What is an examination high school?

An examination high school is a selective admission high school program, with rigorous college preparation, career preparation, competitive athletics programs, and inspiring arts programs.

Students are required to take an examination and submit an online application for admission consideration. The district offers 6 exam high schools.

What is the Application Process? 

1. Submit an application 
2. Take the Exam 
3. Receive notification decision 
4. Petition 
5. Enroll 

Who may apply?

Eighth-grade students attending public and non-public schools, including homeschool, are eligible to apply for 9^th grade. Current high school students may also apply for limited openings in grades 9-12.

How do I get started with the application? 
Go to detroitk12.org/examschools to review all application rules and requirements, then click on the link to apply. There are three applications. You will need to select the application that best suits your situation. 

Who should complete the application?

A parent or guardian should complete the application and electronically sign it unless they give written permission for someone else to sign it. The student will be required to write the essay. We recommend that the student draft the essay, save it to a file or portable drive so the parent/guardian may upload it to the application.   

I’m applying for more than one student; can I submit both applications under the same Submittable account?

If you have more than one student applying to examination high schools, you can submit each student’s application under the same Submittable account. You may not submit more than one application per student.

May I pick up a paper copy of the application? 
The application must be completed online. There is no paper application.

Whose email should I use to create my application account?  
The email associated with the Submittable account will be used for all communications regarding the application, the exam and enrollment. Please be sure the email address meets the following criteria:  

1. Belongs to, or is easily accessible by, the applicant’s parent/guardian  
2. Is an account that is frequently checked  
3. Is not a school-issued student email account  

I do not have a home computer. How can I apply?  
The application is mobile-friendly, so you can apply with any internet-enabled device like a smartphone or tablet. Click here to get step-by-step instructions on how to submit an application on a smartphone. We also encourage you to schedule an appointment with our trained support team.

Click here to schedule an application assistance appointment. For a list of upcoming webinars and appointment dates, click here.  

Is there a limit on how many schools I may apply for?  

Students entering 9^th grade may apply for up to 5 examination high schools and will be asked to rank their choices. Students who are transferring from one high school to another may select up to 3 schools. We recommend keeping your options open and selecting all schools that are reasonable options for you. 

When is the deadline to apply?
Applicant must apply by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, November 27, 2022, for Round 1 admission. Please click here to see a full calendar.

How will I be notified? 
Admissions decisions will be sent to the email address affiliated with the Submittable account. Applicants may also log into their Submittable account after the notification deadline and review their messages. 

I only received an admission decision for one school. Will I receive an admission decision for the other exam schools?

Admission is granted to the highest-ranked school for which the student’s application score qualified them. The highest-scoring students get their first-choice school until seats are exhausted, for example.

Is transportation provided?

Students may use their district ID card to ride DDOT buses.

My student was dismissed from an examination high school. What is the process for returning to the school?

Students who were dismissed for academics, attendance, or behavior from an examination high school may return after two semesters at another school. Students who were dismissed are required to apply and take the exam again.

What are the examination high school application requirements?
Every applicant must submit an online application and take the High School Placement Test. The application requires a student-authored essay, transcript (or report card or other document showing the cumulative grade point average), and (3) references who may be contacted on behalf of the applicant.

What should I include in my Admission Essay?
Applicants should answer the four guiding questions and make a persuasive argument regarding their admission to their school(s) of choice. Be as detailed and specific as you can within the 750-word limit.

I’m interested in more than one school, what school should I write my Admission Essay about?

Applicants should write their admission essay about their top-choice school.

How do I submit my Admission Essay?

Applicants may draft their Admission Essay in a program like Microsoft Word or Google Docs and copy/paste it into the application form. You may also type the essay directly into the application.

Who may I use as a reference? 
Applicants may use anyone other than an immediate family member as a reference (e.g. mentor, teacher, principal, coach, pastor, etc.)  

The recommendation contacts submitted in the application say they have not received anything. What should I do?
The recommenders will only be contacted if needed on behalf of the applicant.

What document should I supply to show my GPA?  
Applicants are required to submit a transcript that clearly shows their Cumulative Grade Point Average. The transcript may be requested from the student’s school using one of the available Transcript Request forms available on our website.

Current High School applicants must submit a transcript. If an incoming 9th-grade applicant cannot provide a transcript, we will accept year-end report cards from the 2 most recent consecutive school years: 2020-21 and 2021-22. If the report cards do not show the student’s Cumulative Grade Point Average, the admissions team will reconstruct a cumulative GPA using only core academic subjects: Math, ELA, Social Studies, and Science.

All submitted documents must show the student’s name, grade level, and school.

Can I upload a screenshot of historical grades from my school’s SIS (PowerSchool, MiStar, etc.)?
Yes, incoming 9th-grade applicants can upload a screenshot of their historical grades from their school’s Student Information System (SIS). Be sure the screenshot includes the student’s name, school name, and grade level.

