DataManager Platform to be Used for CPS High School Admissions Exam

Beginning with the admissions test for the 2022-2023 school year, taken in the fall of 2021, the CPS High School Admissions Test will no longer be administered on paper. Instead, students will take the test on computers, using the secure DataManager platform. To prepare for the test, students will have access to a “Student Practice Experience,” which will give them the opportunity to learn how to use the features of the DataManager platform.

The DataManager platform allows students to use many of the same features they would have access to on a physical test. For example, students can skip questions and come back to them, or mark questions for later review. An explanation of each of the features available can be accessed within the platform by clicking on the “Help” button, and students should make sure they understand these features during the Student Practice Experience.

Francis Burke, Test Prep Chicago Intern

Selective Enrollment Chicago Public Schools Dominate Illinois High School Rankings

Each year, the U.S. News and World Report release a ranking of thousands of high schools across all 50 states. The ranking is based on a number of factors, including student performance on state testing and preparedness for college. Of the 647 Illinois high schools that made the list, the top five are all in the Chicago Public School (CPS) district!

Ranked in order, the CPS schools are Walter Payton College Preparatory High School, Northside College Preparatory High School, Jones College Preparatory High School, Whitney Young Magnet High School, and Lane Technical High School. In fact, Walter Payton is ranked as the fourth best high school in the Nation.

These five schools are all classified as Selective Enrollment High Schools, an initiative designed to support a diverse population of high achieving students. This network of 11 schools provides students with many opportunities and prepares them for success after high school. Schools in this program have a selective application process that involves students’ 7th grade final grades and scores on the CPS High School Admissions Exam taken during the fall of 8th grade.

To help students prepare for the Selective Enrollment Entrance Exam, Test Prep Chicago offers both group courses and individual tutoring sessions. For more information about setting up tutoring, please call (312) 848-1266 or send an email to info@testprepchicago.com.

Nate Mann, TPC Intern

CPS Changes to Selective Enrollment High School Admissions for Incoming 8th Graders

For students applying to selective enrollment high schools for the 2022-23 school year, CPS has modified the admission process by removing the NWEA Map Exam as an eligibility factor. Accordingly, the 900 point score system used in previous years (300 points for NWEA MAP exam, 300 points for Selective Enrollment High School exam, and 300 points for 7th grade grades in math, reading, science and social studies) has been adjusted to have the Selective Enrollment High School Entrance Exam (renamed as the CPS High School Admissions test - "HSAT" ) and 7th-grade grades now each count for 450 points. The elimination of the NWEA MAP exam also means that students need not have obtained a minimum score on the test in order to qualify to take the entrance exam thereby allowing more students to sit for the HSAT.

The Selective Enrollment High School Entrance Exam was renamed as the CPS High School Admissions Test to more accurately reflect that the test is used not only for admission to selective enrollment high schools but also for admission to certain honors programs and IB schools.

The HSAT covers the identical material that the Selective Enrollment High School Entrance Exam covered. Students attending CPS schools will take the exam at their school during a weekday. Non-CPS students will sit for the exam on certain weekends and locations designated by CPS.

CPS has not yet announced the dates of the exam but expects to do so sometime later this summer. CPS has also stated parents should expect to be provided more information about the admissions process from the primary school their child attends sometime this upcoming September.

Nate Hall, Tutoring Coordinator
nate@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

High School Entrance Exam Prep Courses in the Fall

This fall, Test Prep Chicago will offer classes which encompass all three high school entrance exams: the CPS High School Admissions Test (formerly known as the SEHS), the independent school entrance exam (ISEE), and the high school placement test (HSPT). Over the course of eight weeks, students will 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, it’s an accessible timeframe 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 the CPS High School Admissions Test 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.

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 specifically on quickly getting through the 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 you’re interested in enrolling in our comprehensive high school admissions course, visit testprepchicago.com and sign up for our newsletter. Once we add dates for the fall (including online and in-person courses), we’ll send an email notification to let you know registration has opened. We will likely add dates sometime in July for our courses that will begin in late August or early September.

Lauren Lynch, Director of Tutoring and Communications
lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

An Overview of Amundsen High School

Nestled between Andersonville and Lincoln Square, Amundsen High School has been a part of the CPS district since 1929. It was named after the famed arctic explorer, Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen, who is known for leading the first expedition to the South Pole in 1911, as well as being the first to sail through the Northwest Passage. The school’s student to teacher ratio is 15:1, and its student to counselor ratio is one of the best in the CPS district. Amundsen has a diverse student population as well (84% minority enrollment).

