Scottsdale · AZ
Notre Dame Preparatory: HSPT, Admissions & Deadlines
Catholic high school in Scottsdale, AZ with an admissions process that explicitly uses the HSPT.
Notre Dame Preparatory in Scottsdale, AZ uses the High School Placement Test (HSPT) as its entrance exam for 9th-grade applicants.
Before you lock a Notre Dame Preparatory study plan, take the free 25-question HSPT practice test to see which of the five sections needs work first.
The short answer
- Notre Dame Preparatory uses the HSPT, but the current exam date still needs confirmation.
- Beyond the test, Notre Dame Preparatory also lists recommendations, interview, visit or event, and shadow day.
- Financial aid is a separate step, so families using it should ask for timing early.
Applying to Notre Dame Preparatory? Start 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 Notre Dame Preparatory's entrance exam.
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Key dates and details
| Exam requirement | The school’s admissions materials explicitly reference the HSPT. |
| Application deadline | Applying to Notre Dame Prep is easy, and we are here to assist yo Schedule a visit to our campus Shadow Day Private Family Tour 8th Grade Day Open House High School Placement Prep Classes High School Placement Test Exam Begin the online app |
As listed on the school’s website when we last checked (2026-07-09). Dates change every admissions cycle — confirm with Notre Dame Preparatory’s admissions office before planning around them. See how HSPT Prep reviews school information.
Admissions checklist
| HSPT required | HSPT required as part of admissions. |
| Application | Application required as part of admissions. |
| Transcript | Applying to Notre Dame Prep is easy, and we are here to assist yo Schedule a visit to our campus Shadow Day Private Family Tour 8th Grade Day Open House High School Placement Prep Classes High School Placement Test Exam Begin the online app |
| Recommendations | Applying to Notre Dame Prep is easy, and we are here to assist yo Schedule a visit to our campus Shadow Day Private Family Tour 8th Grade Day Open House High School Placement Prep Classes High School Placement Test Exam Begin the online app |
| Interview | Applying to Notre Dame Prep is easy, and we are here to assist yo Schedule a visit to our campus Shadow Day Private Family Tour 8th Grade Day Open House High School Placement Prep Classes High School Placement Test Exam Begin the online app |
| Visit or event | Admissions visits or events are part of the process. |
| Financial aid option | Tuition assistance information is available for qualifying families. |
| Shadow day | Applying to Notre Dame Prep is easy, and we are here to assist yo Schedule a visit to our campus Shadow Day Private Family Tour 8th Grade Day Open House High School Placement Prep Classes High School Placement Test Exam Begin the online app |
Checklist items are based on the school’s admissions pages when we last checked. Verify the current cycle requirements with Notre Dame Preparatory’s admissions office.
School profile
| Students | 975 (NCES 2023-24) |
| Grades | 9-12 |
Accommodations and testing setup at Notre Dame Preparatory
If your child has an IEP, 504 plan, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, or another documented need, ask Notre Dame Preparatory’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 Notre Dame Preparatory entrance exam
Notre Dame Preparatory 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 Notre Dame Preparatory
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.
How Catholic high schools use HSPT scores
Admissions, placement, scholarships, and why the same percentile can carry different weight at different schools.
What is a good HSPT score?
A cleaner admissions-focused read on what different percentile bands actually mean to a family.
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 how documentation usually fits into the process.
Common questions
What entrance exam does Notre Dame Preparatory require?
Notre Dame Preparatory 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 Notre Dame Preparatory 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 Notre Dame Preparatory 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 Notre Dame Preparatory?
HSPT registration is generally handled through Notre Dame Preparatory'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 Notre Dame Preparatory 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 Notre Dame Preparatory for its test-day arrival and dismissal window because local administration details can differ.
Can students use a calculator on the HSPT at Notre Dame Preparatory?
The standard HSPT mathematics and quantitative sections are designed to be completed without a calculator. Families should still read Notre Dame Preparatory's current test-day instructions so the student brings only permitted materials.
Does Notre Dame Preparatory offer HSPT accommodations?
Students with an IEP, 504 plan, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, or another documented need should contact Notre Dame Preparatory before registration closes. Ask what documentation is required and whether extended time, small-group, separate-room, or other arrangements are available.
When is the Notre Dame Preparatory application deadline?
The school's website listed Applying to Notre Dame Prep is easy, and we are here to assist yo Schedule a visit to our campus Shadow Day Private Family Tour 8th Grade Day Open House High School Placement Prep Classes High School Placement Test Exam Begin the online app 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 Notre Dame Preparatory require besides the HSPT?
Notre Dame Preparatory also lists recommendations, interview, visit or event, and shadow day 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 Scottsdale schools, or the Catholic high schools in Arizona.
Get ready for Notre Dame Preparatory's entrance exam — start 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.
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