High School Enrollment Criteria

MPS high schools use admission criteria only if there are more applicants than available seats. Each applicant will be given a points score based on five criteria, such as attendance, writing activity, report card, and standardized test scores in English language arts and math. Students will be admitted in order of their scores until the school reaches full capacity. While a school does not have a preset minimum score for admission, if there are more applicants than available seats, the admission criteria are applied. The high schools listed below used admission criteria last year:

Audubon High School – 4 points
Golda Meir High School – 10 points
Milwaukee School of Languages – 5 points
Ronald Reagan IB High School – 11 points
Rufus King IB High School – 7 points

Parents/guardians of 8th-grade MPS students will receive an email with a letter detailing their child's preliminary points. This letter will help you and your child make an informed choice for their first-choice school. Families without an email address on file will receive a paper copy by U.S. mail. For questions about the scores or criteria, please email highschooladmissions@milwaukee.k12.wi.us.

District staff will also be available to answer questions at high school enrollment fairs.

**Students applying to Milwaukee High School of the Arts must select an arts major, and will be invited to an audition after they are accepted at the school. The audition results will be used to appropriately program students.

• Music (Band, Orchestra, Vocal, Piano, Jazz Studies, Guitar)
• Dance
• Literary Arts
• Theater & Film
• Visual Art & Design / Pre-Engineering & Design

Milwaukee High School of the Arts. During the enrollment fair staff will be available to talk with families about the audition process. Students interested in auditioning for Milwaukee High School of the Arts should visit the audition page to prepare for their audition.

• Audition Dates, Fall 2025
  • October 25, 9:00am-Noon
  • November 8, 9:00am-Noon

Students who do not complete the audition by March 27, 2026, will be assigned to their attendance area high school after the early enrollment process has concluded.

Criteria for High School Admissions

Students can earn a maximum of 12 points for their application to an MPS high school.

These criteria are used for admission at any school that receives more applicants than available seats.

Additional Factors

• Students applying to Milwaukee High School of the Arts must select an arts major, and will be invited to an audition after they are accepted at the school. The audition results will be used to appropriately program students.
  • Music (Band, Orchestra, Vocal, Piano, Jazz Studies, Guitar)
  • Dance
  • Literary Arts
  • Theater & Film
  • Visual Art & Design / Pre-Engineering & Design
• For students placed on a waiting list for admissions, applicants with siblings currently enrolled at the desired school will be given preference on the waiting list during random selection.

Additional Information about the Essay

1. MPS students will complete the written essay through their grade 8 teacher in October.
2. Non-MPS students will complete the written essay on their own prior to November. An applicant will receive directions for completing the written essay within one week of submitting their application.
3. The written essay will consist of a short reading selection along with a question about the selection. Students will need to respond to the question and support their answer by referring to the reading selection.
4. Students will have up to two hours (120 minutes) to complete their response.
5. Students may use paper to make notes or plan their essay.
6. Students will have use of MyEditor for corrections for usage and mechanics (e.g., spelling, capitalization, punctuation).
7. Scores will be immediately available to students upon completion and submission of their essay.
8. There is no opportunity to redo this essay.