Everything about the CPS High School Admissions Test
How It Works
All GoCPS applicants applying to 9th grade take the HSAT in 8th grade.
- Current CPS Students (including charters): The test will be scheduled and administered at your school during a regular school day. Test Date: October 9th, 2024
- Non-CPS Students: Must create an account and register for the test on the GoCPS application and choose the date and location. (Students must be actively seeking a GoCPS program in order to take the test.) Available Test Dates: October 19-20th, 26-27th, 2024
The test takes approximately one hour to complete and is offered in six languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Polish, and Urdu. If you want to take the HSAT in a language other than English, make sure you choose the correct language. Once taken, students will not be permitted to retest in another language.
- Current CPS Students: Talk to your child’s current school to schedule the test in one of these languages.
- Non-CPS Students: Contact the GoCPS office to schedule a test in one of these languages.
Students can only take the test one time: no retakes are allowed. Results will be available for families in the GoCPS online portal prior to the application deadline.
HSAT Test Preparation
CPS does NOT recommend, endorse, or provide study guides, test preparation courses, or sample tests/questions for the CPS High School Admissions exam. Students engaging with third party test prep organizations are doing so at their own risk. [ English | SPANISH ]
A tutorial session will be included at the beginning of the test for students to become familiar with the format of the exam. This tutorial takes approximately ten minutes to complete and is included in the testing session for both CPS and Non-CPS students.
Students with Disabilities
Students who qualify for DLM-AA are not required to test but may opt to participate.
Students with IEP’s or 504’s that require the student to get testing accommodations should verify that such accommodations are in place prior to the testing session. IEP’s must be current as of one year to the testing session for a student to receive accommodations. If questions arise, the GoCPS Testing team will contact the family prior to testing.
Additional Admission Screenings
A handful of GoCPS Choice high school programs require auditions or portfolio reviews to be considered. All this information can be found on the school’s profile page and the GoCPS application. Schedule the screening appointment when the GoCPS application is completed.
If a student does not participate in the required admissions process, they will not be considered in the selection process for that school/program.
