Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 09:55     Subject: If your child did poorly on hspt, did they get in anywhere?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The new OP here, when I say below average I mean below the national average, not the DCUM average (which seems to be very high).

I really don't know what happened. Again, honor roll all through middle school, NJHS, not an athlete but several extracurriculars and community service. A/B student.

I do appreciate the positivity.


Reads to me like the middle school he's at over-inflates grades?


That's a fair interpretation, except his PSAT 8/9 doesn't support it. He did fine (fine enough at least). Maybe anxiety? Bubbling mistakes? PSAT 8/9 was computer based.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 09:31     Subject: If your child did poorly on hspt, did they get in anywhere?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Unhooked boys I've known (not sports recruits or siblings of existing students) were all in the 90% percentiles and above coming from parochial k-8s. The lower test score kids got waitlisted which I read as soft rejections. I can't speak to public school test score precedents but I'd def feel more confident with a higher end test score from any school.



There were at least two unhooked (other than coming from k-8) boys at my DS’s school who were accepted last year at Gonzaga with 60’s and 70’s HSPT.


How does everyone know the HSPT scores of other kids? My kids go to an Arlington diocese k-8 and no one talks about this.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 09:30     Subject: If your child did poorly on hspt, did they get in anywhere?
Anonymous wrote:Unhooked boys I've known (not sports recruits or siblings of existing students) were all in the 90% percentiles and above coming from parochial k-8s. The lower test score kids got waitlisted which I read as soft rejections. I can't speak to public school test score precedents but I'd def feel more confident with a higher end test score from any school.



There were at least two unhooked (other than coming from k-8) boys at my DS’s school who were accepted last year at Gonzaga with 60’s and 70’s HSPT.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 09:14     Subject: If your child did poorly on hspt, did they get in anywhere?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'd like to start this thread up again. My DC completely bombed the HSPT. Really bombed. Below average. I'm very surprised and gutted. I'm concerned no one will take us now. A/B student, NJHS, extracurriculars, pretty good essays. We never assessed DC for learning disability. Did anyone get into a school with a below average score?


Did your DC take the practice exam that was offered over the summer? If so, and they did better on that one, I would absolutely send those scores over. If they didn't, I'd reach out to admissions, explain the situation and ask for their advice. I think it depends on things like where you are looking, if you are Catholic, and if you are coming from a Catholic K-8. You will probably be ok at a school like BI or DJO if you are Catholic/coming from K-8, they take a wide range of students and prioritize Catholics. You will have a much harder time at schools like Visi/Gonzaga unless there is another hook like star athlete or legacy. Good luck, this is a really stressful time!


No I think we were a bit late to the game. We are coming from public and started studying in the fall. Practice at home tests were fine, not at all stellar but fine. I wish I knew about the practice exam in the summer. Is that for catholic K-8s?


It’s not just for Catholic K-8’s but is definitely one of those things you have to know about to do-or be subscribed to admissions emails I would echo reaching out to BI or DJO depending on location, and if you want a safety, John Paul the Great. Gonzaga, if that’s the far and away number 1, will be a tough admit. Not impossible but unlikely. I was at an admissions event and they said they look for scores at or above 60. Not to say below would be outright denied, but it’s unlikely. That said, they typically pull heavily from the waitlist (with the exception of last year, which was a crazy year). If I were you-I’d try to apply to BI or DJO late.
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2026 23:05     Subject: If your child did poorly on hspt, did they get in anywhere?
Unhooked boys I've known (not sports recruits or siblings of existing students) were all in the 90% percentiles and above coming from parochial k-8s. The lower test score kids got waitlisted which I read as soft rejections. I can't speak to public school test score precedents but I'd def feel more confident with a higher end test score from any school.

Anonymous
Post 01/08/2026 21:57     Subject: If your child did poorly on hspt, did they get in anywhere?
Anonymous wrote:If you really want a Catholic high school and your child is panicked, apply to St John Paul the Great (JPG) in Woodbridge. They are under-enrolled and look at the entire package for admissions. There are several buses from Fairfax County if that helps.


My daughter has friends and former classmates who go to JPG and they all like it. It is a nice, newer campus…good facility.
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2026 21:49     Subject: If your child did poorly on hspt, did they get in anywhere?
Anonymous wrote:Is 83 for Arlington diocese schools typically good enough for public school kids, good grades. Ecs. Torn on whether to keep at public if get in b/c I’m pretty sure will need to repeat math. HSPt not high enough.


