Who Can Apply?

To apply to high school, you must be both of the following:

• A NYC resident
• A current eighth grade or first-time ninth grade student

During the application period, all of the following students are welcome to apply: Current public district and charter school students, private or parochial school students, students with disabilities, students with accessibility needs, students learning English, students from immigrant families, students in temporary housing, LGBTQ and gender nonconforming students, and students with children. 

If you are a NYC resident but temporarily living outside the city, please review our guidance on non-resident enrollment. 

Exploring High Schools

When you apply to high school in New York City, you have a wide range of choices. We offer more than 700 programs at over 400 high schools.

Three Paths

There are three paths to high school admissions, and you can take all three.

• High School Application. This process is how you apply to most high school programs. During the application period, apply to 12 or more options with your high school application. Submit your application online or through a school counselor. Some programs have additional requirements, such as an audition or assessment, and some programs make offers based on applicants' academic records.
• Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT). Interested students can also apply to the eight testing Specialized High Schools . At schools.nyc.gov/SHS, learn how to participate and find SHSAT practice tests and other test preparatory materials.
• LaGuardia High School Application. Interested students can also apply to any/all of LaGuardia's six arts programs by submitting a LaGuardia application and auditioning.

Charter schools have a separate admissions process. Contact charter schools directly to learn how to apply.

Resources

Here are a few ways to learn about your high school options:

• Use MySchools to explore NYC public schools, find programs for your high school application, and apply—all in one place.
  • The searchable MySchools high school directory contains the most up-to-date, detailed information on all NYC public high schools and programs.
  • Save or print the pages of your favorite programs to browse offline.
  • Check the Events Calendar to learn about schools' upcoming open houses and other school-based or central admissions events.
• Contact schools directly to find the most up-to-date information about schools' academic offerings, activities, sports, and more.
• Explore different types of high schools and programs, such as Career and Technical Education, Community Schools, and more.
• Learn about the diversity initiatives that high schools across the city are participating in and which schools are involved.
• Learn more about high school admissions
  • Refer to this page and the Specialized High Schools page for the latest information and guidance.
  • Watch the NYC High School Admissions Video Series, including tutorials on how to use MySchools on this page—we'll walk you through the steps of applying to high school in New York City.
  • Watch our Specialized High Schools video series.

How to Use the MySchools Directory

• Year-round: Anyone can search for schools and programs in the public directory.
• After you get your welcome letter: Create your MySchools account and add your child to it to get a personalized search experience. Once your family has an account and is logged in, you can save favorite programs, get helpful tips, and start adding programs to your application.

Your Address

Even if you're not logged in to MySchools, you can type your home address in the "Your Child's Address" search bar to find schools near you. When you're logged into your account, the MySchools map will show your address with a home icon. It will also display the schools closest to your home on the map and in a list.

Search

Type course names, interests, clubs, and programs into the search bar to find schools that offer what you're looking for:

• For schools offering Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, type "AB," "IB," or a specific course like "AP Biology" into the search bar.
• For schools offering computer science courses, type "Computer Science," "CS," or a specific course name.
• For schools with Dual Language programs, type "Dual Language" or a more specific search term like "Spanish Dual Language."
• For schools featuring arts courses or activities, type a general term like "painting" or "dance" into the search bar.

Filter

Use filters to narrow your search to schools with specific features:

• Use the Subway filter to find options along your train(s) of choice. 
• Use the Size filter to search for schools by how many students attend. 
• Use the Sports filter to find schools that have teams for specific sports, such as badminton, basketball, and swimming. The Public School Athletic League (PSAL) coordinates interscholastic competition for all NYC public high school – learn more on the PSAL website.
• Use the More Filters filter to see additional options. Within this filter, you can narrow your search to find schools...
  • With specific eligibility requirements. Use the "eligibility" filters to find programs where only specific students are eligible to apply – for instance, School for New Arrivals is only open to applicants who are new to the country and learning English.
  • By borough. Filter to see only schools in a specific borough, such the Bronx.
  • That are partially or fully accessible. Filter to find schools in "fully accessible" or "partially accessible" buildings. Learn more about accessibility ratings on the Building Accessibility page.
  • With programs that use specific admissions methods. Filter to find schools that have programs using particular admissions methods, such as "open" or "audition." Learn more below under "Admissions Methods."
  • Whose students wear uniforms. Select "Uniform required" to find schools where students wear uniforms.
  • With Diversity in Admissions priorities. Find programs participating in Diversity in Admissions initiatives. These programs give priority to students who are English Language Learners (ELLS), are in the child welfare system, are in temporary housing, or whose families are low-income. Learn more on the Diversity in Admissions webpage.
  • With 10th grade seats. Select "10th Grade Admissions" to find schools that have 10th grade seats available.

