Admissions FAQ

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Below are the answers to many frequently asked questions LASA receives around our application process. LASA updates these questions regularly. For more generic questions about LASA and not about admissions, please visit our LASA FAQ.

AISD Common Application Questions

  • WHAT IS THIS AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

  • DO I HAVE TO COMPLETE THE AISD COMMON APPLICATION (CA) ?

    • Yes. The CA is used by all schools of choice in AISD. Students must complete this form in order to be considered for LASA.

  • IF I COMPLETE THE AISD CA, AM I DONE APPLYING TO LASA?

    • Not quite! You will be directed to the LASA Website and you must also complete the LASA Supplemental form and any other information on our site after you complete the AISD CA.

  • MY ADDRESS IN THE COMMON APPLICATION IS WRONG. HOW CAN I FIX IT?

    • If your student is attending an AISD school, please change your address with your school's front office. If your student is not currently enrolled but has an ID number, and you need to change the address, please email student number, parent photo ID, and proof of address (current gas bill, electric bill, lease, or mortgage statement) to gwen.canning@austinisd.org.

  • WHAT TIME DOES THE APPLICATION CLOSE?

    • The application closes January 13th, 2023 at 11:59 PM.

    • We recommend that you complete as much as possible of the application before leaving for Winter Break. LASA will be unable to provide assistance while AISD is closed over Winter Break and when we return in January, our response time will be heavily delayed as we process the wealth of materials anticipated to be submitted during Winter Break.

    • Remember, LASA's "admissions department" consists of two people working admissions in addition to their other full-time duties.

  • HOW CAN I GET ASSISTANCE WITH SIGNING IN TO THE AISD CA?

    • We will have 4 virtual Saturday sessions where students and parents can attend to get any help with the application from the LASA Mentoring Committee. More information on how to get the link will be posted on our Apply to LASA page soon.

      • Saturday, December 3, 2022 9am-11am

      • Saturday, December 3, 2022 1pm-3pm

      • Saturday, December 10, 2022 9am-11am

      • Saturday, December 10, 2022 1pm-3pm

    • You can also call the parent help line, 512-414-9187 Monday - Friday, 7 AM - 5 PM, for any technical help.

  • WHAT IF I MISS THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT MY APPLICATION?

    • Late applications will not be allowed.

General Application Questions

  • WHAT TIME DOES THE APPLICATION CLOSE?

    • The application closes January 13th, 2023 at 11:59 PM.

    • We recommend that you complete as much as possible of the application before leaving for Winter Break. LASA will be unable to provide assistance while AISD is closed over Winter Break and when we return in January, our response time will be heavily delayed as we process the wealth of materials anticipated to be submitted during Winter Break.

    • Remember, LASA's "admissions department" consists of two people working admissions in addition to their other full-time duties.

  • I SUBMITTED MY SUPPLEMENTAL FORM, BUT I NEED TO MAKE CHANGES. HOW DO I DO THAT?

    • Please use the link in the email receipt you received when you submitted your form. Look for an email from donotreply@lasahighschool.org with the subject line: “LASA Supplemental Material Form Receipt”.

  • I CAN’T FIND THE EMAIL TO EDIT MY PREVIOUS SUPPLEMENTAL FORM. CAN I JUST RESUBMIT THE WHOLE THING?

    • Please use the edit link in the email receipt to make edits until the deadline. If you submit more than one form we will consider the last submitted complete application and all others will be discarded. Please email LASAadmissions@austinisd.org for a copy of your edit link.

  • HOW WILL LASA SCORE MY FULL APPLICATION?

  • WHAT IF I MISS THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT MY APPLICATION?

    • Late applications will not be allowed.

  • MY STUDENT IS HOMESCHOOLED, CAN WE STILL APPLY TO LASA?

    • Students that are homeschooled apply to LASA every year. Homeschooled students, just like all other applicants, will submit an application, teacher recommendations, CogAT and grades.

  • CAN I SEE MY STUDENT’S APPLICATION SCORE?

    • LASA does not share the final score on your application.

  • IF MY CHILD DOES NOT GET ACCEPTED TO LASA, CAN I SEE MY STUDENT’S SCORES?

    • No. We are happy to visit with parents and students to provide constructive feedback on their application so students can learn where they fell short on their overall application and learn from the experience.

