Spotlighting Northside College Prep: What Makes this Chicago Selective Enrollment High School Special

Northside College Prep is consistently ranked as one of the top selective enrollment high schools in Chicago. Known for its rigorous academic program, cutting-edge facilities, and strong college admissions record, Northside is a top choice for high-performing, academically-oriented students.

Regularly listed among the best public high schools in the country, Northside offers a well-rounded, academically-focused experience. Every academic course at Northside is taught at either an Honors or Advanced Placement (AP) level, giving students the opportunity to choose from approximately 24 AP classes across disciplines including math, science, English, and Social studies. Northside also employs the Interactive Mathematics Program (IMP), a nationally recognized alternative to traditional high school math curriculum, and offers advanced math courses such as Multivariable Calculus, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, and Discrete Mathematics. Additionally, students participate in a weekly Colloquium, a unique enrichment program that allows them to explore diverse topics outside the traditional curriculum. These aspects of Northside make it one of the most academically rigorous high schools in Chicago, perfect for a highly driven, academically focused student who learns well in challenging environments. While Northside offers a variety of extracurriculars, including successful sports teams and student-led clubs, its defining feature is its strong academic culture and high expectations. 

As a result, Northside is also ideal for students looking to get a competitive edge during the college application process. Students at Northside regularly achieve high standardized test scores and college acceptance rates, with over 99% of graduates going on to attend college, many at highly selective institutions.

With that being said, Northside also has a unique commitment to student wellness and holistic learning. Despite it being a challenging environment, Northside employs a block schedule and advisory system that are designed to reduce stress, which can be a rarity among high-pressure academic institutions. This makes Northside particularly attractive to students who want academic rigor without sacrificing mental well-being.

Admission to Northside is extremely competitive, based on a combination of seventh-grade core subject grades and performance on the CPS High School Admissions Test (HSAT). For students looking to attend Northside, Test Prep Chicago offers expert test prep.

Whether you're interested in a small-group course, a 1-day intensive workshop, or personalized one-on-one tutoring, our offerings include full-length practice exams, strategic homework, and targeted instruction. Our tutors emphasize proven test strategies, time management skills, and pacing to help students feel confident and capable on test day. With ongoing feedback from real students, we continually update our materials to reflect the latest exam trends.

Want to learn more about how we can support your student on the path to Northside? Explore our group courses (click here), 1-day workshops (click here), or individual tutoring sessions (click here).

Stay tuned -- we’ll be spotlighting more top selective enrollment schools in the coming weeks to help families make informed choices about their CPS high school options.

High School Entrance Exam Dates Announced for 2026–2027 Cycle — Prep Options Now Open

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has officially announced test dates for the 2026–2027 high school admissions cycle. Below, find a list of key dates, along with test prep options from Test Prep Chicago!

Key Test Dates:

CPS High School Admissions Test (CPS HSAT)

• Oct. 8: CPS Students

• Oct. 15: Alternative Language Testing

• Oct. 18, 19, 25, 26: Non-CPS Students

The GoCPS application portal will open Sept. 23 at 10 AM and close Nov. 14 at 5 PM. You can learn more at go.cps.edu.

Parochial School Entrance Exam (HSPT)

• Dec. 6 (First Saturday in December)

Registration and details are handled by the individual schools.

Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE)

• Fall: August–November

• Winter: December–March

• Spring: April–July

Students may take the ISEE once per season. Learn more on ERB’s website here.

Prep with Test Prep Chicago:

TPC offers a range of prep options to help students get ready for all of these High School Entrance Exams:

• 16-Hour Courses: Focused on math, reading, and test strategies for the HSAT, HSPT, and ISEE. Includes diagnostic/final exams and supplemental material. Click here to sign up.

• One-Day Palooza Workshops: A four-hour workshop simulating real test environments with pizza lunch and step-by-step review included. Click here to sign up.

• Individual Tutoring: Personalized sessions using the full prep curriculum for students seeking one-on-one support. Click here to sign up.

The Importance of Test Preparation and How It Translates Beyond the Classroom

Standardized tests are a consistent part of life, from school assessments to professional certifications. Unlike intelligence or aptitude tests, these exams measure acquired skills, which can be improved through deliberate practice. As a result, test preparation is a powerful tool that not only raises test scores but also builds broader academic and personal skills. Effective test prep delivers targeted strategies, repeated exposure to test formats, and enhanced familiarity with content, which significantly boost a student’s confidence and performance.

