Notre Dame Preparatory HSPT prep is one of those things that looks manageable until families realize, a week before December, how much the score actually controls. I've worked with Scottsdale 8th graders who walked into the Quantitative Skills section expecting something like their math homework — and walked out having left 15 percentile points on the table because nobody told them that section doesn't test math at all. The HSPT at NDP isn't just an entrance exam. It determines whether your child earns a spot, which academic track they start in as a freshman, and potentially how much merit aid your family receives. This guide gives you the specific dates, score benchmarks, placement stakes, and the prep strategy most Scottsdale families skip entirely.
Notre Dame Preparatory HSPT: Everything You Need to Know Before December
- Exam: HSPT (High School Placement Test), published by Scholastic Testing Service
- Format: 298 multiple-choice questions, paper-and-pencil, no calculator
- Total testing time: Approximately 2 hours 21–30 minutes (plus breaks)
- Sections: Verbal Skills (60 Q / 16 min) · Quantitative Skills (52 Q / 30 min) · Reading (62 Q / 25 min) · Mathematics (64 Q / 45 min) · Language Skills (60 Q / 25 min)
- Scoring: Scaled scores 200–800 per section; national percentile ranks 1–99; composite scores for Cognitive Skills and Battery
- No guessing penalty — answer every question
- Test date: December (on NDP's campus); registration opens September
- Application deadline: January 15
- Decisions: Late January – February (typical Diocese of Phoenix timeline)
- Official info: ndpsaints.org/admissions
When Is the Notre Dame Prep Scottsdale Entrance Exam and How Do You Register?
NDP administers the HSPT on its own campus each December. The school announces exact Saturday test dates each fall when registration opens in September. You won't find a fixed date published year-round — you need to check ndpsaints.org/admissions starting in late August.
Registration runs through NDP's application portal. Your child must have an active application on file to register for the December exam. That means you can't wait until October to start the paperwork. Open the application as soon as the portal becomes available, typically in the early fall of your child's 8th-grade year.
The full NDP admissions timeline works like this: the application opens in fall, HSPT registration opens in September, the exam is held in December, the application deadline is January 15, and decisions arrive in late January through February. Interviews — required for some applicants — are scheduled through the portal during that same window.
One rule worth knowing before you do anything else: the HSPT may only be taken once per testing year. If your child sits for the exam at more than one school, the lowest score is reported to every school that receives results. Plan where you register carefully.
The Detail Most Families Miss About Notre Dame Prep Admissions: Academic Track Placement
Here is the detail almost no outside resource covers: your child's HSPT score at Notre Dame Preparatory doesn't just determine admission. It directly shapes which academic program they enter as a freshman.
Based on reports from NDP families and community sources, NDP offers differentiated academic tracks for incoming students. High-performing students may qualify for the advanced Thomas Aquinas Program, a rigorous honors-level curriculum for students who demonstrate strong academic readiness. Students who need additional academic support may be placed in the St. Aloysius Gonzaga support program, designed to build foundational skills alongside the standard curriculum. Contact NDP's admissions office directly to confirm current track structure for your child's cycle.
That means the HSPT score is doing double duty — it wins admission and sets the academic starting point for your child's freshman year. I've seen students who earned solid admission scores miss the honors threshold by a few percentile points, and the difference in course level followed them into sophomore year. A student who prepares intentionally and reaches the 85th percentile arrives at NDP in a stronger position — academically and socially.
NDP weighs HSPT results alongside 7th-grade transcripts, first-marking-period 8th-grade grades, teacher or counselor recommendation letters, the personal statement submitted through the portal, and — for some applicants — an admissions interview. No single factor is evaluated in isolation. That said, the HSPT Cognitive Skills Composite (Verbal + Quantitative sections combined) is the metric most directly linked to course-level placement decisions.
What HSPT Score Is Competitive for Notre Dame Prep Scottsdale Admissions?
NDP has not published an official minimum score or cutoff percentile. Based on community-observed data from Diocese of Phoenix Catholic high school applicants, scores at or above the 75th national percentile are generally considered strong for admission. Students targeting the advanced Thomas Aquinas Program should aim for the 85th percentile or higher on the Cognitive Skills Composite.
These are community planning benchmarks — not official NDP thresholds. Contact the NDP Admissions Office for current guidance specific to the 2026–2027 cycle before treating any number as a cutoff.
On the scaled score range of 200–800, an 85th-percentile performance typically corresponds to scores well above the midpoint of the range. Percentile ranks matter more than raw scaled scores because the HSPT is norm-referenced — your child is measured against a national sample of 8th graders, not just other NDP applicants.
On merit scholarships: many Diocese of Phoenix Catholic schools tie merit award consideration to HSPT performance. Families report that students scoring at or above the 85th national percentile receive stronger scholarship consideration at similar schools. NDP has not published explicit score-to-scholarship formulas publicly, so contact their financial aid office directly to ask about merit thresholds for the upcoming cycle.
The Most Overlooked HSPT Section — and How STEM Critical Thinking Practice Trains Your Child for It
The Quantitative Skills section is the one Scottsdale 8th graders most consistently underprepare for — and it is the section most directly tied to the Cognitive Skills Composite score that drives placement decisions.
Here is why it catches students off guard. The section presents 52 questions in just 30 minutes. It does not test arithmetic or algebra procedures. It tests geometric comparisons, number series completion, and abstract non-verbal reasoning — the kind of pattern-recognition thinking that classroom math rarely practices directly. A student who has earned straight A's in pre-algebra can still struggle here if they've never trained this specific kind of thinking.