Amundsen is also an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, offering the IB Diploma Program since 1999, and the Middle Years Program since 2003. About 22% of students participate in IB programs and classes, and the school has had a 70% pass rate on the IB Exam for the last four years. Students that take part in these programs are guaranteed college credit in all Illinois public colleges and universities. Amundsen states “The IB Program offers students an opportunity to have a well-rounded and rigorous college preparatory curriculum in a neighborhood school. The IB Program provides students with the discipline and skills necessary to take on future endeavors. Besides an excellent academic education that prepares them for post-secondary study, the IB Program gives students an opportunity to build character and perseverance to become future leaders in the community.”

Beyond the IB programs, Amundsen also offers a Career and Technical Education Program (CTE). This intense training program allows students to make the leap from in-school learning to applicable industry problem-solving. It also has some truly unique concentrations, including Web Design, Game-Programming, and even an Apple-designed program to develop apps on their systems.

Over the years, Amundsen’s facilities have also undergone significant improvements and changes. The gymnasium, on-site pool, and computer and science labs have all benefited from the $20 million in renovation. Amundsen students also have immediate access to Winnemac Park’s softball, soccer, and baseball fields. The football stadium, Jorndt field, was also recently renovated, and seats over 1,000 people.

For more information on Amundsen High School, visit their website at https://www.amundsenhs.org/

Nate Hall, Tutoring Coordinator
nate@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

CPS Cancels NWEA MAP Exam

Last week, on Thursday, 4/15, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) announced that they are cancelling the NWEA MAP test for all elementary students: kindergarten through 8th grade. In addition, the NWEA MAP will remain canceled through the full selective enrollment and academic center testing cycles for current 5th and 7th graders for both CPS and non-CPS students. It is still unclear what CPS will do for rising 5th and 7th graders in the next testing cycle.

Though the NWEA MAP is canceled, other components of the selective enrollment and academic center admissions processes will remain relatively the same. For students applying to academic centers, they will still need to take the Academic Center Entrance Exam (which is typically administered in late fall/winter), and schools will still also use the student’s 5th-grade grades in math, reading, science, and social studies. For students applying for admission into selective enrollment high schools, they will need to take the CPS High School Admissions Test (administered in late fall/winter). This test will be the same as the Selective Enrollment High School exam (SEHS) from previous years, however the name will be changed. In addition, as usual, selective enrollment schools will also look at the student’s 7th-grade grades in math, reading, science, and social studies.

Test Prep Chicago will offer test prep courses for both the Academic Center Entrance Exam as well as the CPS High School Admissions Test in the fall and will likely add dates for these to our website in the late summer (or as soon as CPS announces those test dates). In addition, we offer one-on-one tutoring for both tests as well as subject matter tutoring and help with school, and we can begin this at any time. For more information about our services or to set up tutoring, feel free to call us at (312) 848-1266 or send us an email at info@testprepchicago.com.

Lauren Lynch, Director of Tutoring and Communications
lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

Vedamo: Our Online Tutoring Platform

Since COVID-19 started spreading last March, Test Prep Chicago had to adapt quickly toward an online tutoring model. The platform we use, Vedamo, has several features and advantages over other online tutoring and provides an experience that’s much more active for our students than a simple Zoom call.

Vedamo was created in 2014 and was designed specifically for tutoring by tutors. The biggest benefit of this model is that online sessions are extremely intuitive; even the least tech-savvy of our students can jump into using the features of the classroom with ease. Just to name a few…

• Video conferencing functionality (just like Zoom)

• A virtual whiteboard that both students and tutors can interact with

• A multi-sized and colored drawing tool along with a quick-fading pointer

• Inserting shapes, text, and symbols

• Sharing screens

• Chat capabilities

• Uploading a large number of file types

• Recorded sessions available for classes missed

Students are also able to use all of these features and join the classroom just by clicking a link. There is no software to install, just a simple first time account setup. Students can also join the classroom from any device, whether it be their school laptop, or a family iPad.

Lastly, and we think most importantly, Vedamo allows us to provide all of Test Prep Chicago’s original test prep material easily and efficiently. Even in an e-learning environment, students will receive all of the benefits of an in-person session.

If you’d like to learn more about Vedamo, our original material, or Test Prep Chicago, give us a call at (312) 848-1266 or send an email to info@testprepchicago.com.

An Overview of Francis W. Parker School

Located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, Francis W. Parker School (also known as Parker) is a private school for students at every grade level: junior kindergarten to senior year of high school. It’s ranked the 5th best private high school in Illinois and has a student-teacher ratio of 9:1. The average SAT and ACT scores at Parker are 1420 and 31, respectively.

Parker offers a diverse and challenging curriculum which includes both general classes in math, science, reading, social studies, and more, as well as more specialized classes such as “Sociology of Sports,” “Literature and Censorship,” and “The Civil Rights Movement” among others. In addition to a rigorous course load, students are encouraged to explore the arts, as well as athletics in their “no-cut athletics program.” They also offer a Senior Seminar which “provides a safe space for seniors to reflect on their final year of high school and prepare for their next journey.”