One of the key benefits of test preparation is the development of executive function skills, such as time management, organization, and planning. These skills are not only crucial for academic performance but also highly transferable to other aspects of life, including college coursework and professional responsibilities. Test prep teaches students to build study plans, prioritize their weaknesses, and manage the stress and logistics of test day, all of which contribute to long-term success beyond the exam itself.

Test preparation also acts as a diagnostic tool, helping students identify their specific academic weaknesses and tailor their study efforts accordingly. By working through practice tests and receiving feedback, students can better understand their learning styles and adapt more effective study habits. This process of self-assessment not only improves performance on the specific standardized test but fosters deeper academic awareness and adaptability.

Perhaps most importantly, test preparation instills a growth mindset. As students face challenges, make mistakes, and improve through hard work, they develop resilience, discipline, and a sense of agency. The journey from feeling like a “bad tester” to seeing tangible results reinforces the belief that effort leads to achievement. This emotional growth, combined with academic skill-building, ensures that the impact of test prep extends well beyond test day and becomes a foundational part of a student’s personal development.

Spotlighting Walter Payton College Prep: What Makes the Selective Enrollment School so Coveted

Walter Payton College Prep is widely regarded as the most competitive of Chicago’s selective enrollment high schools, and for good reason. Consistently ranked among the top public high schools in the country, Payton offers a rigorous academic environment, exceptional faculty, and incredible preparation for a student's college application process, and later college experience.

Students benefit from a wide range of AP courses, high college placement rates, and unique global learning programs that include study abroad and language immersion. The school fosters a culture of intellectual curiosity and leadership, supported by modern facilities including science labs, a black box theater, and a competition gym. This means that Walter Payton is an ideal school for students who are high achievers academically, while also harboring a lot of extracurriculars and additional interests.

Payton attracts a diverse group of students, including high-achieving scholars, aspiring scientists and engineers, world-language enthusiasts, artists, musicians, and more. While there is a strong sports program, it’s especially well-suited for students who are academically driven and excited by a high-energy, achievement-focused culture.

Admission is highly competitive and based on seventh-grade core grades and the CPS High School Admissions Test (HSAT).

Test Prep Chicago offers expert guidance and test preparation to help students succeed on the CPS HSAT and gain admission to top schools like Payton. In the coming weeks, we’ll be profiling other selective enrollment high schools to help families understand their options.

Interested in learning more about how we can support your student through their CPS HSAT prep? Our group courses (click here), 1-day workshops (click here) and individual tutoring sessions (click here) include full-length practice tests, targeted homework, and supplemental materials designed to strengthen skills and build confidence over time. Our tutors teach proven test-taking strategies, time-management techniques, and pacing skills to help students stay sharp and focused on test day. By conducting exit interviews with students after they take the real exam, we are able to ensure our practice materials are constantly updated to reflect the latest test trends and content. 

Questions? Contact zoe@testprepchicago.com.

Dealing with Test Anxiety: Strategies for Staying Calm & Confident

Feeling nervous before a big test like the SAT, ACT, CPS HSAT, HSPT, or ISEE? You're not alone; many students deal with test anxiety at some point. Anxiety isn't something you just feel; it also influences what you think and how you behave. When a stressful thought pops up, it can trigger physical tension, mental fog, or even panic. That feeling can lead to procrastination, rushing, blanking, or zoning out.

Therefore, finding ways to minimize anxiety and negative thinking can help improve your performance on tests of all kinds. Luckily, there are many simple, practical ways to ease anxiety and help you walk into your exam feeling confident!

1. Be Prepared

One of the most effective ways to calm your nerves is to make sure you're truly prepared. This means:

• Taking full-length practice tests to get familiar with timing and structure

• Reviewing what you got wrong and figuring out why

• Creating a realistic study schedule and sticking to it

When you know what to expect, the test feels less like a mystery, and more like something you can handle!

2. Make Studying Less Stressful

Mix in some low-stress activities before and after your study sessions. Take a short walk, listen to music, draw, or even watch a short episode of your favorite show. Enjoying the time before and after your study sessions can help prevent burnout, and makes your study time more productive.

On that note, be sure not to cram the night before you take the exam. Instead, do a quick review, and then focus on relaxing. Make sure you get a good night's sleep, drink lots of water, and have a meal you enjoy the night before, so you can wake up bright and early to be ready for your test the next day!

