San Francisco · Archdiocese of San Francisco

Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory: HSPT & admissions

Co-ed Catholic prep in downtown San Francisco, in the Lasallian and Vincentian traditions.

Key dates and details

How to prepare for the Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory entrance exam

Like most Catholic high schools, Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory 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.