HSPT Test Preparation

HSPT Test Overview for Admission to Catholic High Schools

The HSPT or High School Placement Test is one of the two most commonly conducted Catholic high school entrance exams in the US. It is an exam your child must take as part of the application process for admission to a high school. Students currently enrolled in the eighth and ninth grades can take the HSPT test for admission into independent high schools. Students who may seek additional study help can approach private online HSPT tutors for preparations.

Many Catholic high schools in the DC region use the HSPT as part of the admissions procedure. The test is conducted either the final week of November or the first week of December. Retakes are not allowed. The test is usually a way to decide on candidates, advanced class placement for students who clear the exams, and scholarship awards. The five-part exam consists of 298 multiple-choice questions, and it takes 2 hours and 30 minutes to complete the exam. The five different parts of the test are Verbal; Quantitative; Reading; Mathematics; and Language Skills. The 3 optional sections that schools can include as a part of the test: Mechanical Aptitude; Science; or Catholic Religion. However, many schools do not add these optional sections.

The five parts of the test and the distribution of questions and timing

Topics Included in the Five Different Sections

• The Verbal Skills tests include synonyms, antonyms, analogies, logic, and verbal classifications.
• The Quantitative Skills and Mathematics sections include questions on testing arithmetic, basic geometry and algebra, series, geometric comparisons, and non-geometric comparisons.
• The reading section includes a series of short passages and reading comprehension questions,
• The Language Skills includes capitalization, punctuation, usage, spelling, and composition.

The questions are all multiple-choice. There are 3 or 4 options. Each question is worth one point, with no penalty for wrong answers. Students' raw scores are converted to a scoring scale, which starts at 200 and goes to 800. The school uses these scores to decide admissions, academic placement, and scholarships.

Does Your Child Need to Take the HSPT?

If your child wants to go to a Catholic high school in the DC area, he or she probably needs to take this test. However, you need to find out what ‌your school preference is because all schools do not accept HSPT test scores. In that case, you might require a different admissions test. Therefore, always check with the school to make sure which test is required.

The HSPT is a very tough school entrance test for admission into Catholic high schools. So, you will need to study sincerely in order to succeed. If need be you can enroll your child in HSPT tutoring classes for guidance from trained and professional HSPT private tutors.

How Can CrunchGrade Help Your Child Clear the HSPT Exam?

At CrunchGrade, you will find full-length HSPT Practice Tests ideally designed for 8th-grade students. Our HSPT tutors will provide you with guidance for each section. The preparation tests tell you where to begin your review, so you can make a study plan based on the results. The test papers help you focus and improve your test speed.

At CrunchGrade, you can test your skills by working through our HSPT Practice Tests. Whether you are looking forward to improving your math skills, verbal skills, quantitative skills, or language skills, our qualified tutors will help you hone your skills by guiding you on how to answer each individual problem.