For families applying
What to know before you make a study plan.
Catholic high school in Newton, MA with an admissions process that explicitly uses the HSPT.
Newton Country Day School in Newton, MA uses the High School Placement Test (HSPT) as its entrance exam for 9th-grade applicants.
Before you lock a Newton Country Day School 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 Newton Country Day School for this cycle’s questions, then use the Catholic high school application essay guide.
Applying to Newton Country Day School? Start your 3 days free before the school's HSPT date.
Try unlimited HSPT Prep for 3 days to see what is already solid and what to practice first for Newton Country Day School's entrance exam.
Key dates and details
| Exam requirement | Standardized Testing Requirement Applicants to Middle School should submit either the ISEE or the MAP Growth test. |
| Application deadline | Although our application deadline has passed, we understand that family situations do not always match up with the typical admission cycle, so please call us if you are interested in submitting a late application for the 2026-27 school year |
| Application fee | The application fee is $50 and is paid through Ravenna. |
| Open house | Each year, Admission hosts an Open House the first Sunday of November so that prospective students and parents/guardians may come to know our dynamic community and learn about our balanced program of academics, arts, athletics, and service. |
As listed on the school’s website when we last checked (2026-07-07). Dates change every admissions cycle — confirm with Newton Country Day School’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 Newton Country Day School’s date with the admissions office before you register.
Admissions checklist
| HSPT required | We will also accept the Catholic High School Placement Test (HSPT) for applicants to Grade 9. |
| Application | Application required as part of admissions. |
| Transcript | Application at-a-glance Interview and Tour By January 31, 2026 Application and Essay(s) By January 15, 2026 Transcripts and Testing Scores (ISEE MAP, HSPT, or SSAT) By January 15, 2026 (scores of tests taken through January 31 will be accep |
| Recommendations | Application at-a-glance Interview and Tour By January 31, 2026 Application and Essay(s) By January 15, 2026 Transcripts and Testing Scores (ISEE MAP, HSPT, or SSAT) By January 15, 2026 (scores of tests taken through January 31 will be accep |
| Interview | Interview required as part of admissions. |
| Visit or event | You should allow approximately 90 minutes for your in-person tour and interview or 45 minutes for your virtual interview. |
| Financial aid option | Tuition assistance information is available for qualifying families. |
| Essay | Application at-a-glance Interview and Tour By January 31, 2026 Application and Essay(s) By January 15, 2026 Transcripts and Testing Scores (ISEE MAP, HSPT, or SSAT) By January 15, 2026 (scores of tests taken through January 31 will be accep |
Checklist items are based on the school’s admissions pages when we last checked. Verify the current cycle requirements with Newton Country Day School’s admissions office.
School profile
| Students | 374 (NCES 2023-24) |
| Grades | 5-12 |
Accommodations and testing setup at Newton Country Day School
If your child has an IEP, 504 plan, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, or another documented need, ask Newton Country Day 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 Newton Country Day School entrance exam
Newton Country Day School 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 Newton Country Day School
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.
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.
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 Newton Country Day School require?
Newton Country Day 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 Newton Country Day 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 Newton Country Day 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 Newton Country Day School?
HSPT registration is generally handled through Newton Country Day 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 Newton Country Day 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 Newton Country Day School for its test-day arrival and dismissal window because local administration details can differ.
Can students use a calculator on the HSPT at Newton Country Day School?
The standard HSPT mathematics and quantitative sections are designed to be completed without a calculator. Families should still read Newton Country Day School's current test-day instructions so the student brings only permitted materials.
Does Newton Country Day School offer HSPT accommodations?
Students with an IEP, 504 plan, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, or another documented need should contact Newton Country Day 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 Newton Country Day School application deadline?
The school's website listed Although our application deadline has passed, we understand that family situations do not always match up with the typical admission cycle, so please call us if you are interested in submitting a late application for the 2026-27 school year when we last checked (2026-07-07). Deadlines can shift each admissions cycle, so confirm the current application cutoff with the admissions office.
What else does Newton Country Day School require besides the HSPT?
Newton Country Day School also lists recommendations, interview, visit or event, 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, other Newton schools, or the Catholic high schools in Massachusetts.
Get ready for Newton Country Day School'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.