Boston Exam Schools Math Prep: MAP Growth and GPA, 2027

In short

Boston Public Schools has three exam schools: Boston Latin Academy, Boston Latin School and the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science. Boston residents need a B or higher GPA and a MAP Growth score; the composite is 70 percent GPA and 30 percent MAP Growth. Modern Age Coders teaches the math live online, in a batch or 1-on-1, through our Middle School Mathematics course.

Learn with a teacher

Courses that lift both halves of the composite

School math for the GPA first, then our entrance-test course for timed problem solving, then algebra for the grade 8 applicant.

BOE / 01

Middle school mathematics

Grades 6 to 8. The math marks that make up most of the GPA.

Open the syllabus →

$SHSAT Math Prep course thumbnail$

BOE / 02

Entrance test math

Our SHSAT Math Prep course, used here for timed reasoning before the January test.

Open the syllabus →

BOE / 03

Algebra foundations

For grade 8 applicants heading for grade 9 entry.

Open the syllabus →

Eligibility

Who can apply to the Boston exam schools for September 2027?

Boston residents entering grade 6, 8 or 9 in September 2026 can apply for September 2027. To be considered, a student needs a GPA of B or higher, must rank at least one exam school, and must have a valid MAP Growth score.

Boston exam school admission criteria for 2027 to 2028 (Boston Public Schools exam schools pages, read 31 October 2026)
Requirement	What BPS publishes
The schools	Boston Latin Academy, Boston Latin School, and the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science
Entry grades	All three admit new students in grades 7 and 9; the O’Bryant also takes a small number in grade 10
Residency	Both the parent and the student must live in the City of Boston
GPA	B or higher, from unweighted report card marks
Test	MAP Growth, Reading and Math; both sections must be completed
Choice	At least one exam school ranked on the school choice form
Composite	70 percent GPA and 30 percent MAP Growth, plus 10 points for some students
Not eligible	Students on a modified curriculum, in MCAS Alternate Assessments, or enrolled in SLIFE

What changed for this cycle

BPS says that after a five-year review of its exam school policy, the School Committee accepted revisions in fall 2025, effective from the 2026 to 2027 admissions cycle. School-based points were eliminated.

The 10 extra points now go only to students experiencing homelessness, living in Boston Housing Authority public housing, or in the care of the Department of Children and Families, and they apply within the tier-based share of invitations.

One invitation, no appeals

A student receives an invitation to only one exam school, set by the composite score, the tier, the ranked choices and the seats. Once invited, the student is assigned to that school; BPS says families cannot make a final decision afterwards.

BPS states that "exam school decisions are final, and we do not accept appeals." Sibling priority does not apply.

Sources: Boston Public Schools Exam Schools, How to Apply and Admissions FAQs, read 31 October 2026. Modern Age Coders is not connected with Boston Public Schools or any exam school.

The composite score

How is the Boston exam school composite score calculated?

In BPS’s words, "Students will receive a composite score that is based 30% on MAP Growth and 70% GPA." The GPA is worked out on an 11-point scale and then scaled to 100 by dividing by 11 and multiplying by 100.

Which marks make up the GPA for 2027 to 2028 entry (BPS How to Apply page, read 31 October 2026)
Applying for	Marks used
Grade 7	Grade 6 ELA, Math, Science and Social Studies from Quarter 1 and 2, or Trimester 1 or Semester 1; grade 5 ELA and Math from the last marking period
Grade 9	Grade 8 ELA, Math, Science and Social Studies from Quarter 1 and 2, or Trimester 1 or Semester 1; grade 7 ELA and Math from the last marking period
Grade 10	Grade 9 ELA, Math, Science and Social Studies from Quarter 1 and 2, or Trimester 1 or Semester 1; grade 8 ELA and Math from the last marking period

Worked example (ours): scaling a GPA. Suppose, after BPS converts a grade 6 student’s letter marks, the average on the 11-point scale comes out at 9.9. BPS scales it to 100 by dividing by 11 and multiplying by 100: 9.9 / 11 = 0.9, and 0.9 x 100 = 90. The letter-to-point table itself is on the BPS composite score fact sheet, so check your own child’s marks there; the 9.9 here is an invented figure.

