Admission cutoff scores
Approximate published cutoffs for the 900-point composite (450 HSAT + 450 7th-grade GPA).
Tier 1
836
lowest socioeconomic group
Tier 2
854
Tier 3
876
Tier 4
887
highest socioeconomic group
Rank-all
891
top 30% across all tiers
About Northside
- Top-ranked CPS Selective Enrollment school.
- Extensive AP catalog and research opportunities.
How to prep for the Northside cutoff
Northside requires near-perfect performance to clear the rank-all (top 30%) cutoff. Focus on:
- Strong 7th-grade core grades (A in English, Math, Science, Social Studies = 450 GPA points).
- HSAT preparation that reaches the 441 HSAT-points target (98% of the HSAT max).
- Multiple full-length timed mocks under real-test conditions before the October test.
- Vocabulary mastery — the Reading section relies on academic vocabulary heavily.
- Mental math fluency — no calculator on test day.
Other CPS Selective Enrollment schools
Cutoff data is approximate and changes year to year. Treat as a target, not a guarantee. The official source of truth is the GoCPS portal at cps.edu/gocps.