- Detroit Public Schools Community District
- Examination Schools
- Examination High Schools
- Application Requirements
Exam High School Application Requirements
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Admission to examination high schools requires two main components: The examination and an application. Read below for details regarding the application.
Application
Every applicant must complete an online application on Submittable. The application requires an email address to set up an account, which will be used throughout the admissions process. Parents/guardians are expected to complete the application.
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Student-Authored Essay
All applicants are required to submit an essay, which will count as their official writing sample. The essay is the applicant's opportunity to make a persuasive argument regarding their admission to their school(s) of choice. The limit is 750 words, and the essay must be typed or pasted directly into the application. The following guiding questions should be answered in each applicant's essay:
1. Which Examination High School(s) do you want to attend and why do you want to attend?
2. What makes you an exceptional candidate for admission?
3.Describe one or more qualities that make you stand out and provide examples to demonstrate those qualities to the admissions team.
4. How will admittance help you achieve your goals for the future?
Essay Tips
- We recommend drafting the essay using a program like Microsoft Word, Google Docs or similar and saving it onto a flash drive or your hard drive until you're ready to submit it. When you're finalizing your essay, you can copy and paste it into the application form. You may also type the essay directly into the application.
- Measure your essay while drafting to ensure you do not exceed the 750-word limit.
- Read and re-read your essay, then have someone proofread it for you. Be sure it is grammatically correct and written in a formal tone.
- Be sure to answer the guiding questions.
- Don't be shy. Talk about your accomplishments and talents.
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Cumulative GPA - 8th Grade Non-DPSCD
The applicant's grade point average (GPA) is a critical part of the application. It is worth up to 35% of the total score.
The GPA itself is worth a maximum of 30 points, with an additional 5 points for applications that contain a clearly visible cumulative GPA or multiple report cards that may be used to calculate a cumulative GPA. Both must be submitted by the deadline. Documents submitted after the deadline will not receive the bonus 5 points. Applications that are updated after the deadline will not be eligible for the bonus points.
Submission Requirements
Applicants who currently attend an Out of District school will be required to submit a Cumulative Grade Point Average.
The submission uploaded to the application must clearly show the student's name, student's grade level, school name and address, and all courses with the grades earned. Cut-off or partial documents will not be accepted. The document must include the student's 6th and 7th grades earned. The student may submit the most recently received 8th grade report card.
A transcript that clearly shows your Cumulative Grade Point Average
OR
Year-end report cards from the 2 most recent consecutive school years: 2022-23 and 2023-24Note: If the report cards or transcript do not show your Cumulative Grade Point Average, one will be calculated for you using the report cards submitted. The GPA calculation will be based on Math, ELA, Science, and Social Studies grades only. Partially complete report cards or transcripts will earn a commensurate proportion of the available GPA points if the report cards have a cumulative GPA. The documents submitted in the application should clearly show the student's name, school, and grade level.
Acceptable Documents
- Transcript
- Year-end report card
- SIS screenshot of the historical grades that clearly shows the student's name, student's grade level, school name and address, and all courses with the grades earned
- Homeschool transcript
Unacceptable Documents
- Progress Report
- Grades from 3 years or longer
- Blurry or cut-off documents
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Cumulative GPA - 8th Grade Current DPSCD
Applicants' grade point average (GPA) is a critical part of the application. It is worth up to 35% of the total score.
The GPA itself is worth a maximum of 30 points, with an additional 5 points for applications that contain a clearly visible cumulative GPA or multiple report cards that may be used to calculate a cumulative GPA. Both must be submitted by the deadline. Documents submitted after the deadline will not receive the bonus 5 points. Applications that are updated after the deadline will not be eligible for the bonus points.
Submission Requirements
Applicants who currently attend a DPSCD school and have continuously attended school in DPSCD for at least 2 years will be required to enter their DPSCD Student ID. This is the number you use to log into Clever and other learning tools. You can find your ID number on your report card and in the PowerSchool Parent Portal. The Student ID number will be used to access student academic transcripts and GPA. Transcripts do not need to be uploaded to the application for a student’s DPSCD academic record.
If you recently transferred to DPSCD and attended a DPSCD school for less than 2 full school years, please submit a transcript or report card for the years you did not attend a DPSCD school. Please refer to the submission requirements under the 8th Grade Non-DPSCD student's section.
