Diocese Guide
The HSPT in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia admit through the High School Placement Test (HSPT), taken once in 8th grade. Each school publishes its own test dates and registration process — here are the schools we track and what they’ve published.
Schools we track in this diocese
St. Joseph's Preparatory School
Philadelphia, PA
All-boys Jesuit prep in North Philadelphia, founded 1851.
HSPT: typically early November (Nov 8 in the 2025 cycle)
La Salle College High School
Philadelphia, PA
Lasallian college prep for young men just outside Philadelphia.
HSPT: early–mid October, two sittings (Oct 4 and Oct 25 in the 2025 cycle); doubles as the scholarship exam
Roman Catholic High School
Philadelphia, PA
Historic boys’ Catholic high school in Center City Philadelphia.
Dates change every admissions cycle — verify specifics with each school’s admissions office.
How HSPT registration usually works
Registration runs through the high schools themselves, not the diocese: families typically register for the exam at their first-choice school, and many schools share scores with the other schools a student applies to (confirm each school’s policy). The exam is taken once, usually between late November and January — see the full application timeline, and start with a free 25-question practice testto find your student’s baseline.
Applying in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia? Start with a free practice baseline.
Free daily HSPT practice from 1,500 real-format questions, with a weekly progress report for parents.