FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
AUDITIONS:
Q.  We just found out about your school, can my child audition?A.   We are now auditioning for the 2026-27 school year.  You will find all of the information you'll need to know on this website, including how to request an audition, audition requirements, and audition dates and deadlines.  An audition must be passed prior to the lottery in order for your child to possibly be placed at the school. We do continue to audition after the lottery dates to fill any spots that may still be open and to establish waiting lists. 
Q.  We are planning to move to Charlotte, when can my child audition?A. Students must be either attending a CMS school or be future-enrolled in CMS schools in order to be transferred to First Ward.  Dates for the 2026-2027 registration and School Choice Lottery period are now pending, see the Student Placement website for more information. There are residency requirements for this enrollment process.   Once you have future-enrolled your child, it is the parent's responsibility to get the ID or lottery application confirmation number to the Audition Coordinator once they receive it. Please email this information to firstwardauditions@gmail.com.
Q.  What are my child’s chances of passing the audition?A.  Every student is different, so it is impossible to answer.  One way to determine if your child is capable of passing is to show them the Audition Requirements.  If they are comfortable doing what is listed and are familiar with the terminology, it is an indicator that they could have a successful audition.  You could also ask a teacher who is familiar with your child for their honest opinion.  Preparation and the ability to follow instructions are also very important factors for successful auditions, as students at our school need to do that every day. Our teachers use a rubric to grade each audition. Key elements of the assessments are posted within the audition requirements.
Q.  My child did not pass their audition. Can you tell me why?A.  Due to the high volume of auditions we will not provide feedback to parents. Sometimes parents will ask us what their child did "wrong”.  It could be a lack a preparation or following instructions, or sometimes the child may have had a bad day.  But sometimes the child simply does not demonstrate the potential or skills needed where we could confidently say they would be successful at our school.   
Q. My child did not pass their audition.  Can they re-audition?A.  You may request an audition for a different arts area, but students cannot re-audition for the same arts area for the same year.
LOTTERY:
Q.  How does the Magnet Lottery work?A.  Students must pass an audition in order to be considered eligible for the lottery.  The parent must enter the child in the CMS School Options Lottery on-line through the Student Placement website, AND an audition must be passed before the lottery runs.  You can fill out the lottery application prior to the audition, but understand that you may want to revise your lottery application if the audition is not passed.  Students will not be considered in the lottery unless they have passed an audition in the arts area they choose on their lottery application.
There is only one Lottery.  See the CMS Student Placement website for lottery details, as well as key lottery dates. Questions about the actual lottery and how it works should be directed to Student Placement Office.  Q.  Which grades will have the most open seats?A.   The 6th grade always has the most open seats, as we need to fill the entire grade.   The space in other grades is hard to predict because we do not know who will move or decide not to return.  Spaces do open, and we suggest that anyone who is interested in our school go through the audition and lottery process.
Q.  What if my child is placed on the wait pool/wait list for First Ward in the CMS Magnet School Lottery?  A.  We do call people from our wait lists at the end of the school year and over the summer, as we learn who will not be returning.  We may also call during the first 10-20 days of school when students are more likely to leave our school, usually due to transportation issues.   If you have any questions regarding the lottery and wait list, please contact Student Placement, as they are much more knowledgeable about how the lottery works. 
Q.  What if my child is placed at First Ward in the lottery and we change our mind or move?A.  Since every family's situation is different, we suggest you call CMS Student Placement for guidance about your next step. Out of courtesy to prospective students who do want to attend, we kindly ask you take care of this and withdraw or request a reassignment for your child as soon as your decision is final.
Q.  Once my child is in, do they get to stay at First Ward?A.  Students must be passing their Arts major in order to stay at First Ward  Students who are failing two or more academic classes will not be able to audition for extracurricular shows, or participate in optional field trips, etc…  Attending a Magnet school is a privilege, and the Magnet Compact can be revoked (and the student can be sent back to their home school) if the student does not pass their arts major classes.
Q.  What are your school hours and how will my child get to the school?A.   Our school currently starts at 9:15am and dismisses at 4:15 pm.  Students who carpool should not be dropped off before 8:45am or picked up before 3:00pm.  Students must be picked up by 4:20pm unless there is an after school rehearsal, etc....  
Q.  What are the Transportation/School Bus Options?A. Please visit CMS Transportation website.
Q.  Do I need to live in Mecklenburg County City Limits to Attend First Ward?A. Yes. Students must live in the Charlotte Mecklenburg School Zone and should apply through the lottery AND audition process to attend.
Q.  Do You Have To Wear A Uniform?  A.  No. there are no mandatory uniforms.
Q.  Are There Sports Teams?  A.  No. However, due to our bell schedule, students do have more time and can participate in Athletics through their home school. Health/PE is still a requirement for students.
Q.  Do You Have any Academic Requirements To Apply to NWSA?  A.  No. Our admissions are based on the student audition score and space availability for the grade/major.
Q.  What kind of classes are taught at NWSA?  A.  We use the same curriculum for core classes as other CMS schools (yes, you still have to take Math, English, Science and Social Studies!)  We have standard and honors classes.  Of course, our electives are mostly arts classes. 
We are proud of our academics, and our scores are on the rise! Our academic growth in 2018 put us at the top 10% of the state.
Many of our alumni have gone on to pursue successful careers in — as makers, teachers, or both. Some enter arts administration or management, or a host of other related professional careers.  While we will have a handful of students who go straight to some sort of professional career, most of our students attend college after graduation. We have former students attending a variety of Arts/Performing Arts schools and conservatories, community colleges, as well as traditional 4 year colleges, including prestigious schools such as Duke, Harvard and UNC Chapel Hill. Many of our students continue in the arts, but just as many have other academic interests and major in other areas in college.