Chicago selective enrollment high schools: the HSAT, points and tiers
Chicago Public Schools has 11 selective enrollment high schools, including Payton, Northside Prep, Young, Jones and Lane Tech. Places go by points from one test, the HSAT, and 7th-grade grades, with most seats shared out across four socioeconomic tiers.
An independent guide by EagleTeach, based on the school's published admissions pages. We are not affiliated with Chicago Selective Enrollment High Schools; always confirm details with the school.
Entry points and deadlines
The 11 schools: Brooks, Hancock, Jones, King, Lane Tech, Lindblom, Northside Prep, Payton, South Shore International, Westinghouse and Young. Students apply through GoCPS and can rank up to six.
For 2027-28 entry, scores are out of 640: the HSAT is worth 320 (the PreACT 9 Secure composite, from 1 to 32, multiplied by 10) and 7th-grade grades are worth 320 (the final 7th-grade GPA in math, reading, science and social science, multiplied by 80).
The first 30% of each school's seats go to the highest scorers regardless of tier. The other 70% are split equally across the four tiers and go to the highest scorers within each tier.
Every Chicago address has a tier from 1 to 4, based on its census tract's income, single-parent households, home language, home ownership, adult education and nearby school achievement. Applicants outside Chicago are tiered by their tract's median family income, and those outside the US are Tier 4.
There are no sibling, staff or proximity priorities. A student receives at most one selective enrollment offer, for their highest-ranked school they qualify for, and isn't waitlisted for others once offered.
Testing
The HSAT is the PreACT 9 Secure, taken once in 8th grade with no retakes: English (35 minutes, 44 questions), Math (45 minutes, 34 questions), Reading (40 minutes, 33 questions) and Science (35 minutes, 32 questions), about 2.5 hours in all.
The composite used for points comes from English, Reading and Math only.
CPS students test at school during the school day. Non-CPS students register through the GoCPS application and choose a weekend date; sign-up closes 10 business days before the test date.
Ties are broken by the HSAT Math score, then the Reading score, then a random lottery.
CPS publishes each school's minimum point totals by tier each spring after offers. They change every year, and older cut-off lists quoted online are out of 900 points, so they can't be compared directly with the 640-point scale.
Key dates for 9th grade entry in fall 2027 (the 2027-28 school year)
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 9 September 2026, 10am | GoCPS application and HSAT registration open |
| 7 October 2026 | HSAT for CPS students, in school |
| 17-18 and 24-25 October 2026 | Weekend HSAT dates for non-CPS students |
| 13 November 2026, 5pm | GoCPS application closes |
| 12 February 2027 | Initial high school offers released |
How to prepare
- ✓ Grades are half the score: a 4.0 GPA in 7th grade earns the full 320 grade points, so 7th grade matters as much as the test.
- ✓ Each composite point on the PreACT 9 Secure is worth 10 points, and Math breaks ties, so make maths the priority.
- ✓ Rank schools in your true order of preference: you get the highest-ranked school your points qualify you for.
- ✓ Look up your tier on the GoCPS School Search before ranking, and use ACT's free PreACT 9 Secure practice resources.
Need help with the tests? tutoring in Chicago or online test prep tutoring.
Common questions
How is the Chicago selective enrollment score calculated?＋
Out of 640 for 2027-28 entry: PreACT 9 Secure composite × 10 (up to 320) plus final 7th-grade GPA × 80 (up to 320).
What test is the Chicago HSAT?＋
The PreACT 9 Secure: English, Math, Reading and Science, about 2.5 hours. The composite uses English, Reading and Math.
How do CPS tiers work?＋
30% of seats go to the top scorers overall; the other 70% are split equally across four tiers based on the census tract of your address.
When are selective enrollment offers released?＋
12 February 2027 for the 2027-28 school year.
What score do you need for Payton, Northside or Young?＋
CPS publishes minimum point totals by school and tier each spring after offers. They change every year, and lists from earlier years are on a 900-point scale.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 2026-10-13.