Admissions Information Sessions

For families of students entering high school in Fall 2025. Please join us for one of our live, virtual information sessions! We’ll share key information about admissions, from accessing your MySchools account to building a balanced application. After the presentation, we’ll respond to your questions.

How to Join:

At the event start time visit bit.ly/2024FallHSEvents, then enter the event passcode of 123456. Audio is also available by calling 646-558-8656 and entering conference ID 941 918 54852# and passcode of 123456#

Open Houses and School Visits

All high schools are encouraged to offer opportunities for families to learn about their schools.

• Many schools will list their open houses and tours in the centralized MySchools events calendar
• Additionally, schools may provide information on their own websites for prospective families, such as a schedule and links to any live or recorded events (or links where families can register), videos and/or other media, and contact information for families who want to speak with or write to school staff.

Ask Questions!

When you speak with a school representative (such as at a school's open house), try to ask one question from each category. Create your own questions to learn more about a school.

School Culture

• What time does the day start and end?
• How do you support students looking for extra help with their classes?
• Are their opportunities to be involved in the community?

Ninth Grade

• What time do students usually finish their clubs and activities?
• How does your school communicate with new students the summer before ninth grade?

Courses

• What are your most popular classes?
• What language courses do you offer?
• What makes your school's classes special?

College and Career Readiness

• How do you support students towards college?
• What colleges do students from your school usually go to? Why?
• What CTE certification programs does your school offer?

Admissions

• Does your program have admissions priorities? If so, what are they?
• For screened programs: What are your selection criteria? Are there any extra steps I should take to be considered?

Other Interests

• What else does your school offer (sports, clubs, arts, music, community, service, internships, etc.)?

Learn About Admission Programs

When you apply to high school, you are not just applying to schools: you are applying to programs. Think of a program as a doorway to get into the school. If a school has multiple programs, you can apply to more than one program at that school. For instance, a school might have an arts program and a technology program; if you were interested in both dancing and computer science you might apply to both programs at the same school. They would count as two different program choices.

Schools' MySchools pages include detailed program information. Browse these sections to find programs that interest you. Program information can also help you figure out your chances of getting an offer to a specific program: learn more under the tab "Know Your Chances."

• Click a program name to display its information. During the application period, you can click the stars next to program names to save them as your favorites.
• You can also add any number of programs to your high school application, and it's recommended you apply to at least twelve.

Interest Areas

All New York City public high school programs offer a broad liberal arts education. Additionally, most programs focus on up to two interest areas, such as architecture or science and math, and they may offer additional courses in that subject or field. Many but not all programs' interest areas are also part of their names. You can find a programs' interest area(s) in its school listing in MySchools.

Schools offer programs in the following 22 interest areas. All programs include courses across a wide range of subjects. Programs listed as "humanities & interdisciplinary" or "zoned" do not emphasize a particular interest area:

• Animal science
• Architecture
• Business
• Communications
• Computer science and technology
• Cosmetology
• Culinary arts
• Engineering
• Environmental science
• Film/video
• Health professions
• Hospitality, travel, and tourism
• Humanities and interdisciplinary
• JROTC
• Law and government
• Performing arts
• Performing arts/visual art and design
• Project-based learning
• Science and math
• Teaching
• Visual art and design
• Zoned

In MySchools, use any of the interest areas, such as "health professions", as a search term to find programs related to this interest area. You can also try more specific words like "nursing."

Program Eligibility

Some programs are only open to students who live or go to school in a certain borough, who speak a home language other than English, or who meet other eligibility requirements. 

