An Overview of Academic Centers

Do you want to avoid the complexities of the high school selective enrollment process, but still want your student to attend a competitive school? An Academic Center may be for you!

Academic Centers, which are similar to middle schools, are housed in high schools and provide a college preparatory program for seventh and eighth-grade students. If a student is admitted into an Academic Center, he or she is automatically granted admission to that Academic Center’s affiliated high school. A few highly sought-after Academic Centers in Chicago include Brooks, Kenwood, Lane Tech, Lindblom, Morgan Park, Taft, and Whitney Young.

The application process for Academic Centers is almost indistinguishable from the Selective Enrollment process; however, instead of the process beginning in 7th grade, students must begin testing in 5th grade. Much like Selective Enrollment, the Academic Center admission process works on a 900-point scale.

The first third of points available come from a student’s 5th-grade grades in math, English, science, and social studies. Each A grade is the equivalent of 75 points, totaling at 300 points, or 1/3 of the 900 points obtainable. Each B grade results in 50 points, each C grade results in 25 points and no points are awarded for grades of D or F.

The second third of the 900 points come from a student’s NWEA MAP scores. For CPS students, the official score will be taken from their spring NWEA MAP in 5th grade, while non-CPS students will get their official score from their fall NWEA MAP in 6th grade. This test is divided into two sections: math and reading. Each section is worth 150 points, totaling at 300.

The final third of students’ points are taken from their Academic Center Entrance Exam (AC Exam). The AC Exam includes 9 sections, each at 10 minutes long. Unlike other standardized tests like the NWEA MAP, the AC Exam measures critical thinking skills, reasoning, and problem-solving, much like an IQ test. This test is administered in the winter of their 6th-grade year, usually in early February. 

In addition to the 900 points, students will also need to fill out an Academic Center application using the CPS website. On the application, parents will have to declare in which tiered neighborhood the student lives (to find out in what tier your neighborhood is, visit the CPS website). The final score a student needs out of 900 for each school (for example, 850/900 for Lane Tech or 880/900 for Taft) will be determined by their socio-economic tier. These applications are usually open in October and are due in mid-December, but you can find official dates on the CPS website.

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

Chicago Teacher Strike

The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) have yet to reach an agreement over teachers’ contracts. As a result, CTU voted on Friday, September 27, to authorize a strike. The strike itself will take place next week on October 17, 2019, adding a new level of urgency for both parties as the days grow closer and closer.

However, in the past, authorized strikes haven’t always led to a strike since the immense inconvenience a strike inevitably poses leads parties to reach an agreement before the actual date. Many are hopeful that this will be the case. On the contrary, if an agreement is not met, CTU (and their 25,000 union educators) are prepared to follow through. In addition, Park District employees have also recently agreed to participate in the strike, adding even more fuel to the fire.

Within the contractual agreement between CPS and CTU, teachers are requesting higher salaries, lower student-to-teacher ratios, and more nurses, librarians, and special education professionals. CPS is trying to accommodate these requests, but so far, their offers were unsatisfactory. While the idea of a teacher strike isn’t desirable for either party, it would hopefully expedite negotiations.

Thousands of CPS families and community members are equally invested in a resolution between the school district and the union. Closed schools mean students wouldn’t have a place to go during the day, and now that Park Districts are joining in, the displacement of tens of thousands of students seems a likely and very scary possibility for Chicagoans. Young students would require childcare, and older students would miss out on extracurricular activities and athletics. Students receiving free or reduced lunches will be without a school-provided meal, adding financial strain to Chicago families.

Additionally, Test Prep Chicago courses offered at CPS schools and Park Districts will need be rescheduled should there be a strike. Our courses will continue once the strike ends and we will add make-up classes to the end of any course affected by the strikes.  While CPS and CTU are bargaining to find the best results, which will empower teachers to better serve their students and school communities, we hope they are able to do so very soon. 

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

CPS Announces Selective Enrollment High School Entrance Exam (SEHS) Test Dates

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has announced the test dates for the Selective Enrollment High School Entrance Exam (SEHS). This year, the SEHS will be offered 7 times. The 7 dates are listed below.

SEHS Test Dates 
Saturday, November 16
Saturday, December 7
Saturday, December 14
Sunday, December 15
Saturday, January 18
Sunday, January 19
Saturday, January 25

The SEHS will be offered at five sites:  King College Preparatory High School, Lane Tech High School, Lindblom Math and Science Academy, Westinghouse College Preparatory High School, and Whitney Young Magnet High School.

Applicants who apply using the GoCPS online application will schedule their exam after they submit their application. Applicants who apply using a paper application will have their test scheduled by the Office of Access and Enrollment and will be notified of their test date, time, and location via U.S. mail.

The application process for the 2019-2020 school year opens September 30 and ends December 6th.

