Cps Selective Enrollment Cutoff Scores 20242024 Updated Extra Quality
The Selective Enrollment exam has two sections: Reading and Math (each 75 minutes). Your raw score (number correct) is converted into a scaled score via a process called equating . The top 1% of scorers get close to 450.
Seats at elite academies like Walter Payton College Prep or Whitney Young are allocated through a strict mathematical split:
For instance, earning a 97th percentile in reading yields 220 points, while a 94th percentile in math yields 213 points, generating an exam total of 433 points. The Role of Socioeconomic Tiers
Final grades from the core subjects of Math, Reading, Science, and Social Science are converted directly into points. Each "A" yields 112.5 points, while a "B" yields 75 points. cps selective enrollment cutoff scores 20242024 updated
Concise checklist for a family this cycle
Total Score (900 Points Max) ├── 7th Grade Core Grades (450 Points Max) └── CPS HSAT Exam Results (450 Points Max) 7th Grade Academic Marks (450 Points)
| School | Competitive Score (Tier 1) | Competitive Score (Tier 4) | |--------|----------------------------|----------------------------| | Payton | 830 | 860 | | Northside | 820 | 850 | | Jones | 810 | 840 | | Young | 800 | 830 | | Lane | 760 | 790 | | Lindblom | 740 | 770 | | Brooks | 720 | 750 | | King | 690 | 720 | The Selective Enrollment exam has two sections: Reading
The primary driver of annual fluctuations in cutoff scores is the strength of the applicant pool. As the 2024-2025 cutoffs demonstrate, when there is a surge in high-scoring applicants, the "cut" rises for everyone. Test prep experts noted that cut-off scores for Tier 1 students at the most competitive schools rose sharply—increasing on average about 30 points—while Tier 4 cut-offs, already impressively high, continued to inch upwards, increasing on average 5 points.
The highlight an intensely competitive landscape, with top-tier institutions like Walter Payton College Prep, Northside College Prep, and Whitney Young continuing to demand near-perfect performance from applicants. To secure a coveted seat at one of Chicago’s elite public high schools, students navigate a rigorous 900-point admissions rubric split equally between seventh-grade academic grades and the High School Admissions Test (HSAT). Because CPS distributes the majority of its invitations using a socioeconomic tier system, understanding how these updated cutoff scores fluctuate by school and by tier is essential for strategic planning through the GoCPS application portal. The Architecture of the 900-Point CPS Rubric
When seats open up for a selective freshman class, they are allocated using a : Seats at elite academies like Walter Payton College
There was a significant change to this scoring formula. The NWEA MAP test, which was previously one-third of the score, has been removed from the Selective Enrollment admissions calculation for high school. This means the score is now based solely on 7th-grade grades and the HSAT.
Immediate (if applying/appeals/waitlists this cycle)
Cutoff scores—now officially referred to by CPS as "Initial Offer Point Totals"—represent the lowest score that received an initial offer for a specific program. Chicago Public Schools Elite Tier Cutoffs : Schools such as Walter Payton Whitney Young
Chicago Public Schools – Office of Access and Enrollment, Official 2024 Selective Enrollment High School Results Memo (released April 2024). For verification: Visit go.cps.edu and view the “SEHS Cutoff Scores by Tier” document.