• For instance, a program's eligibility could be "Open only to Bronx students or residents." This means that if a student lives and attends a school in a borough other than the Bronx, they cannot list this program on their application
• In MySchools, click on a program to display its eligibility requirements. Once you're logged in to your MySchools account, you'll only be able to add programs to your application that you are eligible to attend.

Tip: A program may have more specific eligibility requirements than the larger school. If no eligibility is listed, all students can apply.

Know Your Chances: Learn How Students Get Offers

Watch this animation to find out why your high school application choices matter and to learn about other factors, such as admissions priorities and seat availability. For more detailed information on how offers are made to specific types of programs, keep reading this page and check out the following resources:

• The high school section of the 2024 NYC Public Schools Admissions Guide––scroll to the bottom of this page to view or download this resource. Print copies are also available at middle schools, libraries, and other locations.
• How Students Get Offers to DOE Public Schools
• Screened Admissions

The Four Admissions Factors

How can you know your chances of getting an offer to a specific high school program? It helps to start by learning how offers are made. Students get offers to programs based on a few key factors. You can control some of these factors, while others are aspects of the programs themselves.

Learning about all of these factors can help you know your chances of getting an offer to each program of interest:

1. Your Application Choices. The number of program choices you add to your application AND the order in which you place them matter! This is a factor you can control. Only apply to programs you are truly interested in attending. Add 12 or more choices to your application in your true order of preference. Then submit your application.
2. Seat Availability. The number of applicants compared to the number of available seats it has helps show how in demand (or popular) a program is. 
3. Your Priority Group for a Program. Some programs give admissions priority to specific groups of applicants before others, such as to students who live in or attend school in a specific district or borough. Applicants in a program's priority group 1 will be considered first. Then, if seats are still available, applicants in that program's priority group 2 will be considered next, and so on. Learn which priority group you're in for each program. You may be in different priority groups for different programs.
4. The Program's Admissions Method. For some programs, applicants get offers based on random selection. For other programs, applicants are evaluated based on selection criteria and then ranked based on that evaluation. 

• For Programs That Use Random Selection. Students gets offers based on their randomly assigned numbers. This number will be available after the application opens. Families will see it in their MySchools profile.
• For Programs Where Offers are Made by Applicant Rank/Groups. Students are evaluated, scored, and ranked for admission based on the program's selection criteria, such as grades or an audition.

For audition programs, the school assigns a ranked number to applicants based on that evaluation and admits students in ranked-number order.

For screened programs, students are placed in five groups according to seventh-grade grades and admitted in group order, beginning with Group 1. Learn more at schools.nyc.gov/ScreenedHS. Some screened programs have additional requirements, which are also used to make offers.

Factor 1. Your Application Choices

The number of program choices you add to your application and the order in which you place them matter! Creating a balanced application can increase your chances of receiving an offer to a program you want to attend. A balanced application should have:

• 12 or more program choices, ANY of which you’d be happy to attend. There is no way to guarantee an offer to your first-choice program. With more than 700 high school program options to choose from, we invite you to explore programs in MySchools to find 12 or more choices that you are truly interested in and list them on your application. Finding more programs that interest you and adding them to your application increases your chance of getting an offer to a program you want. Listing fewer than 12 choices will lower your chances of getting an offer to a program of your choice.
• Program choices in your true preference order. Always place the programs on your application in your true order of preference, with your favorite program at the top as #1. You will be considered for your first-choice program first. If you don’t get an offer to your first choice, then you will be considered for your second-choice program as though it were your first choice, and so on.
• A mix of admissions methods. If you're going to apply to any screened or audition programs, also find some programs that use the educational option and open admissions methods to include on your application. 
• Not just high-demand programs. High-demand programs are those that have many more applicants than available seats. More applicants per seat means a lower chance of getting an offer. If you apply to any high-demand programs (3 or more applicants per seat), also find some programs that have fewer applicants per seat.
• You are in the first priority group for some programs. Different programs have different priority groups. Not being in the first priority group for a program means a lower chance of getting an offer to that program.

