Getting placed in your choice of school in the San Francisco Unified School District is much like winning the lottery.

If you are looking to buy a home in San Francisco or moving into any of its neighborhoods, one of the things you might consider if you have (or planning to have) kids is proximity to a good school.

San Francisco has a list of top-rated schools, but getting into them might not be as easy as getting into other public schools because of the San Francisco Unified School District’s whole application process. Still, it’s not impossible, even if you don’t live in the same neighborhood as your desired school.

The application process

While proximity plays a large part in school attendance for most school districts, in San Francisco, it’s only one of the factors. Family choices and the number of school seats are also considered.

When submitting an application, you can request for your preferred schools. The school district will consider your choices and line you up for those schools. However, certain factors like the tiebreakers come into play.

Tiebreakers are preferences given to applicants with certain characteristics. There are three tiebreakers in getting assigned to the school of your choice:

• Having an older sibling in the preferred school
• Living in an area with the lowest test scores
• Living in the preferred school’s attendance area

Having an older sibling in the preferred school

If your enrolling child has an older sibling in your desired school, you are very lucky because it is the highest-ranked tiebreaker. It is certainly more convenient, particularly in terms of transportation, for a family to have all their children attend just one school.

This is why the sibling tiebreaker is given the most weight among all the tiebreakers. If you have an older child who is attending the same school, then your chances of getting your younger child placed there increases.

Living in an area with the lowest test scores

To give kids a fair chance at attending a good school, applicants who live in an area with the lowest test scores are also give preference. The district aims for diversity as much as possible, so applicants in certain areas have a good chance of getting into a coveted school.

Some families who do not have the sibling tiebreaker privilege consider choosing a house in a neighborhood with the lowest test scores in San Francisco. This can mean lower housing rates, but longer commutes to work.

Consider all your options thoroughly and the impact of any decision you make on your family.

Living in the preferred school’s attendance area

Sometimes, living practically in front of your desired school does not guarantee your child would be able to attend it, especially if there is a high demand for its attendance.

But don’t fret; there’s still a chance your child would be accepted based on the last tiebreaker, provided that your requested school has seats left.

You can request for placement if you live within the school’s attendance area. It is the last thing the school district considers, but it is worth a try.

Having one or more tiebreakers will certainly help you get placed in the school of your choice. You might qualify for several or all of the schools you requested, in which case your family’s highest-ranked choice will be considered.

If you do not qualify for any of the tiebreakers or did not request for any school, you will be placed in a school by lottery, which is what the SF Unified School District’s application process is commonly called.

As expected, the most top-rated schools are the most in demand and, because there are more students applying for placement than the school’s number of seats, they are the most difficult to get into.

Tips on getting into the school of your choice

While there is no guarantee that you will get placement in any of the schools you requested, there are things you can do in advance to tip the odds in your favor.

Make a list of the schools you want

Research the schools that would best suit your child’s abilities. A lot of parents want their kids to get into the most popular schools, but it may not be an option for some. The good news is that you can always request for placement in any of the district’s schools. Just remember that requests are not guaranteed.

Popular schools like Lowell High School get so many applicants that they shouldn’t be your only choice. There is no harm in trying, though.

If your child is already showing an artistic side, try touring a few schools that are focused on the arts. The most popular is Ruth Asawa School of the Arts (RASOTA). However, as competition is tough, also check out other options.

Lowell and RASOTA also have their own application processes, both of which are very competitive.

Schedule school tours a year before

Get to know your preferred schools better by visiting the campuses. Just as you would visit a property when you are purchasing real estate, you can schedule a tour to see the school and have a glimpse of what it could be like to study there.

Touring the school will let you get a feel of the campus and help you decide if you want your child to study there. You will know if the school’s mission and values are in line with what your want for your child and if transportation is going to be a problem.

Submit your application early

If you submit your application as early as possible, you will have a greater chance of being lined up for the schools you chose. Deadline is usually early January of the school year you are enrolling for. Make sure to check the SF School District calendar for the actual date.

Applications received within the deadline have the best chance of being assigned to the requested school.

In case you didn’t get the school you want, you will at least have more time to appeal the school district’s decision and reapply after you receive your assignment offer.

Since Lowell and RASOTA have different application processes, tiebreakers are not considered. Students need to pass a test to attend Lowell, while RASOTA has a stringent audition process.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Ask your questions with a placement counselor at the Educational Placement Center (EPC). They can further explain the assignment process and answer any enrollment-related questions you may have. There is no need to make an appointment to talk to a placement counselor.

You can also call the San Francisco Unified School District EPC phone number at 415-241-6085 or send an email to enrollinschool@sfusd.edu.

You can attend an enrollment workshop to know about important enrollment information and familiarize yourself with the enrollment process. You can also submit your application packet there.

Reapply or join the school’s waiting list

If you did not get placed in any of the schools you requested, you can always reapply on the second round. This is why you need to come prepared and start your application early.

The first batch of placement offers are sent out in March. This gives you time to decide whether to enroll or reapply. Sometimes, a slot opens up at the school you were previously not placed in and you could have a chance of getting in.

You could also join that particular school’s waiting list. Although the wait can be agonizing – for some parents and some students – it may be worth your while because some schools do open up a slot. You might just be one of the lucky ones.

Plan and persist

While getting into a school within the San Francisco Unified School District is indeed a lottery, the application process has been simplified in recent years so that it largely favors family choices. Most families have been able to get their kids into the school of their choice.

All it takes is a lot of planning and persistence.