Changes coming for Catholic High School entrance exam

The Archdiocese of Chicago has announced changes to the Catholic High School entrance exam date and recruitment policies, effective this school year. The entrance exam, historically held in January, will now be held the first Saturday in December - Saturday, Dec. 2, at 8 a.m.

The exam date and policy changes were made after a monthslong study and consultation with parents, Catholic elementary and high school leaders, and other interested parties.

Moving the test date earlier in the school year gives parents and guardians of elementary school students more time to identify schools and research financial aid resources to make more informed decisions about the most appropriate high schools for their children.

"Our Catholic high schools are some of the finest in the country," said Dr. Jim Rigg, superintendent of Catholic schools. "By changing our recruitment practices, parents will be able to better evaluate their options and select the high school that best fits their child's needs."

Prospective students may preregister for the entrance exam at their first choice high school beginning Nov. 18. Preregistration will remain open up until the date of the exam. It is important for students to take the entrance exam at their first choice school, as merit-based scholarships are often tied with testing at a particular school.

Each high school will establish its own makeup dates for students unable to attend the Dec. 2 exam. The entrance exam fee is $25 per tester.

Additional recruitment changes effective this school year include:

• Schools must provide decisions on financial aid awards, including merit and needs-based scholarships, after acceptance but prior to registration

• Schools will gather emergency contact information of parents and guardians two weeks prior to the Catholic High School entrance exam so they can be notified if the exam is canceled due to inclement weather.

Catholic high school seniors in the Archdiocese of Chicago graduate at a rate of more than 98 percent. Ninety-five percent of Archdiocesan Catholic high school graduates go on to college, earning millions of dollars in college scholarships each year.

Catholic school graduates are committed to helping others through community service, a commitment that continues through adulthood. Catholic school graduates are also civically engaged and can be found in leadership positions in business, government and nonprofit organizations.

To learn more about the Archdiocese of Chicago's Catholic schools, visit schools.archchicago.org.

The Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic schools serve more than 76,000 students in 214 schools in Cook and Lake counties. It is one of the largest private school systems in the United States and the recipient of the greatest number of U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Awards of any school system - public or private.

In July 2015, all Archdiocesan elementary and secondary schools were accredited by AdvancED, the largest community of educational professionals in the world.