San Francisco · Archdiocese of San Francisco
Archbishop Riordan High School: HSPT & admissions
Co-ed Marianist Catholic high school in San Francisco.
Key dates and details
We don’t have confirmed dates for the current cycle yet — check the school’s admissions page for entrance exam and application dates.
How to prepare for the Archbishop Riordan High School entrance exam
Like most Catholic high schools, Archbishop Riordan 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?). 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.
Applying to other schools too? See the full Catholic high school application guide and other San Francisco schools.
Get ready for Archbishop Riordan High School's entrance exam with free daily practice.
Free daily HSPT practice from 1,500 real-format questions, with a weekly progress report for parents.