Screened Groups & Random Numbers: What Actually Matters in NYC High School Admissions
Updated august 2026
If you spend enough time chatting with other parents embarking on the high school application journey for their student, eventually you will encounter some version of this:
“My kid is Screened Admission Group 1 but has a terrible random number. Are we doomed?”
Followed immediately by:
“My kid is Tier 3 but has an amazing lottery number. Does that cancel it out?”
And then perhaps:
“Wait. What are these screened groups and tiers? Where do I find this lottery number? WHAT ARE WE EVEN TALKING ABOUT?”
Welcome to NYC High School Admissions.
Two of the most talked-about (and frequently misunderstood) pieces of the process for NYC Public High School Applications are Screened Admission Groups (often called tiers) and Random Numbers (often called lottery numbers).
Both can matter.
Neither matters equally for every school.
Sometimes neither one matters at all.
And neither should determine your entire high school list.
So, let's decode this.
First: Screened Admission Groups and Random Numbers Are Two Different Things
This is probably the most important concept to understand.
A Screened Admission Group tells you where your student falls academically based on the cut-offs for each group that year.
A Random Number is essentially your student's lottery tiebreaker.
They do completely different jobs.
Think of it this way:
Screened Admission Group = academic grouping based on grades
Random Number = tiebreaker within the admissions process
And here's the part parents sometimes don’t get at first:
Your child can have an excellent screened admission group or tier and an unfortunate random number.
Or a lower screened admission group and a fabulous random number.
One does not magically erase the other.
What Is a Screened Admission Group?
For schools using the screened admissions method, applicants are divided into groups based on academic criteria. There are new cut-offs each year based on the city-wide grade GPA using the average of a student’s 4 core class grades (ELA, Social Studies, Math, & Science) from their 7th grade final grades. You’ll find this in your student’s MySchools profile when the applications open in October.
You'll sometimes hear parents call these “tiers.” NYC Public Schools generally refers to them as screened admissions groups. The term is often shortened to SAG. You’ll hear all three terms interchangeably throughout admissions season: Tier, Screened Admission Group, SAG.
Screened Admission Group 1 is the highest academic group, followed by SAG 2, SAG 3 and so on.
This matters because a screened school considers applicants from the highest group first before moving to the next group.
But (and this is a BIG but) being in SAG 1 does not mean you are guaranteed admission to a popular screened school.
There can be far more Screened Admission Group 1 applicants than available seats.
Which brings us to...
The Random Number
Every applicant receives a random number used as a tiebreaker in admissions. It is automatically and randomly generated when you start your student’s application. You’ll find this in your student’s MySchools profile when the applications open in October.
You'll often hear parents refer to this as a lottery number.
The beginning of that number can give you a rough sense of whether you have a stronger or weaker number relative to other applicants. You'll hear families tossing around things like “01” or “FF” in admission conversations as shorthand.
And yes, the random number can matter quite a lot.
But how much it matters depends on how a particular program admits students.
That distinction is everything.
Let's Meet Alex and Jordan
This is the easiest way to see how the pieces work together.
Let's say:
Alex
Screened Admission Group 2
Fantastic random number beginning with 01
Jordan
Screened Admission Group 1
Very challenging random number beginning with FF
Who has the admissions advantage?
The extremely frustrating but accurate answer is:
It depends on the program.
And THIS is why you cannot look at the tier or lottery number in isolation and decide your child's admissions fate.
At a highly popular screened school...
Jordan's SAG/Tier 1 status could be extremely important.
The school considers SAG 1 applicants before moving into SAG 2. If the program fills entirely from SAG 1, Alex's gorgeous 01 random number never gets the opportunity to work its magic.
Being first in SAG/Tier 2 doesn't help if the school never reaches SAG 2.
But Jordan isn't automatically getting in either.
If thousands of Screened Admission Group 1 students are competing for a limited number of seats at a school, Jordan's FF random number may make admission to this program difficult.
At an open-admissions program...
Now the situation changes.
There may be no screened academic group involved at all.
Suddenly Alex's excellent random number can be a major advantage, while Jordan's SAG (or Tier) 1 academic status may have no bearing on admission.
Same two students as before.
Same Screened Admission Groups as before.
Same Random Numbers as before.
Completely different admissions odds depending on the program.
This is why understanding the admissions method matters so much.
