Demographics at HSAS: A More Diverse Student Body

Syeda Ahmed Grade 10, Staff Writer and Theo Bonin, Grade 9, Staff Writer

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HSAS has seen fluctuating yet notable demographic shifts over the past decade, emerging as one of the more inclusive and diverse specialized high schools in New York City, with White, Asian, and Hispanic students compromising more than 20% of the student body each. Common Sense looks at the progress made and what remains for HSAS to be on the right track. 

Our school hasn’t always been the “melting pot” of sorts it is today. 

According to the https://data.nysed.gov/ site, in 2013-2014, white students made up 53% of the school, compared to 22% Asian and 15% Hispanics/Latinos. The remaining identified ethnicities each numbered under 10% including African Americans. By 2018-2019, the gap widened, with White students nearly tripling the number of Asian students and outnumbering Hispanic students five to one.

After 2018-2019, HSAS began to see changes. 

By 2023-2024, the percentage of white students declined, Hispanics/Latino students rose from 10% to 21% and the number of African American students more than doubled. Additionally, 38% of the student body is designated Title I, economically disadvantaged, a number up from 25% five years earlier.

It’s evident that for years, specialized high school admissions mirrored the same exclusion as that of Ivy League university admissions.  However, government funded programs like Discovery have aided HSAS and other specialized high schools become more inclusive. 

“This Discovery Program is an alternative admissions program that  takes in students that, if they could have done expensive test prep, probably would have been admitted following the test only route,” shares Mr. Elinson who organized the summer admissions program until 2023. 

He adds that the students admitted through Discovery are “students who mirror the school’s population.”

By giving students of differing socioeconomic backgrounds the opportunity to earn admission through effort and potential–not simply by financial means–the Discovery program aims to prevent any single demographic from dominating the school, as has been the case in earlier years.

Greater inclusivity, driven by the Discovery program and initiatives like DREAM’s free SHSAT prep, has positively affected HSAS and other specialized high schools. 

Mr. Elinson observes that uneven distribution of demographics often leads to prejudice and misunderstandings against others, while a balance of backgrounds creates schools that better reflect NYC’s diversity. 

“By having a greater balance,” he notes, “you actually have less unintentional obnoxiousness, and greater empathy” towards students that are less familiar.  

A more diverse student body, which is hopefully where HSAS is headed, fosters respect and a healthier, more enriching learning environment. 

 HSAS students on their way to class.