Tip: Always place the programs on your application in your true order of preference, with your favorite program as #1. There is no better strategy! High schools will not see your application choice order, so they will not know if they are your first or twelfth choice.

Factor 2. Seat Availability

Another important factor in admissions is a program's seat availability. The number of seats in a program means the number of students it can admit.

Seat Groups

Each program admits general education students and students with disabilities. Your application will show which designation you are in. This is not something you choose.

Special education instructional programming includes Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) classes, Special Class (SC), and Special Education Teacher Support Services (SETSS).

• Related services, such as speech, occupational therapy (OT), and physical therapy (PT), are not considered special education instructional programming for the purposes of high school admissions.
• Please note that students with 504 accommodation plans are not entitled to seats for students with disabilities if they do not have an IEP that states the student also receives instructional programming for more than 20 percent of their academic program.
• Students who are not in a public school setting, but who would be receiving special education service of greater than 20% if they were in a public school setting will be considered SWD for admissions. If you believe this is the case for your child please reach out to specialeducation@schools.nyc.gov.

Every high school participating in high school admissions is expected to welcome and serve students with disabilities in accordance with the recommended programs and services listed on their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

• If you currently have an IEP, the IEP team at your high school will review it to ensure that all services and supports you require are provided.
• Please note that the student-to-teacher ratio in a high school special class is 15:1, a change from the middle school special class ratios. For more information, visit the Special Education website. 
• Seats for students with disabilities in the MySchools Directory reflect the percentage of students with disabilities in each borough.

Seats and Applicants Per Seat: Demand Last Year 

A program's demand is how popular it is. You can learn how many seats each program offered last year as well as how many students applied for these seats in MySchools. (Note that all numbers are from last year. ) Here's how:

• For any program, click on the My Chances tab.
• Then refer to the Demand Last Year section to see:
  • How in-demand the program was last year 
  • How many seats the program had
  • How many students applied to the program
  • How many applicants there were per seat

Your Chances: Demand

A program's applicants per seat shows how in-demand or popular the program is – this can help you know your chances of getting an offer from that program. 

As part of the clearer admissions information we promised to provide during this year’s process, we are providing more accurate applicant data to show how in-demand a program is. We are now showing the true number of applicants who were considered for a seat in a program. In contrast to previous years, this number excludes applicants who matched to a more preferred choice from their application.

For example, if Chambers Street School had 1000 applicants, but 300 matched to a more preferred school from their applications and never competed for a seat, the true number of applicants is 700.

Tip: Consider listing some programs with lower demand to your application.

Schools Offering Grade 10 Seats in Admissions

Some high schools have seats set aside specifically for students who are starting tenth grade in the fall.

• If you are a current first-time ninth grade student (not repeating ninth grade), you can apply to a program or programs at these schools.
• In MySchools, select "More Filters" to filter for schools that have tenth grade seats available.

Factor 3. Admissions Priorities

A program’s admissions priorities determine the order in which applicants are considered for offers to that program.

1. All applicants in priority group 1 will be considered first.
2. Then, if seats are still available, students in priority group 2 will be considered next, and so on. 

Some schools have a borough priority for students and residents of that borough. This means that any student who lives and / or attends school in that borough receives priority; students who only live in the borough, students who only attend school in the borough, and students who live and attend school in the borough are all treated the same. Some new high schools also grant priority to students and residents of different districts; in those cases, students who only live in the district, students who only attend school and the district, and students who live and attend school in the district are all treated the same.

You can find a program’s most up-to-date admissions priorities on its page in MySchools. Here's how:

• Click on the My Chances tab and look for the Priority Groups section, which lists a schools' admissions priorities in order. Your priority group for this program will be bolded and included the words Your Group.
• If a program does not use admissions priorities to make offers, this information appears as: 1. Open to all NYC residents.

Diversity in Admissions

High schools across New York City are participating in an initiative to increase diversity within their schools. Some schools give an admissions priority to students who are English Language Learners (ELLs), are low-income, or to students from different neighborhoods. The current list of schools participating in diversity pilots is available on our Diversity in Admissions website. Throughout the admissions process, check MySchools for programs' most up-to-date admissions priorities. 

