Book a free HSPT practice test
Know where your child stands before test day. After the practice test, an advisor explains how each section went and what needs work, and recommends a 1-on-1 tutoring plan: which section to start with and how to pace it up to the test date.
The HSPT (High School Placement Test) is the admission and placement test commonly used by Catholic high schools. It is written by Scholastic Testing Service (STS). According to the publisher, schools across the United States use it for admission, scholarship selection and course placement. Several of the main Catholic high schools in Orange County require incoming grade 9 students to take the HSPT. EDUBUS offers 1-on-1 HSPT tutoring in Irvine: the student first takes a free practice test, an advisor recommends a lesson plan from the results, and lessons then focus on the student’s weakest sections.
What this course addresses
Common situation 1
Unfamiliar with HSPT question types
The student has been preparing for the ISEE and has not seen the HSPT, so its question types and pace are new.
Common situation 2
Unclear on the test arrangements
Parents are not sure which day each school tests, whether the test can be taken elsewhere, or how scores are sent.
Common situation 3
Assuming it only affects admission
Families may not know that the score also sets grade 9 placement in English, math and science, and access to honors courses.
The tutoring starts by answering three questions: where the student stands now, when the target schools test and how they use the score, and how to plan practice over the remaining months.
What the test covers
Cognitive Skills
Verbal
Fixed question types at a fast pace; students need dedicated practice with the formats.
Quantitative
Reasoning about numbers and quantitative relationships; here too, familiarity with the formats matters most.
Basic Skills
Reading
Depends on everyday reading; short-term gains are limited, so start early.
Mathematics
The focus is accuracy in computation and the use of math concepts.
Language
Grammar, punctuation, spelling and word usage.
Optional
Science or Religion
Each school decides whether to add it.
The grouping of the five sections comes from the publisher, STS. Question counts and timing for each section follow the instructions given on test day and are not listed here. Mater Dei High School does not allow calculators in the testing room, so practice should follow the same rule.
Orange County Catholic high school test calendar
Each school sets its own test dates; there is no national test day. For fall 2027 entry (Class of 2031), the dates cluster around four Saturdays in January:
January 2027
February 2027
Dates checked in September 2026 against each school's website.
Mater Dei High School
HSPT- Test dates
- January 16 (Saturday), January 21 (Thursday), January 30 (Saturday)
- Registration
- Included in the $80 application fee
- Score use
- Admission, and placement in English, math and science
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
HSPT- Test dates
- January 16, January 20, January 30
- Registration
- Choose one sitting when applying
- Score use
- Priority admission is announced December 1; the HSPT is used for placement
JSerra Catholic High School
HSPT- Test dates
- January 9, February 6
- Testing elsewhere
- Allowed; the testing school sends the scores to JSerra
Servite High School
HSPT- Test dates
- January 23, February 6
- Registration
- The $65 application fee includes the HSPT
- Testing elsewhere
- Ask the testing school to send scores directly to Servite
Rosary Academy
HSPT- Test dates
- January 16 (with a make-up date on January 23)
- Registration
- Applicants are registered automatically for the January 16 test
- Scholarship
- Royal Merit Scholarship applicants must test at Rosary Academy
Two reminders. First, when applying to several Catholic high schools, confirm the first-choice school, take the test there, and then have the scores sent to the other schools. Second, students who need testing accommodations, such as extended time, must submit an evaluation report to the school in advance; Mater Dei High School requires it at least two weeks before the test.
How the scores are used
Admission
Mater Dei High School and other schools use the HSPT score as one basis for admission.
Placement
The score sets the starting class in grade 9 English, math and science, and high scorers can enter honors courses.
Scholarship
The Rosary Academy Royal Merit Scholarship requires students to take the HSPT at Rosary Academy.
For this reason the HSPT is worth preparing for seriously even after a student has been admitted early: it sets the starting point for four years of high school courses.
How preparation is arranged
HSPT tutoring is taught 1-on-1. Lesson times and pace are set after the assessment:
- 1
Free
Practice test
The student completes a practice test in the order of the real exam, which shows the level in each section.
- 2
After the assessment
Lesson plan
The advisor reviews each section with the parents and recommends a 1-on-1 tutoring plan: which section to start with and how to pace it up to the test date.
- 3
1-on-1 tutoring
Practice by section
Weak sections come first: reasoning questions depend on familiarity with the formats, reading and language on accumulation, and math on accuracy.
- 4
Before the test
Full practice test
Close to the test date, the student takes another full practice test to get used to the length and pace of the exam.
Students who are also applying to ISEE schools can prepare for both tests together. When both kinds of school are on the list, the same advisor coordinates the preparation order and the application timeline.
How to start
Start with a placement assessment. We use it to set the level and class, then confirm the year plan with the family. For schedules, tuition, and bundle offers, request the 2026-27 program guide through the form below.
Want to talk to a course advisor now?
Contact a course advisorFrequently Asked Questions
Do Irvine students applying to Catholic high schools have to take the HSPT?
Several of the main Catholic high schools in Orange County list the HSPT as an admission requirement for incoming grade 9 students, including Mater Dei High School, Santa Margarita Catholic High School, JSerra Catholic High School, Servite High School and Rosary Academy. Irvine students applying to these schools all need to schedule an HSPT sitting.
Can the HSPT be taken at a school other than the first choice?
Yes. Mater Dei High School, JSerra Catholic High School and Servite High School all state on their websites that students may take the HSPT at another school and have the testing school send the scores. Mater Dei High School recommends that students test at their first-choice school.
Does the HSPT score only decide admission?
No. Mater Dei High School uses HSPT scores for admission and for grade 9 placement in English, math and science, and high scorers can enter honors courses. Santa Margarita Catholic High School announces priority admission on December 1, before the January test, and uses the HSPT for placement and scheduling.
When should Irvine families start preparing for the HSPT?
School test dates fall between January and early February 2027, so the fall semester of grade 8 is the main preparation period. We recommend starting with a free practice test to see the gap in each section, then deciding whether structured preparation should begin in the summer or in the fall.
How should Irvine families choose between the HSPT and the ISEE?
It depends on the school list. Catholic high schools use the HSPT, while independent schools such as Sage Hill School accept the ISEE or the SSAT. Irvine families applying to both kinds of school need to schedule the two tests apart, and the order of preparation can be confirmed with an advisor at the placement assessment.
Sources8 sources · checked 2026-09-30
- ststesting.com/hsp/index.html
- ststesting.com/hspt/par_main.html
- ststesting.com/hspt/par_und.html
- materdei.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=70022&type=d&pREC_ID=107031&hideMenu=0
- smhs.org/admissions/class-of-2031
- jserra.org/admissions/admissions-process
- servitehs.org/admissions/class-of-2031
- rosaryacademy.org/admissions/hspt
