theSMARTprogram

2008 Application Now Available
English PDF Microsoft Word
Spanish PDF Microsoft Word

SMART SELECTION PROCESS

Qualifying Criteria
Students must be fourth graders attending public schools when applying to theSMARTprogram. Additionally, families must live in San Francisco and qualify for low-income status, based on the B.A.S.I.C. Fund scholarship guidelines. Students and families must meet each of these requirements to be considered for acceptance to theSMARTprogram.

The selection process consists of five stages.

STAGE 1: Referrals
SMART targets public school teachers and community-based organizations for student referrals. Referrals are due mid-February.

STAGE 2: Application to Summerbridge Day School
In 2006, SMART and Summerbridge Day School began working together to provide two-year summer program and after-school support before students begin their private middle school experience. Candidates must apply to Summerbridge Day School before being considered for a SMART scholarship. Applications are available in January and due mid-March.

STAGE 3: Orientation
Families interested must attend a separate orientation session in early March. During this session, questions concerning the SMART program, and specifically the selection process, are answered and supplemental applications are handed out. All families must present verification of their household income in order to be considered for a scholarship. Students who best meet program expectations and criteria will be invited to participate in stage 4.

STAGE 4: Interviews and Assessments
The fourth stage includes 20-30 of the students whose applications best meet our programmatic guidelines. Each student and parent/guardian chosen to move on to Stage 4 will be scheduled to attend ONE Saturday session in late April, a three-four hour workshop that will include fun and cooperative group activities, and short language arts and math tests.

STAGE 5: Private School Application Process
Sixteen to twenty students move to the final stage, which entails weekly workshops at SMART during the fifth grade fall, and applying to a few private schools with whom we partner during the winter. When a student receives an acceptance letter from one of these schools in March, the family is officially in theSMARTprogram. Students who do not find placement in one of our partner schools do not become members of theSMARTprogram community.

home | about us | staff | the program | application
students | alumni | volunteers | development
calendar | location | contact us