Last night First Lady Michelle Obama gave a very moving speech about both she and the President that was quite misleading in regard to their childhood opportunities.  I knew that he was raised by his grandparents after he returned from Indonesia where, in spite of the struggles Michelle described, his grandmother had been a vice president with Bank of Hawaii already for 7 years.  There, he was a student at one of the most prestigious private schools in Hawaii, Punahou (current tuition, subsidized by their sizable endowment, is $19,200 a year).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madelyn_Dunham
http://www.punahou.edu/page.cfm?p=1530

What I did not know, is that her own precollegiate education was also very different from what was being described.  A Chicago public 7-12 school where 98% are admitted to four-year colleges?  I did not know that there was such a school.  I deeply believe that all districts with more than a few schools should have such a thing (a genuine opportunity for serious, academically-inclined students of any income level - Whitney High in our area, Stuyvesant or Bronx Science in New York, and the like).  Ironically, liberal-minded public education leaders are deeply offended by such schools and work for their demise or, in their words, to not be so discriminatory against underrepresented minorities (such as Michelle Obama).

Wayne

http://www.wyoung.org/admissions_process.jsp

Choosing a high school is important.
Choosing the Right High School is Crucial!
WHITNEY YOUNG HIGH SCHOOL IS RIGHT FOR YOU!

Whitney M. Young Magnet High School has a long tradition of offering a rigorous college prep curriculum to Chicago's most academically advanced students. We currently offer  94 Honors courses as well as 28 Advanced Placement courses. We take great pride in preparing our students for admission to the most prestigious universities and colleges in the nation. Last year, 98% of the graduating seniors were accepted to four year colleges.
 
For 7th grade admission information please click here .
 
 

The application period for incoming 9th grade students will begin early October.  Please visit the Office of Access and Enrollment website at www.cpsoae.org for further information.

 
Freshman Admission:  Apply to Whitney M. Young Magnet High School through the Selective Enrollment High School admissions process:
 
The Selective Enrollment High Schools selection process is based on a point system, with a maximum of 900 points. Criteria for selection is based on an application score that balances entrance exam results with standardized test scores and final classroom grades. The application score consists of:
-- The entrance exam (33 1/3% or 300 points)
-- 7th grade reading and math test results (33 1/3% or 300 points)
-- 7th grade reading, math, science and social studies grades (33 1/3% or 300 points)
 
THE APPLICATION PERIOD BEGINS EARLY OCTOBER!