ADMISSION
With students coming from 17+ towns and cities, our school is an interdistrict community, a magnet school that brings together diverse points of view and experiences.
New Haven residents can apply to any magnet school in the City, and our Interdistrict Magnet School is open to all Connecticut residents. There are no admission requirements, tests, prerequisites, or tuition for our students.
Families must apply to our school. Students are placed in magnet schools through a school choice process, formerly known as the lottery.
Free transportation is available from most towns.
Step 1: Ask yourself, why Metropolitan?
This is where your high school experience begins. When you enter our building and when you join your classes, you will be welcomed by kind, friendly educators who love what they do. Ask yourself the following questions to get yourself thinking about whether or not Metro is a good fit for you.
Are you familiar with our magnet themes?
Which academic pathway would you like to take electives in?
Would you like to take Spanish, Arabic or Chinese language courses?
Are you curious about our mastery-based learning and assessment practices?
Would you like to get better at public speaking and advocating for yourself through student led conferences and roundtables?
Are you excited about getting involved in extra-curricular activities, concurrent enrollment courses, and college courses after school while in high school?
If you become a student here, do you know that you will complete 50+ hours of community service, 1+ internship, and complete a senior portfolio presentation before graduating?
If you answered yes to most of these questions, or if you want to learn more, then please consider next steps for admission.
View a one pager or presentation for a school overview.
Step 2: Review the admission timeline
Check back here frequently for the most up to date information. Sign up for Metro's Admission Newsletter, and we'll send you an update when this information becomes available.
January 25-31, 2026 - National School Choice Week
Thursday, January 29, 2026 from 6:00-7:30 PM - MBA In-Person Open House
Saturday, January 31, 2026 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM - School Choice Expo will take place at Wilbur Cross High School. Stop by our table after 11am!
Monday, February 2, 2026, 9:00 AM - Applications to enter the School Choice Placement Process will be available online. We look forward to receiving your application via our online system at that time. Go to www.newhavenmagnetschools.com to apply before March 6, 2026, 11:00 PM.
Thursday, February 5, 2026 from 6:00-7:30 PM - MBA In-Person Open House
Friday, March 6, 2026, 11:00 PM - The online application closes today. Go to www.newhavenmagnetschools.com to apply before the deadline.
Tuesday, March 31, 2026 - The Enrollment Office will notify you of placement or wait list status by email. Please check your inbox and spam/junk folder. Round 1 acceptance deadline is April 10.
Summer 2026 - Attend Metro’s Summer Bridge program in July. Meet your classmates and teachers!
Step 3: Attend an Admissions Event
We are not currently offering shadowing during the school day. Instead, we are offering in-person admission events after school. See above for open house dates and times.
Also, take a look at the School Explorer Tool. The School Explorer Tool allows families to discover all the exceptional educational opportunities that are available in the New Haven Public Schools. See how the process works for yourself via our new tools: virtual tours, drone flight footage and application simulator. Explore your chances of assignments to your favorite programs using application data from prior years via our application simulator. See our gorgeous building with the drone flight footage. Walk the halls of our school with a virtual tour to get a better sense of the space where your child will succeed.
Create an account at https://explore.newhavenmagnetschools.com/
Step 4: Apply online!
An online application will open on Monday, February 2, 2026 at 9:00 AM. Applications close Friday, March 6, 2026.
Initial placement results will be released on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. The Enrollment Office will notify you of placement or wait list status by email. Please check your inbox and spam/junk folder.
Applicants have until April 10 to accept and/or register to secure their placement. If you miss the deadline to accept your placement, the School Choice and Enrollment Office will remove you from the seat and pull up from the waiting list.
Step 5: Review results
Initial placement results will be released on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. The Enrollment Office will notify you of placement or wait list status by email. Please check your inbox and spam/junk folder.
Applicants have until April 10 to accept and/or register to secure their placement. If you miss the deadline to accept your placement, the School Choice and Enrollment Office will remove you from the seat and pull up from the waiting list.
Please follow the instructions in the School Choice and Enrollment email that you received. We will contact students from the waiting list between May and September if any seats become available.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THOSE WHO ARE OFFERED PLACEMENT:
All applicants who are offered placement should immediately accept the seat by following the instructions.
If the student currently attends a New Haven Public School, please log into your online account to accept the seat before the deadline.
If the student is NOT currently attending a New Haven Public School (e.g., because they are attending a private or charter school), you must complete the 2026-2026 online student registration process at www.newhavenmagnetschools.com.
Once you are on the page, click register and then follow the on-screen instructions. Please make sure you are registering your child for the 2026-2027 school year.
You will need to upload the following documents:
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Child’s Birth Certificate or Passport
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Picture I.D. of Parent or Guardian
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Proof of residency: A signed Lease/ Mortgage statement or (2) current home utility bills (gas, electric, water, phone or cable) that lists the guardian's name and home address used on the school choice application.
If you have any questions or need assistance please go to the School Choice and Enrollment Office's website, email them at NHPSregistration@new-haven.k12.ct.us, or call (475)220-1430. Their office hours are Monday-Friday 8:30-3:30pm.
Step 6: Submit Incoming Course Preferences
We need some information from you so we can schedule you into the appropriate classes next year.
All freshmen will take English 1, Interdisciplinary Academic Seminar, Integrated Science, Modern World History, Physical Education, Dramatic Arts, Math and either a world language, ELL class, or Resource class. What we need to know from you is your level of math, your language choices, and whether you receive 504, Special Education, or EL services.
Please use this link to complete our questionnaire. We will only use this information for scheduling purposes. If you have any questions or concerns please call us at (475)220-7727.
*Note* If you are new to NHPS/you are not currently attending a New Haven Public School, you need to submit updated physical and immunization records dated after September 1, 2025.
For New, Incoming 10th Graders: Please send your transcript and latest report card to our school counseling team via fax or email. The school's fax number is 475-324-6480. The school counseling emails are belinda.legere@new-haven.k12.ct.us and kara.fasano@new-haven.k12.ct.us. You can also drop it off during school hours.
*Note* If you are new to NHPS or if you attended a private or charter school previously, you need to submit updated physical and immunization records dated after September 1, 2025.
Step 7: Register for the Summer Bridge Program
Incoming 9th graders, you will be invited to a Summer Bridge program at Metropolitan in July of 2026. Snacks will be provided. Bus cards will be available to support transportation. We will have a full schedule ranging from team building to academic onboarding. This is an excellent way to prepare for entering our high school and for meeting your future classmates.
Step 6: Attend Orientation
The schedules for Metro's orientations and Yondr pouch pick up will be posted in the summer of 2026.
Contact us
Dr. Lauren Chicoski, Magnet School Recruitment Coordinator, (475)220-7707, lauren.chicoski@new-haven.k12.ct.us
Dr. Danielle La Pan, Magnet Resource Teacher, danielle.lapan@new-haven.k12.ct.us
Para más información en español, por favor contacte a los Embajadores de la Escuela, Xiomara Garcia (475-220-7700) or xiomara.garcia@new-haven.k12.ct.us