APPLYING TO GALA

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​I SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION BUT MY STUDENT WAS WAIT LISTED. DO I HAVE TO APPLY AGAIN?

Yes, LAUSD does not roll over wait lists from year to year. A new application is needed for each year applying with the new grade level your student will be entering for next year. This is true for current siblings or any applicants.

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WHEN DO I APPLY? 

STEP #1) Apply on the LAUSD Unified Enrollment website and indicate GALA as your school of choice in the Unique area from October 1, 2024 - November 15, 2024

STEP #2) Submit a GALA questionnaire on the GALA website by Janaury 1, 2025.​

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IS THE GALA QUESTIONNAIRE AVAILABLE IN OTHER LANGUAGES

Yes, the questionnaire can be translated into any language. Click HERE for instructions how to translate to other languages. ​

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I SUBMITTED THE LAUSD UNIFIED ENROLLMENT BUT I DID NOT SUBMIT A GALA QUESTIONNAIRE:

On the LAUSD website, there is the following note.

Unique Educational Pathways:

"All students residing within and outside Los Angeles Unified are welcome to apply to Unique Education Pathways (UEP). In December, all on-time applicants will be contacted directly by the UEP(s) to which they applied. Applicants will be provided detailed information about the program purpose, expectations, eligibility criteria, and verification process for 2025-26 enrollment. Applicants must meet program-specific eligibility criteria to proceed to the selection process. In addition to meeting eligibility criteria, applicants residing outside of Los Angeles Unified must obtain an inter-district permit to attend a Unique Education Pathway."

All applications that submitted an LAUSD Choices application by November 15, 2024 are required to submit a GALA questionnaire by the January 1, 2025 deadline.​ An email was sent by LAUSD in November and four follow-up emails were sent to on-time applicants in December. The email address used to send reminders is the one you used for the LAUSD Choices application.

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I SUBMITTED THE LAUSD UNIFIED ENROLLMENT APPLICATION AND THE GALA QUESTIONNAIRE BUT MY STUDENT WAS DISQUALIFIED:

1) If you used different last names on the LAUSD application and the GALA questionnaire, your application could be disqualified. If you have a hyphenated last name, be sure and use the same last name for both applications. 

2) If you used different first names, your application could be disqualified. Use the legal first name for your student. If you use a nick name on one application and the legal name on the other application, the computer can not match your names. 

3) If you did not submit your LAUSD Choices application by November 15, 2024 and/or you did not submit your GALA questionnaire by January 1, 2025, your application could be disqualified.

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WHAT IF I NEED TO MAKE A CHANGE TO MY APPLICATION?

Once you click submit on the main GALA questionnaire, you will not be able to make changes. If you have a question about your LAUSD Unified Enrollment Application, contact LAUSD.

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DO YOU TAKE LATE APPLICATIONS?

Because we have over 1,300 applications for 150 spots, we do not take late applications. 

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ACCEPTED TO GALA

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IF ACCEPTED, HOW DO I CLAIM MY SPOT?:

This is a 3-step process and you must do all steps by the deadlines or your spot at GALA could be forfeited and filled from the waiting list. Please ask all questions to admissions@galacademy.org BEFORE you fill out these steps. 

1) On your LAUSD acceptance email or in your LAUSD Unified Enrollment portal, you should find instructions how to "accept" your offer from LAUSD. You must do this by the deadline (April 11, 2025). With LAUSD Unified Enrollment, our understanding is that if you are accepted to multiple LAUSD schools, once you "accept" at your school choice, you will be dropped from the other schools in which you have been accepted. If your student has an IEP, before you accept, please email us so we can have you meet with our RSP teacher so you can be confident in our support services. 

2) On your GALA acceptance letter/email, you will find a link to fill out our intent-to-register form. This form lets us know if you plan to attend Registration Day on April 26, 2025 and will allow you to make an appointment to register. Please fill this form out by April 1, 2025.  

