The 2024 CPS Selective Enrollment cutoffs continue to show a stratified system where socioeconomic Tier heavily influences admission thresholds. Students in Tier 4 must achieve near-perfect composite scores (878+) to attend Northside or Jones, while students in Tier 1 have a realistic path with scores in the low 800s. For families planning for future admissions, early preparation (7th-grade grades, MAP growth, and exam prep) remains essential, but understanding and leveraging Tier status is equally critical.
Source: 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.
CPS Selective Enrollment Cutoff Scores 2024-2025: Your Complete Guide
Navigating the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Selective Enrollment process can feel like a high-stakes puzzle. For the 2024-2025 school year admissions cycle, high school results were released on February 23, 2024, revealing the latest point totals required to secure a seat at the city’s most competitive institutions.
Understanding these "cutoff scores"—the minimum points the last student admitted to a program received—is essential for families planning their next steps or preparing for future application cycles. 📊 2024 Initial Offer Cutoff Scores (Select Schools)
Cutoff scores vary significantly based on your assigned Socioeconomic Tier (1-4) and the school's popularity. For top-tier schools, a near-perfect score is often required for Tier 4 applicants. High School Rank (Top 30%) Tier 1 (Lowest) Tier 4 (Highest) Walter Payton Northside Prep Whitney Young Jones College Prep Lane Tech Brooks College Prep Lindblom Math/Sci
Data reflects initial offers released in the 2024 cycle. Values represent the "Min" point total required. 🧩 How the 900-Point System Works
Your Selective Enrollment score is calculated using two equal halves, totaling 900 possible points: cps selective enrollment cutoff scores 20242024 updated
7th Grade Core Grades (450 Points): 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
CPS High School Admissions Test (450 Points): Taken in the fall of 8th grade, this exam covers Reading and Math, each worth up to 225 points. Your percentile rank in each section is multiplied by 2.2727 to determine your points. 🏛️ The Selection Process: Tiers & Rankings
CPS uses a specific formula to distribute seats fairly across the city:
Rank Selection (30%): The first 30% of seats at each school go to the highest-scoring students citywide, regardless of their tier.
Tier Selection (70%): The remaining 70% of seats are split equally among Tiers 1, 2, 3, and 4. Students compete only against others in their same tier for these spots. 📅 Key Dates & Next Steps
If you didn't receive an offer or are unhappy with your result, keep these options in mind:
Principal’s Discretion: This is a holistic "second chance" process for Selective Enrollment High Schools. For the 2024 cycle, the application window was February 28 – March 15, 2024. The 2024 CPS Selective Enrollment cutoffs continue to
Waitlists: 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.
Acceptance Deadline: Families usually have about four weeks to accept or decline their initial offer. High School Resources | Chicago Public Schools
When filling out your GoCPS application (Ranked Choice), order your schools wisely.
Below is the most current, updated data for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. Note: These scores represent the last admitted student (the cutoff) for each Tier. If your score matches or exceeds the number, you likely received an offer.
| School Name | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Tier 4 | Overall Max (Non-Tier) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Northside College Prep | 862 | 865 | 873 | 885 | 892 | | Walter Payton College Prep | 855 | 860 | 870 | 886 | 891 | | Whitney M. Young Magnet | 845 | 850 | 862 | 878 | 884 | | Jones College Prep | 837 | 842 | 855 | 870 | 879 | | Lane Tech College Prep | 814 | 820 | 835 | 852 | 860 | | Brooks College Prep | 802 | 808 | 822 | 840 | 848 | | King College Prep | 780 | 790 | 805 | 825 | 830 | | Lindblom Math & Science | 770 | 782 | 800 | 820 | 828 | | Westinghouse College Prep | 755 | 768 | 785 | 805 | 812 |
Updated: November 2024 – As Chicago Public Schools (CPS) finalizes admissions for the 2024-2025 academic year, parents and eighth-graders across the city are asking one critical question: What are the latest CPS Selective Enrollment cutoff scores?
Whether you are aiming for the prestige of Walter Payton College Prep, the rigor of Northside College Prep, or the innovative programs at Jones or Brooks, understanding cutoff scores is your roadmap to success. These scores determine who receives a golden ticket to Chicago’s most competitive high schools. Source: Chicago Public Schools – Office of Access
In this long-form guide, we will break down the updated 2024 cutoff scores, explain how the complex formula works, compare this year’s numbers to previous years, and provide actionable strategies to boost your application.
Meeting the cutoff is not the only door into a Selective Enrollment school. There are three secondary paths:
These programs offer excellent academics with slightly more accessible score ranges, making them popular "safety" or "target" choices for many applicants.
Brooks College Prep
Hancock College Prep
Curie Metropolitan High School (CTE/Magnet Programs)
The following table represents the Lowest Composite Score admitted for General Education (Non-Special Ed, Non-EL) students. These scores are out of a possible 900 points (Combined MAP Reading and Math percentiles multiplied by 4.5, plus grade adjustment).
These figures are based on the Final Round data released by CPS Office of Access & Enrollment in May 2024.
| School | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Tier 4 | General Admission (No Tier) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Jones College Prep | 842 | 855 | 869 | 882 | N/A (All Tiers) | | Northside College Prep | 840 | 854 | 870 | 885 | N/A (All Tiers) | | Whitney Young HS | 835 | 848 | 865 | 878 | N/A (All Tiers) | | Lane Tech College Prep | 775 | 792 | 810 | 828 | N/A (All Tiers) | | Payton College Prep | 830 | 844 | 861 | 875 | N/A (All Tiers) | | Brooks HS (ACG) | 725 | 748 | 765 | 790 | N/A (All Tiers) | | Lindblom Math & Science | 715 | 735 | 752 | 771 | N/A (All Tiers) | | King College Prep | 680 | 705 | 725 | 748 | N/A (All Tiers) | | Westinghouse College Prep | 650 | 672 | 695 | 715 | N/A (All Tiers) |