  • HOW DO I KNOW WHEN I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING REQUIRED TO APPLY TO LASA?

    • Status update emails will be sent out frequently leading up to the application due date, showing items as either pending or received. Pending may mean that an item has yet to be submitted, that it is yet to be processed, or that it is missing vital information. Once the only thing pending on that list is the LASA Admission Test (administered at LASA after the deadline) you are almost done! Once you have attended one of the LASA Admission Test sessions in addition to completing all checklist items, you will receive an email congratulating you on completing your application.

  • I HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY EMAILS FROM LASA ADMISSIONS. HOW CAN I GET ON YOUR EMAIL LIST?

    • LASA will send out status update emails in December. Email addresses we may use are: donotreply@lasahighschool.org, admissions@lasahighschool.org, LASAadmissions@austinisd.org. Please check your spam. If you have not submitted the AISD Common Application, listing LASA, or initiated the LASA Supplemental Materials Form, LASA does not have your email address and cannot send you emails. If you have submitted or initiated both of those forms, please check the spelling of your email and update accordingly. As a last resort, please reach out to LASAadmissions@austinisd.org and we can update your email address (in our records only) manually. LASA cannot make alterations to the AISD Common Application.

  • WE ARE INTERESTED IN APPLYING TO LASA. CAN WE SCHEDULE A TOUR?

    • Unfortunately, we are not able to offer school tours. Instead we offer three future LASA Student Information Meetings and one open house (the LASA Showcase) in the Fall (see our Calendar of Events for details) and first-come-first-serve Shadowing for our applicants, who have completed their application in the Spring. (Further information on shadowing is available here.)

Creative Project Questions

  • MY CREATIVE PROJECT IS TOO BIG TO ATTACH TO THE FORM, WHAT DO I DO?

    • Upload your creative project to a google drive. Set the share settings to "anyone with link may view". Copy-paste the link into a word document or similar and attach that document to the form.

  • I SUBMITTED MY SUPPLEMENTAL FORM, BUT I NEED TO MAKE CHANGES. HOW DO I DO THAT?

    • Please use the link in the email receipt you received when you submitted your form. Look for an email from donotreply@lasahighschool.org with the subject line: “LASA Supplemental Material Form Receipt”.

  • I CAN’T FIND THE EMAIL. CAN I JUST RESUBMIT THE WHOLE THING?

    • Please use the edit link in the email receipt to make edits until the deadline. If you submit more than one form we will consider the last submitted complete application and all others will be discarded. Please email LASAadmissions@austinisd.org for a copy of your edit link.

  • CAN WE DROP OFF OUR CREATIVE WORK IN PERSON?

    • No, please take photos, videos, etc. of your work and submit it via the application form.

Teacher Recommendation Questions

  • CAN I USE A TEACHER FROM A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO TO COMPLETE MY TEACHER RECOMMENDATION?

    • Our preference is for you to use teachers from your current grade level. This allows LASA to receive the most recent information. However, it is fine to use a teacher from a couple of years ago if you feel like they know you better.

  • WHERE CAN WE FIND THE RECOMMENDATION FORM FOR TEACHERS TO FILL OUT?

    • When parents fill out the AISD Common Application they will be prompted to provide the email addresses of up to three teachers (LASA only requires two recommendations, but other programs may ask for a third). A link to the recommendation form will be automatically sent to those teachers. Parents may return to the Common Application to see the status of that application. Once a teacher has submitted a recommendation it will show as complete.

  • THE TEACHER SAYS THEY DID NOT RECEIVE THE LINK TO THE RECOMMENDATION FORM. CAN LASA SEND IT DIRECTLY TO THEM?

    • Unfortunately not. The link is sent via the Common Application. Parents can log back onto the Common Application and re-send the email to the teacher. Before they do so, they should double check the spelling of the email. The most common reason for missing links is that either the teacher name or domain is misspelled.

  • WHICH TEACHERS CAN SUBMIT A RECOMMENDATION?

    • We ask for recommendations from teachers in your core math/science and English/social studies classes.

  • MY STUDENT DOES NOT ATTEND AN AISD SCHOOL. HOW CAN THEIR TEACHER SUBMIT A RECOMMENDATION?

