The Incoming Class of ‘29 – Hopes, Fears, and Expectations

This September, Stuyvesant welcomes the incoming Class of 2029 as they embark on their high school journeys. In a time of concentrated stress and excitement, new students are faced with the staggering reality of actually attending Stuyvesant. Between long commutes, rumors of sleep deprivation, and an overwhelmingly large student body, adjusting to Stuyvesant can be a challenge. 

Even before being admitted to Stuyvesant, students are bombarded with the stress of taking the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT). Many students take classes or receive private tutoring for months prior to the exam. Freshman Sasha Sirotkin worked diligently until test day. “My scores weren’t too good, but in the last three weeks, I just, you know, put all my effort into learning, and that just goes to show that the test really isn't that hard. You just need to learn how it works,” he described. For Sirotkin, repeated practice testing ensured his confidence on the fateful testing day. Preparation like this makes high school seem like an end goal, rather than a new beginning to look toward.

In fact, many students believe that their SHSAT preparation will help them during their tenure as Stuyvrsant students. “It was pretty stressful wanting to get into a good high school, but I was always able to get high scores, which is a good thing, I think, because the environment is so intense and everyone is so smart,” freshman Thomas Vichaidith explained. Vichaidith noted that his desire to enter a renowned high school stemmed from familial expectations and pressures. “My parents helped choose the order of specialized schools when I ranked them,” he recalled. “My older sister really wanted to go to Stuyvesant but ended up going to Bronx Science, and now there’s more pressure on me to do well.” 

This pressure is not unique to Vichaidith. Many students face pressure from parents, older siblings’ past achievements, and their peers to perform well academically, socially, and extracurricularly. Stuyvesant’s rigorous and competitive reputation only heightens these expectations.Vichaidith described the mixed stories he has heard: “I’ve heard of both ends of the scale where some kids go to sleep at 9:00 p.m. and others get no sleep due to homework, and they’re pumped with caffeine.” Despite the school’s reputation, real Stuyvesant experiences are diverse and sometimes defy stereotypes—a fact that should hopefully give incoming freshmen some relief when considering the next few years of their lives.

Regardless, some students refuse to be deterred by Stuyvesant horror stories—especially if they feel prepared for the environment. “I’m not too worried about it; my middle school was fairly competitive,” freshman Jerry Dong stated. Dong attended MS54 in Manhattan, a school that typically sends a high percentage of graduates to specialized high schools. “I mean, we all cared about our grades, and most of us were pretty smart. Oh, and we all cared a lot about where we were going to high school. I guess at Stuy we’ll all just care about college,” Dong continued. Though Dong believes Stuyvesant will require more studying, he doesn’t anticipate the transition to be much of a challenge. 

Sirotkin echoed this sentiment, saying, “I definitely assume that it’s going to be much more of a challenge than my middle school, but I definitely feel much more excited than I did for middle school.” He noted how he, like many students, is ready for a challenge that his middle school couldn’t provide. “I’m ready for something else, and Stuy, I think, is a wonderful place to do that,” he said. 

For many, the broad spectrum of opportunities in Stuyvesant can be exciting material to fuel new interests. “I actually got sort of an email saying that, if I switched to tenor [saxophone], then I’ll probably be in [jazz band], which I'm pretty happy about. As I said, it’s a big passion of mine,” Sirotkin specified. 

Dong also revealed his goals to join other activities at Stuyvesant. “I want to join Speech and Debate, I think, and maybe something about Urban Planning if I can find it,” he said. Aiming to join multiple passion-driven clubs was only one of many goals Dong listed for his freshman year. Others include getting a good feel for the school and keeping his grades up. “I don’t want to spend six months trying to figure it all out. I want to hit the ground running,” he explained. 

Incoming freshmen, regardless of their individual goals for the year, are all faced with the same typical challenges that befall high school students: new teachers, new classes, and an entirely unfamiliar territory. Fortunately, Stuyvesant boasts a supportive, expansive community that is ready to help with this transition. Between staff, Big Sibs, and upperclassmen, freshmen have ample opportunities to ask questions and make connections. Though it might not be easy, each student has a way to settle in and enjoy their first year of Stuyvesant.