NYC High School Admissions Changes

High school applications open the week of January 18, 2021, with the deadline to apply coming during the week of February 22, 2021.

The SHSAT, the entrance exam that determines admission to eight of the city's nine specialized high schools, will be administered to students in their local middle schools, though parents will need to register their children. Registration for that opens Monday, December 21, 2020, and closes Friday, January 15, 2021. 

Unlike middle schools, high school's geographic admissions priorities are being phased out over a two-year period. For this admission cycle, district priorities have been eliminated; geographic priorities, like borough residency requirements, can still be utilized but will be eliminated in the 2022-23 admissions cycle.
High schools can also rely on admission screens, utilizing a combination of 2018-19 test scores, previous years' grades, or other measures determined by each school. Schools must post their full admissions rubric online.

Auditions for performing arts high schools have shifted online, too. Students can produce one audition piece to submit to multiple schools. 

How to Apply to NYC's Public Schools
All families must set up a MySchools Account to process applications, whether applying to 3K or high school or any grade in between. Questions about the process can be addressed by your child's current school, by reaching out to the Family Welcome Center in your home district, or by calling 311.