    • All applicants, whether they attend an AISD school, a non-AISD school, or are homeschooled, must have an AISD Common Application on file. When parents fill out the AISD Common Application they will be prompted to provide the email addresses of up to three teachers. These teachers can be from any ISD or program. (LASA only requires two recommendations, but other programs may ask for a third). A link to the recommendation form will be automatically sent to those teachers.

  • CAN WE SUBMIT MORE THAN TWO TEACHER RECOMMENDATIONS?

  • Technically yes. But LASA will only consider two recommendations (one from a math or science teacher, and one from an English or social studies teacher). If several recommendations are submitted, we will consider the ones received first unless otherwise noted. We will not consider recommendations from teachers of subjects other than the four core ones requested.

  • THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY FOR ME TO GET A RECOMMENDATION FROM EITHER CORE SUBJECT TEACHER FROM THIS GRADE LEVEL OR LAST. WHAT DO I DO?

  • I HAVE A LONGTERM SUBSTITUTE IN ONE OF MY CORE SUBJECTS, CAN THEY SUBMIT A RECOMMENDATION?

    • Yes! If your long-term substitute feels comfortable submitting a recommendation for you, they are absolutely allowed to do so.

  • MY STUDENT WAS HOMESCHOOLED AND HAS NO OUTSIDE TEACHERS. WHAT DO WE DO? CAN PARENTS SUBMIT RECOMMENDATIONS?

    • Parents cannot complete recommendations. If there is no person that can provide a recommendation, please send an email to lasaadmissions@austinisd.org, stating that information and LASA will still be able to assess your application.

Report Card Questions

  • MY STUDENT TOOK CLASSES BUT DID NOT RECEIVE GRADES FOR HIS/HER CLASSES, ONLY A PORTFOLIO OR ONLY STATEMENTS FROM HIS/HER SCHOOL. WILL LASA BE ABLE TO USE THIS INFORMATION IN THE APPLICATION?

    • Yes, we have always been able to score report cards that do not use grades or that only use portfolios. Simply submit your portfolio or whatever you have from your school and we will score it in our system.

  • MY CHILD DOES NOT HAVE SEMESTER REPORT CARDS?

    • Some students do have trimesters so they can submit their first trimester report card by the January deadline.

  • MY CHILD WILL NOT GET HIS FINAL FIRST SEMESTER REPORT CARD UNTIL AFTER THE DEADLINE. WHEN SHOULD WE SUBMIT THIS?

    • Most students should have access to their report cards but for some reason if you cannot get access to them until after January 13th, please email them as soon as you can to lasaadmissions@austinisd.org and no later than January 17th.

  • WHICH GRADES FROM MY REPORT CARD ARE CONSIDERED?

    • LASA considers your final year grades in math, science, English and social studies from the 2021-2022 school year and your semester 1 (or latest grading cycle equivalent) grades in math, science, English, and social studies from the 2022/2023 school year.

  • I AM AN AISD STUDENT. HOW DO I SUBMIT MY REPORT CARDS?

    • Good news, you do not have to submit any report cards from an AISD school. They will be automatically available to LASA once your parent submits the AISD Common Application. IF you attended a non-AISD school last school year, you will be prompted to upload that report in the supplemental form. Please ensure the report card shows your name, grade level, year, and final year grades.

  • WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR REPORT CARDS?

    • AISD students do not have to submit separate report cards unless they spent their previous grade level in a non-AISD school. All other students should submit report cards that are clearly legible and show the student name, grade level, school year, grades in math, science, English, and social studies (or school equivalent!). Report cards from the previous grade level (2021-2022) should show the final year grades. Report cards from the current grade level (2022-2023) should show the semester 1 (or latest grading cycle equivalent available by January 13) grades.

  • CAN I JUST TAKE A SCREENSHOT OF MY GRADES FROM MY PARENT/STUDENT PORTAL VIEW?

    • Our preference is that you submit a report card from your school rather than a screenshot. If you absolutely cannot get a report card before the deadline, you may submit a screenshot from your school's online portal. Please note that it must include student name, grade level, year, subject names, and either final year grades (if from the previous grade level, 2021/2022) or semester 1 grades or latest grading cycle equivalent (if from the current grade level, 2022/2023).

  • MY SEMESTER 1 REPORT CARD WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE BY JANUARY 13, 2023. WHAT DO I DO?

