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Entrance Exam

Entrance Exam Offered Jan. 12 and Jan. 26, 2019

All eighth graders applying to Brophy's Class of 2023 are required to take an entrance exam. We use the High School Placement Test or “HSPT” entrance exam by Scholastic Testing Services. It is a five-part, multiple-choice test of verbal, quantitative, reading, mathematics and language skills. The exam takes approximately 2  1/2 hours and contains about 300 questions designed to see how well an eighth-grade student performs academically. In addition to the HSPT exam, students will also complete a 25-minute writing prompt on the day of the exam - it is not part of the HSPT but part of the Brophy application. Students are allowed to take the exam only once.

A COMPLETED ONLINE APPLICATION RESERVES YOUR SEAT FOR THE ENTRANCE EXAM. If you plan to take the exam on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019, then the online application must be completed by Jan. 11. If you are taking the exam on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019, then the online application must be completed by Jan. 25. The remaining required application documents such as recommendation forms and transcripts can be turned in as late as Jan. 31. 

IF YOU CHOOSE TO TAKE THE ENTRANCE EXAM AT A DIFFERENT CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL, please make sure that you include the Brophy registration code on your scantron (you will receive instructions that morning) to ensure that we receive your test results in a timely fashion. Contact the other school directly for information (date and cost) on taking the exam there.
Please note: Extended time for the required HSPT Entrance Exam offered at Brophy on Jan. 12 or Jan. 26 is available to those students who qualify. To receive additional testing time, an applicant must submit a current IEP (Individualized Educational Program) 504 plan or Student Support Plan describing the specific accommodations. Please contact the Office of Admissions at least one week prior to the Jan. 12 or Jan. 26 testing date to discuss what to expect when extra time is allowed. All conversations, as well as all accommodations given, are confidential.


Answering Your Questions

List of 8 frequently asked questions.

  • Q What are the details for testing day on Jan. 12, 2019 or Jan. 26, 2019?

    • The exam will take place in the Piper Center for Math and Science. Park in the south parking lot. Parents can wait in line but will not accompany them into Piper.
    • The line will form at the southwest door.
    • Check-in will begin around 7:15 a.m.
    • If you would like to bring your own pencils, make sure they are of the No. 2 variety, otherwise Brophy will provide pencils.
    • NO CALCULATORS.
    • Dress comfortably - there is no dress code.
    • Exam takes approximately three hours.
    • A snack break is provided half-way through the exam. If your son has a food allergy, he can bring his own snack.
    • Since each of the five sections is timed, he may want to bring a book to read to keep himself busy between sections.
    • Results will be mailed AFTER admission decisions are made in March.

  • Q When will I get the HSPT results?

    We will mail results to families in mid to late March, after decisions are made.

  • Q Do I have to register for the entrance exam?

    Your "ticket" to the entrance exam is a completed online application. You must complete the online application and pay the $75 fee at least one day prior to test day.

  • Q Does Brophy run out of seats/space for the Entrance Exam?

    All students who complete the online application at least one day prior to the Entrance Exam will have a seat on test day. We do not run out of room or seats on test day.

  • Q Is it better to take the Entrance Exam on the first testing date on Jan. 12?

    Students make take the exam on either Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019 or Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019. The test is exactly the same (although we do change the Brophy writing prompt). The first testing date typically attracts a slightly larger group of applicants due to sports schedules (and just wanting to get it over with)! Students are allowed to take the test only once.

  • Q What do I need to bring to the Entrance Exam?

    You do not need to bring anything on test day. We will provide pencils, scratch paper, and a snack. There is no dress code.

  • Q Do I have to take the test at Brophy, or can I take it at the Catholic high school closest to my house?

    All Catholic schools in Phoenix administer the same exam at the same times, on the same dates. You need to take the exam in one place only and scores can be shared with the other schools to which you are applying. If you plan to take the exam at a Catholic high school other than Brophy, please contact them about their registration process. Each school handles it differently. 

  • Q Should my son prepare for the exam?

    Parents often call us asking us about exam preparation. Many students take the exam with no preparation as it is a standardized test designed for subject matter and skills learned by eighth grade. Some parents purchase review books that provide sample HSPT exams. There are many different books out there by the popular test review companies like Princeton Review, Barron’s, Peterson’s Publishing, Kaplan, McGraw-Hill, etc. They can all be purchased online or at local bookstores. A few students choose to take a review course provided by local commercial test preparation companies. If you would like more information, please contact our office.