HIGH SCHOOL SELECTION PROCESS
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Neighborhood highschool Amundsen cheerleaders pose.
Neighborhood High Schools
Waters supports the neighborhood high school model. Amundsen and Roosevelt High Schools are the neighborhood high schools that most of our students feed into. If you live in the boundary of Amundsen or Roosevelt, you are guaranteed admission to that school. Use the CPS School Locator to determine your neighborhood high school.
Magnet High Schools and IB Programs
Students can also apply to attend magnet high schools or IB Programs through CPS Options for Knowledge. Students are selected through a computerized lottery; students must pre-qualify for inclusion in the lottery based on scores from the NWEA MAP. Some programs have additional requirements (such as an audition/portfolio for Senn Arts). Visit school websites for details.
Selective Enrollment High Schools
Selective Enrollment High Schools provide academically advanced students with a challenging and enriched college preparatory experience. Each of the Selective Enrollment High Schools offers a rigorous curriculum with mainly honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Teachers expect students to be self-driven and highly engaged with their studies. Testing is required. Chicago's Selective Enrollment High Schools are listed at the bottom of this page.

Click here for a full explanation and more information on this process, or apply here.

The Scoring Rubric
The selection process, to date, is based on a point system, with a maximum of 900 points.   Criteria for selection is based on an application score that balances entrance exam results with standardized test scores and final classroom grades.  
The application score consists of:   
  • The entrance exam (33 1/3% or 300 points)   
  • 7th grade Spring NWEA MAP results (33 1/3% or 300 points)   
  • 7th grade final grades (33 1/3% or 300 points) in:
    - Reading
    - Math
    - Science
    - Social Studies
Here is how the scoring rubric allots points for these three areas.

Cut Off Scores
Cutoff scores for the SE High Schools are derived from the applicant pool and are generated BY the student selection process; they are not generated BEFORE the selection process. 

Click here to see the Cut-off scores for the 2015-16 school year.
In the table, the "MIN" column contains the cutoff scores.
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List of Selective Enrollment High Schools
The high schools in bold text are generally the schools that our Northsiders select.
  • Brooks College Prep High School     250 E. 111th St.
  • Hancock College Prep High School     4034 W. 56th St.
  • Jones College Prep High School     606 S. State St.
  • King College Prep High School     4445 S. Drexel Blvd.
  • Lane Tech High School     2501 W. Addison St.
  • Lindblom Math and Science Academy     6130 S. Wolcott St.
  • Northside College Prep High School     5501 N. Kedzie Ave.
  • Payton College Prep High School     1034 N. Wells Ave.
  • South Shore International High School     1955 E. 75th St.
  • Westinghouse College Prep High School      3223 W. Franklin Blvd.
  • Whitney M. Young Magnet High School     211 S. Laflin St.
CPS HIGH SCHOOL GUIDE
OPEN HOUSES 2015