    • Please submit the latest available report card you have and note on it the date when the semester 1 (or grading cycle equivalent) report card will become available. If we need further information from you, we will reach out.

  • I ATTEND A SCHOOL THAT DOES NOT ISSUE STANDARD REPORT CARDS AND/OR GRADES. WHAT DO I DO?

    • Please submit the documentation your school provides. Whether it be a narrative report, a student portfolio, or a report card with non-standard grades. Many schools will either have a grade conversion document, or an ability to request a transcript showing the more traditional grade equivalents. If yours does, please request and submit those. If yours does not, please submit what you have. Every year LASA receives non-traditional student reports or grades and we have systems in place to score them. They should still list the student name, grade level, and school year. If the math, science, English or social studies equivalents are not obvious, someone from LASA may reach out for clarification. This may be through a note in a status update email.

 

COGAT Questions

  • MY CHILD RECEIVES TESTING ACCOMMODATIONS AT THEIR CURRENT SCHOOL. CAN THEY RECEIVE THESE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE COGAT TEST AT LASA?

    • Yes. Please email Mr. Paulson, andy.paulson@austinisd.org, Academy Director at LASA. Please email him a copy of your accommodations no later than one week before the exam. For students in a public school, this would be the Individual Accommodation Page (IAP) or the Individual Educational Plan (IEP). For students in private school or home schooled, a letter from the school with a list of the testing accommodations will suffice.

    • If you decide not to use your testing accommodations, you are not allowed to go back and take the test again with your testing accommodations. LASA recommends that if you are a student that commonly uses these testing accommodations in your regular education setting, then you need to use them for the CogAT test. If you do not commonly use these accommodations, we recommend that you do not use them for the CogAT

  • DO I NEED TO REGISTER FOR THE COGAT?

    • No. Students simply need to show up for the exam. Please show up no later than 15 minutes before the exam.

  • DO I NEED TO BRING ANYTHING WITH ME TO THE COGAT?

    • Students do not need to bring anything to the test other than a small snack and something to drink.

  • HOW LONG DOES THE COGAT LAST?

    • The CogAT lasts about 2 hours. It consists of three sections, verbal, quantitative and non-verbal sections. There is no timed essay on the exam this year.

  • WHAT IS THE COGAT?

    • The CogAT test is a cognitive abilities test commonly used to assess students for gifted and talented services. LASA recommends that you google “cogat” for additional information.

  • I SEARCHED FOR INFORMATION ABOUT COGAT AND DISCOVERED THAT I CAN ORDER PRACTICE EXAMS. SHOULD I TAKE THESE PRACTICE EXAMS?

    • LASA does not advocate for students to take CogAT practice exams. We do highly advocate that students complete 10-15 sample CogAT questions. Students that are exposed to some of the questions on the CogAT exam before they take it tend to be much more comfortable taking the test than students who take the test without seeing any of the questions. Students can find these sample questions on the internet.

  • I HAVE A SCHOOL EVENT OR MY FAMILY HAS AN OBLIGATION ON THE SATURDAY TIME THAT I AM SUPPOSED TO TAKE THE COGAT. CAN I COME AT ONE OF THE OTHER SCHEDULED TESTING TIMES?

    • Yes, BUT, please try to come at your assigned time.

    • If you have to come at a different scheduled test time, you do not need to notify LASA

  • I AM OUT OF TOWN AND CANNOT TAKE THE COGAT EXAM ON EITHER OF THE SATURDAYS. CAN I STILL APPLY TO LASA?

    • Yes, LASA will offer an alternate day of testing if you cannot attend either Saturday session. Please contact Mr. Paulson, andy.paulson@austinisd.org, for more information.

    • Sometimes students are traveling or out-of-state or country and unable to work out one of the testing days. LASA has a procedure for this. Please contact Mr. Paulson for more information.

  • WHAT FORM AND LEVEL OF THE COGAT WILL MY CHILD TAKE?

    • Current 8th graders will take test level 13/14

    • Current 9th & 10th graders will take test level 15/16

    • Current 11th graders will take test level 17/18

    • All students complete Form 7

Proof of Residence

  • WHY DO WE HAVE TO PROVIDE PROOF OF RESIDENCE?

