Original Email Date: 01.27.2024
You are receiving this email because you have expressed an interest in LASA. These emails are designed to help you navigate the application process and keep you up to speed with admission related events. If you do not want to receive emails from LASA, please fill out this form so I can take you off our email-list.
Jo Koerth again – principal’s secretary and 50% of LASA’s non-existent admissions “department” – writing this email from campus while applicants are taking the admission test, in between answering parent questions.
I realize we have added a lot of new email addresses to our email list, so if this is the first email you’re getting from me, I really suggest that you check out our Application Updates blog on our website. All previous emails are there and they may answer some questions you have.
I especially recommend checking out the Application Checklist. It walks through several known issues or confusing parts (especially of the Enroll Austin application).
First, let me start with thanking everyone who stopped by with Enroll Austin (or just LASA applications in general) questions today. It was so lovely to meet you and I am so glad I was able to help out.
That out of the way, I wanted first to let you know how we track admission test attendance.
In order to be able to see who took the test, and communicate with families the status of the application, we ask the students to sign in once they reach their testing room. It’s a quick google form and I go by student name to match up students to my list of applicants.
It’s not without flaws, however. Sometimes students miss the sign-in, forget to submit, or their name is spelled just a little different from my list, or the google form somehow ate the sign-in. But short of going through every scantron and manually checking off students, it’s what I’ve got.
Why am I telling you this? Well, if you get an application status update email (sent only to applicants who have submitted the supplemental materials form) and it says the admission test is still pending, while you know for a fact that you dropped your student off at campus to test: It’s not that your student didn’t test, or something went wrong with the test. It’s just an imperfect sign-in process.
If that happens to you, feel free to just shoot me an email (LASAadmissions@austinisd.org) and let me know they were here. I will update the status.
Once a student has submitted their supplemental materials form, they will get one of two emails.
Either an application status update email listing items as PENDING or YES (yes being the answer to the question “LASA has received and checked this item and there are no issues with it). This will help you know if there are issues with submitted materials and (most importantly) how to fix them.
OR you will get an email saying that the application is complete. If you get the “complete” email, that means the answer to each item listed in the application status email is a resounding YES. At that point, you are done with your LASA application. (Wohoo!)
When I get time I will go into Enroll Austin and mark the applications of everyone who got that complete email as complete. This may take a while as those checks aren’t due until after the February 6th deadline. So right now I am prioritizing checking everyone’s materials so I can communicate with families who may have to resubmit something.
Thank you so much for your patience and understanding!
I also wanted to share with you some of the most common errors I am seeing in submitted materials right now.
PROOF OF RESIDENCE
Error: Partial Utility Bill
This is when people send me a folded up utility bill - basically taken straight from the envelope and photographed without unfolding it – or the top part of the bill with the bottom part torn off.
Unfortunately, I do need to see the full first page of the bill. Most utility companies have an online portal where you can print out (or save a .pdf copy of) your latest bill.
Error: Screenshot of payment portal or email with link to payment portal
Again, I need to see the full first page of the actual bill. Usually, these screenshots have a button with “view bill” visible on them. Please click that button in the payment portal. Print it out the bill or, even better, save it as a .pdf.
Error: Utility Bill is out of date
We ask for your most recent utility bill. I know it’s easy to grab just the first one you see, but please check the date before submitting it. It’s supposed to be dated within 45 days of the submission date, but I’ve been seeing utility bills from May or July last year.
CREATIVE PROJECT
Error: No permission to view google link
When sharing a google document or video, use the share button up in the top right corner to get a link. Under “General Access” change it from RESTRICTED to ANYONE WITH LINK.
Now, for my very favorite segment:
Most Frequently Asked Questions from This Week
My student has submitted their supplemental materials form but I never got an invitation to shadow. Did we miss the opportunity?
When your student submits their application, jotform automatically sends a confirmation email to the email addresses you entered on the form. This email has a copy of everything submitted, and it also has the link to the shadow request form.
If you don’t see the email, you may have to search your inbox for “jotform”.
If your student has submitted their supplemental materials form and you have already searched the inbox of each email address entered in the supplemental materials form please email LASAadmissions@austinisd.org
Did all the shadow spots fill up already?
No. We only open two dates at a time to fill up the earlier dates first so there are still chances to shadow for students who submit their applications before the deadline.
Do I have to wait for the teacher recommendations to be in before I can request a shadow date?
No.
What test scores should I upload in Enroll Austin?
If you are only applying to LASA, you don’t have to submit any test scores. But, if seeing it say “INCOMPLETE” bugs you, you can upload a blank document. If you are applying to other schools, please follow their guidelines.
My student attends a non-AISD school, so I know I have to submit report cards from the previous school year and this school year, but Enroll Austin only has one upload slot. What do I do?
The supplemental materials form has two slots for you to upload report cards. If you are applying to other schools, check their guidelines for which report card to upload to Enroll Austin.
My student couldn’t attend the Admission Test last weekend or this weekend. What do I do?
An email went out about this already, so if you received it, please just follow the instructions in it.
If you did not receive that email: we have an admission test makeup session this upcoming Wednesday (January 31). In order to attend, you must let us know by emailing your student name and AISD student ID number (if they have one) to LASAadmissions@austinisd.org
(Also maybe mention the admission test in the email so I know what you’re emailing about.)
My student also cannot attend the Wednesday makeup session. Is there another opportunity to test?
Unfortunately there will not be another chance to take the test at LASA. However, we have procedures in place to score applications without the admission test if needed.
That’s it for this week! As you can probably tell, I would have issues keeping to the word count on the short answer questions!
Good luck with your application!
All LASA Information Emails are available on the Application Updates blog on our website.