Everything You Need to Know about NYC Public High School Priorities for Admission

What Does “Priority” Mean in NYC High School Admissions?

The short version: A priority for NYC public high schools is the element, or elements, that matters most to each school when deciding which students to admit.

The long version: In the New York City public high school system - with virtually no exceptions - students must apply to high school. It follows, then, that there has to be some set of criteria to determine which students are admitted to which schools. There also has to be a way to ensure fairness in a school system as large as New York’s. Enter “priorities”. Each school has them, though what they are varies. For instance, some schools prioritize geographic location first (typically which borough a student resides in), while others prioritize test scores or 7th grade grades. To add a level of complication, many high schools also have specific tracks to which you apply, and the priorities for each track can vary. Knowing a school’s priorities is a key part of admissions in NYC as they significantly impact a student’s admissions odds.

How Do NYC High School Admissions Priorities Work?

High school admissions in New York City can feel complicated, but the basic idea is straightforward. Admissions priorities are the rules schools use to decide the order in which students are considered for seats. Each school or program has its own set of priorities, and these determine who is looked at first, second, and so on.

What Are Admissions Priorities?

Admissions priorities are criteria that help schools rank applicants. They may include:

• Continuing student priority (for schools that already serve students through 8th grade)
• Diversity in Admissions (DIA) set-asides
• Academic screening (such as 7th grade grades in core subjects or school-based assessments)
• Borough priority
• Lottery number (used to break ties or rank students within the same group)

Schools apply these priorities in a specific order, known as a priority hierarchy.

Understanding the Priority Hierarchy

1. Continuing Student Priority

Some schools, such as NEST+m or Clinton, serve students before high school in grade 6-8. Priority Group 1 is made up of students who already attend the school for 8th grade. These students are guaranteed a seat as long as they rank that school higher than the school where they are ultimately matched. This priority is applied before any other criteria.

2. Diversity in Admissions (DIA) Set-Asides

Some schools reserve a percentage of seats to promote diversity. Priority Group 1 for these seats typically includes students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch or English Language Learners (ELLs). Other priorities, such as academic screens or borough preference—are applied within this group first.The admissions algorithm continues offering seats within this group until the DIA percentage is filled.

3. Borough Priority

If a school has a borough priority, students who live or attend school in the school’s borough are considered before students from outside the borough. This borough preference can be layered on top of DIA priorities. If seats remain after borough students are placed, the school may then consider applicants from other boroughs.

Filling the Remaining Seats

After continuing students are placed and DIA set-aside seats are filled, the school fills any remaining seats using its regular admissions method:

• Screened schools consider academic tiers (Tier 1 first, then Tier 2, and so on) and/or school-based assessments.
• Unscreened schools use only the student’s lottery number.
• Within each tier or priority group, lottery numbers (your students RAN) are used to rank students.

How Seats Are Ultimately Assigned

The majority of high school programs participating in admissions have two seat groups, general education (GE) and students with disabilities (SWD) and seats are set aside in both groups. A child’s group is determined by their current IEP and services, not by choice. The school or program works through its list of priorities within the two groups in order, offering seats until all seats are filled, or there are no more applicants who ranked the program.

This process happens for every school a student applies to, and the admissions system matches each student to the highest-ranked program where they are offered a seat.

Understanding priorities can make the admissions process feel much more manageable—and help families make informed choices when ranking schools.

Photo by Pavel Danilyuk

What Factors Give Students Priority at NYC High Schools?

To quote ourselves, the following six factors are considered in public high school admissions.

1. 7th Grade Grades. Final grade GPA for core classes, ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies. (Will determine group or tier number)
2. Random Number (lottery number assigned to each student in MySchools.nyc in September of 8th grade; note that some schools are not screened so the only thing that matters is the lottery number)
3. Diversity in admissions carve-out (a percentage of seats, assigned by the school, goes to applicants eligible for free or reduced price lunch)
4. Supplementary materials (essay, audition, interview, portfolio)
5. Borough OR Zone priority (only for a small percent of schools)

Does Where You Live Matter for High School Admissions?

