The information below is for students applying to these high schools, all of which use the High School Placement Test (HSPT) in their admissions process:

The Academy of the Holy Cross
Archbishop Carroll High School
Bishop McNamara High School
Elizabeth Seton High School
Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School
DeMatha Catholic High School
Gonzaga College High School
Our Lady of Good Counsel High School
St. John’s College High School
St. Mary’s Ryken High School
St. Vincent Pallotti High School

Seven other schools in the Archdiocese of Washington – Connelly School of the Holy Child, Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School, Georgetown Preparatory School, The Heights School, St. Ann’s High School of St. Ann’s Infant and Maternity Home, St. Anselm’s Abbey School and Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart – have separate admissions procedures and should be contacted directly.

Criteria for Admissions
Students must complete a high school’s own application form. Grades, test scores, teacher recommendations and, in some cases, an interview are used in considering applications.

The HSPT is required for admissions for most of the Catholic high schools in the archdiocese. Information on this test follows.

All Students
On the HSPT answer sheet, students choose up to two Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Washington to receive their test scores. Only two schools may be listed. Additionally, students may request that the score report be sent to one additional school in either the Diocese of Arlington or the Archdiocese of Baltimore. NOTE: Any student indicating a third choice school in the Archdiocese of Baltimore or Diocese of Arlington must pay an additional nominal processing fee, as indicated on the HSPT Registration Form.

Test results are sent only to the school(s) filled in on the student’s HSPT answer sheet and will be mailed to parents and guardians in February 2010.

Students Attending a Catholic Elementary School in the Archdiocese of Washington

Principals in Archdiocese of Washington schools give 8th grade students a High School Placement Test (HSPT) Registration Form in the fall. Students return the completed form, along with a minimal processing fee, to their 8th grade teachers by October 16, 2009. Principals also give 8th grade students a High School Choice and Authorization to Release Records Form. Parents must: Indicate two schools on the form to which their child intends to apply for admission in fall 2010. Sign the form authorizing the elementary school to release their child’s records to the two schools. Return the form to the child’s 8th grade teacher by Tuesday, November 24, 2009. Students take the HSPT, the official entrance test published by Scholastic Testing Service, Inc., at their schools on Wednesday, December 2, 2009.

Students Not Enrolled in a Catholic Elementary School in the Archdiocese of Washington

Students not enrolled in a Catholic school in the Archdiocese of Washington may register for the High School Placement Test (HSPT) online or obtain a form from any Catholic high school in the archdiocese. Online Registration: Online registration, including payment, closes the Sunday prior to each test date. Please note that registration can fill up early. Please print the confirmation page that admits the student to the testing site. Mail-in Registration: Mail-in registration must be received by Friday, November 20, 2009 for the December 5, 2009 testing date; Friday, December 4, 2009 for the December 12, 2009 testing date; and Friday, January 1, 2010 for the January 9, 2010 testing date. The completed form and payment must be sent to the Archdiocese of Washington, Catholic Schools Office-HSPT, PO Box 29260, Washington, DC 20017-0260. The Catholic Schools Office will send confirmation to admit the student to the testing site. Admissions Test Dates The admissions test is 9:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., and is offered on two dates at the sites noted: Saturday, December 5, 2009 Archbishop Carroll, DeMatha, Georgetown Visitation, Gonzaga, Our Lady of Good Counsel Saturday, December 12, 2009 Bishop McNamara, Elizabeth Seton, St. John's, St. Mary's Ryken Saturday, January 9, 2010 Archbishop Carroll, Bishop McNamara, Holy Cross

All students must be pre-registered to take the HSPT. No walk-ins are permitted.

To reschedule a missed HSPT date due to illness, call 301-853-5304 no later than five days before the next test date. Make-ups are not possible after the last scheduled testing date.

Accomodations for Students with Special Needs
Not all testing sites will offer regular and accommodated testing conditions. Students with identified special needs requiring testing accommodations should register to take the test at either Archbishop Carroll (December 5) or Bishop McNamara (December 12). All three sites on January 9 will accommodate students with special needs.

Parents/guardians must submit appropriate documentation of requested accommodations with the HSPT Registration Form. Those who do not include documentation with this form may not be provided testing accommodations. During the admissions/enrollment process, parents should provide the high school(s) with similar information regarding their child’s specific educational needs to ensure accurate placement.

For further information about testing accommodations, please contact the Director of Special Education at 301-853-4569.

Notice of Acceptance
High schools mail acceptance letters to students on or after February 25, 2010, as well as information to complete registration for September 2010.

Notice of Non-Discriminatory Policy
Catholic schools admit students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. They do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of their educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs and athletic and other school-administered programs. To the extent required by Title IX, they do not discriminate against any applicant, employee or student because of sex.

Tuition Assistance
Each high school and the Archdiocese of Washington offer a variety of tuition assistance and scholarship programs. Applying for tuition aid has no bearing on whether a student is admitted to a school. Tuition aid application deadlines are as early as December so families will know their tuition aid grants when they receive their notification letters from high schools in the spring.

Archdiocesan Tuition Assistance for 2010-2011
Applications for tuition assistance from the archdiocese may be obtained in mid-October from any Catholic elementary or high school in the archdiocese or are available online. The deadline to apply for tuition aid for fall 2010 is December 4, 2009.

All tuition assistance obtained through the archdiocese is based on financial need. Tuition assistance from the archdiocese is open only to students currently enrolled in or applying to Catholic schools located in the archdiocese, which includes Washington, D.C., and five Maryland counties (Montgomery, Prince George's, Charles, Calvert and St. Mary's). If you have questions about archdiocesan tuition assistance, please contact 301-853-5356 or check online information.

Individual High Schools
For information on other sources of tuition assistance, please contact the Catholic High School(s) to which you are applying or the following organizations:

Capital Partners for Education
Black Student Fund
Latino Student Fund
Washington Scholarship Fund

Questions?
If you have questions about the admissions process, please call the Catholic Schools Office at 301-853-5304.