King College Prep: Learn More About This Chicago Selective Enrollment High School!

Leading up to the PreACT 9 this October, Test Prep Chicago will feature all eleven CPS selective enrollment high schools and some top AP, IB, and Honors high school programs in Chicago, breaking down each program and what makes them unique on our blog. This week, we're spotlighting Martin Luther King Jr. College Preparatory High School.

King College Prep stands out for its commitment to academic excellence, leadership development, and student engagement. Located in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, the school has built a reputation for preparing students not only for college but also for meaningful careers and life as active citizens. Its mission emphasizes academic growth, leadership, and social responsibility, creating an environment where students are encouraged to challenge themselves both inside and outside the classroom.

One of the school's greatest strengths is its rigorous academic program. King College Prep offers a comprehensive college prep curriculum, including honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses across a wide range of subjects. Students can take AP classes in disciplines such as English, math, science, social studies, world languages, and the arts, giving them opportunities to earn college credit while developing the study skills and critical thinking needed to succeed once they reach the university level. The school also offers career and technical education pathways, including Architectural Drafting, Computer Programming, Digital Media, and Project Lead the Way Pre-Engineering, allowing students to gain practical, career-focused experience before graduation. This makes King an ideal school for students sure of their future field of study or career path who are looking for the opportunity to grow and gain experience during high school. It is also an ideal program for students looking to experiment with a wide variety of subjects and potential careers before applying to colleges. King also offers inclusive special education services designed to maintain a strong college prep focus.

Beyond traditional academics, King College Prep provides students with diverse learning opportunities and extracurricular programs that support creativity and personal growth. The school's arts programs include band, jazz band, drama, choir, dance, piano, visual arts, graphic design, photography, AP Studio Art, and Art History. Students also have access to world language courses in French, Spanish, and American Sign Language (ASL), and academic organizations such as the math team, debate team, National Honor Society, science club, and philosophy club. Leadership opportunities are available through student council, peer leaders, and community service initiatives, while cultural organizations celebrate diversity and encourage civic engagement. All of these extracurricular opportunities allow students to learn valuable skills, cultivate friendships, and develop an acute awareness of their own interests and strengths.

Admission to King is competitive and based on seventh-grade core grades and the new PreACT 9. If your student is interested in attending King 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. All of our scheduled courses (sign up here) and one-day Palooza workshops (sign up here) will continue to run as planned, as will our individual tutoring sessions (sign up here), with 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!

An Overview of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. College Preparatory High School

With a school motto of “Dare to dream, strive to achieve,” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. College Preparatory High School (also known as “King”) was founded in 1971. Located in the Kenwood neighborhood of the south side of Chicago, King is one of eleven selective enrollment high schools in Chicago and ranked as the 48th best public school in Illinois. The school has an enrollment of 638 with a student to teacher ratio of 17:1. Of their total enrollment, 99% of students are people of color and 80% of students receive free or reduced-price lunch. King has a graduation rate of 98%.

Courses offered at King encompass a rigorous course load with honors and AP classes offered in every subject. Unlike many other selective enrollment schools, King has a wealth of arts programming including advanced coursework in band, dance, drama, graphic design, photography, studio art, and choir. They also, uniquely, have courses in architecture, engineering, and computer science. Their engineering program, in particular, “utilizes a nationally recognized curriculum developed by Project Lead the Way.” Languages offered at King include French, Spanish, and American Sign Language.

Students interested in sports have many options from which to try-out: baseball, basketball, volleyball, football, cross country, soccer, swimming, wrestling, and softball to name a few. The school also houses a marching band, drama club, book club, chess club, and video-gaming club as well as many other extracurricular activities.

To learn more about King’s academics, athletics, or extracurricular activities, visit their website at https://newkcp.org.

Lauren Lynch, Tutoring Coordinator
lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266