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Cumulative GPA - Current High School Students
The applicant's grade point average (GPA) is a critical part of the application.
Current DPSCD High School Students
Applicants who currently attend a DPSCD school and have continuously attended school in DPSCD for at least 2 years will be required to enter their DPSCD Student ID. This is the number you use to log into Clever and other learning tools. You can find your ID number on your report card and in the PowerSchool Parent Portal. The Student ID number will be used to access student academic transcripts and GPA. Transcripts do not need to be uploaded to the application for a student’s DPSCD academic record.
If you recently transferred to DPSCD and attended a DPSCD school for less than 2 full school years, please submit a transcript or report card for the years you did not attend a DPSCD school. Please refer to the submission requirements under the Non-DPSCD Current High School Students section.
Non-DPSCD Current High School Students
Current High School applicants who currently attend an Out of District school will be required to submit a Cumulative Grade Point Average.
The submission uploaded to the application must clearly show the student's name, student's grade level, school name and address, and all courses with the grades earned. Cut-off or partial documents will not be accepted.
Current high school applicants must submit a transcript.
Acceptable Documents
- A transcript
Unacceptable Documents
- A year-end report card
- SIS screenshot
- Progress report
- Blurry or cut-off documents
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Reference
Each applicant must provide three references who may be contacted on behalf of the applicant. Applicants may use anyone other than an immediate family member as a reference (e.g. mentor, teacher, principal, coach, etc.) Parents/guardians and close relatives are prohibited from serving as references. A reference letter is not required. The following information must be provided as part of the application:
- Name
- Phone
- Email address
- Relationship to the applicant
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IEP, 504 or NPSP
Students who have Individualized Education Plans (IEP), 504 Plan, or Non-Public Service Plans (for applicants who currently attend a private school) must upload their IEP, 504 Plan, or Non-Public Service Plan as part of their application. Please be sure to submit the complete document. Students whose IEPs/504/NPSPs identify accommodations will be given the appropriate accommodations identified.
Submission Requirements
- The document must be submitted in PDF format.
- The complete IEP, 504 Plan, or Non-Public Service Plan must be uploaded to the application. Partial documents will not be accepted.
- Please do not upload screenshots or photos of documents.
- IEPs must have a district representative's signature
- Clearly show the student's name, student's grade level, school name, and address
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Multi-Lingual Learners/English Language Learners
English Language Learners — Some students may also be eligible for accommodations. WIDA test results and other information will be requested in the application to determine eligibility.
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Application Scoring
The exam is scored independently by the test provider, Scholastic Testing Services. Each application is reviewed by two or more independent reviewers. The average of the reviews serves as the student's final score. Rubrics are used to assign points to the interest letter and grade point average.
Application Component Total Potential Points Examination score 45 Grade Point Average 30 Student-Authored Essay 20 DPSCD Current Student Bonus +10 GPA complete and on-time +5 Marygrove school applicants - live within Primary Area +10 Marygrove school applicants - live within Secondary Area +5
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Bonus Points
Current Detroit Public Schools Community District students will receive 10 additional points on their application. Students who submit their cumulative GPA or documents that allow us to calculate a GPA by the deadline will receive 5 additional GPA points on their application.
Students who apply to The School at Marygrove will receive priority if they live within the school’s catchman area. Students who live within 1 mile of the Marygrove campus will receive 10 additional points (Primary Area), while those who live within 2 miles will receive an additional 5 points on their application (Secondary Area). The Primary Catchment Aera is one-mile radius from the campus, bounded by 7 mile to the north, Parkside St to the east, Fenkell St to the south and Appoline St to the west. The Secondary Catchment Aera is a two-mile radius from the campus, bounded by 8 mile to the north, Schoolcraft St to the south, and Marlowe St to the west. Please see the Marygrove catchment map below for more detail.
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GPA Rubric
GPA
Points
4.0
30
3.9
29
3.8
28
3.7
27
3.6
26
3.5
25
3.4
24
3.3
23
3.2
22
3.1
21
3.0
20
2.9
19
2.8
18
2.7
17
2.6
16
2.5
15
2.4
14
2.3
13
2.2
12
2.1
11 2.0
10 1.9
9 1.8
8 1.7
7 1.6
6 1.5 or less
5
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Application Resources
To help you with completing the application, here are some application resources: