High School
Admissions

Eligibility

CRITERIA TO APPLY

**THE APPLICATION FOR FALL 2024 ENTRY INTO GRADE 7 IS NOW CLOSED. 

The 2024 Hunter College High School (HCHS) Entrance Exam is scheduled for Wednesday, January 24, 2024. Application is open only to students who meet grade, residency and test score criteria as follows:

1. Candidates must be currently enrolled in 6th grade, and
2. Candidates must have primary residence within the five boroughs of New York City at the time of application submission.

Students who meet the above criteria must also have the qualifying test scores, as listed below. (We will not be accepting report cards or other grade reports to determine eligibility for the 2024 exam.)
QUALIFYING TEST SCORES
**THE APPLICATION FOR FALL 2024 ENTRY INTO GRADE 7 IS NOW CLOSED.


CANDIDATES WITH NYS TEST SCORES
A qualifying score on the 2023 5th grade NYS English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics Tests. Minimum scores are required for both exams.
The minimum qualifying scores needed to apply to Hunter and sit for the HCHS 2024 Entrance Exam are as follows - please check the NYC Exam History Inquiry sheet, under the column marked "SS/MIU"
  • SP 23, ELA English Language Arts =  479 (or above)
  • SP 23, STM State Math = 492 (or above)

CANDIDATES WITHOUT NYS TEST SCORES
Candidates who have not taken the NYS exams must meet the criteria in ONE of the three categories listed below.

1. A score in the 90th (national) percentile -- in certain Reading and Math subtests (see sample score reports to the right) -- from any of the following standardized (2022-2023) 5th grade exams. This option is for those who DID NOT take the NYS 5th grade ELA and NYS 5th grade mathematics exams.
  • ERB Comprehensive Testing Program 5 (CTP 5)
  • Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE)
  • Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS)
  • NWEA MAP Growth (MAP)
  • Stanford 10 Achievement Test
  • TerraNova3
Scores from one of the exams listed above are to be reported directly to HCHS Admissions by the principal OR guidance counselor of the child's middle (or elementary) school, or reported to HCHS Admissions by an approved testing center. Parents are responsible for having the school report the scores directly to HCHS.**


**Copies of official scores may be accepted from parents/guardians ONLY with an official school stamp or seal, and signature of counselor OR with an official testing center stamp or seal, and signature of testing center official.
 
2. A score in the 90th (national) percentile -- in certain Reading and Math subtests from another standardized (2022-2023) 5th grade assessment, with approval from Hunter Admissions. If you have 90th [national] percentile scores on a 5th grade standardized exam that is not listed above, please email the score report to  HCCS Admissions. This option is for those who DID NOT take the NYS 5th grade ELA and NYS 5th grade mathematics exams, or any exam listed in Section 1.

Do not start an application before submitting your score report and seeking approval from Hunter Admissions.
 
3. Candidates who have not taken NYS or another (accepted) standardized exam may be eligible to take an exam* at a local testing center and have the scores submitted to Hunter. To qualify for this process, the candidate must do the following:

  1. Click here to start an HCHS application and select “No Scores” in the ELIGIBILITY section of the application. Do not select "No Scores" if the student has tested in grade 5.
  1. Ensure that HCCS Admissions receives a letter on school stationery sent directly from the candidate’s school principal (via email) by Friday, December 1. The letter must be sent via email and must
    • Confirm that the student did not take the NYS or any other accepted 5th grade standardized exams;
    • Confirm that the student is eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch (if the student is eligible).*
  1. Arrange to take any of the exams listed in Section 1 at a local testing center* by Saturday, December 16. Scores must be sent directly to HCCS Admissions from the center by Friday, December 22, 2023. If taking the exam in fall 2023, candidates must take an exam appropriate for entry into grade 7. Students may not take a 5th grade exam in fall 2023.
  1. Score in the 90th [national] percentile on the reading and math subtests of that exam.
 
Testing center options include, but are not limited to those listed below:
Testing
Center:		 ERB Kweller Prep Lead Education Prometric
Locations: NY NY, QU NY BK, NY, QU
Tests: ISEE Stanford 10th Edition ISEE, SSAT SSAT
Contact: www.erblearn.org
800-446-0320		 www.kwellerprep.com
800-631-1757		 www.leadeducationla.com
hello@leadeducationla.com		 www.ssat.org
info@ssat.org

* Candidates who qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch will have testing costs waived at select locations. Contact HCCS Admissions for assistance with fee waiver registration. Students are considered eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch if their family receives public assistance or food stamps, or earns less than the income requirements LISTED IN THIS TABLE.


If the student scored below the minimum on any of the exams listed above, DO NOT submit an application to Hunter College High School. If you do, the student will be rendered ineligible and the application will be canceled.    

If the student meets the score minimum on the NY State exams, or any other exams listed above, you may access the Hunter College High School application for entry in fall 2024 by CLICKING HERE.





SAMPLE SCORE REPORTS

Hunter College Campus Schools
71 East 94th Street 
New York, NY 10128
Elementary School: 212-860-1292
High School: 212-860-1267
Professional Photography © Laura Dwight