Irving · TX
Cistercian Preparatory School: HSPT & admissions
Catholic high school in Irving, TX with an admissions process that explicitly uses the HSPT.
The short answer
- Cistercian Preparatory School uses the HSPT, but the current exam date still needs confirmation.
- The application deadline we found was The deadline to apply for the 2026-2027 academic year was January 15, 2026..
- Beyond the test, Cistercian Preparatory School also lists recommendations, and essay.
- Financial aid is a separate step, so families using it should ask for timing early.
Key dates and details
| Application deadline | The deadline to apply for the 2026-2027 academic year was January 15, 2026. |
| Exam requirement | Iowa tests, ERBW, MAPS, STAAR, HSPT, PSAT, etc.) Attendance Records Behavior Report Current Teacher Evaluations Please enter both the name and email address of your son’s current English and current math teacher. |
As listed on the school’s website when we last checked (2026-07-09). Dates change every admissions cycle — confirm with Cistercian Preparatory School’s admissions office before planning around them. See how HSPT Prep reviews school information.
Admissions checklist
| HSPT required | Iowa tests, ERBW, MAPS, STAAR, HSPT, PSAT, etc.) Attendance Records Behavior Report Current Teacher Evaluations Please enter both the name and email address of your son’s current English and current math teacher. |
| Application | Application required as part of admissions. |
| Transcript | Admissions Status Tracking After submitting the application, you will be able to track your son’s application status and monitor when Cistercian receives the required school records and teacher evaluations. |
| Recommendations | Record Release and Current Teacher Evaluation Forms Within the application, you will be asked to supply email contacts for your son’s current school: Release of Records Please enter the name and email address of the person at your child’s c |
| Financial aid option | It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. |
| Essay | The test includes a combination of Reading Comprehension, Mathematics Achievement, Reasoning, and an essay portion. |
Checklist items are based on the school’s admissions pages when we last checked. Verify the current cycle requirements with Cistercian Preparatory School’s admissions office.
Accommodations and testing setup at Cistercian Preparatory School
If your child has an IEP, 504 plan, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, or another documented need, ask Cistercian Preparatory 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 Cistercian Preparatory School entrance exam
Like most Catholic high schools, Cistercian Preparatory School uses the HSPT — a five-section, ~300-question exam covering verbal skills, quantitative skills, reading, math, and language (see What is the HSPT?). Three things matter most:
- 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 Cistercian Preparatory 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.
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 Cistercian Preparatory School require?
Cistercian Preparatory 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 Cistercian Preparatory 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 Cistercian Preparatory 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 Cistercian Preparatory School?
HSPT registration is generally handled through Cistercian Preparatory 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 Cistercian Preparatory 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 Cistercian Preparatory School for its test-day arrival and dismissal window because local administration details can differ.
Can students use a calculator on the HSPT at Cistercian Preparatory School?
The standard HSPT mathematics and quantitative sections are designed to be completed without a calculator. Families should still read Cistercian Preparatory School's current test-day instructions so the student brings only permitted materials.
Can Cistercian Preparatory School share HSPT scores with other Catholic high schools?
Score-sharing rules vary by school and diocese. Ask Cistercian Preparatory School whether one sitting can be sent to the other schools on your list, whether additional codes or forms are required, and which school should be selected as the testing site.
Does Cistercian Preparatory School offer HSPT accommodations?
Students with an IEP, 504 plan, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, or another documented need should contact Cistercian Preparatory 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 Cistercian Preparatory School application deadline?
The school's website listed The deadline to apply for the 2026-2027 academic year was January 15, 2026. when we last checked (2026-07-09). Deadlines can shift each admissions cycle, so confirm the current application cutoff with the admissions office.
What else does Cistercian Preparatory School require besides the HSPT?
Cistercian Preparatory School also lists recommendations, and essay 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 and other Irving schools.
Get ready for Cistercian Preparatory School's entrance exam with a free baseline.
Take the free diagnostic to see whether the highest-risk sections are already solid or need work before this school's exam date.