    • Per District Policy, only students living in AISD may attend the AISD magnet schools (LASA, McCallum Fine Arts, Kealing Magnet, Lively Magnet, or Lamar Fine Arts)

    • “Beginning with the 2017–18 school year, applicants who are approved to attend a magnet or performance-based application program must show proof of residence within District boundaries by the application due date. This proof may include documentation indicating that the student’s family will occupy a residence that has been purchased or leased within 45 calendar days of the application due date. Residence within District boundaries must be maintained in order to remain in a magnet program. If a student moves out of District while attending a magnet program, the student will be allowed to finish the semester in the magnet program. In the case of a graduating senior, the student may finish the year in the magnet program. Principals and directors of magnet or performance-based application programs may request proof of residence at any time.”

  • MY STUDENT ATTENDS AN AISD SCHOOL ALREADY, DO I HAVE TO PROVIDE PROOF OF RESIDENCE?

    • No, as long as your address on file with AISD is an address zoned to Austin ISD, you do not have to provide proof of residence.

    • If we require proof of residence from a current AISD student, we will reach out to you.

  • HOW DO I KNOW IF MY ADDRESS IS WITHIN AISD BOUNDARIES?

    • You can look up your address here. Addresses zoned to AISD will show up in a color zone. If you click on the color zone, the map will show which AISD schools you are zoned for. If no color zone shows, you are not in the AISD school boundaries.

  • WHAT KIND OF DOCUMENT SHOULD I SUBMIT TO PROVE RESIDENCE WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF AISD?

  • Please submit a copy of the first page of your latest City of Austin Utilities Bill in the name of the student’s parent/legal guardian showing the address of your primary residence. An example is shown here.

  • CAN I JUST RENT AN APARTMENT IN AISD AND NOT LIVE IN IT?

    • No, your primary residence should be within the boundaries of AISD by the application deadline

  • WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON’T LIVE IN AISD?

    • Unfortunately, we are unable to consider out-of-district applicants.

  • ARE THERE ANY EXCEPTIONS?

    • Yes, children of Austin ISD employees may attend any AISD school regardless of address

  • CAN I APPLY TO LASA EVEN THOUGH WE LIVE OUT OF DISTRICT AND JUST MOVE IF I AM ACCEPTED?

    • Unfortunately, we are unable to issue conditional acceptances. All applicants must provide proof of residence by the application due date. (Students currently attending AISD schools provide proof of residence as part of the registration process and do not have to provide additional proof of residence.) LASA cannot consider out of district applicants.

  • WE ARE MOVING FROM OUT OF COUNTRY/OUT OF STATE. ARE THERE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ALLOW US TO APPLY EVEN THOUGH WE DO NOT HAVE AN AUSTIN ISD ZONED ADDRESS?

    • Only applicants that live in-district will be considered. If parents live outside of AISD, LASA cannot assess their application. If one parent is already living in-district but the student is living with the other parent out-of-state or country, that is fine and the applicant can apply to LASA. If this is not possible and both parents reside out of AISD boundaries and they cannot move to the district by the deadline of the application (1/13/23), then unfortunately LASA will not be able to assess the application.

  • MY STUDENT IS ATTENDING A NON-AISD AND WE ARE MOVING TO OUR NEW ADDRESS RIGHT BEFORE THE DEADLINE. WE WILL NOT HAVE TIME TO RECEIVE A UTILITIES BILL. IS THERE ANOTHER DOCUMENT WE CAN PROVIDE?

    • Yes. You can provide the lease, mortgage information, or house contract.

  • MY STUDENT IS ATTENDING A NON-AISD SCHOOL AND WE LIVE AT AN APARTMENT WHERE UTILITIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE RENT. HOW CAN WE PROVE RESIDENCY?

    • Please submit a copy of your lease or contract.

 

LASA Acceptance & Decision Letter Questions

WILL LASA BE ACCEPTING MORE STUDENTS SINCE THEY ARE ON THEIR OWN CAMPUS FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

    • Yes. We hope to have a Freshman class between 400-425 for the next school year.

  • WE WILL BE OUT OF TOWN IN FEBRUARY AND ARE WORRIED THAT WE MIGHT MISS THE DECISION LETTER. CAN YOU SEND IT TO A DIFFERENT ADDRESS?

    • No. LASA can only mail out our decision letters to the address on your Common Application. If you will be out of town, we recommend you ask a trusted neighbor/friend/family member to check your mail until you return.

