Applying to the Manual J&C magnet

 

Click here for the latest admissions information on Manual’s website.

So you’ve decided on the Journalism & Communication magnet, and want to give yourself the best chance. As the teachers on the magnet application committee, here’s our most common advice for applicants:

• Start early! Manual is a competitive school, so you want to give yourself enough time to make a top notch application. 
• We look at sixth and seventh grade information, but your eighth grade year is most important. If it were our own children applying, we would advise them (starting as soon as possible!) to avoid absences, develop relationships with teachers, demonstrate their abilities whenever they can, take challenging classes, keep their grades up, and get involved in their schools and communities.
• We like to see experience, but many students come to us from schools without a journalism club or program for you to join. We understand. Explain that to us in your essay and/or Activities and Interest Survey and consider other ways you have demonstrated your abilities and interests. For example, do you blog? Take photos? Make videos for fun? Do you like to write stories? Make websites? Do you take on leadership roles? Are you creative?
• You’re able to submit past examples of your work, or you can create new work just to show us what you can do. 
• How can you make your essay stand out from the rest while still answering the prompt?