Eighth-graders (and some 9th-graders) across the city learned this week whether they were offered seats at the city's specialized high schools, including the eight schools for which students take the Specialized High School Admissions Test, and LaGuardia High School which requires auditions and a review of a student's academic record. Nearly 6000 8th-graders -- 5,898 -- received an offer. (No word yet on how many 9th-graders got offers.) Close to 2000 9th graders -- 1,964 --took the exam and 174 received an offer.

Of 27,000 applicants citywide for the exam schools, 5,261 were offered seats. Last year 5,246 got offers. At LaGuardia 1,000 kids got one or more offers as applicants often do multiple auditions. Of those 1,000 students, 363 also got accepted by one of the exam schools. Thirty 9th-graders received 36 offers to programs in LaGuardia. Of those, two students who received an offer to LaGuardia also received an offer to a specialized testing school.

<!--[if !supportLists]--> Students who made the cut also learned about their high school placements to non-specialized high schools. But, the vast majority of students who participated in the specialized high school process -- nearly 21,000 -- will have to wait for March 24th, when all applicants will receive their results.

Students with offers in hand have until Feb. 23 to decide which one to accept. Feb. 23 is also the deadline for students to submit a new application to apply to one of the 16 new high schools opening next fall. Families may learn about more about those at afair this weekend.

Watch The InsideSCOOP for updates on the high school admissions process; we'll add information as we get it. Let us know how things unfolded at your school. Share your information in comments below.

UPDATE: The lowest score for which an offer was made was 470 for the eighth grade and 480 for the ninth grade.