NYC High School Admissions 2025 Timeline: What to Expect & When
If you're currently muttering “When is the SHSAT again?!” into your coffee or asking “Wait, when do we find out our kid’s group or tier thingy?”—this post is for you.
Important Update for Fall 2025 (8/4/2025): SOME of the admissions dates have now been released: Tuesday, Oct 7th, 2025 the High School Application Opens in MySchools. Friday, October 31st, 2025 is the deadline to register for the SHSAT. Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025 is the deadline to submit the High School Application. We are still waiting to learn: SHSAT exam dates, Bard & Other assessment dates, or updates to essay prompts and audition requirements. And, we still don’t have cut-offs for Screened Groups.
(While the official 2025–2026 admissions dates haven’t been released yet, we do have last year’s timeline—and spoiler alert: it doesn’t change dramatically from year to year. So this is your cheat sheet, calendar preview, and gentle reminder that you haven’t missed anything yet.)
🚦Quick Note Before We Dive In:
These rough dates are based off the 2024–2025 admissions cycle (for kids entering high school in fall 2025). I’ll update this post when they release updated new information for this year but I’m getting a lot of questions about all of this so wanted to get you all an easy to find rough guideline! Also I have a whole podcast episode called: “NYC High School Admissions Start to Finish” You can find it on the podcast page of this website or go to your fave podcast place to listen!
You’ll want to double check the official NYC DOE High School Admissions page when they release this year’s deadlines—but in the meantime, this will give you a clear sense of the flow.
✅ Summer (Now – September): Prep & Research Mode
School websites + MySchools + nycsift.com are your best friends.
Explore options, create a first-draft list (did you listen to my episode about starting your draft list? That’ll help if you’re like, “but, how Carolyn? How?!”) Start conversations with your teen about what they might be interested in (it’s okay if they aren’t ready to discuss).
Study for SHSAT, work on audition prep, work on portfolio prep…
No applications open yet. No SHSAT sign-up yet. No Essay prompts available yet, No audition parameters yet, No panic required (yet, lol).
But if there is panic, feel free to reach out and book a 1:1 with me!
🗓️ October: The Floodgates Open
📅 Key Dates (based of how things went last two years)
1st week of October: High School Application, LaGuardia Application, and SHSAT Registration opens!
October is when MOST tours/open houses begin. (Yes, there will be a few in September and many more in November). Keep your eyes and ears open for the school tours you want to attend, many require advanced sign up.
Mid-October: SHSAT Registration closes (yes! you have to apply to register and rank the specialized schools you want BEFORE taking test. And before the regular application closes)
Last Wed in October: SHSAT School-Day Testing, at your school (for public school 8th graders in 5-8 schools, not 6-12, not charter, not private schools)
What This Means for You:
Expect the application to open first week of October in MySchools.
Once you log in & edit student, that begins your application & creates your lottery number. (No, it doesn’t matter when you open & start it. The number is truly random)
Screened Academic Groups (tiers) will be in your application, student profile
You’ll also see your Ed-Opt Group, FRL lunch designation, SWD/GE status, etc
🏃 November: More Tests & More Tours
📅 Key Dates (based off last two years):
Mid Nov Sat & Sun: SHSAT testing for 8th graders not testing at school (includes 6-12 schools, Charters, Privates, etc) You will receive a designated date and location
Tours & Open Houses: Peak season! Most schools held events in October and November last year and we expect it to be the same this year.
Schools that have in-person assessments usually schedule these in November (for ex: BARD)
🎭 December: Deadlines + Final Submissions
📅 Key Dates (based off last two years):
1st Thursday in December: Final deadline for all high school application & materials (11:59pm on this date. PLEASE don’t wait until 11:59, but do take your time!)
1st Sat & Sun in December: SHSAT testing for 9th graders (kids looking for 10th grade placement at Specialized Schools)
What to Expect:
You’ll finalize your 12 plus ranked school choices, rank in order of true preference
Make sure all supplemental materials, essays, portfolio/audition submissions are complete and uploaded correctly into MySchools application.
Submit any other assessments that have a separate submission (some are directly on school’s website)
You can revise your application up until the deadline!
Take a screenshot of your ranked order and application for your own records (or in case something weird happens, or in case you black out later and can’t remember what you put where)!
⏳ Winter: Hurry Up and Wait
Once the app is submitted, it’s time to… wait.
📅 Key Dates: (based off last two years)
Late Jan or Early February: Call backs for audition schools that have them
1st Thursday in March: High School Offers Released in the afternoon (usually after 3pm)
You’ll get one offer from your ranked list and separate notifications for:SHSAT schools (if eligible)
LaGuardia studios (if eligible)
You’ll see any waitlist information if applicable
You’ll see your assessments & audition scores & rankings
Mid March-Early days of April: Specialized Schools (and a few key Screened Schools) will offer special accepted students open houses so students can make their final decisions if they have an offer
1st Week of April: Deadline to choose between Specialized School offer & ranked list offer (if you have both options)
