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Admissions Process – Cleveland School of Science and Medicine
Greetings!
Thank you for your interest in the Cleveland School of Science and Medicine (CSSM). We’re excited that your family is considering joining our community for the upcoming school year. Below is a step-by-step overview of our admissions process to help guide you through it.
Step 1: School Choice Portal Opens – January 2026
The CMSD School Choice Portal is your starting point. This online application opens in January 2026 and remains available throughout the Spring Semester. All students—whether currently enrolled in CMSD or not—must complete this application to be considered for any CMSD school.
If your student attends a non-CMSD school (charter, private, or out-of-district), you’ll be prompted to upload transcripts and state test scores directly into the portal. These documents are required to complete your application to CSSM.
Step 2: Admissions Criteria
CSSM is a criteria-based school, which means we review academic and attendance data before offering admission. We look for:
- GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Proficient scores on state tests
- Strong attendance record (low absences and tardies)
We evaluate this information based on the student’s previous school year.
Step 3: Ranking Your School Choices
When completing the School Choice Portal, you’ll be asked to rank your preferred schools in order—from your top choice to your last. If you apply to multiple John Hay Campus schools (Early College, CSSM, or Architecture & Design), please note:
- Each school has a separate application and admissions process
- You may receive offers from more than one campus, but you must choose one
- If you’re offered a seat at CSSM and another campus, you may switch between them up until classes begin in August, as long as you were accepted to both
Step 4: Application Follow-Up
- We’ll contact families via email regarding missing documents or updates on application status. Please ensure your email address is active and accurate.
- If you experience issues with the portal (e.g., login problems, ranking errors), please contact the CMSD School Choice Office at 216-838-3675.
- For questions specific to CSSM, feel free to reach out to our main office at 216-838-8300.
Important Note
Last year, CSSM received over 400 applications for just 100 available seats. While we wish we could accept every student, space is limited. We appreciate your interest and hope to welcome many of you to our campus in the fall!
School Admissions
Cleveland School of Science and Medicine
FAQs
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What does CSSM look for when reviewing applications?
Posted by:We review student report cards, state test scores, and attendance records as well as teacher recommendations in our admissions decision, all application materials are considered very carefully.
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Do you accept transfer applications?
Posted by:CSSM considers transfer applications on a case-by-case basis and depending on the space availability in that grade level.
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I know that CSSM is a selective school. What are the chances that my student will be accepted?
Posted by:The chances of being offered a seat depend upon the individual applicant. We review each application on its own merits, and we try to accept every qualified applicant who will be successful at CSSM. At the same time, we value small class sizes and low student-to-teacher ratios.
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I heard that enrollment has been growing. Is there a maximum capacity?
Posted by:We wish to offer a seat to as many qualified applicants as possible while also maintaining a close-knit community and providing as much individualized attention to our students as possible. Currently we are looking to fill approximately 110 seats per grade level.
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Does your school have a shadowing program for applicants?
Posted by:Yes! Shadowing takes place from October to December. Please fill out the form above for more information.
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Does your school have tuition?
Posted by:No, the Cleveland School of Science and Medicine does not have any tuition cost.
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What transportation options are available?
Posted by:Transportation eligibility is based on distance from the home residence to the school. Students in grades 7-12 must live 1.00 mile or more from their home school to receive RTA transportation. (Identification swipe cards are provided for this group). State minimum requires transportation for only those students in grades K-8 who reside more than 2.0 miles from school. The state does not require us to transport grades 9-12. Any additional questions about transportation can be addressed here: https://www.clevelandmetroschools.org/Page/596
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I would like to contact someone at CSSM with a question. Do you have a list of email addresses?
Posted by:Yes! Please click here to access a list of e-mail addresses. In addition, you may call the main office at 216-838-830, and we would be happy to assist you.
