Fridley · MN
Totino-Grace High School: HSPT & admissions
Catholic high school in Fridley, MN with an admissions process that explicitly uses the HSPT.
The short answer
- Totino-Grace High School uses the HSPT, but the current exam date still needs confirmation.
- The application deadline we found was Financial Aid & Tuition Aid Data Services (TADS) The priority deadline for financial aid was December 15, 2025..
- Beyond the test, Totino-Grace High School also lists recommendations, interview, visit or event, essay, and shadow day.
- Financial aid is a separate step, so families using it should ask for timing early.
Key dates and details
| Exam requirement | The placement test helps with preliminary placement for English, math, and science. |
| Open house | Families should plan to attend an open house event and join us for athletic competitions and fine arts performances to see our students in action. |
| Application deadline | Financial Aid & Tuition Aid Data Services (TADS) The priority deadline for financial aid was December 15, 2025. |
As listed on the school’s website when we last checked (2026-07-07). Dates change every admissions cycle — confirm with Totino-Grace High School’s admissions office before planning around them. See how HSPT Prep reviews school information.
Admissions checklist
| HSPT required | Additional Spring Placement Testing English Placement Math Placement Spanish Placement French Placement Science Placement English Placement The HSPT (High School Placement Test) helps us with preliminary English placement for students. |
| Application | Application required as part of admissions. |
| Transcript | Students may submit a progress report if a report card has not been issued. |
| Recommendations | Recommendations required as part of admissions. |
| Interview | Participate in a virtual interview with Admissions This will be used to get to know you and assess English proficiency. |
| Visit or event | Admissions visits or events are part of the process. |
| Financial aid option | Tuition assistance information is available for qualifying families. |
| Essay | Answer each essay question thoughtfully. |
| Shadow day | Teresa Ponessa Current Parent Class of '88 I came to Totino-Grace because I remember on my shadow day I realized how much every student knew one another. |
Checklist items are based on the school’s admissions pages when we last checked. Verify the current cycle requirements with Totino-Grace High School’s admissions office.
Accommodations and testing setup at Totino-Grace High School
If your child has an IEP, 504 plan, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, or another documented need, ask Totino-Grace High 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 Totino-Grace High School entrance exam
Like most Catholic high schools, Totino-Grace High School 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.
Parent guides for families applying to Totino-Grace High School
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 Totino-Grace High School require?
Totino-Grace High 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 Totino-Grace High 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 Totino-Grace High 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 Totino-Grace High School?
HSPT registration is generally handled through Totino-Grace High 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 Totino-Grace High 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 Totino-Grace High School for its test-day arrival and dismissal window because local administration details can differ.
Can students use a calculator on the HSPT at Totino-Grace High School?
The standard HSPT mathematics and quantitative sections are designed to be completed without a calculator. Families should still read Totino-Grace High School's current test-day instructions so the student brings only permitted materials.
Can Totino-Grace High School share HSPT scores with other Catholic high schools?
Score-sharing rules vary by school and diocese. Ask Totino-Grace High School whether one sitting can be sent to the other schools on your list, whether additional codes or forms are required, and which school should be selected as the testing site.
Does Totino-Grace High School offer HSPT accommodations?
Students with an IEP, 504 plan, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, or another documented need should contact Totino-Grace High 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 Totino-Grace High School application deadline?
The school's website listed Financial Aid & Tuition Aid Data Services (TADS) The priority deadline for financial aid was December 15, 2025. 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 Totino-Grace High School require besides the HSPT?
Totino-Grace High School also lists recommendations, interview, visit or event, essay, 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 and other Fridley schools.
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