The CIS lottery, explained

Because seats are limited and we never want enrollment to be about who applied first or who knew the right person, CIS uses a random lottery when there are more applicants than openings. It’s the fairest way we know to welcome new students.

How it works

1. Apply during the enrollment window. Every complete application submitted on time is entered into the lottery.

2. Seats are drawn at random. On the lottery date, available seats are filled by random draw, grade by grade. [Confirm any enrollment preferences — e.g., siblings of current students]

3. Offers go out. Families with an offer are notified by email and must respond by the deadline. Please check your spam folder.

4. Waitlists fill remaining seats. If a grade is full, students are placed on a waitlist in lottery order and contacted as seats open up.

What if we’re on the waitlist?

A waitlist spot is not a no. Seats open throughout the year as families’ plans change, and we move down the waitlist in order. Keep your contact information current so we can reach you quickly if a seat becomes available.