entry-grade levels at Selective Enrollment Elementary Schools, the first 30% of available seats at each school are filled strictly according to the student’s admissions exam scores (for Classical Schools and Regional Gifted
Centers) or final points (for Academic Centers); the seats are filled by the top-scoring students. The remaining seats are equally distributed among the four tiers and are filled by the highest-scoring students in each tier. In non-entry level grades, students are selected on the basis of their admissions exam scores or final points alone; there is no tier
consideration.

SELECTION QUESTIONS
How are students selected?
Applicants for the Regional Gifted Centers and Classical Schools are selected based on their admissions exam score, and applicants for the Academic Centers are selected based on a point system. Students who earn a score below 115 may not be considered potential candidates for a Regional Gifted Center seat. Students who earn a score below the 75th percentile in either reading or mathematics or both may not be considered potential
candidates for a Classical Schools seat. Selection for all applicants is in accordance with the admissions policy for magnet, selective enrollment and other GoCPS programs.

If my child is not selected, is it possible for her to be selected later?
Yes. After the seats at each school are filled, eligible non-selected students will remain in an applicant pool. This is not a traditional waiting list, where students are assigned numbers – students are ranked by score in the applicant pool. If your child declines an offer or does not receive an offer, they will remain in the applicant pool and has a
chance to receive an offer in a later selection round.

[Author]

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