How important is HSPT at Gonzaga?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gonzaga takes

Alumni kids 1st
Athletes
Catholic school kids from each and every 52 lower schools
Others who are outstanding who would beat out the other 3 in any other place and even some of those kids won’t get in

It’s not about being the best it’s about who you know, being and athlete or being positioned well from a Catholic school,

How do parents have this insider information?

They don't. This PP is making an educated guess, at best. I personally think they're close but not quite right and that it's more complicated. For example, I think there's a hierarchy for admissions for Catholics from Catholic K-8 feeder schools, Catholics from other Catholics k-8s, catholic who don't attend Catholic school and then non Catholics who attend Catholic k-8s. But I'm guessing, too. I also think there's some preference for diversity mixed in somewhere. I very much agree with their last line, though

I agree with this. Also, if you are at a K8 and there are significant numbers of legacy boys in your class, it might be a tougher admit than in another year.

I will also say that the waitlist moves. It's a big class, and there are a lot of boys who will choose to go elsewhere, especially Prep. If you are one of those otherwise qualified boys, there may be a spot for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I think you are compared to your cohort - same as college applications. DS had good grades and a 89% but was initially WL. There were a lot of legacy, athletic boys from his school, all with similar and likely higher scores applying at the same time. It is not an easy admission for anyone.
Good luck to your son.


Was your son coming from a parish school and after getting off waitlist, did he eventually attend Gonzaga?

Yes, from a Catholic K-8. And yea, did end up at Gonzaga.

[Anonymous]

Do ‘B’s’ translate to bad grades as it relates to DMV Catholic schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do ‘B’s’ translate to bad grades as it relates to DMV Catholic schools?

I would say Bs are not "bad", but, a lot of factors come into play for admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gonzaga takes

Alumni kids 1st
Athletes
Catholic school kids from each and every 52 lower schools
Others who are outstanding who would beat out the other 3 in any other place and even some of those kids won’t get in

It’s not about being the best it’s about who you know, being and athlete or being positioned well from a Catholic school,

How do parents have this insider information?

They don't. This PP is making an educated guess, at best. I personally think they're close but not quite right and that it's more complicated. For example, I think there's a hierarchy for admissions for Catholics from Catholic K-8 feeder schools, Catholics from other Catholics k-8s, catholic who don't attend Catholic school and then non Catholics who attend Catholic k-8s. But I'm guessing, too. I also think there's some preference for diversity mixed in somewhere. I very much agree with their last line, though

I agree with this. Also, if you are at a K8 and there are significant numbers of legacy boys in your class, it might be a tougher admit than in another year.

I will also say that the waitlist moves. It's a big class, and there are a lot of boys who will choose to go elsewhere, especially Prep. If you are one of those otherwise qualified boys, there may be a spot for you.

Year-to-year admissions change. Catholic K-8 kids are also competing with alumni coming from public schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gonzaga takes

Alumni kids 1st
Athletes
Catholic school kids from each and every 52 lower schools
Others who are outstanding who would beat out the other 3 in any other place and even some of those kids won’t get in

It’s not about being the best it’s about who you know, being and athlete or being positioned well from a Catholic school,

How do parents have this insider information?

They don't. This PP is making an educated guess, at best. I personally think they're close but not quite right and that it's more complicated. For example, I think there's a hierarchy for admissions for Catholics from Catholic K-8 feeder schools, Catholics from other Catholics k-8s, catholic who don't attend Catholic school and then non Catholics who attend Catholic k-8s. But I'm guessing, too. I also think there's some preference for diversity mixed in somewhere. I very much agree with their last line, though

I agree with this. Also, if you are at a K8 and there are significant numbers of legacy boys in your class, it might be a tougher admit than in another year.

I will also say that the waitlist moves. It's a big class, and there are a lot of boys who will choose to go elsewhere, especially Prep. If you are one of those otherwise qualified boys, there may be a spot for you.

Year-to-year admissions change. Catholic K-8 kids are also competing with alumni coming from public schools.

