Families often ask what "the exam" for Boston Latin School is. For fall 2027 entry there is not a separate Boston Latin exam. BPS builds one composite score for every applicant from two things, MAP Growth test scores and grades, and then uses socioeconomic tiers to decide who is invited. This guide explains each piece in plain terms, using what BPS has published.
The composite score
BPS says each student receives a composite score based 30% on MAP Growth and 70% on GPA. Grades carry more weight than the test. That matters for planning, because grades are already being earned this school year while MAP Growth is a single testing window.
BPS also says the revised policy applies beginning with invitations for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle. If you are reading an older guide, check that it matches the current rules.
MAP Growth
BPS uses MAP Growth scores instead of a Boston Latin entrance exam. Here is what BPS says about it:
- A student needs a valid score and must complete both sections of the test to receive one.
- It is offered twice, and the higher percentile score in each subject is used.
- BPS students in grade 6 or 8 at a non-exam school take it in school from January 11 to 15, 2027. Other students take it on the weekend of January 9 and 10, 2027.
Because BPS schedules the test itself, there is nothing to buy to be allowed to sit it. Weekend registration closes at midnight on December 4, 2026.
GPA
A student needs a GPA of B or higher to apply. Which marks count depends on the entry grade:
| Entry grade | Marks BPS uses | | --- | --- | | Grade 7 | Grade 6 marks in English language arts, math, science and social studies, plus grade 5 English language arts and math from the last marking period | | Grade 9 | Grade 8 and grade 7 marks, with a conversion fact sheet for schools that use a different grading scale |
If your child's school grades on a different scale, ask the school which conversion BPS will apply, and read the BPS fact sheet.
Extra points
BPS says students experiencing homelessness, living in BHA public housing, or in DCF care receive 10 additional composite points. These are applied within the tier-based share of invitations. School-based points were eliminated under the new policy.
The four tiers
BPS ranks every Boston census tract on five socioeconomic factors: poverty, owner-occupancy, single-parent families, non-English-speaking households and educational attainment. It then groups tracts into four tiers with roughly equal numbers of children in grades 5 to 8. The 2026-27 tier map was posted March 1, 2026 and uses 2024 American Community Survey and 2020 census tract data. BPS says the 2027-2028 tiers will be available in late winter 2026-2027, so families do not yet have the tier map that will apply to this cycle.
Students compete for seats only against students in their own tier. The tier with the lowest socioeconomic score is invited first in each round.
How invitations are split
At each exam school, 20% of invitations go to the highest-ranking students citywide. The other 80% go to the highest-ranking students in each of the four socioeconomic tiers. A student receives an invitation to only one exam school, based on the order in which they ranked the schools.
What this means for your plan
- Grades first. At 70% of the composite, the marks BPS lists for your entry grade matter most. Keep them steady rather than chasing a single test.
- Do not overspend on the test. MAP Growth is scheduled by BPS, and a student can take it twice, with the higher percentile in each subject used.
- Rank honestly. The ranking order controls which school invites your student, so rank the schools in your student's true order of preference.
- Check your tier later. You will not know your tier until BPS posts the 2027-28 map. Do not make decisions that depend on it.
What BPS has not published
The pages we reviewed do not give the full composite score formula, since BPS links a calculation document that we did not review in detail. They also give no seat counts or admit rates for Boston Latin School. For the exact calculation, read the BPS score calculation page.
What to do this week
Look up your student's grades for the marks BPS counts, and confirm how and when they will take MAP Growth. Then read the timeline, the preparation guide and the FAQ, and think about school fit.
For help with your own situation, see the EduAvenues high school admissions page.
Sources
- How to apply to the BPS exam schools
- BPS exam schools
- BPS exam school tier map
- BPS exam school composite score calculation
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