How to Apply to Exam Schools

 

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What are Exam Schools?

Boston Public Schools (BPS) has three exam schools for students in grades 7–12. Other areas of the country may refer to these types of schools as “magnet schools."

Boston’s three exam schools are:

1. Boston Latin School

2. Boston Latin Academy

3. John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science

Entry into these exam schools is determined by the student’s grades and their performance on a district-identified assessment.

Each exam school accepts students entering grade 7 and grade 9. The O’Bryant School also accepts a small number of students entering grade 10. 

Who is eligible to apply for and attend Exam Schools?

All of the following must be true:

1. Students must be currently enrolled in 6th, 8th, or 9th grade (O’Bryant only) to apply; and 

2. Students must reside in the City of Boston. 

Proof of residency is required for students not currently attending Boston Public Schools. Click here to learn more about the residency verification process for non-BPS students who want to apply to exam schools.

BPS Exam School Admission Process for School Year 2023-2024

• Step 1: Register for MAP Growth Exam (registration form goes live here October 11, 2022). Students must sit for the BPS administration of the MAP Growth test in either June or December 2022 in order to be considered for an exam school.

  • Current BPS students in grades 6-8 are eligible to take the test in their current school between December 5-16, 2022.

  • Students who are not enrolled in BPS schools must take the test on Saturday, December 3, 2022.

• Step 2: Residency Verification for Students not currently enrolled in BPS (Students in Private, Parochial, Commonwealth Charter Schools, METCO schools, Homeschool). This verification process must happen between October 11-November 18, 2022 in order for students to gain entry to the test site in December. More information available at the BPS website.
• Step 3: School Choice. During the school choice process, families must rank at least one exam school to have the student considered for admissions.
• Step 4: GPA. To apply for admission to an exam school, students must have earned a B or higher grade point average (from the last term of the 2021-22 school year and the first two terms of the 2022-23 school year).
• Step 5: Invitations. All applicants will receive an admissions decision letter in April-May 2023, which will share the student's status (invited/not invited), composite score, and tier number, and wait list if applicable. 

 

SY2023-24 Application Timeline

Event	Dates
MAP Test - Spring Test Administration	June 2022
Residency verification and school rankings for students not currently attending BPS	October 11 - November 18, 2022
MAP Fall Test - BPS students currently in grades 6 and 8	December 6 & 7, 2022
MAP Fall Test - Students currently in private, parochial, Commonwealth charter, METCO program schools, or homeschool in grades 6, 8, and 9; current BPS 9th grade students; current BPS 8th grade exam school students.	December 3, 2022
Collection of marks and school certification	January-February, 2023
Notification of eligibility for students meeting the B or greater GPA requirement	March, 2023
Admission decisions released	April-May, 2023

 

More information will be posted about future exam school admissions policies at the BPS website.