rank schools in the order that you like them

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By Joyce Szuflita
Want to know how to rank your prek list.? It is as easy as this: RANK SCHOOLS IN THE ORDER THAT YOU LIKE THEM (and don't be delusional).

You will be placed in the school that you like the best that has room according to the geographic priorities in the directory.
Standard Admissions Priorities for District Schools.

  1. Students residing in the zone, who will have a sibling at the school in grades K-5 in September 2016.*

  2. Students residing in the zone, who do not have a sibling at the school.*

  3. Students residing in the district, who will have a sibling at the school, and who have no zoned school or whose zoned school has no pre-K program.

  4. Students residing in the district, who will have a sibling at the school, and who are zoned to a different school which has a pre-K program.

  5. Students residing in the borough, who will have a sibling at the school.

  6. Students residing out-of-borough, who will have a sibling at the school.

  7. Students residing in the district, who have no zoned school or whose zoned school has no pre-K program.

  8. Students residing in the district, who are zoned to a different school which has a pre-K program.

  9. Students residing in the borough.

  10. Students residing out-of-borough.

*Does not apply to non-zoned schools.

This matching process is called the 'medical school match' - so all you Drs can stop reading now.
This process was designed by two guys who won the Nobel Prize in economics. Most matching systems give prominence to your first choice. You need to put your 'best chance' at #1 because all placements happen from the first choice. BUT you don't get the big money for designing this kind of screwed up match.

What they did was to design an algorithm that allows you to rank choices in your true order of preference without being disadvantaged by putting a long shot high or your sure thing low. People ask me how many schools they need to list? Listing 12 long shots will NOT guarantee you a seat. Listing a solid array of schools that took people close to your priority for the school last year will help you find a placement. Don't be delusional. You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might find, you get what you need. Sound familiar? Mick Jagger gives good prek advice.