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

High School Entrance Exam Prep Course at Test Prep Chicago

Every fall, Test Prep Chicago offers classes which encompass all three high school entrance exams: the selective enrollment high school entrance exam (SEHS), the independent school entrance exam (ISEE), and the high school placement test (HSPT). Over the course of eight weeks, students dive into the content of the tests, test-taking strategies, as well as the formatting and timing of each test. Though eight weeks may seem like a short amount of time to prepare for three tests, its an exceedingly accessible time frame given the likeness of each exam.

First, the content is exceedingly alike. Each of the tests include math (up through geometry), reading comprehension, vocabulary, and language skills (multiple choice for SEHS and HSPT, essay for ISEE). Given these similarities, students studying for any or all exams are able to work toward reviewing or learning the same concepts. Where there are a few differences, such as the essay section on the ISEE, students studying specifically for the ISEE will be provided with supplementary, exam- specific material for homework. However, since the student is engaging in language and grammar in our class, they will still be getting their fair share of in-class language and grammar prep for the ISEE. Additionally, another commonality on the tests is that there is no calculator permitted, nor is there a guessing penalty.

Next, the time permitted to take each test ranges from two hours and thirty minutes to three hours.  Accordingly, the stamina needed to build up in order to successfully take each exam is almost indistinguishable. The only exception is that the HSPT has quite a few more questions than the other two exams. Similar to the essay section with the ISEE, supplementary materials will be provided for those students who wish to work on specifically on quickly getting through many questions that the HSPT will inevitably have.

Lastly, since the formatting of each exam is slightly different, we include questions formatted in the likeness of each exam so students feel fully prepared. If our comprehensive high school entrance exam prep course sounds like the right fit for your student, visit testprepchicago.com and sign up for a prep course today!

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

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

An Overview of Robert Lindblom Math and Science Academy High School

Located in the West Englewood neighborhood of the south side of Chicago, Robert Lindblom Math and Science Academy (also known as Lindblom) originally opened in 1919 as a technical high school, reopening in 2005 as a Math and Science Academy and a selective enrollment high school. The school is ranked 11th best public high school in Illinois. Total Enrollment is 1,056 with a student to teacher ratio of 18:1. Of the total enrollment, 98% of students are people of color and 67% of students receive free or reduced-price lunch. It boasts an extremely impressive graduation rate of 100%.

Courses offered at Lindblom contain a “demanding college preparatory curriculum where all courses are offered at honors or Advanced Placement [levels].” These include conventional classes as well as more unique offerings such as Women’s Studies, Web Design, Environmental Science, Biotechnology, Horticulture and Plant Biology, and Art and History of Propaganda. Languages offered include Chinese and Arabic while fine arts encompass visual art, choir, and band.

Lindblom also incorporates a colloquium day where students have an array of electives and enrichment classes to choose from including but not limited to Tai Chi, Knitting, A Capella, Photography, African Dance, Archery, Basketball, History of Hip-Hop, Self Defense, Robotics, Aviation, Women in Medicine, and more. For students interested in athletics, they have many from which to choose: basketball, football, soccer, dance, water polo, wrestling, volleyball, cheerleading, bowling, cross country, and track and field to name a few.

For more information about academics or athletics at Lindblom, visit their website: https://lindblomeagles.org/index.jsp.

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

An Overview of John Hancock College Preparatory High School

Founded in 1999 as an elementary school and then converted into a selective enrollment high school in 2002, John Hancock College Preparatory High School (also known as Hancock) is located in the West Elsdon community of the southwest side of Chicago. Hancock is ranked 217th in the state of Illinois. Enrollment at Hancock is 887 with a student to teacher ratio of 18:1. Of their total enrollment, 98% of students are people of color and 91% of students receive free or reduced-price lunch. The graduation rate of Hancock is 94%.

Courses offered at Hancock include both standard courses as well as a few which are unique to the school; these include four different law classes (encompassing criminology and pre-law), decision theory, forensic science, financial algebra, and drama. In addition, they have departments in pre-engineering and computer science, both of which are noteworthy compared to neighborhood high schools. Hancock also incorporates a wide range of AP classes, honors classes, and electives in fine arts. Languages offered are Spanish and French with an opportunity to take a class trip to Costa Rica with the Spanish class. Another uncommon program which Hancock provides is an opportunity for students to earn high school credit through an internship. Many students previously interned with Urban Alliance, Genesys Works, and more.

Athletics at Hancock include but are not limited to cross country, bowling, track and field, volleyball, cheerleading, basketball, baseball, and soccer. Hancock has a rich tradition of sports and is decorated in Regional and Conference Championships in soccer, baseball, softball, and volleyball.

To learn more about academics or athletics at Hancock, visit their website: hancockhs.org.

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

An Overview of Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy

A selective enrollment high school located in Chicago’s far south side community of Roseland, Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy (also known as Brooks) first opened in 1998. It is named in honor of the famous African American poet, former U.S. Poet Laureate, and former resident of Chicago’s south side, Gwendolyn Brooks. Brooks is ranked as the 8th best public school in the state of Illinois and 186th in the nation. Their total enrollment is 859 with a student to teacher ratio of 22:1. Of their total enrollment, 99% of students are people of color and 74% of students receive free or reduced-price lunch. Brooks’s graduation rate is 99%.

