We publish 24 in-depth prep guides covering 11 selective enrollment and competitive admission schools in Illinois, including CPS Classical Schools (Skinner North Classical, Skinner West Classical, Metz Elementary Classical, Coonley Elementary Classical, LaSalle Language Academy Classical), CPS Selective Enrollment Elementary Schools – Regional Gifted Centers (RGCs), CPS Selective Enrollment High Schools (HSAT), CPS Selective Enrollment HS (HSAT), Francis W. Parker School, IMSA - Illinois Math & Science Academy, Latin School of Chicago, Loyola Academy, and 3 more — covering essays, exam strategy, and application timelines.
Most families pour everything into HSAT test prep and forget that CPS 7th grade GPA controls exactly half of the selective enrollment score. This post breaks down the 900-point system, shows what each letter grade is worth in real points, and gives you a month-by-month plan to protect every GPA point your child has earned.
Francis W. Parker School admits only 25–30 new 9th graders each year — and the ISEE Upper Level is a required part of every application. This guide covers target stanine scores, the 2025–26 application timeline, and exactly how to prepare for every section Parker's admissions team reviews.
Parker admits only 25–30 new 9th graders each year, and two separate timed writing challenges stand between your child and one of those seats. This post breaks down the unscored ISEE essay, Parker's own Student Writing Assessment, and exactly how to prepare for both.
IMSA admissions guide for 2027: deadlines, SAT scores, essay tips, acceptance rate, and what the Selection Committee actually weighs. Illinois families, start here.
Getting into Latin School of Chicago starts with the ISEE Upper Level — but most prep guides skip the details that actually matter: what stanine scores the committee looks for, how the unscored essay fits holistic review, and why the one-score-per-season rule makes your first test your best test. This guide gives 8th graders and their parents a school-specific, section-by-section prep plan built around Latin's November application deadline.
Only a fraction of students who sit for the Loyola Academy HSPT are admitted — but what score do you actually need? This guide covers competitive percentile benchmarks, the Bellarmine Scholarship connection, and why the Quantitative Skills section may be the section your 8th grader isn't preparing for.
The Loyola Academy HSPT is administered just once — on the first Saturday in December — and there are no retakes. This prep timeline maps every milestone from summer through exam day, with a focus on the Quantitative Skills section most 8th graders overlook and the scores needed for admission and merit scholarships.
Marist High School requires the HSPT — and your score determines both admission and up to $4,000 per year in merit scholarships. This guide covers every section of the exam, Marist's scholarship percentile thresholds, the one-school testing rule, and a month-by-month prep plan built around STEM Critical Thinking skills.
Marist High School requires the HSPT — and the sections that demand HSPT STEM critical thinking skills are the ones that decide both admission and merit scholarship eligibility. This post breaks down exactly what the Quantitative Skills and Mathematics sections test, which percentile scores matter at Marist, and how targeted STEM Critical Thinking practice tests can move your 8th grader from the 75th to the 95th percentile before the December test date.
Most Saint Ignatius HSPT prep stops at multiple choice — but the Student Writing Prompt that follows can quietly shape your child's admissions file. This post explains exactly what the post-HSPT essay involves, what Ignatian-aligned reviewers look for, and how to prepare at home with timed essay practice.
Every parent applying to Saint Ignatius College Prep asks the same question: what HSPT score does my child actually need? This guide gives you realistic score targets, section-by-section strategy, and a prep roadmap built specifically for the Saint Ignatius admissions process — including the overlooked Student Writing Prompt.
The ISEE essay is unscored by ERB — but University of Chicago Laboratory Schools reads every word. This guide gives 8th graders and their parents concrete ISEE Upper Level essay writing strategies built around what Lab's admissions committee actually values: structured argument and intellectual maturity.