CJDS uses a process that reduces uncertainty and stress for families while achieving the desired “best fit” outcomes by guiding them through every step of the high school search and application process. At the core of this process is our High School Placement Counselor, who has intimate knowledge of high schools in the Chicago area and their admissions processes. Beginning in Grade 7, this counselor educates parents on the process. Then, partnering with each family, the counselor advises parents on school choices that “best fit” their student's profile, shepherds them through the application process, helps them make final choices, and supports Grade 8 students through their transition to high school.

We support our students as they consider how they want to continue expressing and strengthening their Jewish identity beyond CJDS. Throughout the high school placement process, we encourage students and families to consider the opportunities each school and its surrounding community offers for Jewish connection, leadership, and engagement. CJDS graduates leave with a strong sense of who they are, a deep connection to Judaism, and the confidence to bring those values and perspectives into new communities. As they take this next step, we help students see themselves not simply as graduates of a Jewish day school, but as young Jewish leaders prepared to contribute meaningfully wherever they go.

Every year, 100% of our graduates are accepted into at least one of their top two high school choices. High schools welcome our students with enthusiasm, knowing that they are well prepared academically and socially. And when Chicago Jewish Day School alumni are ready for college, they attend some of the most selective institutions in the country.

What’s right for one student may not be right for another, and we partner with each family to create a personalized approach tailored to their child's strengths and interests.