Yes. But the ones coming from Catholic schools check more boxes that the school cares about. So these applicants are advantaged in the process. The phrase, "the parents have a long history of commitment to Catholic education" is heard frequently and has weight.

Maintaining the relationships with Catholic K-8's based on their supplying a steady, predictable stream of quality applicants is important to Gonzaga.

And because the schools have long-standing, symbiotic and even personal relationships with one another, Gonzaga can trust the formal and informal recommendations of the Catholic K8's on boys. Those coming from public schools are more of a "pig in a poke sack" for the school.

[Anonymous]

Your kid may get in.
My son got in. We are not catholic and my kid was coming from public school. Dad did not attend Gonzaga either. Grades were mixed but strong HSPT. Sort of opposite of your kid I guess. Put a lot of effort into his essay which I imagine helped him. Reasonable athlete but nothing special by Gonzaga standards. I think they like admitting some non-catholic public school kids to enhance the variety

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We didn’t do well and this hspt score is our one hole in our application. Son has Great grades, Strong teacher recommendations, good essay, but low hspt. Do we have a chance or is it you must have every category to get in? Not coming from a Catholic school either.

This is going to be an interesting year. We’ve spoken to many MOCO parents who are uncomfortable with the crime situation in DC and in the Capitol Hill area specifically. At least in our circle it sounds like GC, Prep, and SJC may see a higher acceptance rate in part because of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kid may get in.
My son got in. We are not catholic and my kid was coming from public school. Dad did not attend Gonzaga either. Grades were mixed but strong HSPT. Sort of opposite of your kid I guess. Put a lot of effort into his essay which I imagine helped him. Reasonable athlete but nothing special by Gonzaga standards. I think they like admitting some non-catholic public school kids to enhance the variety

You don't understand the Catholic Church, the Catholic schools or Catholics. Your son got in, but it was likely due to other factors. Religious diversity is not one of their objectives. A little doesn't hurt, but too much is a problem.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone think diversity - both socioeconomic and race - come into play for these Catholic high schools? Maybe not so much for schools that would be considered diverse already like the Catholic high schools in Pg county but for others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone think diversity - both socioeconomic and race - come into play for these Catholic high schools? Maybe not so much for schools that would be considered diverse already like the Catholic high schools in Pg county but for others.

The diversity they are interested in is very much limited to African Americans across a socioeconomic range. Given the location of the school, a commitment to the City / neighborhood, the mission of the Jesuit Academy and the bent of the Jesuits, the school is going to make a significant effort to enroll AAs.

There’s no interest in “Diversity” beyond that unless it’s making sure all the traditional Catholic K8’s get their “share” of spots.

[Anonymous]

If you admit boys from Catholic K8’s like St. Bernadette’s, St Jerome’s, Queen of Peace, St Martins, and st Anthony’s you will get plenty of racial and socioeconomic diversity to mix in with the crowd from Mercy, Blessed Sacrament, Holy Trinity and St Elizabeth’s.

It’s been that way for decades. This isn’t anything new for Gonzaga.

[Anonymous]

SJC is certainly not in a bad neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gonzaga takes

Alumni kids 1st
Athletes
Catholic school kids from each and every 52 lower schools
Others who are outstanding who would beat out the other 3 in any other place and even some of those kids won’t get in

It’s not about being the best it’s about who you know, being and athlete or being positioned well from a Catholic school,

What about if you know a lot of people, but are coming from a va public?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We didn’t do well and this hspt score is our one hole in our application. Son has Great grades, Strong teacher recommendations, good essay, but low hspt. Do we have a chance or is it you must have every category to get in? Not coming from a Catholic school either.

This is going to be an interesting year. We’ve spoken to many MOCO parents who are uncomfortable with the crime situation in DC and in the Capitol Hill area specifically. At least in our circle it sounds like GC, Prep, and SJC may see a higher acceptance rate in part because of this.

This is giving me pause too. Are boys being robbed walking to metro?