Yes, early college will be processed first. If an applicant is selected for the early college, they will be assigned to the early college and the magnet application will not be processed. If the applicant is not selected for the early college, they will be assigned to the applicant pool (a non-numeric waitlist) for the first choice early college and the magnet application will be processed. If they are not selected for the magnet school, they will be assigned to the applicant pool (a non-numeric waitlist) for the first-choice magnet school. An applicant may be in two applicant pools. 

You may apply for any early college at wcpss.net/apply during the application period. The early college application includes a student-written essay; recommendations from the ELA teacher, the MAT teacher, and a counselor or school administrator; and a review of current and prior grades. 

No. Charter schools operate independently and outside county school districts.

You may apply to magnet schools during the application period at wcpss.schoolmint.com

There are no tests or performance requirements to apply to a magnet program except for the AIG Basics program at the middle school level. Applicants to the AIG Basics program at the middle school level must have WCPSS AIG identification.

Rising kindergartners or students new to Wake County register at the base school. More information can be found at wcpss.net/kindergarten.  Once you complete the enrollment process and get a student identification number, you may apply for a magnet, early college, or year-round school.

You may apply to 1 to 5 magnet and/or year-round schools, ranking them in the order you want to be considered for them. Look up application options to find the magnet schools available for you to apply to based on your address.

Yes, if they are applying for the same grade level. If all students in a residence (siblings) cannot be selected for the same grade level (e.g. elementary), then none are selected.

Yes, magnet students have high priority in the selection process. See magnet priorities at wcpss.net/priorities.

You don’t have to do anything else. Students who are selected are automatically assigned to that school. Students selected for a school other than their first choice are assigned to that magnet school AND are placed in an applicant pool (non-numeric waitlist) for their first choice magnet school. 

Any student NOT selected for their first choice school is placed in an applicant pool (non-numeric waitlist) even if you are selected for another school to which you applied. An applicant could be in several applicant pools (early college, magnet/year-round). Selection to another school does NOT impact place in the applicant pool.

No, there is no decline option. To be assigned back to the base school or to request a different school, you must submit a transfer request at wcpss.net/apply.  Request for the base is guaranteed (unless your base school is capped) if submitted during the initial transfer period in early March at wcpss.schoolmint.com

You may submit a request to attend a different school or return to base during the transfer period  in early March at wcpss.schoolmint.com

Magnet elementary students have priority when applying to a magnet middle school. Magnet middle school students have priority in an application to a magnet high school. They have the highest priority for the middle/high school in their program pathway but also have priority to any other magnet middle program. View the pathway chart at wcpss.net/pathways.

Magnet Pathways allow students to continue with their chosen magnet theme from kindergarten through their senior year of high school if they choose. Magnet students have a high priority for selection when applying for the pathway magnet middle or magnet high school. View the pathway chart at wcpss.net/pathways.

The pathways are:

• Arts Plus
• STEM
• Gifted & Talented
• International Baccalaureate
• Language Immersion/Global Studies

Yes, in most cases, but the type of service may vary depending on your school choice and home address. View the list of magnet options for your address to see the level of transportation for each option school. Check transportation options.

No, applicants selected for a magnet school may remain assigned to that school until the final grade as long as they reside in Wake County. Magnet students MUST submit an application to continue in a magnet school at the next grade level and have high priority in selection to the program pathway school at the next level. View the magnet pathways at  wcpss.net/pathways.