Overview
Queens High School for the Sciences at York College, often abbreviated QHSSYC, is a public high school within the New York City school system. Its campus address, as listed on the school’s official website, is 165-18 Hillside Avenue, Jamaica, NY 11432, in the borough of Queens [2]. The school is administered by the New York City Department of Education, which published the school’s 2020-2021 profile [1].
According to that profile, the school is one of New York City’s specialized high schools, a group of public high schools where admission is based on the score a student attains on the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) [1]. The same profile states the school’s mission as nurturing and developing a community of learners by piquing their curiosity to become independent thinkers, and it highlights research opportunities as part of the school’s approach [1].
The profile describes a student body drawn from many countries, including Korea, China, Japan, India, Guyana, Pakistan, Ecuador, Nigeria, Poland, the Dominican Republic, Uzbekistan, and Bangladesh, and notes that many students are bilingual or trilingual [1].
This profile summarizes what the retrieved sources document: the school’s location and identity, its academic offerings as listed for 2020-2021, the admissions route described in its own materials, and family-facing procedures described in its FAQ. Where the sources do not provide information, such as current enrollment, grade span, or outcome data, that gap is noted rather than filled with estimates.
Location and School Identity
The school is located at 165-18 Hillside Avenue in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, according to its official website [2]. The 2020-2021 school profile lists the same institutional identity together with the CEEB code 332549, a code used by colleges and testing agencies to identify a school in admissions records [1].
Contact information differs between the two sources. The 2020-2021 profile lists a telephone number of (718) 657-3181 and a fax number of (718) 657-2579, along with the website address http://qhss.org [1]. The school website retrieved in October 2026 lists (929) 862-0802 and a fax number of (929) 862-0807 [2]. Families should treat the number published on the school’s official website as the current point of contact and confirm details directly.
The school’s name refers to York College, a campus of the City University of New York located in Jamaica, Queens. The retrieved sources do not document the nature or terms of the relationship between the high school and the college beyond the school’s name, so no claim is made here about shared facilities, dual enrollment, or campus arrangements.
Location does not determine eligibility at this school. Because it is described as a specialized high school with SHSAT-based admission, students are admitted citywide on the basis of test performance rather than by residence in a zoned attendance area [1]. Readers should not confuse the school’s physical address with an attendance boundary or with a neighborhood right to enroll.
Grades and Academic Programs
The retrieved sources do not state the school’s grade span. The 2020-2021 profile describes an incoming-student process and course sequences labeled Pre-AP English 1 and 2 that lead toward Advanced Placement work, which is consistent with a multi-year high school program, but the specific grades served should be confirmed with the school or with the New York City Department of Education [1].
The 2020-2021 profile lists the following course offerings, organized by subject area. The list is a snapshot of that year and may not reflect the current catalog [1]:
- Art and music: Art Appreciation, Advanced Art, Desktop Publishing, Music Appreciation, Orchestra [1]
- English language arts: Pre-AP English 1, Pre-AP English 2, AP English Language, Science Fiction in Film and Literature, College English [1]
- Languages other than English: Mandarin Levels 1 and 2, AP Chinese (Mandarin Level 3), Spanish Levels 1, 2, and 3, College Spanish [1]
- Social studies: Pre-AP Global History, AP Human Geography, AP World History, AP U.S. History [1]
- Other listed courses: Health Education, General Physical Education, College Now Psychology, Computer Science, Health Professions, Genetics, and Sociology [1]
The profile states that all core courses are offered at the Honors level [1]. Advanced Placement and College Now courses are college-level options that typically carry their own eligibility rules, such as prerequisite coursework or placement requirements; the retrieved sources do not describe those requirements for this school.
Because specialized high schools are a category rather than a single program, readers should distinguish general features of the category, such as a common admissions test and a college-preparatory emphasis, from school-specific offerings. The course list above is specific to this school as reported for 2020-2021 [1].
Enrollment and School Data
The retrieved sources do not contain enrollment counts, student-teacher ratios, graduation rates, attendance rates, or demographic percentages for this school, and no federal or state record identifier such as an NCES or NYSED identifier appears in them. The only identifier available is the CEEB code 332549 [1].
