Thank you for your interest in Beacon HS.
The admissions window for 2025-2026 has closed.
Assessments for Admissions 2025-2026:
· 20% Average Course grades
· 80% Essay
Essay Instructions: To apply, respond to one of the two prompts below in 500 words or fewer. Each essay has its own rubric (see below):
Consortium Schools believe that students thrive when they are given the opportunity to study topics in-depth and apply their learning outside of the classroom. Beyond just taking tests, our students demonstrate their skills in practical terms: they design experiments, make presentations, write reports, and defend their work to outside experts.
- How do you think a school with this approach to learning will help you grow academically, personally, and creatively? What do you think you have to offer a school community like this?
- We admire students who are flexible in their approach to learning and willing to take intellectual risks that move them out of their comfort zone. Reflect on a time when you were intellectually challenged, inspired, or took an intellectual risk––inside or outside the classroom. How has that experience shaped you?
Note: All essays are to be submitted through your myschools account.
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RUBRIC #1
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1 - (10 points)
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2 - (15 points)
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3 - (20 points)
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4 - (25 points)
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Response does not demonstrate a clear understanding of the Consortium approach.
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Response demonstrates a mostly clear understanding of the Consortium approach.
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Response demonstrates a clear understanding of the Consortium approach.
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Response demonstrates a clear and detailed understanding of the Consortium approach and the student makes meaningful references to this approach throughout their response.
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Response addresses one way in which the Consortium approach would benefit the individual applicant academically, personally or creatively without detail.
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Response addresses one or two ways in which the Consortium approach would benefit the individual applicant academically, personally and/or creatively without detail.
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Response addresses multiple ways in which the Consortium approach would benefit the individual applicant academically, personally and creatively with detail.
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Response addresses multiple ways in thoughtful and personalized detail on how the Consortium approach would benefit the individual applicant academically, personally, and creatively.
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Response demonstrates little awareness of applicants strengths and support for the Consortium approach.
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Response demonstrates some awareness of applicants strengths and support for the Consortium approach.
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Response demonstrates a clear awareness of applicants strengths and support for the Consortium approach.
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Response demonstrates a deep and thoughtful awareness of what a student has to offer a school community like ours academically, socially and with extracurricular activities (sports, clubs, etc.).
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Shows little awareness of appropriate use
of language and word choice based
on the task and few ideas flow easily from one to the next.
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Shows some awareness of appropriate use
of language and word choice based
on the task and some ideas flow easily from one to the next.
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Clear, and appropriate use
of language and word choice based
on the task and most ideas flow easily from one to the next.
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Creative, clear, and appropriate use
of language and word choice based
on the task and all ideas flow easily from one to the next.
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RUBRIC #2
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1 - (10 points)
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2 - (15 points)
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3 - (20 points)
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4 - (25 points)
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Response describes with little detail an intellectual risk taken by the student and does little to explain the impact of that risk.
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Response describes with little detail an intellectual risk and attempts to explain the impact of that risk.
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Response describes in detail a relevant intellectual risk and explains the impact of that risk.
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Response describes in great detail a relevant intellectual risk and insightfully explains the impact of that risk.
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Student includes a conclusion that
does little to summarize or synthesize their experience.
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Student includes a fairly persuasive conclusion that
summarizes their experience.
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Student includes a fairly persuasive conclusion that
synthesizes their experience.
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Student includes a distinct, compelling, persuasive conclusion that
synthesizes their experience.
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Not confident writing style with a voice that does not develop the central idea effectively.
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Fairly confident writing style with a voice that inconsistently develops the central idea.
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Fairly confident writing style with a distinct, individual voice that serves to develop the central idea.
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Confident writing style with a distinct, individual voice that serves to develop the central idea throughout.
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Shows little awareness of appropriate use
of language and word choice based
on the task and few ideas flow easily from one to the next.
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Shows some awareness of appropriate use
of language and word choice based
on the task and some ideas flow easily from one to the next.
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Clear, and appropriate use
of language and word choice based
on the task and most ideas flow easily from one to the next.
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Creative, clear, and appropriate use
of language and word choice based
on the task and all ideas flow easily from one to the next.
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