All About George Westinghouse College Prep: What You Need to Know About This Selective Enrollment High School
Located in the heart of Chicago’s West Side, Westinghouse has carved out a distinctive identity, merging strong academics with real-world career readiness, developed within a community-driven environment that reflects the city’s diversity. Originally established in the 1930s as a vocational school, Westinghouse has undergone a dramatic transformation over the years. In 2009, a state-of-the-art facility opened, symbolizing a new chapter for the school as a modern college preparatory institution with a selective enrollment program. Today, Westinghouse stands as a hybrid model: one part selective enrollment college prep, and one part career and technical education (CTE) pathways. This dual-track approach makes it extremely unique among Chicago's elite public high schools, offering a broader range of options for students with different post-graduation goals.
What sets Westinghouse apart is its commitment to rigor and hands-on training. While the selective enrollment track challenges high-achieving students with honors and Advanced Placement courses beginning in their freshman year, the school also invests heavily in its career programs. Students in the CTE track can pursue pathways in fields like medical sciences, business, information technology, and broadcasting, where they can gain hands-on experience, industry credentials, and even early college credit. It’s a structure designed to meet students where they are, whether they’re aiming for Ivy League schools or direct entry into a professional career. This makes Westinghouse an ideal school for a student who is dedicated to their academics and extracurriculars, but succeeds primarily in experiential learning environments, where they can directly and actively prepare for their futures.
Academically, Westinghouse delivers a strong foundation across the board. Its students have access to accelerated math tracks, advanced science labs, and AP courses in nearly every subject. Yet what really makes the experience feel different is how the school merges this academic push with a strong focus on student identity, culture, and expression. Programs in the arts, music, and writing (bolstered by partnerships with local organizations like 826CHI and Young Chicago Authors) help ensure that learning goes beyond textbooks and standardized tests.
Student life at Westinghouse reflects the school’s holistic approach. In addition to its academic and career programs, there are dozens of clubs, athletic teams, and creative outlets that help students find community and purpose. The school’s basketball program, idebate team, robotics club, and visual arts programs are especially well-known. And with modern facilities, including a natatorium, media production rooms, and well-equipped science labs, students have the resources to explore and innovate in whatever direction they choose.
If your child is hoping to attend George Westinghouse College Prep, or another Selective Enrollment High School, Test Prep Chicago can help you ace the CPS HSAT necessary for admission. Through group courses (click here), 1-day workshops (click here), or personalized one-on-one tutoring (click here), our programs help to prepare students for the CPS HSAT through full-length practice exams, targeted homework assignments, and expert test-taking strategies. We continually update our materials based on student feedback and evolving exam trends.