Frequently Asked Questions

You are not alone! Choosing a high school can feel like a ton of pressure. Go back to Finding a School Fit for YOU page to help you get started. 

We strongly encourage you to have a mix of the types of schools that you apply to. This will increase your chances of being admitted to at least 1 of your choices. Example: 1 Criteria Based, 3 City Wide, and 1 Neighborhood (choice). Given that schools like Criteria Based/Citywide are very popular and competitive, you want to assure you are NOT applying to 5 schools that have the highest amount of competition. 

Yes, please see the Students with Special Needs page for all information.

For students entering 9th grade in Fall 2023,  PSSA scores will be used for consideration in their applications to Criteria-Based Schools. See HERE for more information. Private/Independent Schools may also require this information.

You can edit your application up until the deadline of submission. For the 2023-2024 application cycle (students entering high school in the Fall of 2024), you can edit your application until the deadline - October 27th, 2023 at 11:59 pm EST.

You will receive an email confirmation of your application. The results will be released in January to all families. You can log back into your account to see your child(ren)'s results. In the 2022-2023 application cycle, families had 1 week to make a selection based on where their student(s) was given an offer. We will update with more information as it is released. 

If you are not accepted to any of the 5 schools on your application, what happens next can can depend on your individual situation. Some schools may offer you the opportunity to be on a waiting list. If a spot becomes available, they may contact you after the school year has started. The waitlist dissolves once the new application window opens (late September).

You can call the School District of Philadelphia's Office of Student Enrollment & Placement at any time to discuss the results of your application. They can be reached at 215-400-4290.

You can also simultaneously apply to a charter school through a separate application to increase your chances of getting into a school of your choice. However, you can always opt to attend your neighborhood school if you are not applying to charters as well. 

If your child has a medical condition that severely impacted his/her attendance, we will gladly assure the attendance is marked accordingly on school records. Documentation, however, is extremely critical. Additionally, we will be happy to draft a letter to high schools which your child is applying to, outlining the condition and its impact. We will diligently advocate for every student in the application process. 

Absolutely! And some schools may even request your 8th grade report card and use that in determining your eligibility, which might help if you improved your grades during your 8th grade year. But do you research and PLEASE CONSULT YOUR HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR before looking to transfer. You want to assure that transferring does not affect credits earned/transferred. Also, if you play sports in high school, please be sure to review rules about transferring. If you transfer, it might affect your ability to play in the year a sport in the year that you transferred. Please see the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) for further information (https://www.piaa.org/).