Catholic High School Admissions · Nationwide

HSPT Prep: Dates, Format, Scoring and One on One Tutoring

The High School Placement Test is the entrance exam for most Catholic high schools in the country, and at many of them it also decides honors placement and merit scholarships. Here is how the HSPT works, when it is given in 2026-27 by region, and how ConnectPrep prepares students one on one, in Fairfield County, Westchester, New York City and Northern New Jersey homes and online everywhere.

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298Questions across five sections

About 2.5 hrsTesting time, close to 3 hours with breaks

200 to 800Standard score scale, 500 is average

FreeFull-length HSPT practice test with a personal report

In short: The HSPT is a 298-question, five-section multiple choice test that most Catholic high schools use for 9th grade admission, placement and merit scholarships. Students take it once, in person, in the fall or winter of 8th grade, on a date set by their diocese or by each school. In 2026-27 the main dates run from October 24 (Fairfield County, CT) through January 2027 (Washington, DC and the San Jose area). Catholic high schools in New York City, Long Island and Westchester use the TACHS instead.

Jeremy M. Fine, Founder, ConnectPrep
20+ years in test prep and admissions · Updated November 8, 2026

Find Your Region

HSPT Guides by State

Where the HSPT works differently from region to region, we break out the schools, dates and scholarship rules in a dedicated guide.

HSPT in Connecticut

The Diocese of Bridgeport testing cooperative in Fairfield County, plus Hartford-area schools that use the HSPT or their own exams.

Connecticut HSPT guide →

HSPT in New Jersey

The Newark and Paterson COOP program, now on the HSPT, the Diocese of Metuchen, and Central Jersey schools that test on campus.

New Jersey HSPT guide →

HSPT in New York

Regis, Xavier, Fordham Prep and Loyola scholarship exams, Rockland County and Buffalo, and how the HSPT fits with the TACHS.

New York HSPT guide →

HSPT vs TACHS

Side by side format, scoring and dates for families deciding between, or taking both, Catholic high school tests.

Compare the tests →

2026-27 Calendar

HSPT Test Dates by Region, 2026-27

These are the dates for students entering 9th grade in fall 2027, taken from each diocese or school’s official page. Individual schools often add their own sittings, so confirm with every school on your list.

Region	Who gives it	2026-27 dates	Good to know
Fairfield County, CT	Diocese of Bridgeport Testing Cooperative: Fairfield Prep, Notre Dame Prep, St. Joseph, Immaculate, Kolbe Cathedral, Cardinal Kung Academy	Sat, Oct 24 and Sat, Nov 7, 2026	Test at one co-op school and send scores to up to three others. Kolbe Cathedral adds monthly sittings December through May.
Northern New Jersey and Rockland County, NY	Cooperative Admissions (COOP) program, Archdiocese of Newark and Diocese of Paterson	Fri, Nov 6, 2026, makeup Sat, Nov 14	Score reports emailed to parents Jan 11, 2027; decisions Jan 15, 2027.
Central New Jersey	Diocese of Metuchen and Central Jersey schools	Immaculata: Nov 6, 7 or 14, 2026. Red Bank Catholic, St. John Vianney and Notre Dame (Lawrenceville): Nov 7, 2026	Notre Dame adds Jan 16, 2027 for Regular Decision.
New York City	Regis, Xavier, Fordham Prep, Loyola School	Regis: Nov 14. Xavier, Fordham Prep and Loyola: Nov 21. Loyola also Dec 12, 2026	Used for merit scholarships. Diocesan schools use the TACHS.
Buffalo, NY	Buffalo-area Catholic high schools	Sat, Nov 21, 2026	The Western New York common application registers students at their first-choice school.
Philadelphia	Archdiocese of Philadelphia high schools	Archdiocesan 8th graders test in their own classrooms the last week of September	Schools add their own sittings; Roman Catholic, for example, offers Nov 14 and Dec 12.
Baltimore	Archdiocese of Baltimore	Sat, Nov 14 and Sat, Nov 21, 2026 at listed sites; Nov 17 at archdiocesan elementary schools	Results arrive within about a month.
Washington, DC	Archdiocese of Washington	Sat, Dec 5 and Sat, Dec 12, 2026, and Sat, Jan 9, 2027; Dec 2 at archdiocesan schools	Registration closes about a week before each date or when sites fill.
Northern Virginia	Diocese of Arlington high schools	Sat, Nov 14 and Sat, Dec 5, 2026; Dec 3 at diocesan elementary schools	Given at Bishop Ireton, Bishop O’Connell, St. John Paul the Great and St. Paul VI.
Chicago	Every Catholic high school in the Archdiocese of Chicago	Sat, Dec 5, 2026	Students test at one school only. Registration opens Nov 13, 2026.
San Francisco Bay Area	St. Ignatius; Mitty, Bellarmine and St. Francis	St. Ignatius: Dec 5, 2026. Mitty, Bellarmine and St. Francis: Jan 9 and Jan 23, 2027 at Mitty	Several other Bay Area Catholic schools set their own dates.

The Test

What the HSPT Covers

The HSPT is a five-part multiple choice test with 298 questions. Verbal Skills and Quantitative Skills measure reasoning ability, while Reading, Mathematics and Language measure achievement.

Section	Questions	Time	What it tests
Verbal Skills	60	16 to 18 min	Analogies, synonyms, antonyms, verbal logic and verbal classification
Quantitative Skills	52	30 min	Number series, geometric and non-geometric comparisons, number manipulation
Reading	62	25 min	Passage comprehension and vocabulary in context
Mathematics	64	45 min	Math concepts and problem solving through pre-algebra and early algebra and geometry
Language	60	25 min	Punctuation, capitalization, usage, spelling and composition

The pace is the real challenge. Verbal Skills asks for 60 answers in roughly 16 to 18 minutes, and Reading allows about 24 seconds per question. Students who know the material still lose points when they have never practiced at test speed.