Students at Continuing Schools or with Zoned Schools

If your high school application indicates a guaranteed offer to a particular program and you would like to continue at that school, place this program on the application in your order of preference.

• You do not have to list this program first on your application to keep your guarantee.
• You will receive an offer to this program if you do not receive an offer to a program that you listed higher on your application.
• This guarantee would be your continuing school (school that has both middle and high school grades) if you attend one, or your zoned school if you have one and the admissions method is zoned guarantee.

Your Chances: Your Priority Group

• Being in the first priority group for a program means you have a higher chance of getting an offer, but your chances also depend on other factors (such as demand and admissions methods). 
• Not being in the first priority group for a program means you have a lower chance of getting an offer to that program.

Tip: Consider applying to at least a few programs where you are in the first priority group – this increases your changes of getting an offer to a program from your application.

Factor 4. Admissions Methods

Admissions methods are the ways programs make offers to students; they also describe what you need to do to be considered for a program. In most cases, all you have to do is list the program on your application.

Screened

There are two broader types of admissions methods—those that don’t screen applicants and those that do:

Programs That Do NOT Screen Applicants: Open, Educational Option

As part of the high school admissions process, every applicant is assigned a random number, as in a random lottery. Programs with open and educational option admissions methods use students’ randomly assigned numbers, and may also use admissions priorities, to make offers. At many programs, when there are more applicants than seats, students are admitted in order by their randomly assigned numbers. If the program also uses admissions priorities, all applicants from the first priority group for a program are admitted before any students from the second priority group, regardless of their randomly assigned numbers.

Programs That DO Screen Applicants: Audition and Screened

• Audition programs evaluate applicants for admission based on common component selection criteria, and they assign a ranking number to applicants based on that evaluation, starting with the top-ranked applicant as #1. Ranked applicants receive offers in ranking number order. If the program also has admissions priorities, offers are made to ranked applicants in priority group order.
• This year, applicants to screened programs are assigned and admitted in groups; this is done centrally based on academic records (learn more above and on the Screened Admissions page). Some screened programs have additional requirements like an essay or interview.

Selection Criteria

• Programs that have a screened or audition admissions method evaluate applicants based on specific selection criteria. Check the Section Criteria section of any program's MySchools page to see if they require additional assessments such as an interview, essay, portfolio, or audition.
• Learn about audition requirements for each discipline and find a list of programs in MySchools and on our Auditions page.

How to Apply

During the application period, you can submit your application one of the following three ways:

• Online with MySchools––recommended!
• Through your school counselor
• Through a Family Welcome Center

Here's how to apply online:

1. Use MySchools to explore high school options, and talk with your school counselor about your application choices.
   • Be sure to place programs in your true order of preference, with your first choice as #1.
   • Applying to 12 or more programs, any of which you'd be happy to attend, makes it more likely that you'll get an offer to a program of your choice.
2. Check the "Selection Criteria" section of each program's MySchools page to see if that program has any additional admissions requirements. For example, audition programs require an audition, and some screened programs require applicants to complete an interview or essay.
   • Find out how to prepare auditions for any programs that require them, including for Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, NYC's audition Specialized High School, in MySchools or on our Auditions page. 
   • Learn how screened schools will make offers this year on our Screened Admissions page. For a list of programs that require assessments and guidance on these requirements, check our Assessments for Screened Programs page.
3. Submit your application and any additional requirements by the deadline. When you see the confetti, you'll know we've received your application!
   • You can apply in English, Spanish, Chinese, Bangla, Russian, Arabic, Urdu, Haitian Creole, Korean, or French online in MySchools.
   • If you would like to apply using another language, call us at 718-935-2009, or contact a Family Welcome Center and ask for an interpreter.

Have questions about MySchools or your application? 

• Learn how to create your MySchools account, build and submit your application, and more in the video playlist at the top of this page. 
• Need additional support? Talk to your school counselor (or contact a Family Welcome Center); they can help you access your MySchools account, build a balanced application, and apply.

