Choosing a CPS High School

Selective Enrollment

At the secondary level, CPS operates nine selective enrollment high schools.

• Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy
• Jones College Prep High School
• King College Prep High School
• Lane Technical College Prep High School
• Robert Lindblom Math & Science Academy
• Northside College Preparatory High School
• Walter Payton College Prep
• Westinghouse High School
• Whitney Young High School

Selective Enrollment high schools work on a point system out of 1000 points:,

• 300 points for the 7th grade standardized testing (ISAT) (multiply the percentage by 1.515 to get the number of points)
• 300 points for the entrance exam (tested in vocabulary, literature, math) (multiply percentage by 3.03 to get the number of points)
• 300 points for 7th grade grades (A=75, B=50, C=25; D and below=0)
• 100 points for 7th grade attendance (1–3 days=100 points; 4+ days is 2 points off for each day; 21+ days=0 points)

Competition is fierce, and many factors decide whether students are admitted or not:

• Ranking: Students are asked to rank their top 4 high schools—the higher a school is on the list, the higher the chance a high school will choose to admit a student
• Points from the point system mentioned above

Military Academies

In partnership with various Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps programs, five high schools are operated as public military academies. (Also see Chicago JROTC)

• Chicago Military Academy at Bronzeville (Army)
• Carver Military Academy (Army)
• Marine Math & Science Academy (Marine Corps)
• Phoenix Military Academy (Army)
• Rickover Naval Academy (Navy)

Career Academies

Within Chicago Public Schools, 9 high schools have been designated as "Career Academies". According to CPS, these schools have "intensified resources to prepare students for careers in business/finance, communications, construction, health, hospitality/food service, manufacturing, performing arts, and transportation. Vocational shops, science labs, broadcast journalism labs and media/computer centers help students gain 'hands on' experience." As of the '09-'10 academic year, these schools were active career academies.

• Austin Polytechnic
• Chicago Vocational Career Academy
• Dunbar Vocational Career Academy
• Farragut Career Academy
• Manley Career Academy
• Prosser Career Academy
• Richards Career Academy
• Simeon Career Academy
• Tilden Career Community Academy