How to Get Your Child Into an LAUSD Magnet School: A step by step guide

The 2018-2019 Choices Application is now available. Here's a step-by-step guide to getting your child into a magnet school:

1. The first thing you need to do is determine your objective. Do you want your child to be admitted this year, or do you just want to accumulate wait list points?

2. If your goal is wait list points, then use the Choices Brochure to look for schools that have few openings and received lots of applications. This will maximize your chance of not getting in.

3. If your goal is admission, then you must next determine what school(s) you would like your child to attend. This means you should go on tours, speak with families whose children attend the schools you're considering, and learn everything you can about the school to figure out which school(s) would be the best fit for your child and your family.

4. Once you know what school(s) you will apply to, you can complete the Choices Application.

5. If you are only applying to accumulate wait list points, apply to only one school, and check "no" when asked if you want your child's name shared with other schools in the event he or she is wait listed.

6. If you are applying with the goal of admission, the decision of how many schools to apply to is more complicated. If you have a second and/or third choice that you would be fine with, you should probably list them, but if you feel strongly that your child would do best at your first choice school and you believe there is a good chance he or she would be admitted off the wait list, then you might not want to list a second school. (Your child would only be wait listed at your first choice school if he or she does not get into your second or third choice school.)

7. Double check all of the information on your application before you submit it.

8. When you receive the application confirmation letter, be sure to check for any errors, especially any errors regarding points. If you find an error, be sure to follow the instructions in the letter to correct it.

9. If your child is admitted to a school you want him or her to attend, congratulations! Be sure to follow the instructions in the admittance letter to accept the spot.

If you want more detailed information on getting your child into a magnet school, check out my e-book, LAUSD Magnets Handbook: A Guide to Getting Your Child into an LAUSD Magnet School, which is just $2.99 at Amazon!