Choice Program FAQ

When you start your online application and put in your address you will see which programs at which schools you can apply to. Note: If you click on the "I need transportation" button, your choices will narrow. Currently the Medical Science and Multimedia Communications Academies only accept students from within our zone. 

No. You must live in Palm Beach County at the time of application. It is crucial that your address in the school system is correct. The address on your application must be the same as what's in the district computers. If not, bring documentation to your current school to get it corrected.

Yes, for the Choice programs and for the medical program must apply. Multimedia does not require the application though you can if you want to.

Visit the District's Choice Programs webpage for all application deadline information.

To get into Medical Science Academy, a student must have a current GPA of 3.0 (based on the last marking period of last year and the first two marking periods of this school year). Algebra 1 or better is recommended though not required at this time. There should be zero discipline issues on record.

To get into the Automotive Academies we recommend a 2.0 GPA but  it is not required. There should be zero discipline issues on record.

To get into the Multimedia Communications Academy, there is no application. If you are already attending or going to attend Park Vista, just register for TV Production 1, Principles of Entrepreneurship, or Digital Media 1 to start your journey.

Absolutely! Once you are a Park Vista student you can join any club, try out for any sport, or take any class just like everyone else. Many academy students are also in the AICE program, take AP classes, and Dual Enrollment. See your guidance counselor to determine what's best for you.

Yes. The process and requirements are the same.

Students on McKay must also apply and will go through the same lottery process for purposes of getting into an academy. The same eligibility requirements apply. McKay can get you into our school but it doesn't change anything about the Academy process.

At the School District Website Choice Programs page. Click here for the direct link.

Paper copies of the application are available at school guidance offices. They must be turned in directly to the Choice office at the District. Note: once that application is turned in it may not be edited.

Not much. The Choice Programs book describes a few scenarios where you can get a slight edge in the lottery process. For example, if the student has a parent who works at Park Vista or a sibling who attends... those areas should be checked on the application. Also, if a student is in the same academy at the middle school level, there is a slight advantage, as do students with parents who are currently serving in the military. However, all applications are placed into a lottery and there is NO GUARANTEE for anyone.

No. None of that is taken into consideration. Once a student is deemed eligible for a program, their names are placed in a lottery.

The number of seats available changes each year and that number is determined by the district. We don't know until the lottery occurs. You can look in the District booklet to see approximately how many were admitted to each program last year. 

The computerized lottery of applications will be done by the district in mid-March. A mass e-mail will go out to applicants from the district April 1st notifying them which school and program, if any, they were accepted to. Shortly after, those who are accepted to Park Vista will be mailed welcome letters and contracts from our school office.

You may be placed in a wait pool. As other students who have been accepted change their minds, people from the wait pool get selected through a new lottery. The process is repeated until all seats are filled. We try to have it completed by June but sometimes it continues throughout the summer. If, by August, you still have not moved from the pool, it's over for that school year. Your child should be sure to register at your home school. You may reapply for the following year.

The Academy Coordinator can help guide you through the process and answer additional questions, but no one at the school, not even the principal, can push an application through. The process is lottery-driven by the District.

That 20% list is optional for principals. At Park Vista we have decided not to be a part of that process. We are completely lottery-driven.

You will be sent a contract to sign and some registration papers. Once here, it is important to maintain good grades and not get into trouble. If you don't live up to the contract, you will be placed on probation and eventually removed from the program. This could mean you would have to leave Park Vista for your home school. You are signing a four-year commitment. If your program requires a uniform, you will be sent that information over the summer or at the start of the school year.

There are three designations that students may earn. A Standard Diploma, a Diploma with Merit designation, and a Diploma with Scholars Designation. Those who pass Industry Certifications tests in their academy classes would earn the Merit Designation. Those who pass the test and earn credits through AP, AICE, or Dual Enrollment Courses would earn the Scholars Designation. See a school counselor for the complete details.

Yes, all of the scholarships available to any student are there but students who maintain A's in their academy classes and score 880 on the SAT would be eligible for the Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholarship. Students must also maintain 30 hours of community service. Click here for complete details. Also, there are scholarships available through the One Blood, HOSA, NTHS, and others.

Choice Program students receive transportation to the Choice school if they reside more than two miles from the school and live within a designated Choice Transportation Zone. See the District Transportation site If you live outside that bus zone, you are responsible for getting to the bus zone or all the way to school. Students who are entering the Medical Science Academy will go to area hospitals and doctors offices during junior and senior years. Students/parents are solely responsible for transportation to those sites during the school day.

The Choice Programs Department can help you with the application or computer issues. (561) 434-8755. Visit the Choice Programs website for more information.