Are current DPSCD students required to submit transcripts?  
Current District students are not required to submit transcripts if they attended a DPSCD school for the past two complete academic years. District students will be required to enter their DPSCD Student ID. 

How do I obtain a transcript?  
Please contact your school's main office or see your guidance counselor to request a transcript or end-of-year report cards from the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years.   

If your student’s previous or current school requires a request form when obtaining your transcript or report cards, you may download one of the Admission Transcript Forms below and provide it to the school. 

8th Grade Transcript Request Form 

Transcript Request Form – High School Transfers

I attend a private school and am not sure if I have a cumulative grade point average, or what it might be.   

Please contact your school's main office or see your guidance counselor to request a transcript.  

May I take a picture of my transcript and upload it?  
Yes, you can take a picture of your transcript or report card(s) and upload it as long as it is legible and the document is not cut off. After you have uploaded it, check to make sure the cumulative GPA, student name, school name, and grade level are clearly visible. We recommend that you use one of the following apps to scan your documents, as they are more reliably clear. These apps are available for Apple and Android mobile phones.  

• Adobe Scan App
• Microsoft Office Lens App

My student is homeschooled, what should I submit as a transcript? 
Students who are home-schooled should reference the following information to create a transcript. Please contact the Office of Enrollment for additional questions at exam.schools@detroitk12.org or (313) 873-6345.  

Michigan Department of Education- Right to Homeschool Information  

Transcript Template 

What documents can I use to present my GPA?

The following documents can be used to present your GPA:

• Transcript
• Year-end report card
• SIS screenshot of the historical grades
• Homeschool transcript

Note: Current High School applicants may only submit a transcript.

My student attends a private school. Does he/she have an Individualized Education Plan?  
No, however, the equivalent is a Non-Public Service Plan. Please request a copy from your child’s school.  

I currently attend an examination high school, can I request a transfer to another exam high school?

Students who attended an examination high school for at least 1 full year will qualify to submit a transfer between exam high schools application.

I previously attended an examination school, what is the process for re-entry?Students who previously attended an exam high school and left the school in good standing, not academically dismissed, or in jeopardy of being academically dismissed may apply for re-entry to an examination high school. Students should complete the Examination High School Application for Current High School Students 2023.

Can I apply to transfer as a mid-year transfer?

Students in grades 9^th – 12^th can apply to transfer as a mid-year transfer.

When do mid-year transfer start?

Accepted mid-year transfer will start school on January 24, 2023.

What document should I supply to show my GPA?

Current High School students are required to upload a school transcript from the 2020-21 and 2021-22 that clearly shows the student’s name, grade level, school name, school address, and all courses and grades earned. Cut-off or partial documents will not be accepted.

Whose name should be on the Submittable account?   

The application should be submitted using the student’s name. Ideally, the parent’s email address should be used, or any other email address that is easily accessible by the parent.   

How do I log into my Submittable account?  

To sign in with an existing account:   

1. Start on this page.   
2. Enter your email address and password. If you do not remember your password, click the “Forgot?” button. 
3. Click on “Submissions” in the upper left-hand corner of the screen.   

I cannot find my submissions in my account. Where did they go?  

If you are unable to find your submissions, you may have more than one Submittable account. Try logging in with another email address if you have one. If that does not work, contact Submittable’s tech support by clicking on the black/white question mark in the righthand corner. 

How do I check the status of my application?  

You can check the status of your submissions by signing into your Submittable account.   

4. Click on the blue circle with your initials at the top right of the page. 
5. Select Submissions.  
6. Under the tab All Submissions, you will see the status of your application 

What does my submission status mean?

Your submission status will change as the Admission team moves it through the review process. Please see the status descriptions below:

In-progress: Your submission has been received and being reviewed.

Declined: You were not admitted to any school for which you applied.

Accepted: You were accepted to one of the schools to which you applied. Acceptance is granted for only one school.

Withdrawn: Your submission has been withdrawn from consideration.

How do I make change to an application I already submitted?

1. Go to your Submissions list and locate your submission (application).   
2. Click the name of the submission to open it up  
3. You will see an Edit link in the upper-right corner of the Details page (between “Download” and “Withdraw”).   
4. Click the Edit link to submit your request to edit your application. Your request will be sent to the Office of Enrollment. The request will be reviewed 24 to 48 hours after submitted.  
   Changes must be made before the application deadline.

How can I invite people to collaborate with me on a submission?

1. Click on “invite collaborators”.
2. A Dialog box will appear, please enter the email address of your collaborators, and click “invite”.
3. The collaborator will receive an email, letting them know you’ve invited them to collaborate on a draft submission using Submittable. They should click on “Get Started”

How can I change the email address on my Submittable account?  

You can change the email address associated with your Submittable account at any time by following these steps:  

7. Click on the blue circle with your initials at the top right of the page. 
8. Select Settings.  
9. On the left side of the page, under User Profile select Update Profile Info  
10. Scroll down until you see the text box for your email address.  
    You may also add or change your physical mailing address in the Profile Settings area by using the boxes provided for this information. 
11. When finished, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Update Your Profile. This will save your account information.  

