Diocese Guide
The HSPT in the Diocese of Oakland
Catholic high schools in the Diocese of Oakland 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 in the diocese and the admissions details currently available.
Worth knowing
Applicants applying for 9th grade may take the HSPT at any of the nine Oakland Diocese Catholic secondary schools they apply to — one sitting covers all of them. (As published on Bishop O’Dowd’s admissions site.)
Schools with admissions details available now
Bishop O'Dowd High School
Oakland, CA
Co-ed Catholic college prep in the Oakland hills, serving the East Bay since 1951.
HSPT: January 9, 2027
St. Joseph Notre Dame High School
Oakland, CA
Catholic college prep in Alameda with a small-school setting and strong college-going focus.
St. Mary's College High School
Oakland, CA
Lasallian Catholic college prep in Berkeley, serving East Bay families from Albany Hill.
Moreau Catholic High School
Oakland, CA
Holy Cross-sponsored Catholic college prep in Hayward serving students across the East Bay.
HSPT: High School Placement Test (HSPT) – Moreau Catholic will be administering the HSPT in person, on campus on Saturday, January 10th, 2026 .
Salesian College Preparatory
Oakland, CA
College-prep Catholic high school in Richmond with a Salesian tradition and East Bay draw.
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.
Useful parent guides in the Diocese of Oakland
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.
What is a good HSPT score?
A cleaner admissions-focused read on what different percentile bands actually mean to a family.
How Catholic high schools use HSPT scores
Admissions, placement, scholarships, and why the same percentile can carry different weight at different schools.
HSPT accommodations for IEP and 504 students
What families should ask for, when to ask, and how documentation usually fits into the process.
How to help a child with HSPT test anxiety
How parents can lower stress without turning prep into a second source of pressure.
Applying in the Diocese of Oakland? Start with a free practice baseline.
Take the free diagnostic first so school comparisons and application timing are grounded in a real section-by-section baseline.