It depends on the high school. Some schools have zoned priorities or borough priorities, while others specifically carve out a portion of their seats for students who are eligible for free or reduced price lunch (DIA or “diversity in admissions”), regardless of geographic location. Note also that borough priorities apply if your child resides in a borough, or goes to school there. In other words, if your student lives in Brooklyn but attends school in Manhattan, they are entitled to both Manhattan and Brooklyn priorities. And vice versa.

For other schools, such as specialized high schools that require the SHSAT, an audition, or a portfolio to be admitted, your location isn’t a factor.

What NYC schools have Manhattan priority?

Manhattan does not have zoned high schools. However, despite criticism, several prestigious Manhattan schools have recently added a 75% Manhattan priority to, a reversal which could impact diversity gains. These schools are: Eleanor Roosevelt, Clinton, NYC Lab, Baruch, Millennium, and NYC Museum School.

What NYC schools have Brooklyn priority?

Several schools offer some level of priority to students who reside or go to school in Brooklyn. This does not mean all seats are reserved for Brooklyn students, but for competitive entry schools in most cases all seats are given to Brooklyn families. Please also note that certain Brooklyn schools are ONLY open to Brooklyn students. We list a few schools here, but please check the MySchools website to see all schools that offer borough or zone priority in Brooklyn.

• Millennium Brooklyn High School
• Edward R. Murrow High School
• Fort Hamilton High School
• Park Slope Collegiate
• Brooklyn Collaborative Studies

What NYC schools have Queens priority?

Several schools offer some level of priority to students who reside in Queens. This does not necessarily mean all seats are reserved for Queens students. We list a few schools here, but please check the MySchools website to see all schools that offer borough or district priority in Queens.

• Benjamin N. Cardozo High School
• Forest Hills High School
• Francis Lewis High School

Do Siblings Get Priority in High School Admissions?

There is no sibling priority in High School.

What Are Educational Option (EdOpt) Schools?

Educational Option, or EdOpt, schools are designed to create a balanced student body by admitting applicants across all academic levels. Instead of relying only on grades or test scores, these schools use a formula that considers a student’s final 7th grade grades in the 4 core subjects to categorize them as high, middle, or low academic achievers. The seats are divided equally - ⅓, ⅓, and ⅓ - to each of the “achievement tiers”. If there are more student applicants for a certain achievement level than there are seats available, applicants are selected at random using their randomly assigned (lottery) number.

How Does the Lottery (Random Number or RAN) Factor Into NYC High School Admissions?

The lottery, also known as the random number, plays an important role in NYC high school admissions, especially for programs that do not use academic screening. While it can feel confusing or stressful, its purpose is to help schools fill seats in a fair and orderly way. Every student applying to NYC high schools is assigned a random number by the admissions system. This number is used to rank students within the same priority group, such as the same academic tier, borough, or admissions category.

In simple terms:

• A lower random number gives a student a higher chance of being considered first.
• A higher random number means the student may be considered later, if seats are still available.

Because families cannot control their lottery number, the process can feel unpredictable. Students with a higher (less favorable) random number may feel that their options are more limited, even if they meet all other admissions criteria.

While this uncertainty can be frustrating, the lottery is meant to ensure that seats are distributed fairly when many students are equally qualified.

The lottery does not replace admissions priorities, it works alongside them. Schools first apply their priorities (such as continuing student status, diversity set-asides, borough preference, or academic tiers). Then, within those groups, the lottery determines who is considered first.

Understanding how the random number fits into the process can help set realistic expectations and make informed choices when ranking schools.

Knowing how priority works is one of the most important parts of navigating NYC high school admissions. From feeder schools and sibling preference to EdOpt programs and lotteries, each factor can change your child’s chances in real ways. But priority alone doesn’t guarantee admission, and every school applies it differently. Families who do their research, build balanced school lists, and understand how priority interacts with the lottery system are best positioned to succeed.

NYC high school admissions has been a specialty of Ivy Tutors Network for 22 years. We cover more about public high school admissions strategy here, and offer extensive prep options for taking the SHSAT, including one-one tutoring, mock exams, and our signature program, SHSAT Boost. Additionally, we offer several free webinars each fall to help New York families navigate the complexities of high school admissions. Find upcoming webinars here.