Chicago Selective Enrollment High School Preparation
CPS Selective Enrollment Prep for the PreACT 9 Secure
CPS now uses the PreACT 9 Secure as its High School Admissions Test (HSAT). Anya is a Whitney Young graduate, Chicago educator, and test-prep specialist who helps students build the content knowledge, pacing, and composure this one-time exam requires.
Apply for an SEHS ConsultationThe 2027–28 Scoring Framework
How CPS Calculates the 640-Point Total
For the 2027–28 application cycle, CPS uses a 640-point framework for applicable points-based programs: up to 320 points from final seventh-grade GPA and up to 320 points from the HSAT / PreACT 9 Secure Composite.
What Preparation Covers
English, Math, Reading, Science—and the Decisions Between Them
Grammar, punctuation, syntax, organization, rhetorical purpose, and fast elimination.
Foundations through grade-level algebra and geometry, modeling, data, and calculator strategy.
Evidence location, main ideas, inference control, vocabulary, and passage pacing.
Graphs, tables, experiments, scientific claims, and conclusions supported by evidence.
Selective Enrollment Schools
Eleven Programs, One Ranked Application
CPS currently lists eleven Selective Enrollment programs. Students may rank up to six, and placement depends on total points, seat availability, ranking order, and assigned tier.