Worked example (ours): combining the two parts. Keep the GPA at 90 and suppose the MAP Growth part works out at 80 on a 100-point scale. Then the composite is 0.7 x 90 + 0.3 x 80 = 63 + 24 = 87. Now see what each part is worth. Raising the GPA from 90 to 95 adds 0.7 x 5 = 3.5 points. Raising the test part from 80 to 85 adds only 0.3 x 5 = 1.5 points. How BPS turns a MAP Growth percentile into its 30 percent share is set out in its fact sheet, which we have not reproduced, so the 80 is an assumption for the arithmetic.

Why the GPA deserves most of the effort

Because the GPA is weighted more than twice as heavily as the test, a steady report card in grade 6 or grade 8 does more for the composite than a strong January morning. And unlike the test, the marks build over months, so effort shows.

BPS gives no extra points for advanced classes and uses unweighted marks. An A+ counts the same as an A, so the target is a consistent A or B+ across all four subjects, not a single star subject.

Where the marks deadline falls

The FAQs say BPS cannot calculate GPA until early March, after the second quarter marking period closes on January 29, 2027. For a grade 6 or grade 8 student, that means the Quarter 1 and 2 marks being earned right now are the ones that count.

The grade 5 or grade 7 marks used are only ELA and Math from the last marking period, already fixed. So this autumn’s math class is where help can still change the picture.

Source: Boston Public Schools Admissions FAQs (11-point scale, scaling, 70/30 split, unweighted marks) and How to Apply page, read 31 October 2026. Both worked examples use invented figures and are ours.

The calendar

When is the MAP Growth test for Boston exam schools in 2027?

BPS students in grades 6 and 8 at non-exam schools take MAP Growth in school between January 11 and 15, 2027. Everyone else who needs the weekend test sits it on January 9 to 10, 2027, after registering by December 4, 2026.

Boston exam schools timeline for 2027 to 2028 entry (BPS exam schools pages, read 31 October 2026; weekdays checked against the calendar)
Date	Step	Who
Tuesday, October 13 to Friday, December 4, 2026	Weekend MAP registration; residency verification and ranked choices	Students not in BPS, and BPS grade 9 students for the test
Tuesday, December 1, 2026, 6 p.m.	BPS online information session	Any family
Saturday and Sunday, January 9 to 10, 2027	Weekend MAP Growth test	Non-BPS students, BPS grade 9 students, current exam school students changing school
Saturday and Sunday, January 16 to 17, 2027	Reserved in case of severe weather	Weekend test takers
Monday, January 11 to Friday, January 15, 2027	In-school MAP Growth test, no registration needed	BPS grade 6 and 8 students at non-exam schools
Tuesday, January 5 to Friday, February 5, 2027	School choice form	BPS students in grades 6 and 8; grade 9 and exam school students via a Welcome Center
Friday, January 29, 2027	Second quarter marking period closes; GPA calculated in early March	All applicants
Late April 2027	Decision letters through the Avela portal	All applicants

Two chances at the test

BPS says students have two opportunities to take MAP Growth, in the spring and winter, and that if a student tests twice, BPS uses the higher achievement percentile in each subject, Reading and Math, separately.

For a grade 6 student, that means a spring MAP taken at school and the January administration can both count. Ask your school which administrations apply to your child.

Families outside BPS

Private, parochial, Commonwealth charter, METCO and homeschooled students must verify City of Boston residency between October 13 and December 4, 2026, through apply.avela.org/boston, and submit ranked choices at the same time.

BPS stresses this applies even if the family has other children in BPS, receives BPS special education services, or works for the city.

Source: Boston Public Schools How to Apply and Admissions FAQs, read 31 October 2026. BPS links a MAP Growth demo by NWEA for students to try the testing platform.

Tiers and invitations

How do the socioeconomic tiers and invitations work?

Every Boston address falls in one of four socioeconomic tiers. BPS gives 20 percent of each school’s invitations to the highest-ranking students citywide and 80 percent to the highest-ranking students within each tier.

Invitations, tiers and waitlists (BPS Exam Schools page and Admissions FAQs, read 31 October 2026)
Point	What BPS says
Citywide share	20 percent of invitations at each school, to the highest-ranking students citywide
Tier share	80 percent, to the highest-ranking students in each of the 4 socioeconomic tiers
Tier assignment	By home address; students compete only with others in their tier for the tier share
Seats per tier	Approximately the same number in each tier
Order of rounds	Invitations go out in several cycles, with the lowest socioeconomic tier first in each round
Tier updates	Every winter, pending data
Waitlists	Grades 7, 9 and 10 only, one per school and grade, capped at 100 students, until November 30
Waitlist order	Composite score and a random number within the tier

Rank in true order

BPS encourages students to apply to all three exam schools for grades 7 and 9, and to rank them, along with any other BPS schools, in true order of preference. A student who is not invited keeps their current BPS seat where that grade is offered.

