High School applications for Chicago Public Schools will open in three weeks, so it’s important that you activate your application account as soon as possible. This step only takes a few minutes to complete and will allow you to create your family profile and view the programs to which you are eligible to apply. Here are some important tips to make sure you complete this process correctly.
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Primary Parent Guardian
No matter who is completing the form, be sure to enter the name and address of the parent/guardian with whom the student resides. This is extremely important because the address provided here will be used for determining tiers, proximity boundaries, and attendance and overlay boundaries.
There will be an option on a later screen to provide the names of additional parents/guardians or others that you want included as contacts. Students in temporary living situations can enter the address where they sleep at night or the address of their current school.
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Are You New to Chicago Public Schools?
Make sure to follow the correct path when adding students to your account based on whether they are a new or current CPS student.
- If your student DID attend a CPS school in the 2016-17 school year, click NO on this screen.
- If your student DID NOT attend a CPS school in the 2016-17 school year, click YES on this screen.
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Apply to High School
Everyone on this mailing list is interested in applying to CPS for high school, so it is important that you follow the high school application pathway when activating your account. When asked if the student is applying to the 9th grade for fall 2018, make sure you select YES on this screen.
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Activation Codes
If the student attended a Chicago public school in the 2016-17 school year, you will be asked to enter their Activation Code. The Activation Code letter was sent home with students at the end of the 2016-17 school year. Non-CPS students do not need an Activation Code.
If the student’s Activation Code was misplaced or not received, families can call the Office of Access and Enrollment at 773-553-2060 from a number on their child’s CPS Student Information file to have it retrieved. Activation Codes will also be delivered to schools again in late September for distribution by counselors to students.
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Do Not Create Duplicate Students
If you create a student incorrectly, call the Office of Access and Enrollment rather than trying to create the student again. Duplicate students create exceptions that can slow down the application process.
It is also important that families only add students they are applying for, not every student in their family.
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Web Browsers
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Need Help?
If you have any questions about the activation process, contact the Office of Access and Enrollment at 773-553-2060 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or email gocps@cps.edu.