Tonawanda · NY
Cardinal O'Hara High School: HSPT, Admissions & Deadlines
Catholic high school in Tonawanda, NY with an admissions process that explicitly uses the HSPT.
Cardinal O'Hara High School in Tonawanda, NY uses the High School Placement Test (HSPT) as its entrance exam for 9th-grade applicants.
Before you lock a Cardinal O'Hara 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
- Cardinal O'Hara High School uses the HSPT, but the current exam date still needs confirmation.
- Beyond the test, Cardinal O'Hara High School also lists recommendations, visit or event, essay, and shadow day.
- Financial aid is a separate step, so families using it should ask for timing early.
Applying to Cardinal O'Hara 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 Cardinal O'Hara High School's entrance exam.
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Key dates and details
| Entrance exam (HSPT) | Share this event + Add to Google Calendar + iCal / Outlook export 03 - 07 August All Day Entrance Exam Prep Course Category General Events Learn to solve logic problems and analogies. |
| Open house | Enrollment Programs Fall Open House Come visit Cardinal O’Hara High School and you will understand why You Belong Here! |
As listed on the school’s website when we last checked (2026-07-07). Dates change every admissions cycle — confirm with Cardinal O'Hara High School’s admissions office before planning around them. See how HSPT Prep reviews school information.
Admissions checklist
| HSPT required | This camp is designed for those who are planning to take the Catholic High School Placement Test, but is a good refresher going into the school year. |
| Application | Application required as part of admissions. |
| Transcript | Transcript or school records required as part of admissions. |
| Recommendations | Download, complete and return the Authorization for Information Form Submit Transcripts from at least the last 3 academic years Obtain two(2) Letters of Recommendation from the student’s current school. |
| Visit or event | Michelle Brown Kolacz Alumni Parent of Kayla '17 and Alyssa '18 When our daughter began planning for high school, she scheduled shadow days at our public school district and several private schools. |
| Financial aid option | Tuition assistance information is available for qualifying families. |
| Essay | So in addition to the Scholarship Essay, complete the FACTS Financial Aid Application by December 12, 2025 in order to receive a financial aid estimate with your decision letter. |
| Shadow day | honors classes), so we can find a host that best matches your interests *Please notify the Admissions Office of any dietary restrictions at least 48 hours prior to scheduled Shadow Day. |
Checklist items are based on the school’s admissions pages when we last checked. Verify the current cycle requirements with Cardinal O'Hara High School’s admissions office.
School profile
| Students | 181 (NCES 2023-24) |
| Grades | 9-12 |
Accommodations and testing setup at Cardinal O'Hara High School
If your child has an IEP, 504 plan, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, or another documented need, ask Cardinal O'Hara 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 Cardinal O'Hara High School entrance exam
Cardinal O'Hara 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 Cardinal O'Hara 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.
4-week HSPT study plan
A realistic one-month plan for families starting late but still trying to move the score before test day.
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.
How to help a child with HSPT test anxiety
How parents can lower stress without turning prep into a second source of pressure.
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 Cardinal O'Hara High School require?
Cardinal O'Hara 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 Cardinal O'Hara High School entrance exam?
The school's website listed Share this event + Add to Google Calendar + iCal / Outlook export 03 - 07 August All Day Entrance Exam Prep Course Category General Events Learn to solve logic problems and analogies. when we last checked (2026-07-07). Dates change every admissions cycle, so confirm with the admissions office before planning around them.
How should my child prepare for the Cardinal O'Hara 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 Cardinal O'Hara High School?
HSPT registration is generally handled through Cardinal O'Hara 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 Cardinal O'Hara 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 Cardinal O'Hara 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 Cardinal O'Hara High School?
The standard HSPT mathematics and quantitative sections are designed to be completed without a calculator. Families should still read Cardinal O'Hara High School's current test-day instructions so the student brings only permitted materials.
Does Cardinal O'Hara High School offer HSPT accommodations?
Students with an IEP, 504 plan, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, or another documented need should contact Cardinal O'Hara High School before registration closes. Ask what documentation is required and whether extended time, small-group, separate-room, or other arrangements are available.
What else does Cardinal O'Hara High School require besides the HSPT?
Cardinal O'Hara High School also lists recommendations, 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 Tonawanda schools, or the best Catholic high schools in New York.
Get ready for Cardinal O'Hara High School's entrance exam — start 3 days free.
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