For the (results released in February 2024), Chicago Public Schools (CPS) selective enrollment cutoff scores continued a trend of high competition, particularly in Tier 4. The "cutoff" or "minimum point total" is the score of the last student offered a seat in a program during the initial selection process. 2024-2025 Selective Enrollment High School (SEHS) Scoring Admissions are based on a 900-point rubric :
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) offers a path to some of the city's most prestigious high schools through its Selective Enrollment process. Unlike a standard neighborhood school, admission to these schools is competitive and based on a points system.
: Tier 4 students typically required a . Northside College Prep cps selective enrollment cutoff scores 20242024 updated
Walter Payton, Northside, Jones, and Whitney Young continue to demand near-perfection. For a Tier 4 or General Rank student, a single missed question on the HSAT or one "B" on a 7th-grade report card could make the difference between an acceptance and a rejection. Walter Payton retained its status as the most competitive school in the district, requiring a near-flawless 895 out of 900 points for General Rank. 2. The Tier Gap Persists
Seats at Selective Enrollment High Schools (SEHS) are distributed through two primary pools: For the (results released in February 2024), Chicago
Recent admissions cycles have shown a steady surge in cutoff scores across competitive high schools. Below is a compiled overview of typical minimum point totals required to secure an initial round offer across major Chicago programs:
Points are awarded for final grades in Reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Grade A: 112.5 points Grade B: 75 points Grade C: 38 points Unlike a standard neighborhood school, admission to these
Note: While "2024 updated" is a common search term, these are the cut scores for the academic year 2024-2025 (admissions round completed in Spring 2024).
Use the CPS GoCPS online portal to look up your exact address tier. Target schools where your mock point totals align safely above your specific tier's historic cutoff, not just the General Rank score.
If you did not receive an offer, you were automatically waitlisted for all eligible programs you ranked. The rolling waitlist process typically opens in April .
Here are the 2024 cutoff scores for some of the top Selective Enrollment schools in Chicago: