High School
Admissions

Eligibility for Fall 2027 Entry

Criteria

NOTE: QUALIFYING SCORES ARE LISTED BELOW IN THE "QUALIFICATION EXAMS" SECTION. THE HS APPLICATION WILL LAUNCH ON 9/23/2026.

To be eligible for the 2027 Hunter College High School (HCHS) Entrance Exam (7th grade entry), candidates must meet all three criteria below: 

1. Be currently enrolled in 6th grade at a NYC or neighboring school, or be homeschooled. (Homeschooled applicants must be registered with the NYC Office of Homeschooling and provide additional documents.) 
2. As of September 1 of the application year, applicants must physically reside, on a full-time basis, in one of the five boroughs of New York City, which must be their primary residence. (Property ownership alone does not constitute residency. The child must be listed as a dependent of their parent(s)/guardian(s) at a permanent NYC address, as listed on the NYS IT-201 tax form. P.O. Boxes or non-NYC addresses on the tax form will not suffice, regardless of the information listed  in sections E and F.)
3. Earn the minimum qualifying score on the NYS or other approved exams. See the “Qualification Exams” section below for details.

NOTE: An invitation letter IS NOT needed to apply if you are eligible.
Verification of Eligibility
Hunter College Campus Schools (HCCS) verifies applicant [score and residency] eligibility as part of the admissions process. If information submitted is incomplete, inconsistent, or cannot be verified, HCCS may request additional documentation or verify information with other sources before determining eligibility.

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Hunter will consider a 90th percentile score on an approved standardized exam that was taken at the candidate's school in 5th grade. Hunter will provide a pathway for students who did not take an approved exam in 5th grade and wish to pursue qualification.

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Qualification Exams

Select the category below that best matches your child’s situation to see how to qualify. Only one category will apply.

In 5th grade, my child attended a school that…

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  • …administers NYS Exams.

    If your child was unable to take one or both of the NYS English Language Arts (ELA) and Math exams in 5th grade, please review one of the other options. We will verify with the school that the student did not sit for the NYS Exams.

    To qualify for the Hunter entrance exam on January 27, 2027, a qualifying score is required on the Spring 2026 5th grade NYS ELA and Math exams. Minimum scores must be met on both exams.
    • SP 26, ELA  = 478
    • SP 26, Math =497
    Are one or both scores slightly below the cutoff? You may be eligible to complete the Academic Insights Profile (AIP). CLICK HERE to visit the AIP page.
     
    Submitting Scores
    An official score report or screenshot from the NYC Schools Account (NYCSA) must be uploaded with the application. The report must clearly show the student's name, grade, exam year, and three-digit scale scores (in English). Hunter will not accept performance levels or percentage ranges in place of scale scores. 
     
    To access scores through NYCSA, go to https://www.schoolsaccount.nyc/
    • Log in to your account (contact your school for assistance).
    • Select My Student.
    • Select Assessments to view the student's test results.

  • …administers non-NYS Exams.

    If your child took both the NYS exams and another standardized test, only the NYS exam scores will be considered. If your child did not take the NYS exams but did take any of the approved tests below, only the first sitting of the test will be considered for the Hunter application. Applicants may not take multiple approved tests in an effort to meet Hunter's minimum score requirement. We will verify your child's testing history with the school.

    To qualify for the Hunter entrance exam on January 27, 2027, students must earn a qualifying score in both Reading and Math on one of the approved exams listed below. Score reports must reflect a Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 administration taken in 5th grade and include a national percentile rank (or equivalent). All 5th-grade exams must have been administered by a school or testing center. 

    Approved Exams
    - ERB CTP 5 (Reading Comprehension + Mathematics Parts 1 & 2) 
    - Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) (ELA Total + Math Total)
    - TerraNova 3 (Reading Composite + Mathematics Composite)
    - Stanford 10 (Total Reading + Total Mathematics
    - *Other State or standardized exams (Email the score report to Admissions for approval: admissions@hunterschools.org)
    (The Stanford 10 abbreviated battery is accepted.)

    Not Approved Exams:
    - ERB Milestones
    - NWEA MAP
    - iReady
    - ISEE (not accepted this year)
    - SSAT (not accepted this year)

    If your child did not take an "approved" exam, please visit the "... DID NOT ADMINISTER ANY APPROVED STANDARDIZED EXAMS" section.

    Minimum Scores (Fall 2025 or Spring 2026, Grade 5)
    (    see sample score reports to the right).
    • Reading = 90th national percentile
    • Math = 90th national percentile
    Are one or both scores slightly below the cutoff? You may be eligible to complete the Academic Insights Profile (AIP). CLICK HERE to visit the AIP page.
     
    Submitting Scores
    An official score report must be uploaded with the application. The report must clearly show the student's name, grade, exam year, and three-digit scale scores (in English). Hunter will not accept letters or report cards in place of scores. 
     
    Families seeking approval for any non-listed standardized exam must email the score report to admissions@hunterschools.org for consideration before applying.

  • …did NOT administer ANY approved standardized exams.

    NOTE: This section is for 6th grade students who have never taken an approved standardized exam in 5th grade. If your child has taken the NYS exams or an approved standardized exam, please refer to the appropriate section above. 

    Students who did not meet the qualifying score on a 5th-grade exam may not take another exam in 6th grade in an attempt to qualify. 

    Step 1: Apply for Approval
    To be considered for a qualifying exam (if you have no scores):
    • On the Hunter application, select "No Scores" under the "exam type" section.
    • Upload to the application an official letter from the principal or counselor (on school letterhead) confirming the student did not take NYS or other accepted 5th grade exams.
      • Letter may come from the 6th grade OR 5th grade school
    • Submit the application
    • Hunter will contact the school directly for verification.
    Step 2: Wait for Authorization
    Hunter will review your application and notify you if your child is approved to take a qualifying exam. Once authorized, the exam must be taken in person at a school or testing center; at-home exams will not be accepted. Students MAY NOT take an exam in 6th grade without prior approval. Any 6th-grade scores obtained without approval will not be accepted for the Hunter application process. 

    Approved Exams
    - ERB CTP 5 (Reading Comprehension + Mathematics Parts 1 & 2) 
    - Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) (ELA total + Math total)
    - TerraNova 3 (Reading Composite + Mathematics Composite)
    - Stanford 10 (Total Reading + Total Mathematics)
                    (The Stanford 10 abbreviated battery is accepted.)

    Important Guidelines: 
    • Do not register for any exam before receiving approval from Hunter
    • Only one test attempt is permitted
    • The exam must be appropriate for students seeking entry into 7th grade
    • Scores must be sent directly from the school or testing center to the Hunter Admissions Office.
    • Deadline: All testing must be completed by Monday, December 21, 2026  
    Qualifying Score Requirement
    Students approved to take a 6th grade exam must also score in the 90th percentile in both Reading and Math.

    If scores fall between the 85th and 89th percentiles, the application will automatically be considered through the Academic Insights Profile (AIP) pathway.  

ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?

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  • The Application Process: Step-by-Step

    Step I: CHECK ELIGIBILITY
    Confirm your child meets 5th grade test score AND residency requirements before proceeding. 
     
    Step II: CREATE A RAVENNA ACCOUNT
    Applications are processed through Ravenna, an online system. Go to www.ravenna-hub.com and click Create Account to begin.
    You can also use this direct link to Hunter's page in Ravenna. Please read all instructions carefully to avoid delays or disqualification.  

    STEP III: ADD YOUR STUDENT'S PROFILE
    In Ravenna Hub, click Add Student on the left side of the dashboard and complete the required information. This profile will house your Hunter application and all related forms. 

    STEP IV: SUBMIT THE APPLICATION
    In the upper-left menu, open the school directory, search for Hunter College Campus Schools, and click Apply. The HS application will become available at noon on Wednesday, September 23.
    • Select the High School application type and complete all required questions with correct information.
      An invitation is NOT required to apply.
    • There is no fee to apply to Hunter College High School
    • A separate student profile is required for each child applying.

      Parents/guardians must upload a screenshot of the NYS exam scores or an official report from another qualifying exam that meets the 90th percentile score requirement. All scores will be verified with the child's school.

      Do not submit recommendation letters, report cards, awards, photos, essays, or other unsolicited materials.  

      The deadline to apply to HCHS will be 2:00 PM on Friday, December 4, 2026.


    Students who are near the cutoff may be eligible to apply by submitting an Academic Insights Profile (AIP.) 

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
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