Outside of the classroom, students also attend conferences and participate in a schoolwide Big Brothers and Big Sisters program. Students can also elect to participate in the Model UN program which competes locally, nationally, and internationally. Beginning in junior year, students also have the opportunity to utilize Parker’s College Counseling Office which provides a laundry list of meetings, advise, and thorough information to help guide students in their applications to the schools of their choices. To find out more about their College Counseling Office, curriculum, athletics, or more, visit their website at https://www.fwparker.org/.

Since Parker is a private school, students must take the ISEE to gain admission into the school as well as apply. In addition, Parker charges approximately $34,000 in yearly tuition to attend. Test Prep Chicago will offer both tutoring and courses for the ISEE beginning in the fall semester. Sign up for our newsletter on testprepchicago.com to be notified of new class offerings, including the ISEE course.

Lauren Lynch, Director of Tutoring and Communications
lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

An Update on Reopening Chicago Schools

On March 1st, after weeks of discussion and debate between the Chicago Public Schools, Lori Lightfoot, and the Chicago Teachers’ Union, elementary schools reopened in the city for opt-in in-person learning. The last wave of students, those in 6th to 8th grade, was welcomed back into schools on March 8th. Though the return to in-person learning has not gone as well as many CPS administrators had hoped, they are still confident that a return to normalcy is closer than ever.

Results from CPS data that were released in mid-March did not meet early expectations. Though in-person learning was reinstated, only 49,281 students that were given the in-person option returned to schools, leaving a total in-person attendance of 21%. This was about 10,000 students less than administrators predicted. To add to the negative effects, 1 in 3 of the in-person students were taught by remote teachers, according to a CPAA survey taken by 195 of the 415 elementary schools. It should also be noted that the students that returned to in-person learning and had teachers in the classroom were skewed heavily towards white students and students living in Chicago’s north and northwest neighborhoods.

Current discussions between CPS and the CTU have revolved around the reopening of CPS high schools. Many CPS administrators have been pushing for an April 19th reopening to match the start of the last quarter of the school year, which they announced officially on March 16th. However, the CTU made a statement that they have not been a part of the high school reopening discussion as desired, and that there are many issues left to be addressed, including information about vaccine availability for school staff and the current amount of elementary students back in school. It was later revealed that the president of the CTU, Jesse Sharkey, had seen the CPS announcement before it was released, and CPS made the edits she had suggested. This momentary win for CPS didn’t last too long though, as earlier this week they misplaced a reported 6,000 vaccine doses. Many teachers in the CTU are even afraid to reveal their vaccination status, in fear of losing their CPS accommodations that protect their loved ones.

It’s clear that the school system in Chicago has always been politically charged, but perhaps more so than ever during the pandemic. Parents and teachers are both suffering the effects of extended remote and hybrid learning periods, especially in minority communities. To add to the uncertainty, as of today, the CDC still has not determined fully whether or not any of the vaccines available offer complete protection against virus transmission to the unvaccinated. The solution to this complex and gargantuan problem may be murky, but at the very least, both sides should make strides toward honesty and transparency sooner rather than later.

Nate Hall, Tutoring Coordinator
nate@testprepchicago.com
312-848-1266

An Overview of Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (also known as IMSA) is located in Aurora, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago. IMSA is a public high school that houses its student body (which is comprised of sophomores, juniors, and seniors) in dorms on the Aurora campus. Students who are eligible to apply must have achieved at least one year of ninth-grade science and Algebra.

IMSA prides itself on being one of the top-ranked math and science academies in Illinois and retains its academic vigor by teaching with an honors-level curriculum for all its students beginning in their first year. IMSA’s academic programming includes college preparatory courses in mathematics, science, arts, and humanities. Because the school’s teaching philosophy aims to arm their students with knowledge that emphasizes application over memorization, they do not offer AP classes. Instead, IMSA chooses to focus on how to best educate its students without having to teach to the specific standardization of Advanced Placement. However, students are still welcome to and often do take AP exams in order to earn college credit.

IMSA is unlike other schools of its caliber in the Chicagoland area because it provides the unique opportunity of offering dorms on campus to its students. IMSA highly encourages students to remain on campus for all years that they attend. In doing so, students get to participate in extracurricular opportunities that focus on various types of real-life learning strategies such as budgeting and conflict resolution. Beyond this, IMSA offers a vast curriculum of activities available to their students during the evenings or on weekends;  including clubs, athletics, service, and research opportunities. 

To find more information for Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, please IMSA’s website: https://www.imsa.edu/

Written by former Tutoring Coordinator, Ramisha Ejaz

For more information about Test Prep Chicago contact:

Lauren Lynch, Director of Tutoring and Communications

lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266