How to Get into Hunter College High School

Hunter College High School is one of the top-ranked public high schools in the United States. In this article, we will give you a brief overview of the school, an outline of the requirements for admission and the admissions process, and tips for getting in.

Photo by Ajay Suresh

Overview of Hunter College High School

What is Hunter College High School?

Hunter College High School is a prestigious secondary school located in New York City, and administered by Hunter College of the City of New York (CUNY).

Hunter College High School Location

Since 1977, Hunter has occupied the converted Madison Avenue Armory at 71 East 94th street, just several blocks from Central Park, in the Carnegie Hill Neighborhood of Manhattan.

Hunter College High School Rankings

Hunter has been repeatedly ranked by the Wall Street Journal and Newsweek as among the top public high schools in the United States.

Hunter College High School Famous Alumni

Hunter has numerous famous and award-winning alumni, including United States Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, the composer, lyricist, actor, and filmmaker Lin-Manuel Miranda, the civil rights activist and radical feminist Audre Lorde, and The New York Times chief film critic Manohla Dargis.

Is Hunter College High School actually a good school?

Yes! Hunter is known for the rigor and quality of its education—many of the school’s famous alumni have pointed to their high school experience as among the main reasons for their success.

Hunter College High School Tuition Fee

Hunter is publicly funded and students do not pay a tuition fee.

Hunter College High School Admission Requirements

Admissions to Hunter College High School (HCHS) is for upcoming 7th graders only. The school does not accept students at any other grade level and students must apply during their 6th grade year. All students must take the HCHS entrance exam, which typically occurs in January.

To qualify to take the exam, students must meet the following criteria:

1. Candidates must be currently enrolled in 6th grade.
2. Candidates must have their primary residence in one of the five boroughs of New York City at the time of application submission. (Property ownership does not constitute residency.)
3. Candidates must have earned the minimum qualifying score from one of the approved standardized exams.

Exams and Scores:

Most students will provide the scores from the statewide 5th grade exams (NYS). To qualify, students must meet the minimum score in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics.

The minimum qualifying scores needed to apply to Hunter and sit for the HCHS January 2025 Entrance Exam are:

• SP 24, ELA English Language Arts =  474
• SP 24, STM State Math = 496

Visit the school’s website to learn what other exams can be provided in the event your student did not take the NYS exams.

Important note: There is often a misconception that students must be invited to apply. This is not true: rather, parents or guardians must check that their child’s test scores meet the criteria, or, in the absence of scores, follow the steps listed by the school for permission to take an approved standardized test.

All eligibility requirements can be found on the school’s website.

Hunter College High School Admission Process

In order to apply to Hunter College High School, eligible students must take the Hunter College High School Entrance Exam. The Exam consists of two multiple-choice sections covering Reading Comprehension and Math, as well as writing assignment. Students are given three hours to complete the Exam. The Exam is only administered once per year.

Is it hard to get to Hunter College High School?

Admission to Hunter is very competitive. Only about 2,500 students in New York City will be eligible to take the Entrance Exam in any given year, and only about 185 of those students will be granted admission. (The High School additionally admits 45 students from Hunter College Elementary School every year.)

Hunter College High School Acceptance Rate

The admissions rate to Hunter College High School is about 7%—nearly the same as Harvard, which has a 6% admissions rate.

Getting into Hunter College High School: Top 5 Tips

Here are five tips for getting into Hunter College High School:

1. Research Hunter College High School. Visit Hunter’s official website, attend a tour if possible, and gather as much information as you can.
2. Study for the Hunter College High School Entrance Exam. The exam is usually administered in the middle of May. Since you will be taking the exam while a sixth-grader, we recommend beginning to study during the first semester of sixth grade. Hunter also provides a series of test tips.
3. Take a practice test. You can check more information about the Hunter College High School Entrance Exam, including not just test tips, but study guides and a series of sample exams. Make sure at least one of your practice tests is taken with similar conditions to the ones you’ll have on the day itself. You can sign up for a practice test administered by Ivy Tutors Network.
4. Focus on school. Hunter has minimum academic requirements for students to even qualify to take the Entrance Exam, so it is essential to make sure you are performing well in school to meet this criteria. Complete all assignment, study diligently, and reach out to your teachers if you are falling behind and need extra support.
5. Work with a tutor. While studying and taking practice exams, it is essential that you do not merely practice without understanding your mistakes and thoroughly learning the test material. This is why it can be so valuable to work with an experienced tutor who knows how to guide you through study process and can provide you tips and tricks for test taking. Don't hesitate to reach out to Ivy Tutors Network for assistance with Hunter College High School entrance exam preparation. Our team of experts is more than happy to help!