Hunter College High School: An Overview

Hunter College High School (HCHS) is a prestigious public magnet secondary school located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Administered and funded by Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY), HCHS offers tuition-free education to academically gifted students from across New York City. Known for its rigorous academic standards, diverse extracurricular activities, and successful alumni, Hunter College High School is a highly competitive and sought-after institution.

History and Background

Established in 1869 as "The Female Normal and High School," Hunter College High School initially aimed to prepare young women for teaching careers. The original institution comprised both elementary and high school divisions, with a kindergarten added in 1887. In 1888, the school was incorporated into a college, and in 1903, the high school was separated from Hunter College.

For its first 105 years, Hunter College High School remained an all-girls school, officially named "Hunter College High School for Intellectually Gifted Young Ladies." Over the years, the high school occupied several locations, including the East 68th Street campus of Hunter College from 1940 to 1970. During the 1970s, it was temporarily housed in an office building at 466 Lexington Avenue. Since 1977, Hunter College High School has been located at its current site on East 94th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues, the former location of the Madison Avenue Armory. While most of the armory building was demolished, its façade was preserved, and the new school building was constructed to resemble the armory.

Admissions Process

Admission to Hunter College High School is highly selective and is only open to students entering the 7th grade. The admissions process consists of two steps: eligibility based on academic performance and performance on the Hunter College High School Entrance Exam.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to take the entrance exam, students must meet specific academic criteria. In 6th grade, students should aim for high marks in core subjects like English Language Arts (ELA) and Math. Specifically, students must have received at least one grade of 95 or higher in these subjects and no grade below 84.

Read also: Hunter Education Course Details

Entrance Exam

The Hunter College High School Entrance Exam is the primary method of selection for incoming students. This exam assesses students’ reading comprehension, math skills, and writing ability. It is crucial to start preparing early, ideally at the beginning of 6th grade. The exam has three sections:

Reading Comprehension: Approximately 50 multiple-choice questions covering fiction, non-fiction, and poetry passages.
Math: Roughly 30 multiple-choice questions focusing on quantitative reasoning and problem-solving.
Writing Assignment: Students must write an essay or creative piece based on a given prompt.

Approximately 2,500 students are selected each year to sit for the test. Of those who take the exam, only around 185 students are admitted to the 7th grade class, making the acceptance rate about 7%.

Preparation Strategies

Preparing for the Hunter College High School entrance exam requires dedication and a strategic approach. Here are some effective strategies:

Start Early: Begin preparing at the beginning of 6th grade to allow ample time for focused study.
Take a Mock Entrance Exam: Practice with mock exams under timed conditions to familiarize your child with the test format and pacing.
Prioritize Academic Performance: Maintain a strong academic record in 6th grade, focusing on core subjects like ELA and Math.
Collaborate with a Tutor: Consider working with an experienced tutor who can provide personalized guidance and test-taking strategies.

A Note on Diversity

Author and alumnus Chris Hayes noted that the school's sole reliance on the one test for admissions reproduces societal inequalities - that students whose families cannot afford intensive test prep courses are less likely to earn competitive scores on the entrance exam.

Academic Curriculum

The heart of the Hunter College High School experience is the extraordinary sequence of academic courses taken by students in grades 7-12. HCHS offers a rigorous, deep core curriculum and provides students with great flexibility in planning their own academic programs in the Junior and Senior years. Hunter College High School is a college preparatory high school that provides a liberal arts education. The majority of subjects are accelerated such that high school study begins in the 8th grade and state educational requirements are completed in the 11th.

