If You Can Make It Here

Set in New York City, If You Can Make It Here follows three ambitious eighth graders—Kingsley, Kevin, and Hailey—as they take a single exam that could determine the trajectory of their lives. The kids are competing for seats in New York’s Specialized High Schools, elite public schools that have long been seen as gateways of opportunity, open to all. But as the kids await their test results and open up about their dreams, a broader reckoning is unfolding. City leaders and parents are locked in a fierce debate over equity in admissions. “They want to cut the number of Asians in the Specialized High Schools,” says one New York parent bluntly. Meanwhile, a hard look at the broader New York school system reveals students struggling with basic reading and math proficiency. Featuring interviews with kids, parents, and experts (including Freddie DeBoer, John McWhorter, Michael Benjamin, Wai Wah Chin, and Lisa Greenwald), If You Can Make It Here reveals how decisions made far above students’ heads shape not only who gets into New York City’s elite schools, but what opportunity means in modern America.