CPS Is Replacing the HSAT with the PreACT 9 Secure. Here's What Parents Need to Know.
If your child is entering 8th grade this fall and planning to apply to Chicago Public Schools' selective enrollment high schools, you've probably heard the news:
The HSAT is gone.
Beginning this admissions cycle, CPS is replacing the longtime High School Admissions Test (HSAT) with the PreACT 9 Secure, a nationally developed exam created by ACT. The new test includes four sections—English, Math, Reading, and Science—and takes approximately 2½ hours to complete.
For many families, that announcement has created more questions than answers.
Is the new test harder?
How is it different from the old HSAT?
Is it similar to the HSPT?
How should students prepare?
Let's walk through what you need to know.
How Is the PreACT 9 Different from the HSPT?
Many Chicago students preparing for selective enrollment schools are also applying to Catholic high schools and taking the HSPT. While both are important admissions exams, they measure somewhat different skills.
The HSPT is an aptitude test. It emphasizes verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, language, reading, and mathematics. It’s approximately 2½ hours with almost 300 questions. It’s exhausting and demanding all at once.
The PreACT 9, on the other hand, is much closer to an achievement test. It measures how well students can apply the academic skills they've learned in school in English, Math, Reading, and Science (kind of). Because it's developed by ACT, many of the question styles resemble what students will eventually encounter on the ACT in high school.
There is a ton of overlap between the tests (namely: the reading, math, grammar skills), but the layout is much different. The science section on the PreACT 9 does not have a comparative section on the HSPT. The math section on the PreACT 9 allows students to use a calculator, where the HSPT is a no calculator test.
What Will Be New for Most Students?
Even strong students may encounter several things they haven't seen before.
A dedicated English section.
Grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and rhetorical skills are presented in a story format rather than a pure “find the mistake” format.
A Science section.
This isn't a traditional science test where students memorize facts. Instead, students analyze graphs, tables, and experiments while drawing logical conclusions from the information provided. Good news, students don’t need to go deep diving into their old science notebooks. Almost all of the questions can be answered by looking at the passage and the tables and graphs that are provided.
A longer exam.
The PreACT 9 is significantly longer than the old HSAT, meaning stamina and pacing become much more important. Students need to stay focused for the entire testing session, not just the first hour. If a student can handle the demands of the HSPT (298 questions in about 2.5 hours), then they’ll have the stamina needed to complete the PreACT 9 (143 questions in about 2.5 hours).
Should Students Prepare?
In our opinion, yes.
Preparation isn't about memorizing answers. It's about becoming comfortable with the format, understanding the pacing, recognizing common question types, and identifying areas where a student can improve before test day.
Because this is the first year CPS is using the PreACT 9 Secure, many families are understandably unsure where to begin. Fortunately, the underlying skills are familiar, and experienced tutors can help students build confidence while targeting the specific skills this exam measures.
How We're Preparing Our Students
At Leewood Learning, we've spent years helping Chicago students prepare for selective enrollment admissions exams, the HSPT, the ACT, and the SAT.
As soon as CPS announced the transition to the PreACT 9 Secure, we began developing additional practice materials and lesson plans specifically for this exam.
Our tutors have been trained on the new format and know how to teach the skills students will need on test day. Whether your child needs help strengthening grammar, improving reading efficiency, mastering math concepts, or learning how to approach the Science section, we'll create a personalized plan to help them feel confident and prepared.
Final Thoughts
Whenever a new standardized test is introduced, uncertainty follows.
The good news is that successful preparation has always been about building strong academic skills, learning effective testing strategies, and practicing under realistic conditions. Those principles haven't changed.
If your child is applying to Chicago selective enrollment high schools this fall, we'd be happy to help them prepare with confidence.
If you'd like to learn more about our PreACT 9 Secure tutoring or schedule an assessment, contact us today.