Classes offered at Brooks include a wide range of standard and specialized classes in all subjects. In math, science, and technology students can take more specialized classes such as IT, AB or BC calculus, engineering design, inquiry science, and robotics. In English and social studies students can choose to take African American literature, film study, microeconomics, psychology, modern world, entrepreneurship, and law. Languages offered include French, Spanish, and American Sign Language. Fine arts offered encompass visual art (sculpture, graphic design, and photography) and performing arts (choir, band, and orchestra). For health and PE, students can take sports-based classes as well as aquatics, or a more standard style of PE.  Most uniquely, Brooks has seminar courses for “adulting,” gardening, poetry, food and culture, and more.

If a student is interested in athletics, they can choose from a wide range including but not limited to football, cheerleading, baseball, bowling, soccer, swimming, water polo, volleyball, and track and field. Outside of the school itself, Brooks also provides students who are interested with “enrichment opportunities.” These are “life-changing, career-inspiring opportunities” that take place during the summer or after school. Fields incorporated in the program are agriculture and urban gardening, computer science, entrepreneurship, law and law enforcement, leadership, media arts, medicine and medical sciences, STEM, and volunteerism.

For more information about Brooks’s courses, athletics, or enrichment opportunities, visit their website at http://www.brookscollegeprep.org/.

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

An Overview of South Shore International College Preparatory High School

Founded in 1940 as South Shore High School and then converted into a selective enrollment high school, South Shore International College Preparatory High School (also known as South Shore) is located in the South Shore neighborhood in the southeast side of Chicago. South Shore is ranked as the 195th best school in the state of Illinois. Total enrollment at South Shore is 591 students with a student to teacher ratio of 16:1. Of their total enrollment, 100% of students are people of color and 85% of students receive free or reduced-price lunch. South Shore also boasts a fantastic graduation rate: 99%.

South Shore is unique in that it is an International Baccalaureate (IB) school. This means that the school will not only follow the CCSS (Common Core State Standards) but they’ll also follow IB standards. Therefore, they’ll be a part of a program which reaches 1.3 million IB students worldwide, 4,527 IB World Schools, and 156 countries. The mission of IB states that it “aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. It further contends that it “works with schools, governments, and international organizations to develop challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment.” Additionally, students enrolled in the IB program have the opportunity to take up to seven college-level courses.

Courses offered at South Shore consist of standard courses as well as more specialized courses of study. More specialized courses that are unique to the school include classes in African American history, law, entrepreneurship, medical health professions, forensic science, solar energy, computer science, and journalism. South Shore also offers aquatic classes as well JROTC in addition to more conventional PE courses. Fine arts offered incorporate visual art, band, and choir while languages offered include Chinese and Spanish. South Shore also has a wide array of sports to choose from if students are interested in athletics. These encompass but are not limited to baseball, basketball, football, bowling, track and field, cheerleading, soccer, swimming, and volleyball among others.

For more information about classes or athletics at South Shore, visit their website at https://www.southshoreinternational.org/index.jsp.

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

An Overview of George Westinghouse College Preparatory High School

Located in East Garfield Park in the west side of Chicago, George Westinghouse College Preparatory High School was established in 1970. The school resided in what was originally a candy factory which opened in 1932. Though it was converted in the late ‘60s into a vocational high school, it remained to be one of the largest examples of the Chicago School architectural style. However, in 2009, the school opened in a new, $106.5 million building that houses both the original vocational school as well as the selective enrollment side of the high school. Westinghouse, named after American entrepreneur and engineer George Westinghouse, is ranked #28 in the state of Illinois and #574 in the nation. Its enrollment is 1,151 with a student to teacher ratio of 18:1. Of its total enrollment, 98% of students are people of color, and 81% of students receive free or reduced-price lunch. Westinghouse also boasts an impressive graduation rate of 99%.

Westinghouse offers an array of different courses to suit the needs of all students. Their science department, in particular, is vast, offering a challenging course load for students looking to pursue science in college. They have more standard science classes as well as engineering, civil engineering, environmental science, mechanics of physics, and courses in medical health professions. Their social science department is also of note, as they offer exciting specialty classes such as civics, ethnic studies, psychology, and European history in addition to more conventional courses. World languages offered at Westinghouse include Spanish, Chinese, and French.

Westinghouse uniquely offers full courses of study in all the fine arts (music, visual arts, and drama). The departments also include more specialized classes such as guitar, or studio mixed media. Additionally, the school has many classes in web design, video production, and broadcast journalism available. Students can also elect to take JROTC or several different kinds of PE classes for their physical education credit. Westinghouse also has several different sports teams for which students can try-out including but not limited to basketball, softball, wrestling, tennis, cheerleading, and chess. The school is also one of the only selective enrollment high schools which has a football team. Westinghouse’s basketball teams are also some of the most decorated in the city, winning a variety of championships.

For more information about courses, athletics, or extracurriculars offered at Westinghouse, visit their website at https://www.newwestinghouse.org/.

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