Source: Submittable  

For more help, please visit the Submittable Help page 

Does everyone have to take the exam?  

The exam is required for all new examination high school students. An exception may be granted for students seeking re-entry to an exam high school they previously attended if they left in good standing, ie., they were not dismissed for academic or other reasons and the school has available seats at the grade level sought. Students who took the exam during the 2021-22 Admission cycle and were accepted to their first-choice school but did not attend. An application is still required.  

Are students required to take the exam in-person?  

Applicants are required to take the exam in-person. Please see Covid-19 section for information about the precautions that will be taken to keep students safe for the exam. 

What subjects are on the exam? 

Reading (Comprehensive & Vocabulary), Mathematics, Language, Science.   

How can I prepare for the exam? Do you offer any practice tests or study guides? 

Click here to access the High School Placement Test Resources List. We do not offer study guides. 

My student’s first language is not English, will he/she be eligible for test accommodations?

Students who are Multilingual Learners or Newcomers must upload their most recent WIDA scores or provide additional information as part of the application. If the student is identified as needing accommodations, they will be given the applicable accommodations identified.  

Will there be an opportunity to retake the exam?  

No. Students will not be allowed to retake the exam within the same admissions cycle, 2022-23. However, they may participate in the petition process if they did not get a satisfactory placement.  

How do I sign up to take the exam?

Out of District 8^th grade and high school students will be required to select a test date in the online Submittable application. Current district 8th-grade students will take the exam during the school day. You may contact your district school to learn of the specific day of your student’s test.

What should I do if I miss the exam?  

Students who missed their test date or need to request an alternate testing date should take this survey. Only students with an application on file may be rescheduled for testing. Requests must be received within 72 hours of the missed test date. We will make every effort to accommodate your request.   

Will I have access to my exam score?  

Yes. Exam score percentiles will be sent via Submittable for students who meet the first-round and second-round deadlines. Scores will be sent separately from the acceptance/decline letter. Exam scores will not be sent to anyone who takes the exam in any additional rounds.  

 

TAKING THE EXAM – DPSCD STUDENTS 

My child is an 8th grader in DPSCD. How does he/she get to take the test?  

Eighth graders who attend a District school will take the exam high school admissions test at school during the school day. The test will be administered between November 14 and November 15, 2022. Tests will be administered during the school day. If you have any questions, please contact your school for more information. 

 
What if my 8th grader is absent the day their District school offered the exam high school admissions test? What should I do?  

Each school should have make-up opportunities. Please contact your school for more information.  

When will testing be offered for current District high school students?  
Testing will be available for District 9th, 10th- and 11th-grade students on November 19, December 3, December 10 and December 15 for fall 2023 admission. Parents will be able to choose the date that best works for their schedule during the application process.  

If my student currently attends a DPSCD high school. Do they need to register for an exam date?  
Yes, they will need to complete an application and register for an exam date. The application must be received in order to finalize a test reservation. They may take the test on November 19, December 3, December 10 and December 15 for January or Fall 2023 admission.  

TAKING THE ADMISSIONS EXAM – OUT-OF-DISTRICT STUDENTS  

When will I be notified of the time I need to arrive for my exam?  

Students will be notified via the email address used to create the Submittable account 3 days prior to their selected exam date.  

When will testing be offered for students who attend non-DPSCD schools?  

Students who do not currently attend DPSCD schools may take the test on November 19, December 3, December 10, and December 15 for fall 2023 admission. To be eligible to take the test on November 19, an application must be received by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, November 6. Parents and/or students will be able to choose the date that best works for their schedule during the application process.  

My student has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), will he/she receive accommodations during the exam?    

Student IEPs are reviewed before the exam is administered. Students who require accommodations will receive them. Not all students who have IEPs are eligible for accommodations.  

Due to COVID-19, we have expanded testing dates and will strictly enforce social distancing at all phases of the testing process, from sign-in, to the testing environment, to departure. Procedures have been designed to ensure the safety of all students and staff, including the issuance of personal protective equipment and the sanitizing of classrooms between every testing session.  

How have you adapted your procedures? 
Arrival times will be staggered to limit the number of people in the entryway at any given time. Social distancing will be enforced. Every person entering the building must wear a mask and have their temperature taken. Sign-in will be fully touchless. Student cell phones will be placed into individual, sealed and labeled bags to ensure they do not have contact with each other.  

How many students will be testing in one classroom? 

No more than 15 students will be assigned to the same classroom during each test session.  

Are students required to wear a mask? 

Yes, students are required to wear a mask during the testing session. A temperature check will be required upon arrival. Students with a temperature above 101 degrees will be reassigned to a make-up test date at least two weeks after their assigned date.  

Can my student bring their own pencil? 
Yes, students can bring their own pencil. Pencils will also be available for students who do not bring one. Pencils will not be re-used on the same day.