Catholic High Schools Hold Entrance Exam

CHICAGO, IL -- This Saturday, Dec. 1, thousands of eighth-grade boys and girls will be rolling out of bed and rubbing the salt from their eyes for the time-honored tradition taking Catholic high school entrance exam. The test takes place at 8 a.m. and lasts around three hours.

The date of the test was changed a few years ago from the second Saturday in January to the first Saturday in December to allow families more time to organize financial aid and applying for scholarships.

Young men and young women will take the High School Placement Test, which is offered by the Scholastic Testing Service program. The 300-question multiple choice exam tests students in verbal skills, math, quantitative skills, language, and reading. The HSPT offers a free guide.

A majority of the students who take the entrance exam at Chicago-area Catholic schools are accepted. The “entrance” exam serves more as a placement exam, to check the skill levels of incoming students. Most Catholic high schools offer programs for students who score in the lower percentile on the entrance exam or have holes in their academic backgrounds.

Tuition at private Catholic high schools can be pricey, so parents must commit to joining mothers' and fathers' clubs to help raise funds and volunteering at their children's school. In turn, families benefit from the close community of a Catholic high school fostering friendships that last a lifetime.

In addition to offering a rigorous, challenging curriculum, Catholic high schools offer smaller class sizes, allowing faculty to know students' individual learning styles. An investment in a high school Catholic education could lead to lower college costs in four years. More than 98 percent of graduates move on to college. Graduating classes at Catholic high schools often collectively are awarded millions of dollars in college scholarships; students who do receive college scholarships earn an average of $109,000.

Many area Catholic high schools have been enticing students with shadow days, where eighth-graders get to experience what a day at the school will be like by shadowing an older student. Others are offering ice-breaking events or sports clinics.

Catholic high schools also recommend that students test at their school of preference, so they get first crack at financial aid and scholarship opportunities. Students may opt to transfer their entrance exam score to another school, but they may have to wait until the other students ahead of them are accepted.

The entrance exam fee to test at a Catholic high school is $25. Students are also asked to bring two No. 2 pencils. Calculators are not permitted. Registration is optional, but parents and students are strongly encouraged to preregister for the entrance exam. Walk-ups the day of the test will be accepted. Parents and students should check the website or call the admissions office at their school of preference to determine if there are other special requirements, or the student has special needs.

Here is a list of South Side and south suburban Catholic high schools offering the entrance exam. The test starts at 8 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 1. Students should plan to arrive early between 7:30 and 7:45 a.m. Dismissal times vary; the test takes about 3.5 hours.

St. Rita of Cascia High School

7740 South Western Ave., Chicago
St. Rita of Cascia is a boys’ Catholic high school in the Augustinian tradition. Enter through the McCarthy Center doors, from the back (west) parking lot. Call the admissions office at 773-925-7482 if your student has an accommodation plan to receive additional testing time.

Brother Rice High School

10001 S. Pulaski Road, Chicago
Brother Rice High School offers a modern curriculum for young men, including a three-year aerospace engineering course through Project Lead the Way, information technology essentials, STEM courses, dual/AP credit classes and more. Register online for the entrance exam, or request more information.

Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School

3737 W. 99th St., Chicago
Enter through the Circle Drive or Athletic Center Entrance.

Mother McAuley is a girls Catholic high school in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy and their foundress, Catherine McAuley. Parents of students who have diagnosed learning disabilities or ADD/ADHD are encouraged to contact Julianne Alvarado, Learning Resource Program Coordinator at 773-298- 8808 or jalvarado@mothermcauley.org before the test date to discuss their daughter's academic needs and any accommodations she has been receiving at her elementary school. For more information, contact the admissions office at 773-881-6534. Register for the exam online.

Marist High School

4200 W. 115th St., Chicago

Marist High School is a co-ed Catholic high school. Enter through the gym doors located on east end of the school. To be considered a candidate for 2018-2019 admission, prospective students must test at Marist. On Nov. 30, the high school will host a "Meet Marist" event from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., beginning with a presentation in the chapel and interactive tour of the campus. Prospective families can enjoy a personal and informative evening with faculty, coaches, students and administrators. Online registration is available now on the school website. For more information, contact Alex Brown, director of admissions, at 773-881-5330.

St. Laurence High School

5556 W 77th St., Burbank

St. Laurence High School is a co-ed Catholic high school in Burbank. Among recent notable achievements, St. Laurence became the first school in Illinois to receive AdvancED's STEM certification, recognizing the school for training students as innovative, creative and systematic problem solvers across multiple disciplines. The new STEM curriculum has contributed to increased ACT scores and the highest number of Illinois State Scholars in years. St. Laurence receives 100-percent participation in extracurricular activities from its students. Students also receive added value through career explorer programs in medicine, entrepreneurship and computer engineering, a free 10-week ACT prep course and dual enrollment opportunities.
Online preregistration is available now on the school website. For more information, please visit St. Laurence's website or call Joe Spano, director of admissions, at 708-458-6900 ext. 241. St. Laurence High School is located at 5556 West 77th Street, Burbank.

Mount Carmel High School

6410 S Dante Ave, Chicago
With an enrollment of approximately 620 young men, Mount Carmel High School will work to provide experiences that will strengthen the student’s confidence and ability to contribute his talents to the world. Mount Carmel athletic teams have won 23 state championship titles. The average class size is 24 and 70 percent of students who take the AP exams qualify for college credit. Find out more information about admissions and register to take the entrance exam.

Marian Catholic High School

6410 S. Dante Avenue, Chicago

Marian is a Catholic, college-preparatory, co-educational high school in the Dominican tradition. Twice recognized as a Blue Ribbon School and named by the U.S. News & World Report as among the top schools in the country, Marian Catholic High School claims to be the leader of all schools in the Southland, public and private, in every academic assessment - ACT, Advanced Placement, PSAT, PLAN. Marian Catholic High School produces over 100 AP Scholars per year. The school boasts 17 band AA national championships, and athletic teams have made over 40 appearances in state final four championships. Find out more information about admissions and register to take the entrance exam.

Providence Catholic High School

1800 W Lincoln Hwy, New Lenox
Enter at the Leadership Center located off Joe Orr Road

Providence Catholic is a co-ed high school in the Augustinian tradition. Students are provided with a four-year college preparatory program, emphasizing a fundamental understanding of the basic skills and disciplines in the liberal arts. The Providence Catholic curriculum emphasizes excellence in theology, language arts, social science, mathematics, world language, the sciences, the arts, computer education, physical education and business education. Graduates are expected to demonstrate mastery of many skills and disciplines. Visit the school’s website for more information about admissions and to register for the entrance exam.