A new, coordinated process governing the mesivta farher season in Lakewood was implemented this year in an effort to restore order to the high school admissions system and prevent early, unregulated acceptance practices.
For many years, local mesivtas had followed an informal agreement that farhers and admissions would begin in the month of Shevat. This schedule allowed eighth-grade students to spend much of the winter zman preparing and gave families time to evaluate schools.
In recent years, rapid growth in the Lakewood yeshiva system led to increased competition among mesivtas. Last year, the lack of a binding agreement resulted in admissions beginning as early as the start of winter zman.
Some schools issued acceptances before formal interviews were held, often based on brief conversations with rebbe’im. In many cases, parents had little opportunity to visit schools or carefully consider placements. Rebbeim reported that this early acceptance process weakened student motivation, as many boys reduced their learning efforts once they had secured a placement.
In response, a group of rebbeim and menahelim organized a community-wide effort to reestablish structure in the admissions process. BMG Rosh Yeshiva Rav Yisroel Neuman shlit”a agreed to oversee the initiative and convened a series of meetings beginning in the summer. At these meetings, participants developed a formal system designed to delay the start of the admissions process and ensure greater coordination between elementary schools and mesivtas.
Under the new framework:
- Eighth-grade rebbe’im and menahelim agreed not to share information about students with mesivta administrators before Rosh Chodesh Shevat.
- Bochurim were permitted to begin requesting applications on 26 Teves.
- Mesivta inquiries about bochurim could begin on Rosh Chodesh Shevat.
- Farhers were scheduled to begin on 17 Shevat for most yeshivos.
- Newer mesivtas and smaller schools were permitted to begin one day earlier, on 16 Shevat.
- The participating mesivtas formally committed to following this calendar, creating a unified admissions system across the community.
Throughout the year, additional meetings were held to refine the process and address logistical concerns.
Rebbeim reported that the delayed admissions schedule led to increased academic focus among eighth-grade students. Schools were able to complete review sessions and examinations without the pressure of early acceptances. Administrators also noted that parents had more time to research schools, visit campuses, and consult with educators before making decisions.
Mesivtos indicate that the standardized schedule is reducing competition-driven pressure and limited the need for rushed admissions decisions.
Despite its reported successes, the new process has also drawn criticism from some parents. One concern raised is that bochurim are now required to identify a preferred mesivta early in the process without knowing whether they will be accepted. In some cases, boys who were not granted early interviews at their first-choice mesivtas are unable to pursue alternative options simultaneously and are later forced to seek placement at less-preferred mesivtos.
Critics argue that the system places greater control in the hands of institutions while limiting flexibility for students and families. They contend that this dynamic can leave some boys without realistic options during the early stages of admissions, increasing stress and uncertainty.
Supporters of the new framework respond that the structure is necessary to prevent a return to last year’s unregulated environment and that greater stability benefits most bochurim.
Organizers of the initiative say the standardized calendar and cooperative approach have laid the groundwork for future admissions cycles. They hope that continued coordination among chedarim, mesivtas, and rabbanim will maintain consistency in coming years.
At the same time, community leaders acknowledge that adjustments may be needed to address concerns about choice and access.
So basically it works for the yeshivas and boys that get in to their 1st choice and the rest of the boys are karbanos for the system. How many of those karbanos will c”v lose their cheshek for learning because of this system????? The system should’ve been thought out well for any possible issue before it was implemented. I’m sorry this town has yet to figure things out with school acceptances. Whether for the girl or boys elementary or HS it needs fixing.
Happy they are working ,now lets see what they can do to fix shidduchim
I’m sorry but there is a tremendous flaw in the system, which can and should easily been corrected. A Bochur and certainly 8th grade rebbe and elementary school menahalim should not discuss and share with a Mesivta where they rate on the boys wish list. By sharing this info, we place all the leverage in the hands of the Mesivta. Mesivta’s schedule farhers just with boys who have them as choice #1. What then happens to the 10 or 15% of boys who do not get accepted post farher. They are left out in the cold without another farher scheduled elsewhere, being that elsewhere was their proclaimed 2nd or 3rd choice. In the future revised system, there should be a limit of 2 or 3 Mesivta’s a Bochur may apply to, without divulging where they rank on the brochure wish list. Mesivtas will have to schedule many more farhers than seats they have in the class to cover for rejections from applicants, and applicants will end up with multiple farhers. Result – a fair system where post a farher a mesivta may reject an applicant, and an applicant may reject the Mesivta.
Issue # 1 with the new Mehalech to restore order is as you stated, many boys (aPPROXIMATELY 35%) do not get a first round farher, and are then left with no yeshiva to go to. Not just a 4th choice, more like a 44th choice. Invariably setting him up for failure.
Issue # 2: The entire year the boys are pressured and waiting for tu bishvat, when it finally comes they have 24 hours to figure out their future, How is this benificial for the boys to be in the dark all year about their plans, and get it handed to them?
Issue # 3 They must give a prospective yeshiva a answer within 45 minutes of being accepted. Is this ok? That he must make a life choice with his parents in 45 minutes or be unaccepted??
Issue # 5: This relies on stellar communication between, 1 The Mesivta Principal, 2 The mesivta Rosh Yeshiva, 3 The 8th grade Rebbi, 4 The 8th grade Menahel, 5 The parents and the boy, to relay to the mesivta who theboy chooses as his first choice mesivta, if any miscommunication happens between any of the 5+ parties, The boy will not get a farher, and will have to go to a yeshiva that somehow still has empty space, obviously a yeshiva that for whatever reason dosen’t have anyone interested in going to.
Bottom line, Haste, Communal decisions affecting thousands of indivduals cannot be made callously, and with so little foresight.
We seek improvements and reconcilliations for the currently blindsided boys that have no normal yeshiva to go to, due to the current “system of seder & normallcy”
Order and quiet are extremely important.
Health and success of the bochurim are of minor irrelevant importance. Just about a speck of a footnote.
But we have order, and that is the main thing.
I’m not currently at the stage of mesivta applications, but I think we should remember there that the system was made not “to restore orderliness”, but to help the bachurim, L’shem Shamayim, to help them learn productively during 8th grade, to help with the stress, that all boys should be accepted into suitable places. The plans were not made to harm some boys!! Often plans need to be reevaluated, but let’s be thankful and grateful to those who were involved, and perhaps the very important suggestions being made could be done with a bit more respect and derech eretz. Maybe meetings could be made to address these concerns and fine tune things.