Because an invitation is automatic and final, rank only schools you would really accept, in the order you would choose them.

What tutoring can and cannot touch

A family cannot change its tier, the seat count or the ranking of other students. The only parts in a student’s hands are the report card marks and the MAP Growth result.

We teach the math behind both and tell families plainly what we see; we make no forecast of invitations.

Source: Boston Public Schools Exam Schools page and Admissions FAQs, read 31 October 2026. BPS publishes a tier map and previous year data summaries on the same pages.

The math

What math should a grade 6 or grade 8 applicant focus on?

Two things at once: the grade-level math that earns the Quarter 1 and 2 report card marks, and confident reasoning for the MAP Growth Math section in January. Our focus list below is our own reading of the two grade levels.

Where to put math effort, by applicant (our focus list)
Applicant	For the GPA this fall	For MAP Growth in January
Grade 6, for grade 7 entry	Ratios and rates, dividing fractions, negative numbers, expressions, area and volume	Fluent fraction and percent work; multi-step word problems; reading graphs
Grade 8, for grade 9 entry	Linear equations, functions and slope, systems, exponents, the Pythagorean theorem	Solving and checking equations; interpreting functions; geometry with right triangles
Grade 9, for grade 10 at the O’Bryant	Algebra 1 or the school’s grade 9 course	Algebra reasoning, quadratics where taught

Marks first, test second

For most students, the quickest gain is in class: homework handed in, quizzes corrected, a weak unit revisited before the quarter test. A one-letter rise in math moves the GPA, and the GPA carries 70 percent.

We work on whatever unit the school is teaching that week, so our classes pull in the same direction as the report card.

Getting used to MAP Growth

BPS points students to the free MAP Growth demo by NWEA so they can get used to the testing platform before January. Use it once or twice to remove surprises on the day.

We do not reproduce MAP items. We build reasoning with our own problems and leave platform practice to the official demo.

Worked examples

Three worked math examples for grades 6 and 8

Problems we wrote ourselves, two at grade 6 and one at grade 8. They are not MAP Growth items and are not drawn from any BPS or NWEA material.

Example 1 (grade 6): a weighted average. A student’s quarter math grade is 60 percent tests and 40 percent homework. Test average 82, homework average 95. What is the quarter grade? Reasoning: 0.6 x 82 = 49.2 and 0.4 x 95 = 38, so the grade is 87.2. The same idea runs the exam school composite, which is why we teach it early: a heavier weight moves the total more.

Example 2 (grade 6): dividing fractions in context. A recipe needs 3/4 cup of oats per batch. How many full batches can be made from 5 cups? 5 divided by 3/4 is 5 x 4/3 = 20/3, which is 6 and 2/3. So 6 full batches, with 2/3 of a batch of oats left, which is 2/3 x 3/4 = 1/2 cup. The trap is answering 6 and 2/3 when the question asks for full batches.

Example 3 (grade 8): a line from two points. A taxi charges a fixed amount plus a rate per mile. A 4-mile ride costs 14 dollars and a 10-mile ride costs 29 dollars. What does a 7-mile ride cost? The slope is (29 minus 14) / (10 minus 4) = 15 / 6 = 2.5 dollars per mile. The fixed part is 14 minus 4 x 2.5 = 4. A 7-mile ride costs 4 + 7 x 2.5 = 21.50 dollars. Check: the answer sits halfway between 14 and 29 because 7 sits halfway between 4 and 10.

Why these three

Weighted averages, fraction division and linear rates are three ideas that appear constantly in grade 6 and grade 8 classwork, so they serve the GPA and the test together.

Each has a check that needs no calculator: a total between the two parts, a leftover that makes sense, a midpoint that matches.

How a lesson uses them

The student predicts the answer roughly before working it out. For example 1, "between 82 and 95, nearer 82": a prediction catches a swapped weight at once.

We then ask the student to invent a similar problem for a classmate. Writing a problem is a stronger test of understanding than solving one.

Practice set

Ten original practice problems for Boston applicants

Problems 1 to 6 suit a grade 6 applicant; 7 to 10 suit grade 8. Written by our teachers; work them without a calculator, then check against the table.

