Backdrop image for movie If You Can Make It Here

If You Can Make It Here (2026)

Kingsley, Kevin, and Hailey are three ambitious eighth graders preparing for a single exam that could determine their futures. They’re competing for admission to New York City’s Specialized High Schools, elite public institutions that have produced Nobel Prize laureates, astronauts, judges, artists, and national leaders. But as the kids await their test results, a citywide battle is raging over who should attend these schools—the kids who score highest on the entrance exam or the kids who improve diversity. Featuring interviews with kids, parents, and education leaders, If You Can Make It Here places young students at the center of a high-stakes cultural conflict over the future of equity and excellence in public education.

  • Documentary

Top billed cast

  • Photo of Wai Wah ChinWai Wah ChinSelf
  • Photo of Michael BenjaminMichael BenjaminSelf
  • Photo of Freddie DeBoerFreddie DeBoerSelf
  • Photo of John McWhorterJohn McWhorterSelf
  • Photo of Lisa GreenwaldLisa GreenwaldSelf
  • Photo of Yiatin ChuYiatin ChuSelf
  • Photo of Jon RobertsJon RobertsSelf
  • Photo of Kingsley HuangKingsley HuangSelf
  • Photo of Hailey YapHailey YapSelf
  • Photo of Kevin WilliamsKevin WilliamsSelf

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