For the 2024 cycle, waitlist movement was the lowest in five years.
Advice for 2025 applicants: Do not rely on the waitlist. Assume the initial cutoff is the final cutoff.
A cutoff score is the lowest composite score admitted to a given school from a specific Tier. If a student’s score is at or above the cutoff, and they listed the school as their first choice (and meet any tiebreaker requirements), they receive an offer.
The 4 Tiers (based on census tract socioeconomic data):
General Rule: Cutoffs are lowest for Tier 1 and highest for Tier 4. However, scores can vary dramatically by school popularity. cps selective enrollment cutoff scores 20242024 updated
To understand the trend, let’s look at how cutoffs have shifted. Generally, cutoffs have stagnated or slightly increased by 1-3 points compared to the 2023-2024 cycle.
Why the increase? Post-pandemic learning recovery and test prep access have driven the average applicant's composite score up by roughly 2%.
Disclaimer: Scores are based on initial round data released by CPS for the 2024-2025 cycle. Cutoffs can shift slightly during second-round selections or waitlist movement.
These schools are highly competitive, with cutoffs often varying significantly between Tiers. For the 2024 cycle, waitlist movement was the
Whitney Young Magnet High School
Lane Tech College Prep
King College Prep
South Shore International College Prep
If you meet the cutoff score exactly, CPS looks at:
This means two students with a score of 845 can have different outcomes. If the cutoff is 845, but there are only 5 seats left, the student with the higher Math score gets the seat.
A: No. This article is for Selective Enrollment High Schools (SEHS). IB programs at non-selective schools (e.g., Lincoln Park, Senn) have different, usually lower, cutoffs.