3. Take Advantage of Breaks

Studying for long hours without a break can leave you feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. Working in focused blocks of time (50-60 minutes) and taking a 5 minute break between each block, can help you maintain stamina and retain the information you're learning. Get up, stretch, and reset!

During the actual test, make the most of your scheduled breaks. Move around, hydrate, and reset. Even short mental breaks can help you refocus and avoid mid-exam burnout.

4. Talk Back to Anxiety

Anxious thoughts often show up before and during a test. Challenge them with facts. For example:

• Anxious Thought: "I'm going to fail."

• Your Response: "I've studied, taken practice tests, and I know the material. I'm ready for this."

Positive self-talk can help improve focus and performance. It's not about pretending everything is perfect, but instead reminding yourself of the truth.

5. Breathe

When stress spikes, take a moment to take a few deep breaths. Try this pattern:

• Inhale for 4 seconds

• Hold for 4 seconds

• Exhale for 4 seconds

• Repeat!

This helps calm your body and clear your mind, whether you're studying or sitting in the testing room.

6. Celebrate Your Effort

After you study or finish your test, reward yourself. Whether it's a favorite snack, movie night, or quality time with friends and family, celebrating your effort (not just the outcome) builds positive associations with the process and helps reduce future anxiety.

At Test Prep Chicago, we specialize in helping students feel confident and ready for important exams like the CPS HSAT, ISEE, HSPT, ACT, and SAT. Whether your child is looking for a structured group course (click here), a focused, one-day workshop (click here), or individual tutoring sessions (click here), our programs are designed to build skills, reduce anxiety, and boost performance.

We offer:

• Full length practice tests to build familiarity, confidence, and stamina

• Targeted lessons and homework to strengthen key areas

• Tutoring that teaches effective test-taking strategies, important material, and time management

• Ongoing updates to our materials based on student feedback from recent exams

If you are looking for a supportive path to test success, Test Prep Chicago is the way to go!

How Selective Enrollment Schools Use the CPS HSAT: Why It Matters & What It Tests

For students applying to Chicago's selective enrollment high schools, the CPS High School Admissions Test (CPS HSAT) is a major factor that is worth 50% of the total admission score. CPS uses a 900-point system to evaluate applicants: 450 points from 7th grade grades in core classes (reading, math, science, and social studies), and 450 from the CPS HSAT. That means doing well on the test can significantly impact whether a student receives an offer from a top selective enrollment high school.

The CPS HSAT is taken in the fall of a student's 8th grade year and includes two main sections: math and reading comprehension. It is a timed, multiple-choice test, 1-hour in length, that is administered digitally at the student's school (if they are a CPS student) or at a CPS-designated test center (if they are a non-CPS student). The math section includes algebra, data analysis, number operations, geometry, and problem-solving, while the reading section focuses on comprehension, vocabulary in context, and inference-based questions. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so students should be prepared to strategically guess if necessary.

Because students come from so many different schools and grading systems, the CPS HSAT serves as a standardized way for selective enrollment high schools to compare applicants across the city. It's not just about content knowledge, but also about how well students manage time and pressure. That's why preparation matters.

At Test Prep Chicago, we prepare students for every topic covered on the CPS HSAT. Our group courses (click here), 1-day workshops (click here) and individual tutoring sessions (click here) include full-length practice tests, targeted homework, and supplemental materials designed to strengthen skills and build confidence over time. Our tutors teach proven test-taking strategies, time-management techniques, and pacing skills to help students stay sharp and focused on test day. By conducting exit interviews with students after they take the real exam, we are able to ensure our practice materials are constantly updated to reflect the latest test trends and content. 

If you're looking for supporting and strategic preparation for the CPS HSAT, TPC Is the place to start.

Questions? Contact zoe@testprepchicago.com.

CPS Selective Enrollment Process: What You Need To Know

The Selective Enrollment High School (SEHS) admissions process for Chicago Public Schools (CPS) uses students' High School Admissions Test (HSAT) scores and final 7th grade scores in math, English, science, and social studies to determine eligibility. Each applicant is ranked using this criteria to match students with the highest-ranked school on their GoCPS application that still has available seats.

Admission begins by awarding the top 30% of seats to students with the highest overall points, regardless of socioeconomic tier. The remaining 70% of seats are evenly divided among four tier groups, with placement based on point rankings within each tier.

