Interviewing High Schools

Please take look at the list of questions for the elementary and middle school interviews as many questions will be the same. 
http://smartercaliforniakids.blogspot.com/2011/09/questions-for-deciding-between.html
There are unique aspects to interviewing high schools listed here.

Things to do:

• Review materials from high schools: website, articles, informational CDs, catalogs.
• Make an appointment for your student to shadow in the classroom, some allow 7^th graders to shadow.
• Have your student develop a list: ‘most important things a high school has for me’.
• Prioritize this list.
• Develop a parental list of most important aspects of a high school.
• Interview current and past students.

Questions:

Location

Commute time

Mass transit possibilities

Setting of the school, conducive to studying

Number of students: whole school/grade

Number of students per classroom

What are the extra-curriculars?

What are the clubs?

What are the sports?

How competitive are the sports programs?

Are there individual and team sports?

How are those not on a team encouraged in athletics?

What are the required courses?

What are the elective courses?

What are the AP courses?

What are the entrance criteria for AP or honors classes?

What are the AP tracks?

How academically competitive is the atmosphere?

What is the social environment: competitive, supportive, etc?

What do you know about the current student body?

What are the rituals of the school?

How are students encouraged to be active parts of the school community?

Do students feel heard?

What do the school newspapers tell you about the school?

What are the expectations of behavior?

How many college counselors?

What percentage of the student body goes to four year colleges?

What percentage are accepted into their first choice college?

What is the testing philosophy?

How is security handled?

How are drugs on campus handled?

Are there ways in which the school deals with student stress?