A car travels 135 miles in 2.5 hours at a steady speed. How far does it go in 4 hours?
Compute 2 1/2 divided by 5/6.
The temperature is negative 6 degrees and rises 14 degrees, then falls 9. What is it now?
A box is 5 cm by 4 cm by 3 cm. How many 1 cm cubes fill it, and what is its surface area?
Write an expression for 3 less than twice a number n, then evaluate it for n = 8.
In a class of 25, 60 percent walk to school. How many do not?
Solve 5x minus 7 = 2x + 11.
Find the slope of the line through (2, 3) and (6, 11).
A right triangle has legs 9 and 12. How long is the hypotenuse?
Simplify 2 to the 5th times 2 to the 3rd, divided by 2 to the 6th.

Answer key with the one-line method (ours; verified in Python)
No.	Answer	Method
1	216 miles	135 / 2.5 = 54 miles an hour, times 4
2	3	5/2 x 6/5 = 30/10
3	Negative 1 degree	Negative 6 + 14 = 8; 8 minus 9
4	60 cubes; 94 square cm	5 x 4 x 3; 2(20 + 15 + 12)
5	2n minus 3; 13	2 x 8 minus 3
6	10	40 percent of 25
7	x = 6	3x = 18
8	2	(11 minus 3) / (6 minus 2) = 8 / 4
9	15	81 + 144 = 225, and the square root of 225
10	4	2 to the 8th over 2 to the 6th is 2 squared

Common slips

Problem 4 asks for two things; students often give the volume and stop. Problem 6 asks who does not walk, so 15 is the answer to the wrong question.

In problem 10, adding exponents to get 8 and then subtracting 6 is right; multiplying them is the usual error.

Turning practice into marks

Take the problems from the unit your child is studying now and bring the ones they missed to class. Fixing a school unit is worth more than any extra test drill.

Before January, add one MAP Growth demo session for the platform itself.

From now to April

A Boston exam schools plan from November 2026 to the test

Our plan for a grade 6 or grade 8 applicant starting now, built around the published BPS dates.

November 2026 to January 2027 (our plan)
When	Math focus	Admin step
November 2026	The current school math unit; homework and quiz corrections each week	Non-BPS families: register for the weekend MAP and verify residency by December 4
December 2026	Revisit the weakest Quarter 1 unit; mixed word problems	Optional BPS info session on December 1
Early January 2027	One MAP Growth demo session; light mixed review	Weekend test January 9 to 10, or school test January 11 to 15
Mid to late January 2027	Finish Quarter 2 strongly; it closes January 29	BPS students submit school choices January 5 to February 5
Late April 2027	Keep going in class, whatever happens	Decision letter via the Avela portal

Report card

Seventy percent of the composite, earned week by week.

MAP Growth

Thirty percent; the higher of two scores per subject.

Paperwork

Residency, registration and choices on time.

Readiness

Four stages from steady student to strong applicant

Our own description of growth in grade 6 or grade 8 math. It is not a BPS measure.

Stages of readiness (ours)
Stage	How it shows
1. Organized	Homework done and corrections made every week
2. Secure	Each unit test at B+ or above
3. Fluent	Mixed problems solved without being told the topic
4. Calm	Comfortable on the testing platform and under time

For parents

Stage 1 is the cheapest win and the one most often missed. Ask to see quiz corrections, not just grades.

Look at the BPS data summaries and tier map for context, but focus your energy on the marks your child can still earn.

For students

Every quiz you correct is a chance to raise the next one. Write down why each wrong answer was wrong.

On test day, estimate before you calculate. It catches the silly mistakes.

The catalogue

Nine courses for Boston middle schoolers

Taught live online by a teacher who stays with the student, in a group or privately.

I

Application years

Grades 6 and 8

BOE / APP / 01

Middle school math

Pre-algebra and geometry, deeply.

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BOE / APP / 02

Entrance test math

Timed reasoning, no shortcuts.

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BOE / APP / 03

Algebra foundations

For grade 8 applicants.

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II

Extra stretch

Beyond the report card

BOE / EXT / 01

Math competitions

MATHCOUNTS and AMC 8.

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BOE / EXT / 02

Statistics and probability

Data and chance.

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BOE / EXT / 03

Speed calculation

Mental arithmetic that sticks.

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III

Exam school years

Grade 7 and beyond

BOE / NXT / 01

High school math

Algebra to calculus.

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BOE / NXT / 02

Math through coding

Numbers meet Python.

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BOE / NXT / 03

SAT math

For the high school years.

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How lessons run

Live math classes for Boston families

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays.

Weekdays

After the school day in Boston.

Weekends

Longer sessions for mixed review.

