Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has announced that Selective Enrollment and Choice applications for the 2026-2027 school year will open on September 23rd2025 at 10am! Note that the application window will close on November 14th2025 at 5pm. Be sure to add these dates to your calendar to ensure you have plenty of time to prepare your student.
Students applying to Selective Enrollment high schools must take the High School Admissions Test (HSAT). All CPS 8th graders can take the HSAT onOctober 8th 2025 at their school. Non-CPS 8th graders will be able to take the HSAT on October 18th, 19th, 26th, or 27th 2025.
Due to the importance of HSAT scores, it is crucial that 8th grade students start preparing for the HSAT now (yes, even before the school year officially starts). Believe it or not, there’s only about nine weeks between now and October 8th and considering the scope of material that needs to be refreshed (or potentially covered for the first time), plus the fact that it may take a bit for your student’s brain to “reboot” after summer vacation, there isn’t a moment to lose. Call Academic Approach today to get your student started with HSAT tutoring!
For more information about 2026-2027 Chicago Public Schools applications, click here.
Want a breakdown of what to expect for the Selective Enrollment application process? Check out our blog here.
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