Students can receive only one selective enrollment offer—their highest-ranked match. Once offered a seat, they are removed from consideration for all lower-ranked programs and cannot be waitlisted for any selective enrollment programs, even if ranked higher. If no offer is made, students are waitlisted for all eligible programs to which they have applied. Tiebreakers are applied in this order: HSAT Math score, then HSAT Reading score, and finally, a computerized random lottery.

We offer 8-week group courses to prepare students for the CPS High School Admissions Test (HSAT), Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE), and Parochial School Entrance Exam (HSPT). Our course prepares students for these tests by focusing on math, reading comprehension, and test-taking strategies. To register your student for one of our courses, click here. We also offer 1-day palooza workshops where students can take a practice exam and review the answers with a skilled instructor. To register your student for one of our paloozas, click here. Finally, we offer individual tutoring, which can begin at any time. You can see our tutoring rates by clicking here. 

CPS School Budget Review

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) recently released school-level budgets, giving principals and Local School Councils only two weeks to review and approve them—a shorter timeline than usual. These budgets are based on the district’s most optimistic deficit projection of $229 million, which assumes the city will provide $300 million in new funding through either state support or tax-increment financing (TIF). However, CPS also presented two worse-case scenarios, with deficits reaching $529 million and $734 million, potentially requiring the layoff of up to 3,000 school staff. Notably, the projections do not include expected additional costs such as principal contracts or pension payments.

This has led to growing concern among school leaders. The Chicago Principals and Administrators Association criticized the budgets as misleading, warning that schools may have to cut staff over the summer when actual finances become clearer. Despite CPS's recent shift away from student-based budgeting toward a need-focused model using the Opportunity Index, even high-need schools are facing significant cuts. For instance, a north side high school that climbed in the index rankings is still losing substantial flexible funds and several staff positions.

Meanwhile, CEO Pedro Martinez is set to depart on June 18, leaving his successor to manage these financial challenges. Community engagement efforts are underway to help guide the search for the next CPS leader. CPS and the Alma Advisory Group have launched a series of public meetings to gather feedback on what qualities the new leader should have. Many attendees have voiced a preference for someone with strong ties to CPS and formal superintendent credentials.

These sessions mark an important moment for public involvement in CPS governance, especially as Chicago still lacks a fully elected school board. While some question the effectiveness of these meetings, turnout by local officials and community members suggests growing interest in shaping the district’s future. A separate event by Kids First Chicago offered a more direct line of communication with board members, allowing the public to raise concerns and engage personally with district leadership.

Chicago Board of Education to Hire New CEO

The Chicago Board of Education has begun its search for a replacement CEO following the removal of Pedro Martinez who is set to depart in June. Martinez was terminated in December of 2024 after disputes with Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson’s newly appointed board. Because his termination comes without cause, his contract entitled him to maintain his position for an additional 6 months.

Applications opened on April 25 as the board actively seeks to find a new CEO. Board President Sean Harden stated, “We are seeking a leader who will think boldly, embrace innovation, and build an equitable, student-centered future.”

The first of ten public engagement meetings began on Thursday, May 15th, encouraging community engagement. Once the meetings have concluded, the board is set to create a “leadership profile” to determine the qualifications and qualities desired in the next CEO. This will be used to evaluate candidates as the board works with a search firm to fill the position.

Kayley Horton, Tutoring Coordinator
kayley@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

New Illinois Education Association Survey

According to a new poll released by the Illinois Education Association (IEA), public school funding is a concern for many Illinois residents. The poll, which was conducted on over 1,000 people cites 83% of individuals believe that funding education is an important issue within their community and 16% of individuals believe it is the single most important issue. Of those surveyed, 71% believe Illinois should increase its funding for public schools. Chicago and surrounding suburban residents account for 40% of those surveyed.

This survey illuminates the public perception of the Illinois public school system at large. Overall, Illinois residents have a negative opinion of the state’s public education. IEA’s President, Kathi Griffin claims that 62% of residents think “the state is on the wrong track” concerning public school education. When asked to compare the quality of public schools nationally versus those in Illinois, residents were more likely to give Illinois schools a failing status.

Though many concerns were raised regarding the Illinois public education system, residents have a much higher opinion of teachers as individuals. Around 58% of residents had positive statements about teachers, believing they are underpaid for the necessary work they do. This sentiment is echoed as many individuals believe teachers should be the ones developing standards for students in the public school system. The Illinois Education Association hopes this new information will propel lawmakers to implement changes regarding the funding of Illinois public schools.

Kayley Horton, Tutoring Coordinator
kayley@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266