  • OUR MAIL DELIVERY IS VERY UNRELIABLE. CAN YOU SEND THE DECISION LETTER TO A DIFFERENT ADDRESS TO ENSURE WE GET IT?

    • Please work with your USPS office. LASA can only mail out our decision letters to the address on your Common Application.

  • WE HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED TO LASA….NOW WHAT?

    • First, congratulations on being accepted to LASA. Second, you will receive a packet in the mail with important information. There will be an informational meeting toward the end of March or early April (we have two meetings) where you can visit with teachers, students, courses and administration regarding courses and how to sign-up for the courses.

  • IF ACCEPTED, CAN I DEFER FOR A YEAR?

    • No, we are not setup to allow for deferring.

  • ARE THERE REQUIRED COURSES FOR MY FIRST YEAR AT LASA?

    • Yes.

    • Entering 9th graders must take Advanced Magnet English I, Math, Advanced Magnet World Geography, Advanced Magnet Biology, a Language Other Than English (LOTE), two LASA signature courses – Science & Technology and Electronic Magazine – and one elective.

    • If you are an entering 10th grader, you must take Advanced Magnet English II, Math, AP World History, Advanced Magnet Chemistry, and a second or third year of a LOTE (if you have already completed 3 years of a language then you can either continue with LOTE IV which is typically the AP level or you can choose not to continue with LOTE credits, two LASA signature courses – Planet Earth and Great Ideas – and one elective or two electives if you are not continuing to level IV in LOTE.

    • If you are an entering 11th grader, you must take AP English III, Math, AP US History, AP Physics, complete your 3rd year of LOTE (unless you have already completed your 3 years) and electives of your choice.

    • If you are an entering 12th grader, you must take AP English IV, Math, AP Government (sem), AP Economics (sem), ensure you have a 3rd year of a language and have a PE , Health (sem) and Fine Arts credit as they are required for graduation in Texas.

  • I AM AN INCOMING 9TH GRADER BUT I ALREADY HAVE CREDIT FOR BIOLOGY, ENGLISH OR WORLD GEOGRAPHY. CAN I REPLACE THEM WITH 10TH GRADE COURSES?

    • No, it is important for our students to stay together in English, science and social studies classes as a cohort. The skills they will learn with their cohorts far outweigh the perceived benefits of moving to 10th grade courses. Students that have credit in these courses will be placed in pass/fail courses.

  • I AM AN INCOMING STUDENT THAT HAS COMPLETED AN ADVANCED MATH CREDIT AT MY CURRENT SCHOOL WHAT DETERMINES MY NEXT COURSE LEVEL?

    • You will proceed to the next course sequence or if you struggled in the previous course, you can repeat the course at LASA for a pass/fail credit. All math placements will be based on end of year transcripts. For example, if you are in Algebra I, but you did not pass the course, you will repeat Algebra I. If you complete Algebra I successfully, you will be placed in Geometry. The math sequence of courses at LASA is Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Precalculus and Calculus or math of your choice.

  • I AM AN INCOMING 9TH GRADER BUT I HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED THREE YEARS OF A LANGUAGE. DO I HAVE TO TAKE A LANGUAGE COURSE AT LASA?

    • Yes, we want to instill the love for languages and it is our hope to help you continue with the same language through your high school years.

  • I AM AN INCOMING SOPHOMORE AND I HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED MY THREE YEARS OF A LANGUAGE. DO I HAVE TO TAKE A LANGUAGE COURSE AT LASA?

    • No, we will try and convince you to take a new language or continue with your current language but ultimately, the decision will be yours.

  • I AM AN EXTREMELY MOTIVATED STUDENT AND PLAN ON TAKING ACC CLASSES OR ADVANCED CLASSES ONLINE DURING THE SUMMER OR SCHOOL YEAR. CAN THESE COURSES REPLACE THE SEQUENCE OF COURSES AT LASA?

    • No. The acceptance to attend LASA means that you will follow LASA’s sequence of courses. Taking a course at ACC or online does not guarantee that it will cover the same curriculum that we teach at LASA. If you take these courses because you want to learn them and you enjoy the subjects, that is great, but you must get an administrator/counselor permission and the courses will be transcripted but you will repeat the course at LASA. We do allow three courses to be completed in the summer to replace LASA courses. They are: US History at ACC after your sophomore year. Government at ACC after your junior year. Economics at ACC after your junior year.

