Catholic High School Resources
Catholic High School Application Process
Many families are interested in continuing the Catholic education process for their child into their high school years. Recent St. Benedict Prep alums attend several top area Catholic high schools such as St. Ignatius, Loyola Academy, DePaul Prep, Fenwick High School, Resurrection College Prep, Regina Dominican High School, Notre Dame College Prep and St. Patrick High School, to name a few.
Some items for students and parents to consider when applying for area Catholic high schools:
One test day: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2021
Register for school of choice beginning NOVEMBER
Fee: $25 cash or check to school administering test (can pre-register on school site or walk-in on test day)
Test: High School Placement Test (HSPT)
Testing areas: verbal, quantitative, reading, math and language (English)
Each school has unique applications procedures.
Application process often discussed with parents on test day while your student is testing; can’t begin application process until test day.
The application process begins on test day.
Students may only apply or test for ONE school.
Acceptance letters for schools sent no later than February 1st.
Helpful links:
Catholic High School Brochure (available in Spanish and Polish)
Catholic High School Guide for Parents of 8th Graders (available in Spanish and Polish)
Factors that will help you discover which school matches your needs most:
Catholic High School Admission Timeline and Checklist (available in Spanish and Polish)
Visit the Archdiocese High School page, where you can search by geographic area.
Affording Catholic Education
Most Catholic high schools offer tuition assistance for median- and low-income families. Please contact the admissions office of the Catholic school of your choice for more information.
Through the “Invest in Kids Act,” Illinois children from median- and low-income households who want to attend private schools have access to scholarships: https://schools.archchicago.org/applying-for-a-tax-credit-scholarship
The “Catholic Effect”
Attributes of students who attend Catholic school past grade 10:
More bonded to the church and involved as adults
More supportive of equality for women, aware of social justice issues
More discerning in moral issues, likely to oppose abortion
More generous, responsive to the poor
More likely to consider a vocation
Brings kids closer to their faith during crucial adolescent years through prayer, mass, retreats, service and 4 years of theology
Private school students more likely to attain college degrees (Council for American Private Education, Feb. 2014)
Local Catholic High Schools
Catholic high schools are faith-based communities grounded in academic excellence. The Archdiocese of Chicago is blessed with 33 excellent Catholic high schools that nurture discipleship in our students, leading them to personal and collective transformation. The Archdiocese High School page allows you to search schools by geographic area.