St. Mary's Ryken High School - A Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School
Admissions
Leading the Way

THE HIGH SCHOOL PLACEMENT TEST

St. Mary's Ryken uses the High School Placement Test (HSPT) for admission and placement purposes. The HSPT evaluates verbal, qualitative, reading, mathematics and language skills. It is a 3 hour standardized exam administered to all students applying for admission to a Catholic high school within the Archdiocese of Washington.

Students enrolled in Catholic elementary schools will take the exam at their school. St. Mary's Ryken will administer the exam for non-Catholic school students on Saturday, April 12th. The test will begin at 9:00 a.m. Check in begins at 8:30 a.m. in Rupert Hall.

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Preparing for the HSPT


The following books were recommended by Catholic elementary school teachers and principals who are busy preparing their students for the test:

  • ARCO/Thomson Peterson’s: Master the Catholic High School Entrance Exams 2006 (Eleventh Editon)
  • Learning Express: The Complete Preparation Guide to Catholic High School Entrance Exams (Third Edition)

Both of these books offer practice tests and very good explanations for choosing the correct answers. The classroom teachers looked through the practice books to understand the level of vocabulary required for success, the questioning techniques, and the format of the test. This understanding was helpful when designing their classroom assessments. The teachers attempted to incorporate into their lessons questions that required the students to make analogies, use reasoning and logic skills, pay attention to the directions and understand a process.

Frequently Asked Questions


  • Why have most Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Washington adopted the HSPT?
  • The HSPT was selected by a committee of high school principals, elementary principals and high school admissions directors to provide the best standardized assessment possible for the high school admissions process. Experience in other Catholic dioceses indicates that the HSPT provides parents, elementary principals and high school admissions staff with an accurate assessment of students' performance in relation to their peers regionally and nationally. The HSPT, as one factor, will complement other considerations in reviewing applicants.
  • How can we help students prepare for the HSPT?
  • The best way for parents and teachers to help our children prepare for the HSPT is to have them become familiar with the test itself. To this end, the testing company has made HSPT preparation information and practice tests available for all interested Catholic school and non-Catholic school students. Students may find one or more of the guides listed on page 8 helpful however. Content "cramming" is not advised, as the nature of the test does not lend itself to this kind of preparation. Our Catholic school students are well prepared for high school, and the best strategy is to encourage them to become familiar with the test sections and the kind of questions they will be expected to address. Last, encourage them to be rested and calm when they take the test.
  • If students are anxious about taking the test, or aren't taking the test seriously enough, how can I best help them?
  • For the serious student, a good method for allaying test anxiety is through familiarization with the HSPT. This can be achieved by having students take and review the practice questions well in advance of the testing date. Parents and teachers are in a particularly influential position to have students remain calm and serious as they approach the test.
  • How much importance do Catholic high schools place on HSPT scores when considering an applicant for admission?
  • Most Catholic high schools use the HSPT as one of several important indicators for admission. Other factors include a student's academic track record, teacher recommendations, community service, and other extracurricular activities. Parents and school staff are encouraged to communicate directly with the high school admissions staff to determine the relative weight of all admissions factors, as well as to better understand the process.
  • Can a student take the HSPT more than once?
  • Students may only take the HSPT once.
  • Can parents get a copy of their child's scores before the last HSPT?
  • It is not possible to obtain a copy of the HSPT scores before that time. All parents of students taking the HSPT in December will receive copies of their child's HSPT scores in early February. Scores will not be released until all Archdiocesan testing is completed and scores are readily available. Catholic schools are not permitted to release students' scores.