  • WHAT IS THE AMOUNT OF HOMEWORK WE CAN EXPECT?

    • Keep in mind this is only an estimate. The workload may be higher before tests and projects. In addition, regular review of material is expected. If a student is spending more time than what is listed below please encourage them to see their teacher or counselor. The course guide also might be able to provide general information regarding the amount of homework for certain courses.

      • ESTIMATED HOMEWORK TIME BETWEEN CLASS MEETINGS:

        • Before we mention subjects, it is important for your child to come to LASA with some sort of system for managing their time. Some students use an electronic calendar and some use a physical calendar. Please know that all students will receive an electronic organizer called “studyo” and this will contain an electronic calendar to their classes to help them stay organized.

        • English: 30-40 pages of reading

        • LOTE: Levels 1-3: 20-40 minutes, AP: 45-60 minutes, Levels 5-6: 15-20 minutes

        • Math: 60 minutes

        • Science: 30 minutes for non AP classes, 60 minutes for AP classes

        • Social Studies: 30 minutes for non-AP classes, 60 minutes for AP classes.

  • WHAT IS THE GRADUATION EXPECTATION FOR LASA STUDENTS?

    • All LASA students are expected to work toward achieving the magnet endorsement. The magnet endorsement requires curriculum above and beyond the expectations for the highest graduation plan in the State of Texas & can be found in the Course Guide online.

  • WHAT COLLEGE APPLICATION ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE TO MY STUDENT WHEN HE/SHE GETS TO THAT POINT?

    • LASA is fortunate to have two college counselors to help juniors and seniors (counselors will meet with juniors starting second semester) and their families as they prepare for the college admissions process. They will coordinate on-campus college recruiter visits (over 200 colleges visit LASA during the course of the year), the Naviance college access system, secondary school reports, financial aid and scholarships. Additionally, each student at LASA is assigned an academic counselor who can assist in the college admissions process. The English IV classes have built into the curriculum the composition of college essays during the first semester. The school hosts one night in the second semester during the junior year for parents to hear college scholarship and financial aid information and then one night during the senior year first semester for parents as a forum to ask questions and to ask for assistance.

  • I AM INTERESTED IN TAKING ATHLETICS AT LASA. HOW DO I DO THAT?

    • LASA offers athletics in the period (during the school day) and outside of the school day. Typically, football, volleyball, boys and girls basketball, and baseball are during the school day and after school. All other sports are outside of the school day. If students want to take the previously mentioned sports, during the school day, they would specify that on their choice sheets. If students want to participate in athletics but not during the school day (regardless of the sport), they need to communicate that on their choice sheets. More information will be shared by the coaches in future communications. There is also a choice sheet meeting in late March or early April where this information will be shared with students and families.

  • MY CHILD CANNOT ATTEND NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION. WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

    • Email the Ninth Grade Assistant Principal, jessica.cherry@austinisd.org. It is expected that all students attend as they will meet their cohort of students, they will receive their textbooks, chromebooks, badges, lockers, tour the school, & meet some of the school staff so please make every attempt to attend orientation.

  • I AM AN INCOMING 10TH-12TH GRADER. DO I STILL NEED TO ATTEND NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION?

    • Yes, we will have a special cohort just for 10th-12th graders.

  • IS BUS TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE TO AND FROM LASA?

    • Yes, all students within the boundaries of Austin ISD are eligible for transportation to and from school. There are significant changes to our bus routes over the summer as our student demographic shifts with each incoming class. Routes are only finalized in August for the upcoming school year. However, if you want a sneak peek at what it currently looks like, please go to the AISD bus stop finder: https://busstop.austinisd.org/regedpub/default.aspx?load=addressInput&skipPlan=true

    • The bus finder will ask you for your street number so please only enter your street number in this box. Next, it will ask you for the street name but omit the words “street”, “drive”, “Lane” …

    • Select LASA in the list of schools and then hit submit. If there are several areas with similar names you may be asked to confirm street number and zip code in a short list before being sent to the bus information.

    • More information about transportation and AISD school buses can be found here: https://www.austinisd.org/transportation

Standardized Test Scores Questions

  • WHICH STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES SHOULD WE BE SUBMITTING?

    • LASA does not require standardized test scores for the 2023/2024 School Year application.

