This Fresno school is one of the best in the nation. Here’s how to enroll your child

U.S. News and World Report recently said University High School, a music-based charter school in Fresno, was among the top 100 schools in the United States.

During the 2018/19 school year, more than 98% of graduates performed well on state language arts testing, and more than 87% met or exceeded state mathematics standards, according to the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress.

So, how do parents enroll their children in one of the region’s most competitive schools? The short answer is: play music and get a little lucky.

Students are required to have a minimum of two years of musical experience to qualify for the annual freshman admissions lottery, according to Jeffie Hickman, the school’s principal, and superintendent.

“Every charter school has their thing. Some charter schools specialize in science or STEM,” Hickman said in a recent interview with The Bee’s Education Lab. “Our school is a music school.”

Students study music history, theory, and artists throughout their time at University High School.

School-based music experience, such as playing in a marching band or singing in a school or church choir, or a formal recommendation from a private music instructor, are some of the more common ways students meet the requirement. Prospective students can also request an audition.

The school, which opened in 2000, enrolled about 488 students, according to the 2021 ranking from U.S. News and World report. Typically, the school accepts about 135 new students each year through its annual lottery.

Any remaining students who weren’t selected in the lottery are placed on a waiting list. However, Hickman said, many wait-listed students don’t have to wait long. For example, she said this year, there were about 32 students waiting for a spot to open up, and at least 16 of those students were eventually admitted.

Those who aren’t admitted right away and would still like to go to the school could apply again as a transfer student. Transfer students do not go through the lottery process again.

Instead, they are looked at individually, and if their course pattern matches UHS and they are involved with music, they have a very good chance of being admitted, Hickman said.

“As you can imagine, some students do transfer back to their home high school for various reasons. Most of the time, they miss their friends, they want to play sports, they think it’s too hard here, for various reasons,” Hickman said.

The student body at UHS is diverse, according to the website Public School Review.

“We have a reputation for being a rich white school, but we are very diverse in our different ethnic populations,” Hickman said.

About 15% of the students that attend UHS qualify for free or reduced lunch, Hickman said.

Hickman chalked up the school’s success to what she described as rigorous academics taught in small classes.

Students graduate with 24 college credits from Fresno State, and they take Latin during their freshman and sophomore years. The school also offers enrichment classes and gives students a free book once a month.

Each student’s education is also individually tailored to meet their needs.

“We also have a counseling curriculum that starts their freshman year,” Hickman said. “They get one on one counseling with our counselors, so by the time they graduate, they’ve had one-on-one counseling with their counselor and their parent every year.”

The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Read more from The Bee’s Education Lab on our website.

This story was originally published June 25, 2021 at 8:00 AM.