High school will require placement tests for math. My kid is at Gonzaga and the incoming 9th graders took math placement tests in May for placement in any of Algebra, Geometry (including honors) or Trig. It isn’t based on the HSPT score.
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2026 20:32     Subject: If your child did poorly on hspt, did they get in anywhere?
Anonymous wrote:The new OP here, when I say below average I mean below the national average, not the DCUM average (which seems to be very high).

I really don't know what happened. Again, honor roll all through middle school, NJHS, not an athlete but several extracurriculars and community service. A/B student.

I do appreciate the positivity.


Reads to me like the middle school he's at over-inflates grades?
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2026 19:59     Subject: If your child did poorly on hspt, did they get in anywhere?
Upper school for Dominion Christian in Herndon should have spots/rolling admissions, great classical education in purposefully low tech environment
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2026 17:04     Subject: If your child did poorly on hspt, did they get in anywhere?
If you really want a Catholic high school and your child is panicked, apply to St John Paul the Great (JPG) in Woodbridge. They are under-enrolled and look at the entire package for admissions. There are several buses from Fairfax County if that helps.
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2026 16:41     Subject: If your child did poorly on hspt, did they get in anywhere?
Anonymous wrote:Is 83 for Arlington diocese schools typically good enough for public school kids, good grades. Ecs. Torn on whether to keep at public if get in b/c I’m pretty sure will need to repeat math. HSPt not high enough.


83 is a solid score
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2026 15:50     Subject: If your child did poorly on hspt, did they get in anywhere?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'd like to start this thread up again. My DC completely bombed the HSPT. Really bombed. Below average. I'm very surprised and gutted. I'm concerned no one will take us now. A/B student, NJHS, extracurriculars, pretty good essays. We never assessed DC for learning disability. Did anyone get into a school with a below average score?


Did your DC take the practice exam that was offered over the summer? If so, and they did better on that one, I would absolutely send those scores over. If they didn't, I'd reach out to admissions, explain the situation and ask for their advice. I think it depends on things like where you are looking, if you are Catholic, and if you are coming from a Catholic K-8. You will probably be ok at a school like BI or DJO if you are Catholic/coming from K-8, they take a wide range of students and prioritize Catholics. You will have a much harder time at schools like Visi/Gonzaga unless there is another hook like star athlete or legacy. Good luck, this is a really stressful time!


No I think we were a bit late to the game. We are coming from public and started studying in the fall. Practice at home tests were fine, not at all stellar but fine. I wish I knew about the practice exam in the summer. Is that for catholic K-8s?


Not just for the K-8s. BI and DJO both have signups for the summer practice tests on their admissions websites.
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2026 15:35     Subject: If your child did poorly on hspt, did they get in anywhere?
Anonymous wrote:Is 83 for Arlington diocese schools typically good enough for public school kids, good grades. Ecs. Torn on whether to keep at public if get in b/c I’m pretty sure will need to repeat math. HSPt not high enough.


Yes, they are not hard to get into, especially if you are full pay.
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2026 15:34     Subject: If your child did poorly on hspt, did they get in anywhere?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'd like to start this thread up again. My DC completely bombed the HSPT. Really bombed. Below average. I'm very surprised and gutted. I'm concerned no one will take us now. A/B student, NJHS, extracurriculars, pretty good essays. We never assessed DC for learning disability. Did anyone get into a school with a below average score?


Did your DC take the practice exam that was offered over the summer? If so, and they did better on that one, I would absolutely send those scores over. If they didn't, I'd reach out to admissions, explain the situation and ask for their advice. I think it depends on things like where you are looking, if you are Catholic, and if you are coming from a Catholic K-8. You will probably be ok at a school like BI or DJO if you are Catholic/coming from K-8, they take a wide range of students and prioritize Catholics. You will have a much harder time at schools like Visi/Gonzaga unless there is another hook like star athlete or legacy. Good luck, this is a really stressful time!


No I think we were a bit late to the game. We are coming from public and started studying in the fall. Practice at home tests were fine, not at all stellar but fine. I wish I knew about the practice exam in the summer. Is that for catholic K-8s?
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2026 15:33     Subject: If your child did poorly on hspt, did they get in anywhere?
Is 83 for Arlington diocese schools typically good enough for public school kids, good grades. Ecs. Torn on whether to keep at public if get in b/c I’m pretty sure will need to repeat math. HSPt not high enough.