<p>Swbutterfly and zoosermom both make valid points. My D was admitted to stuy and turned it down to stay at a smaller (6-12) magnet school with her friends. When my neice graduated from Tech a few years ago there did seemt to be less blacks in attendance (or at least at the graduation) then there had been when I attended in the 70's. </p>
<p>Over the past few years there have been also more educational options in both private and public education. The young black and hispanic kid who may have gotten into stuy, bx. science and tech are the same kids that have been admitted to the ABC programs and prep for prep and can get a free ride at an elite prep school. </p>
<p>In addition, over the past few years there have been more options as smallers schools, gateway programs and magnet programs and specialized programs with in regular high schools that have cropped up. I think now there is also a high school associated with every 4 year college of the cuny system (there is definitely on at City College, Baruch, Queens, Brooklyn, York) where students can earn high school and college credits at the same time. </p>
<p>I know a number of kids that turned down tech and bx. science to attend Townsend Harris, Beacon, Bard, NYC lab, Baruch College h.s., Eleanor Roosevelt, Midwood (which also turns out intels and siemens), to stay at Hunter and a host of others where they are getting the same rigor in a less stressful environment .</p>