Belleville · Diocese of Belleville
Althoff Catholic High School: HSPT, Admissions & Deadlines
Catholic high school in Belleville, IL with an admissions process that explicitly uses the HSPT.
Althoff Catholic High School in Belleville, IL uses the High School Placement Test (HSPT) as its entrance exam for 9th-grade applicants.
Before you lock a Althoff Catholic High School study plan, take the free 25-question HSPT practice test to see which of the five sections needs work first.
The short answer
- Althoff Catholic High School uses the HSPT, but the current exam date still needs confirmation.
- Beyond the test, Althoff Catholic High School also lists visit or event, essay, and shadow day.
- Financial aid is a separate step, so families using it should ask for timing early.
Applying to Althoff Catholic High School? Start 3 days free before the school's HSPT date.
Try unlimited HSPT Prep for 3 days to see what is already solid and what to practice first for Althoff Catholic High School's entrance exam.
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Comparing cost and merit aid? See the Althoff Catholic High School scholarships, tuition, financial-aid deadline, and HSPT scholarship details.
Key dates and details
| Exam requirement | Sign up FRESHMAN PLACEMENT TEST We know that choosing the right high school is a big step & we are here to help answer any questions you have! |
| Application deadline | Each year, our Financial Aid application opens January 6, with a priority deadline of February 13. |
| Application fee | Application Fee : $35 Required Documents : Your 2023 (for school year 2025-26) or 2024 (for school year 2026-27) 1040 tax form must be uploaded before your application can be verified and reviewed. |
| Open house | Request more information and sign up for tours, Fall Open House, and Shadow Visits! |
As listed on the school’s website when we last checked (2026-07-07). Dates change every admissions cycle — confirm with Althoff Catholic High School’s admissions office before planning around them. See how HSPT Prep reviews school information.
Admissions checklist
| HSPT required | 7th GRADE PRACTICE PLACEMENT TEST Althoff Catholic offers 7th graders the opportunity to take the HSPT placement test in the spring of their 7th-grade year—giving students a valuable head start before the real exam in 8th grade. |
| Application | Application required as part of admissions. |
| Transcript | Request a Transcript Hall of Inspiration Events & Reunions In Memoriam Homecoming Spirit Store Staff Directory Uniforms Employment Learning Starts Here A learning community dedicated to building respectful and responsible citizens and empow |
| Visit or event | Learn More Item 0 Item 1 Item 2 Item 3 Grant & Scholarship Apply Now Schedule A Tour Academics Who We Are Our Mission Our Vision Our History Our Goals Our Mission Althoff Catholic High School's mission is to educate young people, in the Cat |
| Financial aid option | Tuition assistance information is available for qualifying families. |
| Essay | Essay Prompt: ● Althoff Catholic is a place where students grow not only academically, but personally and spiritually. |
| Shadow day | CRUSADER FOR A DAY Shadow Day at Althoff Catholic - Dates for the 2026-27 school year will be available in August Experience what it’s like to be a Crusader! |
Checklist items are based on the school’s admissions pages when we last checked. Verify the current cycle requirements with Althoff Catholic High School’s admissions office.
School profile
| Students | 335 (NCES 2023-24) |
| Grades | 9-12 |
Accommodations and testing setup at Althoff Catholic High School
If your child has an IEP, 504 plan, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, or another documented need, ask Althoff Catholic High School’s admissions office how HSPT accommodations are approved before registration closes. Start with the HSPT accommodations guide, then confirm whether the school handles extended time, separate room or small group testing, ADHD accommodations, dyslexia accommodations, and documentation through the school or the diocese.
How to prepare for the Althoff Catholic High School entrance exam
Althoff Catholic High School uses the HSPT — a five-section, ~300-question exam covering verbal skills, quantitative skills, reading, math, and language (see What is the HSPT?). Start with a free HSPT diagnostic, then focus on three things:
- Start 8–12 weeks before the exam date.Short daily practice builds the speed the HSPT’s pacing demands.
- Practice the unfamiliar question types first. Analogies, number series, and logic items aren’t taught in most middle schools — they’re the fastest points to gain.
- Treat the first sitting as the only sitting. Most schools accept one attempt, and at many schools the score also drives merit scholarships.
Parent guides for families applying to Althoff Catholic High School
HSPT timing: when to start prep
How far ahead to start, based on your test date, school list, and how much prep your child can realistically sustain.
6-week HSPT study plan
The middle-ground schedule: enough time to cover every section without turning fall into one long cram.
HSPT study schedule for busy 8th graders
How to fit HSPT prep around homework, sports, and the real-life schedule most families are actually managing.
How Catholic high schools use HSPT scores
Admissions, placement, scholarships, and why the same percentile can carry different weight at different schools.
What is a good HSPT score?
A cleaner admissions-focused read on what different percentile bands actually mean to a family.
HSPT accommodations for IEP and 504 students
What families should ask for, when to ask, and how documentation usually fits into the process.
Common questions
What entrance exam does Althoff Catholic High School require?
Althoff Catholic High School admits through the High School Placement Test (HSPT), a five-section exam covering verbal skills, quantitative skills, reading, mathematics, and language, taken in the fall or winter of 8th grade.
When is the Althoff Catholic High School entrance exam?
The school publishes each cycle's exam dates on its admissions site, typically in the fall; most Catholic high schools test between November and January of 8th grade. Confirm the current date with the admissions office.
How should my child prepare for the Althoff Catholic High School entrance exam?
Start 8–12 weeks before the exam date with short daily practice, and focus first on question types middle schools don't teach — analogies, number series, and logic problems. Most schools accept one sitting, so the first attempt counts.
How do I register for the HSPT at Althoff Catholic High School?
HSPT registration is generally handled through Althoff Catholic High School's admissions process rather than through a national family registration site. Use the school's current checklist and confirm the test location, arrival time, fee, and required identification directly.
How long is the Althoff Catholic High School HSPT?
The standard HSPT has about 298 questions across five sections and usually takes about two and a half hours, not including check-in or breaks. Ask Althoff Catholic High School for its test-day arrival and dismissal window because local administration details can differ.
Can students use a calculator on the HSPT at Althoff Catholic High School?
The standard HSPT mathematics and quantitative sections are designed to be completed without a calculator. Families should still read Althoff Catholic High School's current test-day instructions so the student brings only permitted materials.
Does Althoff Catholic High School offer HSPT accommodations?
Students with an IEP, 504 plan, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, or another documented need should contact Althoff Catholic High School before registration closes. Ask what documentation is required and whether extended time, small-group, separate-room, or other arrangements are available.
When is the Althoff Catholic High School application deadline?
The school's website listed Each year, our Financial Aid application opens January 6, with a priority deadline of February 13. when we last checked (2026-07-07). Deadlines can shift each admissions cycle, so confirm the current application cutoff with the admissions office.
What else does Althoff Catholic High School require besides the HSPT?
Althoff Catholic High School also lists visit or event, essay, and shadow day as part of the admissions process. Use the school's checklist early, because these steps often move on the same compressed fall timeline as testing.
Applying to other schools too? See the full Catholic high school application guide, other Belleville schools, or the best Catholic high schools in Illinois.
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