Applications are NOT first-come, first-served. Students who are selected will be automatically assigned to the school for which they are selected. Applicants should ONLY apply to a school or schools they want to attend. Families are notified via email if they receive a seat at a school to which they applied. 

Tutorial video on how to submit a Magnet/Year-round application

Eligibility

Only students who are enrolled in a Wake County Public School System school for the 2024-2025 school year can apply. If your student does not currently attend a WCPSS school (ie. rising into kindergarten, homeschooled, or currently attending a charter or private school) they will need to enroll online and get a student ID number prior to submitting an application.

Prioritization

Families can apply to more than one school, including applying to multiple magnet and year-round choice schools.  You should know that applications are prioritized based on the type of school. Learn how we prioritize multiple applications.

Selection

The purpose of the magnet schools program is to reduce high concentrations of poverty in schools; promote diverse, integrated school populations; maximize the use of school facilities and provide innovative educational opportunities. To that end, we consider two key factors in the magnet selection process:

• Projected overall socioeconomic status of the school to which that student is assigned for next year. 
• Socioeconomic status of the area where the applying student resides

Learn how we select students for magnet schools based on these factors.

Results and Options

Applicants who are selected for a magnet school, year-round school, or an early college to which they applied are automatically assigned to that school. Magnet, early college, or year-round application results are not eligible for appeal. If you are not satisfied with your school placement, you may submit a transfer request to be re-assigned to your base school during the "Request for Transfer Period". Acceptance is guaranteed if the request is made within the Request for Transfer window unless the base school has an enrollment cap. 

If you were not selected for the magnet, early college, or year-round school that you listed first on the application, you will be placed on a non-numeric waiting list, known as an applicant pool, for the school you listed as your first choice.  You will remain in the applicant pool for your first choice magnet, early college, or year-round school even if you request to go back to your base school. 

Applicant Pools

Students who do not receive a seat at their first-choice magnet, early college, or year-round school, will be placed on a non-numeric waiting list, known as an applicant pool, for the school you listed as your first choice.  If you applied to more than one school, you may be assigned to one of your other choices and remain in the applicant pool for your first choice magnet, early college, or year-round school. Applicant pools will be reviewed in the spring. You will be notified via your online account if you receive a seat in your first-choice school.