You may apply anytime during the application window. 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 2025-2026 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 for the 2025-26 school year 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 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.

Transportation
Choosing a school also means choosing transportation services. Here are some instructions on how to make sure the transportation services will meet the needs of your family:

• Verify the type of transportation you are eligible for by searching for your address Magnet and Application schools, to see the list of magnet, early college, and calendar options and the level of transportation service.
• Some magnet schools may require parents to provide transportation either to school or to an express bus stop.
• Some magnet students who receive neighborhood busing can experience ride times longer than an hour. 

Results and Options
Applicants who are selected for a magnet school, an early college, or a year-round school 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 assigned back to your base school during the "Request for Transfer Period". Acceptance is guaranteed if the request is made within the Request for Transfer period, 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 may be selected for another magnet school, early college, or year-round school to which you applied and still be in the applicant pool for the school you listed first. You will remain in the applicant pool for your first choice magnet, early college, or year-round school even if you request to be assigned 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 or email if you receive a seat in your first-choice school. 

A purpose of Cooperative Innovative High Schools as outlined by state policy § 115C-238.50 is to increase the number of first-generation college-going students having access to college/university courses. Therefore, WCPSS prioritizes up to 70% of early college seats for applicants who identify as first-generation college-going. Thirty percent of the seats are prioritized for applicants who identify as not first-generation college-going.  If the seats are not filled by applicants who identify as first-generation college-going, the seats will be filled with applicants who are not first-generation college-going. (This does not apply to Crossroads FLEX HS) 

The following application process applies to:

• Crossroads FLEX (NOT AN EARLY COLLEGE)

• North Wake College and Career Academy
• Vernon Malone College and Career Academy
• Wake Early College of Health and Sciences
• Wake Early College of Information and Biotechnologies
• Wake STEM Early College
• Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy
• Wake Young Women's Leadership Academy 

You will need time to submit a complete Early College application. The application includes a student-written essay for each school; recommendations from the ELA teacher, the MAT teacher, and a school administrator or school counselor; two years of prior grades, current grades, and two years of prior standardized test scores.  

Tutorial video on how to submit an early college application

Application Process

1. The application period begins in the fall of the school year prior. Applications are not first-come, first-served.
2. You must first be enrolled in a WCPSS school to apply. If you are in a private, charter, or homeschool, you must enroll (not attend) in your base school for your address for the following school year. Find your base school.
3. You can start your enrollment forms online at wcpss.net/enroll
4. Once enrolled with a student ID number, create your parent account wcpss.schoolmint.com/login. You must have an active student ID number to create an account. 
5. You will complete your application in the parent account. You may apply to as many early colleges as you are eligible for.
6. You will be notified of the results in late February 2025. View Early College selection priorities.
7. If you are selected, you will be automatically assigned to that school. If you are not selected, you will be placed on a non-numeric waiting list, known as an applicant pool, for the school you listed as your first choice. 

Information About Magnet and Early College Applications

• You may apply to both Early Colleges and magnet/year-round schools.
• The Early College application will be processed first.
• If the student is selected for the Early College, the student will be assigned to the Early College and the magnet/year-round application will NOT be processed.
• If the student is not selected for the Early College, the student will be assigned to the applicant pool (a non-numeric waiting list) for the Early College they listed as their first choice and the magnet/year-round application will be processed.
• You may be selected for your first choice magnet school and that would be your newly assigned school.
• If not, it is possible to be placed in the applicant pool for both your first choice Early College and your first choice magnet/year-round school. You will be notified if you receive a seat at either place. 
• Applicant pools will be processed in the spring to fill any vacant seats.