How HSPT scoring works

Each section receives a standard score from 200 to 800, with 500 as the average. Reports also show national percentiles, local percentiles that compare a student with others tested in the same area, and a Cognitive Skills Quotient built from the Verbal and Quantitative sections, where 100 is average. Schools use these numbers for admission, for honors and course placement, and in many cases for merit scholarships.

HSPT, TACHS, ISEE or SSAT

Most Catholic high schools use the HSPT. Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of New York, Brooklyn and Queens, and Long Island use the TACHS. Independent day and boarding schools use the ISEE or SSAT, compared in our SSAT vs ISEE guide. Some Catholic schools accept more than one test, but merit scholarships often still require the HSPT.

How We Prepare Students

ConnectPrep HSPT Prep

ConnectPrep teaches students to simplify and deconstruct the test. Every HSPT question type follows a pattern, and once a student can see the pattern, speed and accuracy follow.

Free Full-Length Diagnostic

All five sections and all 298 questions, taken online. Jeremy Fine personally reviews the results and sends a customized report with section targets and a plan.

Request the free HSPT test →

Section by Section Strategy

Verbal and Quantitative reward pattern recognition more than prior knowledge, so these are often the fastest sections to raise. Each plan is built around the biggest gains.

Explore free assessments →

Timed Practice That Builds Pace

Timed section drills and full-length practice under real conditions, so the HSPT’s pace feels routine by test day.

See all 2026-27 test dates →

Admissions Beyond the Test

School lists, applications, essays, interviews and merit scholarship strategy for Catholic and independent high schools.

Private and prep school exams →

Sessions are one on one, in the home for many families in Fairfield County, Westchester, New York City and Northern New Jersey, and online anywhere in the country.

Planning Ahead

HSPT Timeline for Current 7th Graders

Spring of 7th grade: take a full-length HSPT diagnostic and build a school list. Some schools, such as Notre Dame Prep and Immaculate in Connecticut, host a pre-HSPT for 7th graders.
Summer before 8th grade: start steady prep, two or three focused sessions a week.
September of 8th grade: confirm which test each school requires and register for your diocese or school sitting.
Late October into December: test day in most regions, with a few areas testing in January.
January to March: score reports, admission decisions and scholarship offers.

FAQ

HSPT: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the HSPT?

The High School Placement Test (HSPT), published by Scholastic Testing Service, is the entrance exam most Catholic high schools in the United States use for 9th grade admission, placement and merit scholarships. Students take it in the fall or winter of 8th grade.

How many questions are on the HSPT and how long is it?

The HSPT has 298 multiple choice questions in five sections: Verbal Skills (60), Quantitative Skills (52), Reading (62), Mathematics (64) and Language (60). Testing time is about two and a half hours, and the full session runs close to three hours with breaks and instructions.

How is the HSPT scored?

When is the HSPT in 2026-27?

It depends on the region. The Diocese of Bridgeport cooperative tested on October 24 and November 7, 2026, the New Jersey COOP program on November 6, Baltimore on November 14 and 21, Chicago on December 5, and the Archdiocese of Washington on December 5 and 12, 2026 and January 9, 2027. Many schools also set their own dates, so check each school on your list.

Can my child take the HSPT more than once?

Usually not in the same admissions cycle. Programs such as the Chicago archdiocesan test have students sit for the HSPT at only one school, and schools such as Immaculate High School in Danbury state that the test may only be taken once. A few schools offer make-up or in-house sittings, so ask each school before planning a second attempt.

What is the difference between the HSPT and the TACHS?

Both are Catholic high school entrance exams. The TACHS is used by Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of New York, Brooklyn and Queens, and Long Island and is taken online at home. The HSPT is used by most other Catholic high schools and is taken in person. Our HSPT vs TACHS guide compares them in detail.

Do Catholic high schools accept the SSAT or ISEE instead?

Some do. Fairfield Prep accepts the SSAT or ISEE, Loyola School in Manhattan accepts the ISEE, SSAT or HSPT, Xavier High School in Manhattan accepts the TACHS, HSPT, SSAT or ISEE, and Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville accepts the SSAT for Regular Decision. Merit scholarships at many of these schools still require the HSPT.

Is the HSPT used for scholarships?

Often, yes. Regis High School uses the HSPT as its scholarship exam, Fordham Prep considers only HSPT takers for merit scholarships, St. Joseph High School in Trumbull awards merit aid for a composite score of 90 percent or higher on its entrance exam, and Lauralton Hall requires the HSPT for merit scholarship consideration.

How should my child prepare for the HSPT?

Start with a full-length, timed diagnostic to see which of the five sections has the most room to grow, then practice each question type until the patterns feel familiar. Pacing matters as much as content, since Verbal Skills asks for 60 answers in roughly 16 to 18 minutes. Two to four months of steady prep in the spring or summer after 7th grade works well for most students.

Does ConnectPrep offer a free HSPT practice test?

Yes. ConnectPrep offers a free full-length HSPT practice test with all five sections and all 298 questions. Jeremy Fine personally reviews each student’s results and sends a customized report with section targets and a plan.

Find Out Where Your Child Stands on the HSPT.

Request ConnectPrep’s free full-length HSPT practice test, or book a free consultation with founder Jeremy Fine to map out a plan for your schools.

Take the Free HSPT Practice Test →Book a Free Consultation

info@connectprep.com · Serving families nationwide in person and online

Sources

This is a ConnectPrep page. Test dates and school policies were checked against each school or program’s official site in November 2026. Policies change, so confirm with each school before registering.

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