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Long-form articles on the Chicago Public Schools HSAT exam, the Selective Enrollment system, and how to prepare effectively.
A clear, honest walkthrough of CPS Selective Enrollment scoring now that the PreACT 9 replaced the HSAT: how the four sections are scored 1-32, how 7th-grade grades feed in, why the official point conversion is still pending, and how the 4-tier system distributes seats.
Week-by-week study plan from foundation through test day. What to focus on each phase, how much to study daily, and how to know if you're on track for top SEHS programs.
An honest comparison of the five most competitive CPS Selective Enrollment High Schools. Cutoff scores, school size, neighborhoods, programs, and which kind of student fits best at each.
Chicago Public Schools dropped the HSAT and now uses the PreACT 9 Secure (by ACT) for Selective Enrollment admissions, starting October 2026. What's different: four sections (English, Math, Reading, Science), about 2.5 hours, English only, and 1-32 scoring. What it means for your prep.
A clear explanation of CPS's 4-tier socioeconomic system that distributes 70% of Selective Enrollment seats by neighborhood. How tiers are calculated, how cutoffs differ, and how to find your tier.
Three acronyms, three different tests, three different sets of schools. The HSAT is for CPS public selective enrollment and choice programs. The SSAT is for private secular schools. The HSPT is for Catholic high schools. Here is which one matters for your family, and why mixing them up is the most common 8th-grade prep mistake in Chicago.
The CPS HSAT is computer-based. Most published prep books are paper-based. The gap matters for pacing, mental endurance, and test-day comfort — but probably not for the content. A pragmatic guide to mixing both, including which paper prep is actually worth doing.
An honest look at what Chicago families actually pay to prep for the CPS HSAT, from free apps and library books up through the CPS in-school course at $545 and private courses or tutoring at $1,500-3,000+. Which tier of spend is right for your family, and what diminishing returns look like.
A plain-English timeline for registering your 8th grader for the CPS HSAT through GoCPS: when the application window opens in the fall, how the October test date works, and the different paths for CPS students versus non-CPS students. Miss the window and there is no makeup.
The old HSAT offered six languages; the new PreACT 9 Secure is administered in English only. What changed for multilingual Chicago families, which sections lean hardest on English, how to build test-English reading speed, and what EL accommodations may still be available.
The CPS PreACT 9 is taken once in October of 8th grade and cannot be retaken, which makes it unusually high-pressure for a 13-year-old. A practical, parent-and-student guide to managing test anxiety: the week before, the night before, the morning of, and the test itself.
A school-by-school comparison of the six CPS selective enrollment high schools below the top five: location, programs, who fits best, and historical cutoffs.