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We break down how Chicago Public Schools really works, from neighborhood boundaries and lotteries to gifted programs, Academic Centers, and selective enrollment high schools. We share the exact decision points we used with our own kids and the home habits that make the biggest difference when the system feels confusing. 
• the main CPS school types and what admissions looks like for each 
• how to use the CPS School Locator and why boundaries are not destiny 
• what magnet, classical, gifted and options programs actually mean 
• Academic Centers and why seventh grade is a key window 
• the waitlist reality, sibling preference, and why you may need to resubmit 
• why CPS can better prepare kids for selective enrollment tests than many private schools 
• the 900-point selective enrollment formula and why seventh grade grades matter 
• the CPS tier system and how competition changes by tier 
• how private school feeder patterns and costs shape high school choices 
• why home support and daily habits matter more than blaming the system 
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