Two students practice assisting a patient with limited mobility

HPS eighth graders can soon apply for admission to Holyoke High School’s Dean Tech campus for the 2025-26 school year. Applications will be accepted from January 9 through February 7. Admissions decisions will be announced on or about March 3.

Dean offers nine Career Technical Education (CTE) programs, and each has room for 12-20 students. Dean’s Chapter 74 programs are all state-approved, so students can be sure they are receiving a sound, well-rounded education that meets state-learning standards.

Families of students interested in applying for admission to Dean can begin the application process here. If you need assistance, please call (413) 534-2071. 

The admissions criteria are simple, with four categories each counting for 25 points:

  • Scholastic achievement

  • Attendance

  • Counselor recommendation

  • Student interview

Since each category carries the same weight, students who have made a few mistakes, struggled with their academics, or experienced challenges that affected their attendance can still be considered for admission to Dean.

This year marks the second year of the admissions lottery system at Dean Tech, implemented to ensure a fair and equitable admissions process given the high demand and limited shop capacity. Students who meet the admissions criteria for grades, attendance, discipline, recommendations, and interview will be assigned lottery tickets based on their overall application score, with higher scoring applications receiving more lottery entries:

  • Students in Tier 1 with application scores of 80-100 will receive three lottery entries.

  • Students in Tier 2 with application scores of 65-79 will receive two lottery entries

  • Students in Tier with application scores below 65 will receive one lottery entry.