3) Submit all of your registration forms and copies of required personal documents by the deadline on your GALA acceptance letter. 

 

WHAT IF WE MAKE OTHER SCHOOL PLANS AND WANT TO WITHDRAW OUR APPLICATION, ACCEPTANCE, OR WAIT LIST STATUS FROM GALA?:

We know finding the right school for your daughter can be a lengthy process. If you submit an application to GALA and then make other school plans, move, etc., please let us know ASAP so that we may remove your application. Likewise, if you are accepted or wait listed... and you have committed to a different school, please let us know ASAP at admissions@galacademy.org so that we can open your spot to another girl.

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IF ADMITTED, WHAT DO I NEED TO PROVIDE?

If you are admitted and you decide to enroll, the following documents will need to be submitted on Registration Day in April: LAUSD Registration Forms including the media waiver form and the Device/Chromebook form, GALA policy forms, a copy of your driver's license or state ID, utility bill (not telephone), immunization records (Tdap required for 7th grade and above), report card, transcript (high school), student birth certificate, and, if applicable, your IEP plan, 504 plan, inter-district permit (if coming from outside of LAUSD), and any court custody agreements. In addition, GALA policy forms including the GALA honor code, uniform policy, and the social media policy. A full list and details will be on the Registration webpage in the acceptance email. Please see the deadlines at the top of this page to submit registration paperwork. 

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IF ADMITTED, DO YOU HAVE A REGISTRATION DAY OR ORIENTATION DAY TO SEE THE CAMPUS?

We do have a Registration Day in the Spring and a student orientation in August. 

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WAIT LISTED TO GALA

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WHAT IF MY DAUGHTER IS ON THE WAITING LIST?

We typically fill from the waiting list from May through August as spots become available. There is not one day where we fill from the waiting list and we sometimes fill from the waiting list after school starts in August.

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​I SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR BUT MY STUDENT WAS WAIT LISTED. DO I HAVE TO APPLY AGAIN?

Yes, LAUSD does not roll over wait lists from year to year. A new application is needed for each year applying with the new grade level your student will be entering for next year.

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OTHER QUESTIONS

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I HEARD YOU MOVED?

Yes, GALA moved to 2328 St. James Place, Los Angeles, CA 90007 in August 2024. This campus only has GALA students, we are not co-located with any other school. After being co-located with a co-ed campus for eight years, we are elated to finally be able to fullfill our true mission of an all-girls school by having our own campus.  We are surrounded on three sides by the only all-girls university in Los Angeles, the Mount Saint Mary's Doheny campus. You can see a picture HERE.  

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HOW DO I FIND OUT ABOUT TRANSPORTATION TO GALA?

LAUSD does provide transportation (school buses) to students depending on your location. This is administered by LAUSD and NOT by GALA. Contact LAUSD transportation to find out if your family qualifies for transportation. Because our students come from 100 different zip codes, LAUSD usually sends out bus route information a week or two before school starts. Pick-up and drop-off is at select LAUSD schools throughout Los Angeles. There are no "late" buses. 

Website: https://lausd.org/transportation or call (213) 241-1000.

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DO YOU HAVE SPORTS FACILITIES? 

GALA does not have competitive Middle School sports. GALA has 10 CIF High School competitive sports. Most of GALA's High School teams practice on our campus, however, all games take place at other campuses or facilities.

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MY DAUGHTER IS NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN STEM OR ALL-GIRLS, WOULD GALA BE A GOOD FIT?
A typical GALA girl is highly motivated academically, has a genuine interest in STEM, and has a personal desire to be in an all-girls environment. It is important to know that GALA is a STEM-focused school and not an arts school. We do not have a drama department, but we do have an award-winning robotics team! GALA is also a uniform school and our uniform policy is strictly enforced. 

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I HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, WHO CAN I SPEAK WITH?:

Please email admissions@galacademy.org

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DATA:

All data collected is for internal GALA use only for the application process. The admissions committee consists of all LAUSD employees, including administrators and teachers.