Course Requirements

All Hunter students pursue a six-year program of study. Students in grades 7 and 8 are required to take courses in communications and theater (a curriculum that includes drama, storytelling, and theater). Students in grades 7-9 must take both art and music, each for half a year, and then choose one to take in tenth grade. One of the four available foreign language courses (French, Latin, Mandarin, or Spanish) must be taken each year in grades 7-10, and Advanced Placement (AP) language electives are offered through the 12th grade. A year each of biology, chemistry, and physics must be completed in addition to the introductory science classes of life science and physical science in the 7th and 8th grades, respectively. During 7th and 8th grades, students must also participate in the school's science fair; the fair is optional for older students. After the introductory 7th grade social studies course, 4 semesters of global studies (8th-9th grades) and 2 semesters of American history (10th grade) are followed by 2 semesters of 20th century history (11th grade). A series of English and mathematics courses are taught from 7th through 11th grades. (The math curriculum is split into a track of "honors" and a track of "extended honors" classes for students of different strengths after 8th grade, with 9H and 9E classes based on 8th grade math class averages and the placement test taken in 8th grade). Two semesters of physical education are taught each year, including swimming in the 8th grade (held at Hunter College). In 9th grade, students are required to take a CPR course for one semester and a computer science course the other semester. Starting in their junior year, students are allowed to take a limited number of electives and AP courses. Hunter's English Department incorporates reading novels and writing analytical papers beginning in the 7th grade. Upper-level electives and AP courses are offered by all six academic departments.

Electives and Advanced Placement Courses

Options for older students range from Constitutional Law to Organic Chemistry to Theater in New York, along with a broad selection of more traditional Advanced Placement courses in all academic disciplines and the arts, outside internships, and classes at Hunter College. AP courses include: AP Computer Science, AP Calculus AB and BC, AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics, AP European History, AP Chemistry, AP Physics C, AP Biology, AP Statistics, AP Spanish, AP French, AP Mandarin, and AP Latin (Virgil). The English Department previously offered AP English and Literature but has since replaced it with the elective Advanced Essay Writing. Other electives include: Introduction to African-American Studies, "Race, Class, and Gender", International Relations, US Constitutional Law, Classical Mythology, Photography, Astrophysics, Advanced Art History I & II, Organic Chemistry, Creative Writing, Joyce's Ulysses, Shakespeare's Comedies and Romance/Shakespeare's Tragedies and Histories, and Physiology. Hunter's AP offerings are currently being evaluated by the Faculty and Curriculum Committee.

Extracurricular Activities

Not only is Hunter College High School known for academic excellence, but it also offers a wide range of extracurricular activities, clubs, and sports, ensuring that students have a balanced education. The extra-curricular and co-curricular opportunities for our students are expansive; students participate in our exceptional Science Research program, perform in chamber groups at Lincoln Center, or compete on national championship chess and history bowl teams or city championship soccer and fencing teams.

Clubs and Organizations

Clubs are diverse in their topics, and include politics, film, music, and knitting. Clubs and organizations at Hunter are all student-run, with faculty members as advisers. Students can choose to further pursue their academic interests through school activities such as the National Economics Challenge, Hunter United Nations Society, Fed Challenge (economics), Mock Trial, Debate Team, Math Team, the Hunter Chess and Go Teams, Quiz bowl, Science Bowl, History Bowl, FIRST Robotics, and the Washington Seminar.

Sports

In the winter of 2006, the boys' fencing team won the PSAL city championship for the second year in a row, beating rival school Stuyvesant in the finals. It has since captured the silver medal in winter 2008, losing to Stuyvesant in the final, and the bronze medal in winter 09, again losing to Stuyvesant, after beating them twice during an undefeated regular season to win the division championship. It proceeded win the city championship again in 2011, followed by bronze in 2012, and silver in 2013. In 2011, both the Boys' and Girls' varsity lacrosse teams won the PSAL Bowl Division Championships.

Social Events

Students at Hunter can attend social events sponsored by the school administration, faculty and the student-run General Organization (G.O.). These events include: Spirit Week, Spirit Day, Homecoming, G.O. Breakfast, Senior Walkout, Carnival, Senior Week, Senior Tea, "Intel Trip," and Prom. Lower-termers have their own annual dances, including dances for Valentine's Day and Halloween for the seventh and eighth graders.

Faculty and Staff

There were 87 faculty members in 2013. 89% had advanced degrees. Many teachers are scientists, writers, artists, and musicians. Many come to Hunter with university-level teaching experience. The student/faculty ratio is 13:1, much lower than the city's other selective public schools. There are six guidance counselors serving the student population. Eri Silverstein is the Special Education Liaison.

