HSPT admissions guide
Mount De Sales AcademyHSPT, admissions and deadlines
Baltimore · Archdiocese of Baltimore
For families applying
What to know before you make a study plan.
Catholic high school in Baltimore, MD with an admissions process that explicitly uses the HSPT.
Mount De Sales Academy in Baltimore, MD uses the High School Placement Test (HSPT) as its entrance exam, currently listed for November 14, 2026.
Before you lock a Mount De Sales Academy study plan, take the free 25-question HSPT practice test to see which of the five sections needs work first.
Applications often include a student essay or short answers. Prompts vary by school — ask Mount De Sales Academy for this cycle’s questions, then use the Catholic high school application essay guide.
Applying to Mount De Sales Academy? Start your 3 days free before November 14, 2026.
Try unlimited HSPT Prep for 3 days to see what is already solid and what to practice first for Mount De Sales Academy's entrance exam.
Worth knowing
Per STS Baltimore registration (as of September 20, 2026), the Archdiocese of Baltimore administers the HSPT November 14–21, 2026. High school locations sit November 14 and November 21, 2026. Registration opened September 15, 2026 and closes at 11:59 p.m. (CST) on the close date listed for each testing site. Results are normally released to families within 3-5 weeks after the last scheduled test date. Any student who walks in the day of the test may be turned away if the testing site is already at capacity. Only current 8th graders attending a listed elementary school may register to test there on November 17, 2026. All other students must register to test at a high school on November 14 or November 21, 2026. See the HSPT test dates page and how to register for the HSPT.
Key dates and details
| Entrance exam (HSPT) | November 14, 2026 (STS Baltimore registration, as of 2026-10-17) · STS Baltimore registration |
As listed on the school’s website when we last checked (2026-10-17). Dates change every admissions cycle — confirm with Mount De Sales Academy’s admissions office before planning around them. See how HSPT Prep reviews school information.
Verified current-cycle sittings are on the HSPT test dates page. We do not invent days — confirm Mount De Sales Academy’s date with the admissions office before you register.
Admissions checklist
| HSPT required | Apply page Admissions Timeline (Eighth Graders) lists 'High School Placement Test' for November 2026; Visits + Events page advertises 'HSPT Prep Course - October 17'; Tuition & Assistance FAQ references 'rankings on the High School Placemen |
| Application | School application, scholarship applications, and financial aid applications due December 11, 2026. |
| Transcript | Transfer applicants must provide transcripts as part of the Transfer Application Process. |
| Recommendations | Transfer applicants must submit recommendations (Recommendation Form linked from apply page). |
| Interview | Transfer applicants complete an interview as part of the Transfer Application Process. |
| Visit or event | Eighth Grade Sailor Visits and Open House Sunday, November 1, 2026. |
| Financial aid option | Need-based tuition assistance via FACTS; applications due December 11, 2026. |
Checklist items are based on the school’s admissions pages when we last checked. Verify the current cycle requirements with Mount De Sales Academy’s admissions office.
School profile
| Students | 450 (NCES 2023-24) |
| Grades | 9-12 |
Accommodations and testing setup at Mount De Sales Academy
If your child has an IEP, 504 plan, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, or another documented need, ask Mount De Sales Academy’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 Mount De Sales Academy entrance exam
Mount De Sales Academy 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 Mount De Sales Academy
Catholic high school application essay
Prompts vary by school. Ask each office for this cycle’s questions, then use a process for common prompt types — not canned samples.
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.
HSPT scores and scholarships: what is a good HSPT score?
The average HSPT score is the 50th percentile. What it means for admissions, what counts as a good score, and how schools use scores for merit aid.
How Catholic high schools use HSPT scores
Admissions, placement, scholarships, and why the same percentile can carry different weight at different schools.
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 the Oakland/STS extended-time steps.
Common questions
What entrance exam does Mount De Sales Academy require?
Mount De Sales Academy 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 Mount De Sales Academy entrance exam?
The school's website listed November 14, 2026 when we last checked (2026-10-17). Dates change every admissions cycle, so confirm with the admissions office before planning around them.
How should my child prepare for the Mount De Sales Academy 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 Mount De Sales Academy?
HSPT registration is generally handled through Mount De Sales Academy'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 Mount De Sales Academy 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 Mount De Sales Academy for its test-day arrival and dismissal window because local administration details can differ.
Can students use a calculator on the HSPT at Mount De Sales Academy?
The standard HSPT mathematics and quantitative sections are designed to be completed without a calculator. Families should still read Mount De Sales Academy's current test-day instructions so the student brings only permitted materials.
Does Mount De Sales Academy offer HSPT accommodations?
Students with an IEP, 504 plan, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, or another documented need should contact Mount De Sales Academy before registration closes. Ask what documentation is required and whether extended time, small-group, separate-room, or other arrangements are available.
What else does Mount De Sales Academy require besides the HSPT?
Mount De Sales Academy also lists recommendations, interview, and visit or event 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.
Compare other Catholic high schools near Baltimore
Entrance-exam dates, score-sharing rules, application steps, and scholarship policies can differ even between nearby schools.
Applying to other schools too? See the full Catholic high school application guide, other Baltimore schools, or the best Catholic high schools in Maryland.
Get ready for Mount De Sales Academy's entrance exam — start your 3 days free.
Try unlimited practice for 3 days to see whether the highest-risk sections are already solid or need work before this school's exam date.