Transfer Questions

  • DO I NEED TO APPLY FOR A TRANSFER TO ATTEND LASA?

      • No, LASA is a magnet school. Students need to apply for admission. Accepted applicants will be enrolled at LASA with no need for transfer paperwork. Please note that acceptance to LASA will supersede any other approved transfer.

Status Email Questions

  • WILL I BE RECEIVING ANY EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS AFTER I APPLY OR DURING THE APPLICATION PROCESS?

      • Yes, LASA will send periodic emails about various events and status updates through the application process. You may receive email notifications and prompts from our email server. If you do not receive these emails after applying, your mail server may be identifying some of our email as spam. If these emails are in your spam folder, please add @lasahighschool.org to your list of safe senders (google how to whitelist a domain for your email provider, eg. gmail (create a filter to "Never sent it to spam" for any @lasahighschool.org emails, hotmail, yahoo, etc).

      • LASA will send out status update emails in December. Email addresses we may use are: donotreply@lasahighschool.org, admissions@lasahighschool.org, LASAadmissions@austinisd.org. Please check your spam. If you have not submitted the AISD Common Application, listing LASA, or initiated the LASA Supplemental Materials Form, LASA does not have your email address and cannot send you emails. If you have submitted or initiated both of those forms, please check the spelling of your email and update accordingly. As a last resort, please reach out to LASAadmissions@austinisd.org and we can update your email address (in our records only) manually. LASA cannot make alterations to the AISD Common Application.

  • I JUST GOT A STATUS EMAIL FROM LASA AND IT SHOWS AN ITEM I KNOW I HAVE SUBMITTED AS PENDING. WHAT'S GOING ON?

    • There could be several reasons and there's usually a clue in the email itself! Please make sure you read it thoroughly to ensure your submitted documents follow all guidelines. The status emails usually have a space for a note below the list of items showing as pending/received. This note should clarify if there is an issue with a submitted item. For report cards labeled pending, it may be that the report card does not show the final year or semester grades or is missing one of the four core subjects. If it's the Creative Project, it is likely that we are unable to access it.

    • If the item showing as pending is the AISD Common Application or one of the teacher recommendations, please know that there is a slight delay between submission and it becoming visible to LASA. If you receive two status update emails and one of those items still show as pending when you know they have been submitted, please forward your confirmation emails to LASAadmissions@austinisd.org and we can problem solve on our end.

    • Finally, while we try to send out status update emails with the most recent updates, processing materials is very time-consuming and you may see a delay of 3-5 business days between submission and processing being complete. Report cards (from non-AISD sources, only), proof of residence (from non-AISD students only), and creative projects take the longest to process as we double check them manually to ensure they have the information we need, and are accessible before marking them RECEIVED.

  • HOW DO I KNOW WHEN I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING REQUIRED TO APPLY TO LASA?

    • Status update emails will be sent out frequently leading up to the application due date, showing items as either pending or received. Pending may mean that an item has yet to be submitted, that it is yet to be processed, or that it is missing vital information. Once the only thing pending on that list is the LASA Admission Test (administered at LASA after the deadline) you are almost done! Once you have attended one of the LASA Admission Test sessions in addition to completing all checklist items, you will receive an email congratulating you on completing your application.

  • I HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY EMAILS FROM LASA ADMISSIONS. HOW CAN I GET ON YOUR EMAIL LIST?

    • LASA will send out status update emails in December. Email addresses we may use are: donotreply@lasahighschool.org, admissions@lasahighschool.org, LASAadmissions@austinisd.org. Please check your spam. If you have not submitted the AISD Common Application, listing LASA, or initiated the LASA Supplemental Materials Form, LASA does not have your email address and cannot send you emails. If you have submitted or initiated both of those forms, please check the spelling of your email and update accordingly. As a last resort, please reach out to LASAadmissions@austinisd.org and we can update your email address (in our records only) manually. LASA cannot make alterations to the AISD Common Application.

  • HOW DO I KNOW IF LASA HAS SENT SOMETHING OUT AND I NEVER RECEIVE IT?

    • LASA will update a special LASA Admission Update page on our website whenever we have something to share. This information will be general in nature and not specific to any student. Please visit update page here and subscribe to receive those updates via email. You can opt-out at anytime by selecting unsubscribe from the bottom of each update email.