Do you have questions about the application process, enrollment, sports, homework and more? Here are some answers to ten frequently-asked questions about Tamiscal!

1. How many students attend Tamiscal High School?

Answer: We are full when we have 114 students; this includes 24 students in our junior year experiential program, TEAM and 90 independent study students.

2. How do I apply to Tamiscal High School?

Answer:  It depends on where you are coming from. If you are a student in the Tamalpais Union High School District, you need to go to your counselor and let her know that you are interested in this transfer. Your counselor knows what kind of student is usually successful at Tamiscal and will advise you about whether or not you are likely to be successful here. Our students need to show a lot of motivation, self-direction, a history of completing homework assignments and an ability to read well and write.

If your counselor thinks you are a good candidate, a referral will be made. You need to write a letter to our principal, Sue Hall, stating why you want to attend Tamiscal, what particular strengths you have, why you believe Tamiscal is a good placement for you, etc. Give this letter to your counselor who will include it with the referral form.

Once your referral is received, it will be reviewed and if it appears that you are a good candidate, you will be scheduled for an interview (along with your parent). At the interview, you and your parents will be given the opportunity to ask questions and answer questions. You will be told at the interview whether or not you are accepted. You will also have a tour of the school at that time.

3. I have heard that there is a long waiting list at Tamiscal. How long could I expect to wait?

Answer:  Tamiscal usually DOES have a waiting list , but it isn’t always a long one. The easiest time to apply and get accepted is in the spring of the year for the following fall because we always graduate about 40 or so seniors. This means that every spring we have approximately 40 openings. During the school year the waiting list can be long and it isn’t unusual for students to have to wait until the next fall to be admitted.

4. I am a student who has not done much homework because I haven’t felt interested in school. I know I could do much better if I went to a school such as Tamiscal where I would be motivated. Do I have a chance to get in?

Answer: All applicants are considered who appear to have the necessary skills to be successful here.  Most often students who have a history of not completing homework assignments are asked to demonstrate for at least two grading periods what they can do when they put in the effort.  A student who makes a sincere effort and demonstrates the ability to complete assignments over an extended period of time is often given a chance to try Tamiscal.

5. Why is doing homework such an important part of being considered for Tamiscal?

Answer: Independent Study really means “independent” work. As a student at Tamiscal, you are expected to take your assignments and work on your own with teacher guidance. You are given a week’s worth of homework at one time and are expected to manage your time and come back the next week with all the work completed. Students who have not kept up with daily homework assignments are rarely ready to manage a week’s worth of work at a time.

Most important, attendance at Tamiscal is computed by the amount of homework done. If you come to your appointments and classes but don’t bring homework, then for attendance purposes you have cut a week of school!

6. Can I play sports at my previous district high school if I transfer to Tamiscal?

Answer: Yes, you can.

7. Can I graduate from my previous high school if I attend Tamiscal?

Answer: No. Students who attend Tamiscal receive a Tamiscal diploma. A student in good standing at Tamiscal may apply to walk in the graduation ceremony at their former high school. The procedure is to have a meeting with Sue Hall to verify good standing and then write a letter prior to June 1 to your former principal requesting to walk in the ceremony. Before approving your request, your former principal will want to meet with you to be certain that you are in good standing there and that you are committing to attend graduation practices.

8. Can I just attend Tamiscal for half of my senior year and then return to my previous high school  to graduate with a diploma from there?

Answer: Usually not. There are rare exceptions. As Tamiscal usually has a waiting list for full-time students wishing to stay until they graduate, a student wanting to come for only one semester would not be given priority. Also, colleges would not look favorably on attending two different high schools in your senior year. Occasionally a student who has been in an accident and who is unable to attend their comprehensive high school full time has come to Tamiscal during their recovery period and then returned once they are healthy enough to do so. A reason such as that would be about the only reason to do this.

9. Will attending Tamiscal High School adversely affect my college acceptances?

Answer: There is no evidence that it will. Tamiscal students have been admitted to some of the top schools in the country in the past seven years. Our students have gone to UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, UC San Diego, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, Stanford, Brown, Wesleyan, Bryn Mawr, NYU, many of the CSUs, Reed College, Lewis & Clark College, U of Oregon, USC, and many others.

10.  Does Tamiscal offer all the classes I need to graduate from high school?

Answer: Yes, but there is a qualifier here. We offer everything that is needed for a high school diploma, but not everything that is needed to gain entrance to a university. Tamiscal students typically take their advanced foreign language classes at COM or their comprehensive high school. Likewise, upper level lab sciences such as Chemistry, Physics, AP Biology etc. should be taken at COM or the comprehensive high schools. Our counselor is willing to help students work out a schedule that works for students to attend two schools; you just need to be prepared to be flexible. CLICK HERE to see a list of courses offered at Tamiscal.

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Tamiscal Independent Study High School
Tel: (415) 945-3750 • Fax: (415) 945-3752
email: Email Tamiscal

updated February 5, 2007