Frequently Asked Questions about the Magnet Application
Do I get a priority if I apply as soon as the magnet application is open in November?
No, there is no priority given to when you apply. As long as your student is eligible and you apply by the February 17, 2025 deadline, your application will go into the magnet lottery.
I am trying to submit a magnet application but I keep getting a message that says my student’s name is invalid. What can I do?
If you are getting an error message when competing the magnet application, check the following common errors:
Student Name – For OCPS students, the name entered must exactly match the student’s name in Skyward (the exact name is also on the student’s report card). Check for extra spaces, hyphens, apostrophes, and double names to be sure your student’s name is precisely the same as it is in Skyward.
Browser – Before trying your application again, please completely close your browser and then re-open it to schoolchoice.ocps.net to begin the application again.
Back Button – Please do not use your browser’s back or refresh button while attempting to complete a magnet application.
Device –The magnet application works best on a desktop or laptop computer as opposed to a cell phone.
Once you’ve checked all of the above common errors and you’re still experiencing this issue, please contact our team at [email protected]. Please include your student’s name, student ID, and the name of the first choice magnet you wish to apply for.
Do I have to apply for three magnets?
No, you may select one, two, or three magnets. Be sure to choose in order of your preference. If you select more than one magnet, you may be offered a seat in your second or third choice selection if your first-choice magnet is full.
I live in a different county. Can I apply for an OCPS magnet?
Yes, you may apply. However, if you do not live in Orange County, Florida, you must provide to the school, by the registration deadline stated in the magnet seat offer email, official proof you are a resident of Orange County, Florida, or you must provide at the time of your registration at the school an approved Pending Move Transfer from the OCPS Office of Student Enrollment. For more information, please visit: Transfers - Orange County Public Schools
My child will be a junior in the fall. Can she apply for a magnet?
No, the high school magnet application is only open to students who will be entering 9th and 10th grade. Rising juniors and seniors would not have enough time in their class schedules to complete all of the magnet’s required coursework.
My child attends VPK at a magnet school. Can he automatically stay for the magnet once he enters kindergarten?
All OCPS elementary magnets begin at kindergarten. You will need to apply for a kindergarten magnet seat at http://schoolchoice.ocps.net.
Do students zoned for the school that has the magnet need to apply?
Yes, all students, including students who are zoned to attend the school that hosts the magnet, must apply for a magnet seat.
I tried to apply for a magnet seat, but I got interrupted for an hour. When I came back to the magnet application to finish it, why did the application take me back to the home page?
To protect student information, the magnet application times out if you do not complete it within 20 minutes. You will need to begin your application again at http://schoolchoice.ocps.net.
How do I know that my magnet application was submitted?
As soon as you click on SUBMIT, the magnet application automatically generates a confirmation page that lists your student’s name and next year grade, the magnets that you selected, and some important information that you should read. We suggest printing this page. The confirmation page is also automatically sent to the email address you entered into the application. Please be sure to check your junk/spam folder as some email providers mark auto-generated emails as spam.
How can I change the program choices on my child’s magnet application?
Please email [email protected]. Ask to have your magnet application canceled so that you may reapply. In your email, give the student’s name, ID number (if possible), and the name of the first-choice magnet that you currently have on your application. A magnet team member will cancel your application and then email you back that you are clear to reapply. This must be done via email; you cannot cancel your magnet application over the phone.
My child attends an OCPS school. Why was I emailed a request for report cards?
Parents/guardians of current OCPS 8th and 9th grade applicants, who were not enrolled in OCPS for the 2022-2023 and/or 2023-2024 school year, will need to scan and email final grade reports to [email protected]. Your application will not be complete without these final report cards. The magnet lottery looks for the student’s previous two years GPAs and ranks the applicants. 60% of a magnet’s seats are offered to the students with the highest GPAs. The remaining 40% of the seats are strictly lotteried for the applicants for that magnet.
I withdrew my child from the magnet last month, but now I’d like him to return to the magnet. Can I re-enroll him?
No, once a student is withdrawn from a magnet, he/she must return to their zoned school.