The Lottery Process

For those parents and eighth grade students interested in the 2009-2010 school year, you have several opportunities to learn more about the solid academic programs that Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center offers each of its students:

2009-2010 SCHOOL YEAR

For those parents and eighth grade students interested in the 2009-2010 school year, you have several opportunities to learn more about the solid academic programs that Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center offers each of its students:

LOTTERY APPLICATIONS
Freshman Lottery Application  Word Version   (Stanines of 5 and above required)
Freshman Lottery Application  PDF Version     (Stanines of 5 and above required)

Scholars Lottery Application     Word Version (Stanines of 7 and above required in addition to an essay)
Scholars Lottery Application    PDF Version    (Stanines of 7 and above required in addition to an essay)

For more information about the Scholars Program, Click Here.

BROCHURES
Freshman Lottery Brochure    PDF Version 
Scholars Lottery Brochure       PDF Version

GENERAL INFORMATION
Von Steuben Profile

NOTE:
Due to Board Policy, applicants are required to have a minimum Stanine of 5 to enter the General Lottery. ALL APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT COPIES OF 7TH GRADE STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES!  Failure to do so could result in the application being discarded prior to the lottery!

OPEN HOUSE
Last Chance to Visit VSMSC Before Deadline!

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Assembly Hall

11 a.m.

Prospective students for the 2009-2010 school year are invited to the Von Steuben Open House on Saturday, December 6, 2008. 

Join Von Steuben faculty, staff, students, parent volunteers and administrators for the annual Von Steuben Open House on Saturday, December 6, 2008.  Tours, presentations and Q&A forums will be available for prospective students and their parents or guardians.  This is the last official time we open our doors during the school year to prospective students, so mark your calendar! 

At Open House, you will:

• tour the Von Steuben campus;
• visit with counselors, current students, coaches and parents;
• be able to obtain applications for the 2009-2010 school year;
• and hear about all that makes Von Steuben a truly unique urban high school!

Parking

• Parking is difficult; please arrive 15-30 minutes prior to start time.
• Parking will be permitted on Kimball Avenue in front of the school.
• Consider CTA options
  • Kimball 82 Northbound to 5039 N. Kimball
  • Foster 92 Westbound to Kimball and walk south to 5039 N. Kimball
  • Brown Line to Kimball; exit and walk north on Kimball to 5039 N. Kimball

Details

• Enter through the  Assembly Hall doors.  They are the northern most doors at the corner of Kimball and Carmen avenues.
• Come early to guarantee being able to join the desired tour time.
• Bring questions for administrators and counselors.  We're here to help.

Special Considerations

Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center was built over 75 years ago.  While it has incredible detail and history throughout its beautifully maintained facility, special considerations and arrangements may be necessary.

• The Von Steuben main building does not have a ramp for wheel chairs; please contact Mr. Zehr at brzehr@cps.edu in advance of the day’s event to make appropriate arrangements.
• The campus consists of four floors with most tour highlights occurring on the first two floors.  An elevator is available during the tours.  Please contact Mr. Zehr at brzehr@cps.edu for specific details.

Questions?  Call 773.534.5100 or 773.534.5376 at your earliest convenience.

2008-2009 SCHOOL YEAR

The admissions process for the 2008-2009 school year has ended and Von Steuben is excited to be welcoming 529 members of the Class of 2012 on Tuesday, September 2.  No further students will be accepted for the 2008-2009 school year.  This includes transfer requests for students from other schools. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to take an entrance exam to apply for Von Steuben's lottery?
No.  Your seventh grade ISAT scores are what will be necessary for admission.  To be eligible to apply to the freshman lottery, you must have stanine 5's in Reading, Math and Science.  To be eligible to apply to the Scholars lottery, you must have stainine 7's in Reading, Math and Science.

Should I apply to both lotteries?  Does this improve my chance of gaining admission to Von Steuben?
No.  Actually, you may only apply to one lottery.  Look at your ISAT scores, peruse the two brochures and choose which program best meets your educational needs.

I have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).  Am I still eligible to attend Von Steuben?
Yes!  Von Steuben accepts students with IEPs.  In fact, approximately 160 Von Steuben students receive individualized attention in various forms: co-taught classroom environment, self-contained classroom environment and modified instruction. Regardless of the specific environment, our students' educational needs come first and we are here to help our students excel!

What if I am from a private school and don't have ISAT scores?  What do I do?
You probably took Terra Nova, Iowa or some other standardized exam during your seventh grade.  Attach those scores to your application and send in the complete application no later than Friday, December 19.

Do I have to live near Von Steuben to apply to the lottery?
No.  The only residency requirement is that you live within the City of Chicago boundaries.  That's it.   Von Steuben's well known diversity is strengthened by attracting students from just about every neighborhood across the City of Chicago.

My sister attends Von Steuben.  Do I still have to apply?
Yes, you still need to apply to one of the lotteries, but you need to mark the "Sibling" box on the application.  If you forget to check the box, then you will not be considered for the sibling lottery.