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tarting in the 2012-13 school year, Schechter Westchester will award a full four-year High School tuition scholarship for one non-Schechter student demonstrating high academic achievement with no prior Jewish day school background. Funded by a new donor who wishes to remain anonymous, this award will be granted annually to one new incoming 9th grader. This new award enables the school to continue to fulfill its mission of providing a superb secular and Jewish college preparatory education to as many students as possible.

Each Schechter Westchester Merit Scholar will participate in the unique Akiva program in Hebrew language and Judaic studies, with the goal of becoming mainstreamed in these subjects within two years. In addition, students will enjoy the rigorous general studies program, competitive athletics, extensive arts, and a wide range of extracurricular activities. Merit Scholar applicants may also apply to the SCI-TECH Research and Development program which combines science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in a three-year, team-based robotics and engineering curriculum.

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he dual curriculum at Schechter Westchester requires commitment, discipline and love of learning. The eight-hour school day is jam-packed with rigorous college-preparatory classes and intensive Jewish studies—and is then extended by extracurricular, leadership, and community service activities. During two months of dormitory living in Israel and Poland in their senior year, students gain additional maturity and independence that prepares them for the challenges of college academics. They prove to be campus leaders with self-sufficient living skills not often found in first-year college students.

Schechter Westchester’s academically demanding standards are evidenced by the success of our students. Last year, Schechter Westchester students scored significantly higher than the national average on the SAT college entrance exams.* Paralleling that of the best private schools, our college admissions record is impressive with our graduates attending the country’s premier colleges and universities.
 
The application process for the Schechter Westchester Merit Scholar Program will involve completion of the application form; a personal essay about why the individual is interested in attending Schechter Westchester and why they consider themselves qualified; recommendations from two teachers; a personal recommendation from an adult other than a parent; and an interview with the selection panel. For more information about the Merit Scholar Program or to start a conversation about your child’s place in our Akiva program, please contact Leora Kalikow at 914-948-8883, ext. 8149 or lkalikow@solomon-schechter.com. 

Ready to apply? Please see below to begin the process. 


* Average SAT Scores. See Schechter Westchester 2012-12 School Profile, page 2.
    
   National Mean      Schechter Westchester Mean
SAT Critical Reading 497 627
SAT Math 514 629
SAT Writing 489 641
Merit Scholar Application Process
We are pleased by your interest in Schechter Westchester High School and our Merit Scholar Program. We look forward to the possibility of teaching your child. The following outlines the application process. The application deadline is January 4, 2013.

Documentation
The following documents must be submitted in order for your application to be considered complete:
Application Deadlines
Parent Application for Admission
Parent or guardian should complete the online Parent Application and the $105 non-refundable application fee and submit as soon as possible but no later than January 4, 2013.

Student Application for Admission
The applicant should complete the online Student Application as soon as possible but no later than January 4 as well as the supplemental question.

Teachers' Recommendations
Print the applicant's name on each teacher recommendation form - English and Mathematics. Give the forms to the applicant's current English and Mathematics teachers with a stamped envelope addressed to:

Solomon Schechter School of Westchester
555 West Hartsdale Avenue
Hartsdale, NY 10530
Attention: Office of Admissions

Adult Recommendation
Print the applicant's name on the adult recommendation form. Give the form to an adult other than your parent with a stamped envelope addressed to:

Solomon Schechter School of Westchester
555 West Hartsdale Avenue
Hartsdale, NY 10530
Attention: Office of Admissions

Confidential Recommendations and Release Forms
Please submit the Confidential Administrative Recommendation to your child's school head, principal, or guidance counselor and a signed Release for School Records and Transcript to a school official. Be sure to include stamped envelopes addressed to:

Solomon Schechter School of Westchester
555 West Hartsdale Avenue
Hartsdale, NY 10530
Attention: Office of Admissions

Both forms should be returned to us directly from the school. Current grades should be included or sent when available.

Note: A signed Release for School Records and Transcript should also be submitted to Schechter Westchester.

ISEE Standarized Test
All High School applicants must register and take the Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) as part of the admissions process. For your convenience, our Upper School campus, 555 West Hartsdale Avenue, Hartsdale, NY, is a test site for the administration of this exam on the following Sundays at 10:00 a.m. throughout the fall and winter. For the upcoming year, the test is scheduled for the following dates:

October 28, 2012
November 11, 2012
December 2, 2012
January 6, 2013

The ISEE Student Guide registration information is available online. When communicating with the Educational Records Bureau (ERB) regarding this test, please use the Schechter Westchester school code 336601.

Interivew/School Visit
All applicants must meet with the Upper School Director of Admissions for an on-campus interview. Finalists for the Merit Scholar Program must also meet with the High School Principal and Assistant Principal. We will call you to schedule an interview when your file is complete. We also strongly recommend that applicants spend a day in the High School shadowing a current student on the same day as the interview.

Transportation
Parents are responsible for contacting their local school district to ascertain if busing is available for your child. Contact your district before April 1st to sign up for busing regardless of whether or not you have been informed yet of acceptance. If your district does not provide free transportation, we offer private busing to and from the following locations, for an additional fee: Chappaqua, New Rochelle, Rye, White Plains, Yonkers, Closter, Cresskill, Paramus, Teaneck, Rockland County, Orange County, Riverdale, Greenwich and Stamford.

Schechter Westchester is not responsible for arranging transportation service for your child. We will, however, be happy to assist you in any way possible. Please contact Eileen Davids at 914-948-8333 ext. 8119 if you are interested in private options.

We look forward to meeting you and your child and working with you in the months and years ahead.