William Alexander Middleschool
7th Grade Guidance Information
Mr. Sterlis & Mr. Delorenzo grade 7 Administrative team
Outside Academic Opportunities
Below is a list of independent programs which offer academic opportunities to select students throughout NYC. All of these programs will have specific requirements for admission; academic, ethnic and/or financial. The mission of these programs is to provide opportunities for academic and personal growth. Some may assist your child in applying for boarding schools, others in providing summer academic intensives.
We encourage you to view each website for eligibility. If you are interested and qualify for any of the programs, please speak with your child’s guidance counselor. Programs may require parents to register online.
PREP for PREP 9
PREP 9 helps the brightest and most hardworking African American and Latino students in New York City prepare for success at leading independent boarding schools across the Northeast. Current 7th grade students apply to PREP 9 for entry into boarding schools in 9th grade.
Applications/Nominations to Prep for Prep are encouraged for students who meet the following criteria:
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Of African American and Latino students
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Currently in sixth grade attending a New York City area public, charter, or parochial school;
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Student must have a scale score of 460 or above in NYS ELA exam OR a 465 or above NYS Math Exam during the prior school year
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Average 90% or above or mostly 4’s on 6th grade final report card
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Has stellar attendance and punctuality
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Reserved for students who demonstrate high financial need (family income and financial need)
https://www.prepforprep.org/admissions/prep-9-
DREAM Specialized High School Institute (SHSI)
DREAM-SHSI is a Saturday and summer academic program that prepares eligible 7th grade New York City public school students to take the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) in the 8th grade.
Eligibility Requirements
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To be eligible for DREAM-SHSI students must meet all of the criteria below in part A and part B. Eligible students are contacted by their schools and through mailed letters to the student’s address.
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Students from all New York City school districts are eligible if they meet income and academic requirements.
Part A
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Be a current NYC resident
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Be enrolled in the seventh grade in a DOE public or charter school
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Score a minimum of 3.2 or above on both the 2024 grade 6 New York State Math Test and grade 6 New York State ELA Test.
Part B
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Live and attend school in NYC school districts 1, 2, 3 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31 and attend a school that has an economic needs index above 63%
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Live and attend school in NYC school districts 1, 2, 3 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31, and meet income requirements based on federal guidelines, as informed by the family income inquiry form, completed by families for their schools in the fall. If you believe your child qualifies through this means but have not been contacted by DREAM, then you can fill out this supplemental eligibility survey here with your child’s information.
For questions, please email SHSI@schools.nyc.gov.
Oliver Scholar's Program
The Oliver Scholars journey begins with the recruitment of highly motivated 7th grade candidates from public schools and parochial schools in New York City. We work with students for 14 months in our Scholar Immersion and Placement (SIP) program, and ultimately place them in 9th grade at high-performing NYC independent college preparatory day schools and boarding schools across the country. SIP’s curriculum mirrors that of a typical independent school.
Summer Program I serves rising 8th grade students, supporting them along the path to independent school admission, including test preparation and application support in addition to ongoing academic enrichment. Summer Program II, our capstone program for SIP, which is designed to acclimate students to the rigor and independent schools.
Students must meet all of the following criteria in order to be nominated for our Program:
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Black and Latinx students in 7th grade
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90% overall GPA
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3 or 4 on NYS standardized tests
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Demonstrates leadership potential through school involvement
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NYC resident www.oliverscholars.org
Dream Chasers
DREAMChasers is a free tutoring and mentorship program for the New York City Specialized High School Test (SHSAT). This program provides seventh grade students from low-income and underrepresented backgrounds with greater access to quality education with the goal of improving their prospects of attending a NYC specialized high school. Students will receive eleven months of test preparation and over 300 hours of tutoring from Khan’s Tutorial.
Eligibility
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A 7th grade middle school student as of January 1, 2024
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New York City resident
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Available to attend weekly classes on Fridays from 4:30pm to 7:00pm and Saturdays from 10:00am to 2pm.
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Willing to commit to taking the 2023 New York City Specialized High School Admissions Test
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Living in a household that qualifies for government assistance from New York State government.
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Friday classes will be held virtually while Saturday and summer classes will be held in-person.