Most High School Applicants Obtain Desired Spot Under New Program

The Ministry of Public Education (SEP) reports that 97.4% of applicants in Mexico City’s metropolitan area secured a place in upper secondary education through the new Mi derecho, mi lugar system, which replaced the previous entrance exam model.

“This new approach guarantees that no student will be left without a place in high school,” says Mario Delgado, Minister of Public Education. He adds that the system was promoted by President Claudia Sheinbaum as part of her government’s effort to expand access to education.

The program marks a structural change by eliminating the single admission exam managed by the Metropolitan Commission of Public Institutions of Higher Secondary Education (COMIPEMS). Instead, students now register their preferred schools directly through the platform miderechomilugar.gob.mx. According to SEP, this reform led to a substantial increase in the number of students assigned to their first-choice institution. In 2025, 68.4% of students received their top option, compared to 26.2% the year before.

Data from the Deputy Ministry of Upper Secondary Education shows that 21.08% of students were placed in their second choice, while 7.89% were matched with their third. Only 2.53% and 0.06% ended up in their fourth and fifth options, respectively. Authorities argue this outcome demonstrates the system’s capacity to align students’ preferences with available educational opportunities, while also reducing demand pressures at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN).

By implementing Mi derecho, mi lugar, SEP aims to provide broader access to secondary education, diversify enrollment away from oversubscribed schools, and ensure that students have more freedom in selecting academic pathways. The ministry says that the reform is intended to expand opportunities and strengthen education as a guaranteed right.