1-on-1

Following one child’s school units.

School-unit aligned

We teach what class is teaching now.

Quiz corrections

Every wrong answer understood.

Mixed sets

Problems without a topic label.

Parent updates

A plain note after each month.

Across Boston

Online from any neighborhood.

Class size

Groups of 15 to 20, or one student.

Student work

Projects from our students

Our students also put math to work in code; the student labs page has examples.

AI and ML

NutriLife

An AI nutrition coach that reads what you eat and works you toward a target.

by Bhavya · Open it

AI and ML

Misti

A chatbot that answers mathematics and programming questions, built and deployed by a student.

by Harshit · Open it

AI and ML

GuardianX

An assistant that helps a young person recognise unsafe situations online.

by Vivaan · Open it

Web app

SkyCast

A weather forecasting site with live conditions for any location.

by Krish

Fees

BPS runs exam school admissions and the MAP Growth test; our fee is only for math classes. Monthly billing means you can stop once the decision letter arrives.

Free first class

USD 0

no card required

A free first class
A look at the current school unit
No card required

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Group batch

USD 100

a month, billed in US dollars

A batch of 15 to 20
A regular weekly teacher
Choose your batch
Monthly fee

Start here

One to one

USD 150

a month, billed in US dollars

A personal math teacher
Lessons matched to school units
Flexible times

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What families say

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Questions from Boston parents

Boston exam schools: what families ask

What are the three Boston exam schools?

Boston Public Schools lists Boston Latin Academy, Boston Latin School, and the John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science. All three admit new students in grades 7 and 9, and the O'Bryant takes a small number in grade 10.

Is there an entrance exam for Boston Latin School?

Yes, in the sense that BPS requires the MAP Growth test for all exam school applicants. It counts for 30 percent of the composite score, and the GPA counts for 70 percent.

How is the exam school composite score calculated?

BPS combines the GPA, weighted 70 percent, with the MAP Growth score, weighted 30 percent. The GPA is worked out on an 11-point scale and scaled to 100 by dividing by 11 and multiplying by 100.

When is the MAP test for Boston exam schools in 2027?

BPS grade 6 and 8 students at non-exam schools test in school between January 11 and 15, 2027. The weekend test is January 9 to 10, 2027, with January 16 to 17 held in case of severe weather.

What GPA do you need for a Boston exam school?

BPS requires a GPA of B or higher. For grade 7 entry it uses grade 6 marks in ELA, Math, Science and Social Studies from the first two quarters, plus grade 5 ELA and Math from the last marking period.

Do advanced classes or an A+ give extra points?

No. BPS uses unweighted marks and gives no extra points for advanced coursework. Its FAQs say an A+ is treated like an A.

Can my child take the MAP Growth test twice?

BPS says students have two opportunities, in the spring and winter, and it uses the higher achievement percentile in each subject. Both Reading and Math sections must be completed to get a score.

Can we appeal an exam school decision?

No. BPS states that exam school decisions are final and that it does not accept appeals. Students not invited to their top choice may be placed on waitlists, which last until November 30.

Do you teach MAP Growth questions?

No. We teach grade-level math and reasoning with our own problems, and point students to the free MAP Growth demo by NWEA that BPS links for platform practice.

What days and times are classes?

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays.

Are you connected with Boston Public Schools?

No. Modern Age Coders is an independent online school, not connected with Boston Public Schools, any exam school or NWEA. Families apply through BPS and Avela themselves.

Elsewhere on this site

More for Boston and Massachusetts students

Grade-level math help, other selective entry tests and our Boston coding pages.

6th grade math tutor

The year whose marks count for grade 7 entry.

8th grade math tutor

The year whose marks count for grade 9 entry.

ISEE and SSAT math

For Boston-area independent schools.

Algebra tutoring

Equations and functions, one to one.

Coding and AI classes in Boston

Building alongside math.

Coding across Massachusetts

Classes for the wider state.

Related pages in this guide

Part of the guide: US gifted and selective school tests

Exam schools and private high schools

Gifted and talented screening

Programs for advanced students

More guides: US state math tests by state · US math placement and college readiness tests · Homeschool and school math curricula guide · US math and coding competitions guide

Start here

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Tell us your child’s grade and which math unit they are on. In the first lesson the teacher works on that unit with them and tells you where the next quarter grade can most easily rise.

For a picture of a lesson, see how we teach, or scan the course list.

WhatsApp us · +91 91233 66161 · connect@modernagecoders.com

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