So...Where Does the Random Number Matter?
Random (Lottery) numbers are particularly important when there are more applicants with the same admissions priority than available seats.
For an open admissions program, the random number plays a significant role because students aren't being sorted first by academic screened group.
For screened programs, the random number helps determine order within the relevant screened group and other applicable priorities.
For Educational Option programs, schools are admitting students from 3 different academic groups (or Ed-Opt groups) students are considered only within their Ed-Opt group, so again, the random number is only one piece of the puzzle but can be important here within each Ed-Opt group applying to a school that uses this admissions method. You will also find your student’s Ed-Opt group in their MySchools profile when applications open in October.
For Screened+, the school's additional assessment requirements also come into play. But sometimes Screened Admission Groups are considered too. The Random Number is used as a tie-breaker.
For auditions or portfolio-based programs, the audition or portfolio matters.
And Specialized High Schools using the SHSAT are a different animal entirely. Admission is based on the SHSAT test, not your screened admission group or random number.
Your random number is not universally powerful.
Its importance changes depending on what program or school you're applying to.
And Then There Are Priorities...
Because apparently screened groups and random numbers weren't enough fun.
Some programs also have priority groups.
A school might give priority based on things such as geography or other eligibility criteria. Some programs have Diversity in Admissions priorities. Others may have continuing student, borough or district considerations.
Priority is another layer that can come before the random-number tiebreaker.
So, when you're looking at a program in MySchools, don't stop at:
Admissions Method: Screened
Keep reading.
Look at the program's priorities, eligibility requirements, seat information and admissions criteria.
This is where the details matter.
Is Any Of This Fair?
Ah, the question everyone eventually asks.
The random number exists because NYC has many programs with far more qualified applicants than available seats.
At some point, if 1,000 students meet the criteria for 100 seats, the system needs a way to determine who receives those seats.
Does that make it emotionally satisfying when your academically qualified kid gets a lousy random number?
Absolutely not.
But understanding what the number actually does can help you use it strategically rather than treating it like a verdict on your child.
Because it isn't.
Here's What I DON'T Want You to Do
Please do not receive your child's screened admission group or random number in October and immediately throw your entire hopeful school list in the garbage.
And please don't build a list consisting exclusively of the same handful of extremely popular schools because your child has a great screened admissions group or fabulous random number. Research and find the best fit schools for your student!
Likewise, don't assume that a challenging number means there is no point applying anywhere competitive.
Your application should include different types of admissions pathways.
That's one of the best ways to avoid having your entire admissions outcome riding on one variable.
A list might include some combination of:
Screened programs
Open admissions programs
Ed-Opt programs
Screened+ programs
Audition or portfolio programs, when appropriate
Specialized High Schools, if your student is taking the SHSAT (good to consider as one of your pathways on your list even though it is ultimately a separate application in MySchools)
Not every pathway will make sense for every student.
That's the point!
You're building a list for your kid, not assembling a list of Top 12 most popular schools this year in NYC.
Your Homework: Become a Sleuth
When you're researching a school, don't just look at the name and decide whether you've heard good things about it. You can research all of this in either of these fantastic and free websites MySchools or NYC-Sift
Search a School
Scroll down to find the actual programs offered (some schools have more than one).
Ask:
What is the admissions method?
Are there priority groups?
How many seats are available for the applicant pool my child belongs to (GE or SWD)?
How much demand does this program typically have (how many applicants per seat)?
Is there an assessment, essay, audition or portfolio required?
Does geography matter?
And then look at your entire list you’ve been building.
If every school on it depends on essentially the exact same admissions pathway, that's useful information.
You may want to diversify.
The Big Takeaway
Your screened admission group can matter.
Your random number can matter.
But neither tells the whole story.
The real question isn't:
“Is my child's lottery number good?”
or
“What tier are they in?”
It's:
“How do my child's screened group, random number, priorities and the admissions methods of the programs they're considering work together?”
That's the question that helps you build a thoughtful application.
And remember: these numbers aren't a judgment about your child.
A screened admission group isn't a measure of your child's potential.
A random number certainly isn't.
They're simply pieces of information.
Learn what they mean. Understand where and when they matter. Use the information strategically.
And then go find the schools where your actual kid can learn, grow, make friends, discover new things and maybe even be happy to walk through the doors every morning.
Because ultimately, that's the part that matters most.
