How NYC Gifted & Talented admissions works

Gifted & Talented (G&T) is one of the most-discussed, and most-changed, corners of NYC public-school admissions. Before anything else: the rules here have changed repeatedly, and the program's future is politically debated. The old standardized admissions test was eliminated, eligibility now works differently than it did a few years ago, and there have been public proposals about the program's direction. This guide describes only what the official source says for the current cycle, deliberately hedged, so treat G&T as the area you re-verify on the official page each year, especially around the start of the Kindergarten application period. Do not act on old cutoff numbers or on a neighbor's experience from a prior year.

How it works in 60 seconds

• G&T is optional and separate from your regular Kindergarten choices, you express interest in it through MySchools alongside your ordinary application.
• Eligibility is decided differently by entry grade: at Kindergarten by an evaluation, and at grades 1–4 by academic records (report-card grades).
• The single standardized test that produced percentile cutoffs has been eliminated, old cutoff numbers no longer describe how this works.
• Programs come in two kinds: District programs (a district-residency priority) and the five Citywide programs (no district preference, generally the most selective).
• G&T has sibling priority and may have district priority, but no zoned priority, there is no G&T "zone."
• Being eligible is not the same as getting an offer: there are far more eligible children than seats, a random number breaks ties within a priority group, and some seats are set aside under Diversity in Admissions.

How eligibility works (it differs by grade)

The most important thing to understand, and the thing most likely to be out of date in anything you read elsewhere, is that the old standardized admissions test was eliminated. Any source quoting a specific percentile cutoff to "qualify" for G&T is describing a system that no longer operates. Do not plan around those numbers. How eligibility is determined now depends on the grade your child is entering.

Entering Kindergarten, an evaluation. For Kindergarten entry, eligibility comes from an evaluation rather than a test. Historically, a child already in a NYC pre-K program is evaluated through their current pre-K teacher's input (the DOE collects this nomination after the application period, families don't have to obtain it themselves). A child who is not in a NYC pre-K, for example, in a private or parochial program, or not yet in school, is instead contacted after the application closes for a DOE-administered assessment or interview. The exact mechanism has shifted year to year, so confirm the current Kindergarten evaluation process on the official source before assuming how your child will be evaluated.

Entering grades 1–4, academic records. For grades 1–4, eligibility is records-based: it rests on your child's report-card grades, not on a holistic review or a test. The published standard has been course grades at the top of the scale in the core subjects (such as Math, Reading, and Writing), with no failing mark in any marking period. Families whose child attends a charter, private, parochial, or home-school program may need to submit grades to a Family Welcome Center for an eligibility determination before applying. Treat the precise grade standard as something to verify on the official source for the current cycle.

In both cases, eligibility is a gate, not a guarantee, it only makes your child eligible to be considered for a seat.

District vs. Citywide programs

NYC G&T comes in two flavors, and the difference matters for your odds.

• District G&T programs give a priority to children who live in (and, for some programs, attend school in) that district. Where you live can therefore affect your chances at a District program.
• The five Citywide G&T programs give no district preference and are generally the most selective, every eligible applicant citywide competes on the same footing (subject to the priorities and set-asides below).

A few rules apply across both kinds:

• Sibling priority exists, a sibling already at the program is typically considered ahead of other applicants. District priority may apply (at District programs). There is no zoned priority, unlike a zoned elementary school, no address gives you an automatic G&T seat.
• Eligibility is not an offer. There are far more eligible children than seats, so many eligible applicants receive no offer and may be waitlisted.
• Within a priority group, when there are more applicants than seats, the random number breaks the tie, it never lets a lower-priority group jump a higher one.
• Diversity in Admissions set-asides apply at some programs, reserving a share of seats for defined groups (for example, students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, or who live in certain districts). The specifics vary by program and change over time, read each program's stated priorities on MySchools.

How to apply

For an entering Kindergartner, you express interest in G&T on or around the Kindergarten application in MySchools, it runs alongside your ordinary Kindergarten choices, not instead of them, so listing G&T does not cost you your regular options. G&T results have historically been released with or near Kindergarten offers. Grades 1–4 use a separate application window.

When you do rank G&T programs, rank them in your true order of preference, the same logic as the rest of the match: a Citywide or District program you'd love but think is a long shot should still go where you genuinely want it, because the order can't be gamed to your advantage. Within a priority group with more applicants than seats, your random number is what settles who gets the seat, you can't change or improve it.

Dates are deliberately not stated here. G&T windows, the offer timeline, and even the eligibility method shift cycle to cycle, confirm this year's specifics on the official source before acting.

What most parents miss

Does this apply to your child?

Official source

Common questions

Is my child guaranteed a G&T offer if they're found eligible? No. Eligibility and an offer are two separate things. Being found eligible only means your child can be considered for a G&T program, there are far more eligible applicants than seats, so many eligible children do not receive an offer and may be waitlisted instead. G&T is also entirely optional; no family is required to apply. Because the rules here have changed before, confirm the current eligibility and offer process on the official source for your cycle.

How is G&T eligibility decided, is there still a test? The single standardized admissions test that once produced percentile cutoffs has been eliminated, so do not rely on old cutoff numbers. The method now differs by entry grade. For Kindergarten, eligibility comes from an evaluation, historically the child's current pre-K teacher's input, or a DOE-run assessment or interview if the child isn't in a NYC pre-K. For grades 1–4, eligibility is based on academic records (report-card grades), not a holistic review. This is the most volatile part of NYC admissions, so re-verify the current method each cycle.

What's the difference between District and Citywide G&T programs? District G&T programs give a priority to families who live in (or sometimes attend school in) that district, so where you live can matter. The five Citywide G&T programs give no district preference and tend to be the most selective. Neither type uses zoned-school priority, G&T has no zone. Some programs also set aside a share of seats under Diversity in Admissions initiatives. Read each program's stated priorities before you rank.

When and how do I apply for G&T? For an entering Kindergartner, you express interest in G&T on or around the Kindergarten application in MySchools, and G&T results have historically come out with or near Kindergarten offers. Grades 1–4 use a separate application window. Exact dates shift every cycle and are not promised here, check the official source for this year's windows before you act.