Because no dated official enrollment or outcome figures were available, this profile presents none. Reporting a figure without its reporting year, its population, and its source would risk misleading readers, particularly since enrollment at specialized high schools can shift from year to year with admissions outcomes.
Readers who need enrollment, demographic, or performance data should consult the New York City Department of Education and the New York State Education Department, which publish school-level records and report cards. Those sources also indicate when a value is suppressed or unavailable for privacy or reporting reasons.
Admissions and Enrollment
According to the school’s 2020-2021 profile, admission is based on the score a student attains on the Specialized High School Admissions Test [1]. Under that model, eligibility is citywide rather than tied to a neighborhood attendance zone, and there is no guaranteed admission for students living near the school [1].
Admissions rules, test registration windows, testing dates, and offer timelines are set centrally and can change. Families should confirm the current process, deadlines, and any testing accommodations directly with the New York City Department of Education rather than relying on older school materials.
For students who receive an offer, the school’s FAQ describes the next steps. Accepted families receive an Accepted Student Packet containing links to an online Blue Data Collection Form and an Incoming Student Form; the email address entered on the Blue Data Collection Form becomes the address the school uses beginning in September [3]. The school also holds an Open House for accepted students and their parents or guardians, typically announced after high school acceptance results are released, usually at the beginning of March, with announcements posted on the school website [3]. Student schedules for the new school year are posted on the website toward the end of the summer [3].
Student Services and Family Information
Guidance and administration. The 2020-2021 profile lists Principal Ms. Ana De Jesus, Assistant Principals Dr. Annabel Prince and Mr. Greg Reo, and guidance counselors Mr. Joe Ilardi, Ms. Brenda Enriquez, and Ms. Jennifer Meslin [1]. Staff assignments change over time, and the current roster should be confirmed on the school website.
Attendance. The school’s FAQ directs families to report an absence or lateness by calling (718) 657-3181, extension 2157, or by emailing attendance@qhss.org [3].
Identification. Photo identification cards are required at all campus entry points. Students who lose a card can request a replacement through the main office, and incoming students are given a dedicated day to have their photograph taken and their card produced [3].
Family communication. The school uses Parent Square as its parent communication application. Parents who cannot log in can email the school with their name, email address, and the student’s name; the FAQ notes that this option is available to registered parents at the school [3].
The retrieved sources do not describe language-access services, special education programming, transportation eligibility, campus accessibility, athletics, or extracurricular clubs in detail. This profile therefore does not assert that any particular service is available; families with specific needs should contact the school or the New York City Department of Education.
History and Community Context
The school was founded in September 2002, according to its 2020-2021 profile [1]. That profile also states that the school has consistently received an A on every New York City Department of Education Progress Report and had been named one of the top 100 high schools in the country by U.S. News & World Report in each of the preceding five years, and it reports a ranking of third in New York State and 28th in the country [1].
These statements come from the school’s own profile rather than from an independent review in the retrieved sources, and they are tied to the period in which the profile was published. Rankings and progress-report grades are period-specific measures that change annually and reflect particular methodologies; they should be read as historical claims about 2020-2021 and earlier, not as current standings or as a summary of school quality.
The school’s website, as retrieved in October 2026, listed a Science Olympiad event for 2026 among its calendar entries [2]. Calendar listings reflect events at the time of publication and are not a comprehensive record of activities.
How to Verify Current Information
School details, including contact numbers, course offerings, staff, and admissions procedures, can change. Readers should confirm current information through the following sources:
- The school’s official website, https://www.qhss.org/, for contact information, calendars, schedules, and announcements [2].
- The school’s FAQ page, which addresses attendance reporting, identification cards, parent communication, accepted-student procedures, and open house timing [3].
- The New York City Department of Education, which oversees the school and publishes its profile and specialized high school admissions information [1].
- The New York State Education Department, for state-reported school directory and report card data such as enrollment and performance measures.
Where this profile cites a dated figure or procedure, the date is stated so that readers can judge how current it is likely to be.