Understand the application process
Acceptance to some schools and programs depends on a number of factors, including location, academic achievement, and/or selection by lottery. Some well known magnet and selective enrollment schools attract a large number of applicants. These schools are highly competitive. Thousands of students apply for only a few hundred spaces and most applicants are not accepted. Thus, if you are interested in applying to magnet schools, we recommend that you apply to more than one. You should also consider the many other types of good schools and challenging programs within CPS.
The criteria with which students are accepted into non-neighborhood schools vary across schools. The most commonly used are:
Random Lottery
In these cases, applications are entered into a computer that randomly selects the students who are accepted, regardless of academic achievement or other factors. This way, all students have an equal chance to be accepted. Some schools have computerized lotteries that first take into account if the student has a sibling who already attends the school, race to ensure a diverse student population, or how close a student lives to the school.
Academic Achievement, Test Scores and Other Factors
Programs such as the selective enrollment high schools, International Baccalaureate programmes, and military academies may require testing and/or use test scores, attendance records, performance auditions, recommendations, and other factors to determine who is accepted. Students with disabilities are encouraged to apply for these schools/programs. If your child needs testing accommodations, please call (773) 553-3381.
Complete the application process
To learn about specific enrollment criteria for the schools you are interested in, and to download the corresponding application forms and procedures, visit the pages below or
find a school.
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