Helping Students Navigate High School Admissions

On September 21, BEAM hosted its annual High School Information Session to help BEAM 8th graders and their families navigate the New York City high school admissions process.

BEAM staff broke down the application process step by step, while four BEAM high schoolers talked about their admissions experiences.

Hawa, who is now in 9th grade at Beacon High School, told BEAM students: "Keep in contact with the BEAM staff because they will help you if you have an issue. When I was applying to Beacon, I almost did not apply, but because the BEAM staff helped me with my mailing, I was able to get accepted."

What’s next for BEAM 8th graders?

BEAM staff are meeting one-on-one with 8th graders and their families to develop their lists of prospective high schools. (BEAM offers advising in Spanish, Chinese, and English.)

Since August, students have also been taking Saturday classes to prepare for the SHSAT and to work on writing admissions essays for selective high schools.

 BEAM staff will also be taking students on school visits soon, and will review students’ final school rankings with them before they are submitted in December.

 For families who missed the High School Information Session, another session is planned for November.

BEAM's Fall Newsletter has arrived!

Today, BEAM's quarterly newsletter arrived in the inboxes of all our subscribers. The newsletter features:

• An introduction to BEAM Summer Away at Harvey Mudd College, our sixth summer site

• An invitation to BEAM’s Puzzles and Trivia Night

• A recap of College Prep Week

• Staff Picks: recommendations from staff members about what to read, watch, listen to, and more

• Recent accomplishments of BEAM students

• Slightly mathy trivia from last year’s Puzzles and Trivia Night for you to try out!

Missed it? You can read the newsletter now.

Make sure you don’t miss the next one! Sign up for our quarterly newsletter.

BEAM College Prep Week

BEAM alumni, (clockwise from top left) Ana, Ariel, John, Crisleidy, and Quentin, speak with BEAM 11th and 12th graders about college admissions and college life.

During College Prep Week, BEAM alumni offered great advice for the gathered 11th and 12th graders about getting into and through college.

Here’s just a little bit of what they said:

Question — What’s one piece of advice you wish you’d had while you were applying to colleges?

• Get someone who doesn’t know you to read your essay; it can be uncomfortable but it made my essay better.

• Find a set time and dedicate it to college stuff (like Thursday office hours at BEAM).

• The library is your best friend. Use it during free periods, after school, whenever you can.

• Don’t apply to 18 colleges.

In a week of workshops, BEAM students learned about college admissions, financial aid, choosing the right college, standardized tests, and more. Twelfth graders worked on college essays.

Oh, and there was Jeopardy!

Vanessa said about College Prep Week, “I learned about FAFSA, CSS, TAP, QuestBridge, and how BEAM will help me. I feel more prepared to approach the college process."

Thank you BEAM supporters!

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to BEAM!

Now that our summer programs are over, our students would like to tell you what they accomplished.

“I solved a lot of challenge problems with my friends.” —Ruth, BEAM Discovery

“I solved 12 problems in the 100 Problem Challenge.” — Vernon, BEAM Discovery

“I learned some coding and got WAY better at it. BEAM made me love math and realize my passion for it!” —Mia, BEAM Discovery

“This is my first ever program and I loved it! I’m glad that you helped support BEAM.” —Hayden, BEAM Discovery

“BEAM helped me see math in a whole different way. THANKS.” —Sanjana, BEAM Discovery

“BEAM is a glowing star.” (left) —Estefani, BEAM Discovery

“BEAM is out of this world.” (right) —Allison, BEAM Discovery

Activities at Beam Discovery

Activities at BEAM Discovery’s Downtown site is one of the ways we unwind and socialize with each other. During Week 3 we were able to take great pictures of students and staff having a great time.

Basketball

Yu-Gi-Oh! Tournament

Kickball

Friendship Bracelet Making

A Day at BEAM Discovery

So what exactly happens at BEAM Discovery? Here’s a look at a typical day, featuring photos from BEAM Discovery’s Downtown NYC campus!

The morning starts with breakfast, followed by morning classes. BEAM believes in choice, so students pick classes, which might be “Beating Sherlock” or “Fractions, Puzzles, and Games.”

After class, students have an hour of Open Math Time, time where they can work on any math they choose, individually or in groups. They make sure to complete required PSets (problem sets) from class, and they can then explore challenges (the Problem of the Week or the 100 Problem Challenge), math books, coding websites, the Art of Problem Solving, and more.

After class, it’s on to activities! BEAM students get their choice of sports, board games, arts and crafts, and other creative activities. Recent hits included how to solve a Rubik’s cube, origami, anime club, and relay tic-tac-toe.

After activities, it’s off to lunch. BEAM pays for catered lunch from local restaurants every day. These photos are from empanada Thursday!

Most days, the afternoon block features an exact repeat of the morning block: class, open math time, activities. But one day each week, we have special afternoons, which feature Relays, a team-based math competition where students solve math challenges with some silliness mixed in. A recent problem required students to hum a tune their judge would recognize before they gave their math answer!

When the day wraps up, students join their travel groups to take the subway home and relax and recharge so their brains are fresh for another day at BEAM!

BEAM Discovery Week 1 Survey Highlights

With Week 1 of BEAM Discovery finished here at the Downtown site, we’ve taken time to distribute and review surveys from students on how the program’s been going for them. These surveys are anonymous and ask about the classes they’re taking, Open Math Time, and other aspects of the program like activities and general concerns. It’s always great to hear straight from the students, so we’ve compiled ten excerpts from the Week 1 Surveys at BEAM Discovery Downtown.

What is good about the class?

”Ron clearly explains things about what we’re learning, and if we don’t understand he explains it to us.”

What would you like to change about the class?

“I won’t really change anything because I like the class just the way it is.”

What do you think of Open Math Time?

“Eat, Work, Talk”

Have you been able to get everything done that you want to get done?

“Yes I have. I had to perservere (persevere) for this.”

Have you been able to get everything done that you want to get done?

“Yea because I feel confident in myself.”

What do you think of Open Math Time?

“I think it’s great because you get to do more math.”

What do you think of Open Math Time?

“I really like open math time because it gives me time to do the 100 problem challenge.”

Any other comments on your logical reasoning course?

“It is confusing, making it exciting + (and) my favorite course.”

Do you have any other comments on the program?

“It is a very unique program.”

What is good about the class?

“This class is pretty interesting and also hard but easy”

What would you like to change about the class?

“Nothing”

What is good about the class?

“You get to see stuff you never see before.”

What would you like to change about the class?

“Nothing.”

What is good about the class?

“the way Manix he explains really good and he make sure everyone understands. Also he comes up with interesting problem.”

Do you have any other comments on the program?

“That BEAM is AMAZING”