Academy of the Holy Angels admissions for ninth grade ask for an entrance exam, a personal essay and a priority application by December 1, 2026. The Demarest, New Jersey girls' school also takes only one score report per applicant. I've seen families sit both tests to be safe and then learn only one result is counted.
Academy of the Holy Angels Admissions at a Glance
- Entrance exam: the HSPT or the SSAT, with only one score report accepted.
- On-campus tests listed: SSAT on November 13 and HSPT on November 20. Scores must arrive by January 12.
- Priority application deadline: December 1, 2026. All checklist items are due December 15.
- Personal essay: required, with the prompt on the applicant checklist.
- Decision notification: January 15. Registration deadline: February 8.
- Also required: a shadow visit or open house, report cards and a recommendation form.
Academy of the Holy Angels Admissions Checklist for Grade 8 Applicants
The application is entirely online. It begins when you complete the inquiry form and create an account in the school's portal, and then a parent or student works through the checklist. Applications for 2027-28 opened on September 1.
- An entrance exam: the HSPT or the SSAT.
- Final report cards from grades 6 and 7 and the first report card from grade 8.
- A personal essay in response to the prompt on the checklist.
- The AHA Recommendation Form from a current teacher, counselor or principal.
- An Angel for a Day shadow visit or an Open House.
- A personal interview, if the school requests one.
The priority deadline is December 1, the checklist is due December 15 and exam scores are due January 12. Keep those three dates apart in your calendar.
HSPT or SSAT: Choosing One Test for Holy Angels
Applicants take either the HSPT or the SSAT. The school uses the result to judge readiness for its curriculum and to consider merit scholarships. It accepts one score report only.
The school hosts both tests on campus: the SSAT on November 13 and the HSPT on November 20. Registration goes through the Applicant Portal once the application has been started, so open the application first.
In my experience, students choose a test by what their friends are taking. The better question is which format your daughter handles at pace, because only one report is counted and a second sitting will not average out.
The Holy Angels Personal Essay
Every applicant answers a personal essay prompt on the checklist in the portal. The public page does not say how long it is or what the prompt asks, so you see it when you open the checklist.
The weak personal essay is a résumé in paragraph form. It names the sports, the clubs and the honor roll, and tells the reader nothing about the girl. The stronger one picks a single moment and shows how she thought through it.
The essay and the recommendation form do different jobs. The recommendation is written by an adult, and the essay is the one place the committee hears from the applicant directly.
A personal essay is hard to judge when you wrote it, because every sentence still sounds like what you meant. Start the Essay Writing plan to get detailed feedback on timed practice.
Report Cards, Recommendation and the Shadow Visit
The portal accepts only uploaded files. You upload final report cards from grades 6 and 7 and the first report card from grade 8 as soon as it is available. Hard copies and emailed records are not accepted.
The recommendation form is available only through the portal and comes from a current teacher, counselor or principal. Hard copy letters and emails are not accepted.
Every applicant completes an Angel for a Day shadow visit or attends a fall Open House. A Mini Open House is listed for November 18. An interview may be required, and the school notifies you if that applies.
Holy Angels Dates After You Apply
Decision notification is January 15, and the registration deadline is February 8. The page labels its list of dates 2026-2027, while it says applications for 2027-28 are open, so confirm those two dates with the admissions office before you plan around them.
I've worked with students who planned for the test and then lost a week to the portal. Create the account and start the application today, because the exam registration is locked behind it.
Academy of the Holy Angels Admissions FAQ
Q: Can my daughter take both the HSPT and the SSAT?
A: She can take either, but Holy Angels accepts only one score report per applicant. Choose one test, register through the Applicant Portal once the application has been started, and make sure the scores arrive by January 12.
Q: What are the test dates on campus?
A: The school lists the SSAT on campus on November 13 and the HSPT on campus on November 20. Applicants can register for either test through the Applicant Portal after starting the application.
Q: What do the entrance exam scores decide?
A: The school says the tests are used to determine academic readiness for its curriculum and for merit scholarships. That makes the score more than a gate, because it also feeds scholarship consideration.
Q: Which report cards must be uploaded?
A: Final report cards from grades 6 and 7 and the first report card from grade 8, as soon as it is available. The Applicant Portal does not accept hard copies or emailed academic records.
Q: How does the recommendation work?
A: The AHA Recommendation Form is available only through the applicant portal and must be completed by a current teacher, counselor or principal. Hard copy letters and emails are not accepted.
Q: Is a visit required?
A: Yes. Every applicant completes an Angel for a Day shadow visit or attends an Open House in the fall. A Mini Open House is listed for November 18. A personal interview may also be required, and the school will notify you.
Q: When is the registration deadline after an offer?
A: The school lists February 8 as the registration deadline, with decision notification on January 15. Check that these dates apply to the 2027-28 year, because the page labels its date list 2026-2027.
Scored Practice for the Holy Angels Exam and Essay
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