The headline: a brand-new test
Starting with the October 2026 admissions cycle, Chicago Public Schools no longer uses the HSAT (High School Admissions Test) for Selective Enrollment high schools. Students now take the PreACT 9 Secure, a test made by ACT, Inc. — the same organization behind the ACT college exam. The first test date is October 7, 2026.
This is the biggest change to CPS Selective Enrollment admissions in years. If you prepped for the HSAT, the study skills transfer, but the format, length, sections, and scoring are all different. Here is what actually changed.
Change 1 — Four sections instead of two
The HSAT had two sections: Reading and Math. The PreACT 9 has four: English, Math, Reading, and Science.
English (44 questions, 35 min) tests grammar, punctuation, usage, sentence structure, transitions, and word choice — the editing skills ACT English is known for. Science (32 questions, 35 min) is data-and-graph reasoning — and no calculator is allowed on it: reading tables, charts, and experiment summaries and drawing conclusions. It is NOT about memorized science facts. These two sections are brand new for CPS applicants.
Math (34 questions, 45 min) and Reading (33 questions, 40 min) carry over in spirit, but with ACT-style question framing. One Math difference worth knowing: unlike the HSAT, a calculator is now allowed (the online test includes an on-screen one, and approved handhelds are permitted — though every problem is solvable without it). Every section, Math included, has four answer choices.
Change 2 — Much longer, and English only
The HSAT took about one hour. The PreACT 9 takes about 2 hours and 35 minutes across the four timed sections. Stamina and per-section pacing matter much more than before.
The HSAT was offered in six languages (English, Spanish, Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Polish, Urdu). The PreACT 9 is offered in English only. For multilingual families this is a significant change — see our guide on testing language for what it means and how to prepare.
Change 3 — 1-32 scoring (ACT scale)
The HSAT was reported as percentiles and standard scores feeding a 900-point composite. The PreACT 9 reports each section on the ACT 1-32 scale, with a composite that is the average of the four sections.
Admissions still use the 50% test + 50% 7th-grade grades structure, now out of 640 points instead of 900. CPS published the formula in August 2026: PreACT composite × 10 (max 320) plus 7th-grade GPA × 80 (max 320). Be skeptical of any site still showing a '900-point projection' — that scale is retired — and of anyone quoting a 'PreACT cutoff': none exist until CPS releases February 2027 results.
What is unchanged
Test taken in October of 8th grade; you cannot retake it.
Four core 7th-grade grades still make up the grades half of the composite — keep them strong.
Admissions are still 50% test + 50% grades, still tier-based, still through the GoCPS portal (applications open in fall, results in spring).
Computer-based, administered at school for CPS students and on weekends for non-CPS students.
What to do now
Practice all four sections — especially English and Science, which are new. Strong HSAT-style readers and mathematicians still need reps on ACT English editing and ACT Science data reasoning.
Build stamina with full-length, four-section timed mocks. 2.5 hours of focus is its own skill.
If your family used the HSAT in another language, plan for an English-only test now; math and science are lighter on language than reading and English.
Maintain strong 7th-grade grades — with one test in October, the grades half is decisive.
Ignore prep advice (or 'cutoffs') written for the old HSAT format. This app has been rebuilt for the PreACT 9.