Admissions Criteria & Process

Admissions Criteria

The academic curriculum at St. Joseph’s Catholic School is college preparatory and intended for those students planning to further their education at the college level. St. Joseph’s admits students working at or above grade level who are highly motivated, organized, and independent, and who possess a strong desire to learn. Admissions decisions are based upon results from the school’s Admissions Test, teacher recommendations, previous academic performance, and the student/family interviews. In the event of limited space, qualified siblings of current students, followed by qualified Catholic students, will be given priority in admissions decisions.

St. Joseph’s Catholic School provides opportunities for all motivated students wishing to receive a quality education. However, the school does not accept students who have been suspended or expelled from other schools or who have exhibited behavioral problems at their current school.

Local applicants to St. Joseph’s will be considered for admission with a start date in August and again in January at the beginning of the second semester. We close admissions for the semester (except to out-of-town transfer students) following our Add/Drop period, about eight days into the start of each semester.

Non-Discrimination Policy: St. Joseph’s Catholic School does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions procedures, financial aid/scholarship awards, and/or any other school administered programs.

Admissions Process

Applications for the upcoming school year are first made available in October. In order to be considered for admission to St. Joseph’s, the students and parents should complete the following steps.

High School Process Details
Middle School Process Details

High School Process Details

Application: Submit the online Application for Admission. The non-refundable $180.00 application fee must be paid via credit card in order to submit the application.

Testing: Schedule and complete the High School Admissions Test. When completing the online application, parents will select a testing date. Admissions testing is offered on designated Saturday mornings during the months of January, February, and March beginning at 8:30 AM. All high school applicants are welcome to test on any of the three published dates, but rising freshmen who wish to compete for merit scholarships (St. Joseph’s Scholar Awards) must test in either January or February for consideration. Space permitting, additional testing dates may be added in late spring or over the summer to accommodate those students who apply after March. A listing of the year’s scheduled testing dates is available on the school website under Admissions/Important Dates & Information.
Teacher Recommendations Forms: A SJCS Teacher Recommendation Form is emailed to both the applicant’s current English teacher and current Math teacher whose names and email addresses are supplied by the parents on the application. The teachers automatically receive these forms in their inboxes as soon as the application is submitted.
Records Request Form: Parents should print out and complete the SJCS Records Request Form as part of the application and deliver it to their child’s current school counselor or school office.
Shadowing: Prospective high school students should plan to spend a day “shadowing” a current SJCS high school student. Shadow days will be scheduled by the Admissions Office January through April following the Admissions Test.
Family Interview: At the end of the shadow day, the applicant will join his/her parents for a twenty-minute family interview with a member of the SJCS Admissions Committee. This step will then complete the admissions process.
Notification: Letters will be mailed to all candidates for admission, but only after 1) the applicant has completed the entire process as described above, and 2) the Admissions Committee has made a determination concerning the individual’s admissions status. Applicants who complete the admissions process by the end of February will receive priority, and letters will be mailed on or around March 15th. After that time, applicants will be considered on a rolling admissions basis and will be notified usually within 3-4 weeks of completing the application process.

Middle School Process Details

Application: Submit an online Application for Admission. The non-refundable $180.00 application fee must be paid via credit card in order to submit the application.
Testing: Schedule and complete the Middle School Admissions Test. When completing the online application, parents will select a testing date. Admissions testing is offered on designated Saturday mornings during the months of January, February, and March beginning at 8:30 AM. All middle school applicants are welcome to test on any of the three published dates, but priority is given to those applicants who test in either January or February. Space permitting, additional testing dates may be added in late spring or over the summer to accommodate those students who apply after March. A listing of the year’s scheduled testing dates is available on the school website under Admissions/Important Dates & Information.
Teacher Recommendation Form: A SJCS Teacher Recommendation Form is emailed to either the applicant’s current English teacher or current Math teacher whose name and email address is supplied by the parents on the application. The teacher automatically receives this form in his/her inbox as soon as the application is submitted.
Records Request Form: Parents should print out and complete the SJCS Records Request Form as part of the application and deliver it to their child’s current school counselor or school office.
Family Interview: The applicant and his/her parents will be scheduled for a twenty-minute family interview with a member of the SJCS Admissions Committee. This step will then complete the admissions process.
Notification: Letters will be sent to all candidates for admission, but only after 1) the applicant has completed the entire process as described above, and 2) the Admissions Committee has made a determination concerning the individual’s admissions status. Applicants who complete the admissions process by the end of February will receive priority, and letters will be mailed on or around March 15th. After that time, applicants will be considered on a rolling admissions basis and will be notified usually within 3-4 weeks of completing the application process.

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Admissions Criteria & Process