Additional Requirements: How to Submit Auditions or Assessments

Students can submit virtual auditions (and assessments for some screened programs) online directly through their MySchools account. This video tutorial below walks through the process. Here are some tips for troubleshooting uploads: 

• Make sure that the file name does not have special characters like pound signs, hashtags, hyphens, underscores, etc. (#,-,/,_).
• Upload on a different browser. We recommend Google Chrome for the best results. 
• Use laptop instead of a mobile device. 
• Make sure the file is smaller than 500 MB. If you need to compress a file, use this website: clideo.com/compress-video.
• If you are using a google doc or SharePoint file, please change it to a pdf or word file.
• Do not submit zip files.
• Please be patient with uploads.

To learn how assessments are made learn more here.

Admissions for Students in District 75 Programs

District 75 provides highly specialized instructional support for students with significant challenges, such as Autism Spectrum Disorders, significant cognitive delays, emotional disturbances, sensory impairments, and multiple disabilities. These supports are offered in a wide variety of settings and locations across New York City, including special classes co-located in District 1-32 schools, school buildings where all students have IEPs, general education classrooms, agencies, hospitals, and at home.

Students enrolled in District 75 who are considering a District 1-32 high school can participate in high school admissions. These students should also work with their IEP team to determine whether the recommendation for District 75 for high school is still appropriate. If the IEP team believes that District 75 continues to be appropriate, the District 75 Placement Office will notify the student of their District 75 high school placement in the spring or summer.

Students Who Are Recommended for District 75 Inclusive Services 

District 75 Special Education Inclusive Services are offered in some District 1-32 high schools. Students with disabilities are recommended to receive special education services based on their IEP mandates. Students who are mandated to receive Special Education Inclusive Services from District 75 participate in general education curriculum at a District 1-32 school. Students learn in age-appropriate general education classes, receive instruction from a general education teacher, and participate in school programs with students with and without disabilities.

• District 75 Inclusive Services are not offered in every District 1-32 high school. In order to be matches to one of the programs at these high schools, students must be recommended to receive these services on their IEPs. 
• Explore D75 Special Education Inclusive Services programs online with MySchools: Click on the "More Filters" button and under "Admissions Method," check the box that says "D75 Special Education Inclusive Services."

Admissions for Students in ASD Nest, ASD Horizon, or ACES Programs

• Students in ASD Nest or ASD Horizon Programs. The Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Nest Program and the ASD Horizon Program are two different specialized programs in District 1-32 schools that serve certain students with autism who have Individualized Education programs (IEPs). Both programs are designed to address the needs of students with ASD by strengthening academic and social skills, but each program has different service delivery models and eligibility criteria. Students who are currently in an ASD Nest or Horizon specialized program in middle school should participate in the high school admissions process. If you will be continuing in a high school ASD program, you will be able to list ASD Nest or Horizon Programs on your application. Learn more about these programs on the Specialized High School page. 
• Students in ACES Programs. Academic, Career, and Essential Skills (ACES) Programs are special education classes that support students who are classified with Intellectual Disability (ID) or Multiple Disabilities (MD) and who participate in New York State Alternate Assessment (NYSAA).
  • ACES Programs provide an opportunity to learn academic, work, and independent living skills in a District 1-32 school. Students who are currently in an ACES specialized program in middle school should participate in the high school admissions process.
  • If you will be continuing in a high school ACES program, you will be able to list high school ACES programs on your application.
  • Learn more about ACES programs on our Specialized Programs page. 
• Explore ASD/ACES programs online with MySchools. Click on the "More Filters" button and under "Admissions Method," check the box that says "ASD/ACES Program".

Admissions for Students Aged 16-21 Who Are Behind on Credits

Transfer schools are academically rigorous high schools designed to serve students who are 16-21 years old and want to graduate. If you have dropped out of school or fallen behind on credits, a transfer school can help you get back on track toward graduation; some schools accept students who are 15 years old, and many transfer schools are flexible about who they admit. We support student success in these schools through a matching process during individual admissions interviews.

Interested in a transfer school?

• Reach out directly to the school to learn more.
• You can also get support from Referral Centers, which are located in each borough, for more information and counseling.
• Learn more about transfer schools and other options.
• Explore transfer schools and programs online MySchools. Click on the "More Filters" button and under "Admissions Method," check the box that says "Transfer".