A Closer Look Inside Jones College Prep

Leading up to the PreACT 9 this October, Test Prep Chicago is spotlighting all eleven CPS selective enrollment high schools, along with some of the city's top AP, IB, and Honors programs, right here on our blog. This week, we're taking a closer look at Jones College Prep.

Jones College Prep stands out for its rigorous academics, its career-focused programs in law and engineering, and a downtown location few high schools can match. The school sits in the Printer's Row/South Loop neighborhood. This area is often called Chicago's "Education Corridor" because so many educational institutions are clustered there, meaning that Jones puts students right in the middle of the city's cultural and professional life. The school also has a long history. It opened in 1938 as Jones Commercial High School, a business-focused school, and in the late 1990s it became the college preparatory powerhouse it is today.

Academically, Jones consistently ranks among the top public high schools in the state and the country. In the 2026–2027 U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools rankings, Jones placed fifth in Illinois and No. 99 in the nation. It is also a three-time National Blue Ribbon School, and for good reason. Students can choose from more than 125 courses, most of them honors-level, including more than 25 Advanced Placement options. Students who want a head start on college can take dual credit courses at Jones through a partnership with Loyola University, as well as off-campus dual enrollment courses through the City Colleges of Chicago.

One of Jones's most distinctive features is its Career and Technical Education (CTE) program, which offers two four-year pathways: Pre-Law and Pre-Engineering. Pre-Law is an honors program where students build critical thinking and debate skills. The school has its own dedicated courtroom where students take part in mock trials. Pre-Law students have had internship opportunities with the law firms Baker McKenzie and Winston & Strawn, the Illinois Supreme Court, and the Cook County State's Attorney. In their third year, they can earn college credit through a dual credit course with Loyola. The Pre-Engineering pathway is a four-course sequence, including Honors Introduction to Engineering Design, Honors Principles of Engineering, Honors Digital Electronics, and Engineering Design and Development. The sequence ends with students developing an original product or machine design, and the program partners with the engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti.

Outside the classroom, Jones offers more than 120 clubs and organizations, from academic groups and fitness clubs to racial, ethnic, cultural, and identity affinity groups. There's no limit on how many clubs a student can join, and students can also write for the school newspaper, the Blueprint. Annual traditions add to the sense of community: Eagle Games, Homecoming, Faculty Follies, the Black Student Union's "BSU Presents…" series, Asian Fest, and the Association of Latin American Students (ALAS) Festival. Athletics are a big part of life at Jones too, with teams in 23 boys' and girls' sports. The school's newer South Campus, opened in 2013, includes a gymnasium, fitness centers, a pool, and a professional-quality theater.

Between its top-tier academics, its law and engineering pathways, and its downtown location, Jones gives students a high school experience that is deeply connected to the city around them. This is a big reason the school remains one of Chicago's most sought-after (and most competitive) selective enrollment programs. It's a great fit for students who thrive in a highly rigorous academic environment and want to make the most of a downtown campus, whether that means exploring a career in law or engineering or getting a head start on college coursework.

Admission to Jones is competitive and based on seventh-grade core grades and the new PreACT 9. If your student is interested in attending Jones or another selective enrollment high school, Test Prep Chicago can help your student prepare for the new PreACT 9, helping them develop the knowledge, skills, and strategies needed to succeed. As a licensed participant in the NTPA ACT Affiliate Tutor Program, we had been aware of the change from the CPS HSAT to the PreACT 9, and our team had already begun creating new PreACT 9 Secure curriculum. As such, students enrolled or looking to enroll in any courses or one-day workshops, or students beginning individual tutoring, can be assured that the content and test-taking strategies they are being taught will reflect the content seen on the new exam. While all of our courses have begun, you can still sign up for our self-paced course (sign up here), one-day Palooza workshops (sign up here), or individual tutoring sessions (sign up here), which all include the new PreACT 9 Secure content and test-taking strategies instead of the old CPS HSAT curriculum. Sign up now to help your student prepare!