Student Achievements and Outcomes

Hunter students win many honors and awards during their high school careers, including numerous scholastic writing awards. Hunter wins approximately 23% of all New York State Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. 74 members of the Class of 2013 (38%) were National Merit or National Achievement Scholarship Semifinalists. Of particular fame are the winners of the Regeneron Science Talent Search (formerly Intel and Westinghouse STS), of which Hunter has had four. In the graduating class of 2015, out of about 190 students, Hunter received 89 total acceptances from the Ivy League, and ultimately, 56 students (≈30%) matriculated into one of the eight Ivy League schools.

Publicly available data indicate that Hunter has both the highest average SAT score and the highest average ACT score of any school in the United States, public or private, though complete data is needed to be conclusive. For the graduating class of 2012, the average SAT score was a 2207. The class of 2013 averaged 2200 on the test and the class of 2016 averaged 2208. The Wall Street Journal has listed Hunter as one of the top schools in the country (public or private) in terms of admission to highly selective colleges.

School Culture and Environment

As you navigate the pages on this site, please keep two words in mind: opportunity and community. Hunter alumnae/i - whose number includes Tony-Award-winning playwrights, a Major League Baseball general manager, and a Supreme Court justice just to name a few - many will tell you that the academic preparation they received at Hunter set the table for their future success. They will also tell of teachers who provided life-long inspiration, and friendships which have been the strongest and most important of their lives. The seventh grade year is one of adjustment to the academic standards of HCHS. Students are programmed for a wide variety of courses and programs to prepare them for high school work. Seventh grade orientation materials explain the process for selecting which foreign language to pursue and how to take placement exams in foreign languages and mathematics if the student expects an accelerated placement. Incoming 7th graders are also given an opportunity to audition for the music performance groups.

Practical Information for Prospective Families

Getting Involved

Everyone is welcome to play a part, large and small, in continuing the success of this truly unique public institution. You’ll find on this page some ways you can get involved right away. You will receive notices of these activities after you are assigned a HCHS School Login (Blackbaud account). You can find downloads to the right for more information on the upcoming school year. Information regarding medical requirements will be made available once it is released by the state. We will need a form from your doctor (CH 205) as well as additional documentation if your child has allergies. The expected release of medical requirements is April.

Parent Community Groups

The PTA champions diversity; it's a core part of our stated mission to promote appreciation and harmony among our many identities. Below are Hunter parent community groups you can join in celebration of our rich diversity. Mosaic (K-12) This K-12 committee focuses on supporting an inclusive environment at HCCS. Mosaic’s mission includes holding space for difficult conversations to increase mutual understanding and foster a sense of community within our school and in the greater society. Anyone interested in supporting and enhancing inclusion and belonging at HCHS is urged to contribute. Beyond interest and enthusiasm, a useful skill would be the ability to find good speakers for our monthly meetings as well as our evening events.

PTA

A great tradition of the HCHS PTA is to reserve a position on the PTA Board for a parent or guardian of a rising 7th grader. The PTA Board (usually) meets on the evening of the first Monday of every month. At least half (probably more) of the meetings will be conducted via Zoom. The Grade 7 Rep (or Reps, who would share the vote) is a full voting member of the Board, and acts as the PTA's ambassador to seventh grade families. The Grade 7 Rep(s) also works with Travel Class Reps to coordinate student/family events, messaging, and PTA initiatives.

Transportation

HCHS is a citywide school, with students coming from every corner of this geographically enormous city. What's more, our students take full advantage of the extra-curricular activities offered at HCHS, making their daily schedules varied and unique. For these reasons, it is simply not possible for PTA volunteers to centrally organize and maintain bus routes or rideshare programs. However, we are happy to put parents who live in the same areas and are interested in organizing rideshares or commuting buddies in touch with one another. We can also put you in touch with existing Hunter parents in your area if you would like their advice on commuting strategies.

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