This is exactly where STEM Critical Thinking practice tests give your child a specific, measurable edge. The abstract reasoning and logical sequencing skills built through STEM critical thinking exercises map directly onto what the Quantitative Skills section demands. Students who practice these skills consistently over 12–16 weeks develop the processing speed and pattern fluency needed to move through 52 questions in 30 minutes without stalling on an unfamiliar format.
The Mathematics section (64 questions, 45 minutes) rewards standard procedural skills — fractions, ratios, pre-algebra, geometry — and responds well to traditional math review. The Quantitative Skills section needs a different kind of preparation entirely. Understanding that distinction before your child opens their first practice booklet saves weeks of misdirected effort.
How the Notre Dame Prep Application Works Beyond the HSPT Score
The HSPT is one piece of a holistic review. NDP's application requires your child's 7th-grade report card and first-marking-period 8th-grade report card. Academic grades in core subjects — math, English, science, social studies — carry real weight alongside the test score.
An admissions interview is required for some applicants and scheduled through the portal. NDP hasn't published specific criteria for who receives an interview invitation, but community patterns suggest students near the competitive score threshold are more likely to receive one. Preparing your child to speak clearly about their academic interests, goals, and values is time well spent regardless of whether an interview is required.
The personal statement is submitted through the application portal. Practicing structured written responses through Essay Writing practice helps 8th graders develop organized thinking — the same skill that strengthens interview performance and long-form academic writing in freshman year. If you want your child's application to feel cohesive, the written voice in their essay should match the curiosity and confidence they've built through preparation.
If your child has an IEP or 504 Plan, submit that documentation as early as possible when the application opens. Accommodations on the HSPT — such as extended time — are not automatically granted. NDP reviews each case individually, and early submission gives the admissions team maximum time to coordinate any testing modifications with Scholastic Testing Service before the December exam date.
HSPT Prep for Notre Dame Prep Scottsdale's 2027 Admissions Cycle — Starting in 7th Grade
In the students I've worked with, those who began preparing 14–18 months before their December test date consistently scored higher than peers who started in October. If your child is currently in 7th grade and interested in NDP for fall 2027, that head start is real.
Early preparation for the Catholic high school placement test in Phoenix doesn't mean grinding through full-length practice exams in 7th grade. It means building the foundational reasoning skills — number pattern recognition, logical sequencing, reading comprehension fluency — that make the HSPT's timed sections manageable when test day arrives.
STEM Critical Thinking practice tests work well for this early-start approach. They develop abstract reasoning in short, focused sessions that fit easily into a 7th grader's schedule. By the time your child enters 8th grade, these cognitive skills are already trained. Focused HSPT-format practice in the fall then produces faster, more durable score gains because your child isn't learning the skill type and the test format at the same time.
The NDP 2027 admissions cycle will follow the same general structure: application opens fall 2026, HSPT registration opens September 2026, exam is held December 2026, application deadline is January 15, 2027. Starting practice now keeps every option open — including the Thomas Aquinas Program threshold your child can aim for from day one.
Frequently Asked Questions: Notre Dame Preparatory Scottsdale HSPT Admissions
- Q: When is the HSPT offered at Notre Dame Preparatory in Scottsdale?
- A: NDP hosts the HSPT on campus in December each year. Registration opens in September — exact Saturday dates are announced each fall. Watch ndpsaints.org beginning in late August. Families who want structured prep time should begin no later than August, giving their student 12–16 weeks of focused practice before December test day.
- Q: Can my child take the HSPT at a different Catholic school and use that score for NDP?
- A: This depends on NDP's policy for a given admissions cycle. Some Diocese of Phoenix schools share a common testing window and may accept scores from a sister school. NDP's preferred approach is to administer the exam on its own campus. Contact the NDP Admissions Office directly at ndpsaints.org to confirm whether an outside-site score is accepted before your child registers elsewhere — the lowest-score rule makes this decision consequential.
- Q: Does my child's HSPT score affect which academic program they're placed in at NDP?
- A: Yes — and this is one of the most important details families overlook. Based on reports from NDP families and community sources, NDP uses HSPT scores to place incoming freshmen into differentiated academic tracks. High performers may qualify for the advanced Thomas Aquinas Program; students needing additional support may be placed in the St. Aloysius Gonzaga support program. A score at or above the 75th national percentile strengthens both your admission outcome and your placement outcome. Confirm current track structure directly with NDP admissions.
- Q: What percentile is considered competitive for Notre Dame Preparatory admission?
- A: NDP has not published an official minimum. Based on community-observed data from Diocese of Phoenix applicants, scores at or above the 75th national percentile are generally considered competitive for admission. Students targeting the Thomas Aquinas advanced track should aim for the 85th percentile or higher on the Cognitive Skills Composite. Treat these as planning benchmarks, not official cutoffs — contact NDP admissions for guidance specific to your child's cycle.
- Q: Does a strong HSPT score influence scholarship or financial aid at NDP?
- A: Many Diocese of Phoenix Catholic high schools use merit scholarship criteria that include HSPT performance. NDP has not published explicit score-to-scholarship formulas publicly, but families report that students scoring at or above the 85th national percentile receive stronger merit award consideration. Contact NDP's financial aid office directly to ask whether specific HSPT score thresholds are tied to named scholarships for the 2026–2027 admissions cycle.
- Q: My child has an IEP or 504 Plan — can they receive extended time or accommodations on the HSPT?
- A: Accommodations are not automatically granted. The HSPT is administered by Scholastic Testing Service, and extended time must be coordinated through NDP's admissions team. Submit your child's IEP or 504 Plan documentation as early as possible when the application opens — ideally in September. Early submission gives NDP maximum time to evaluate the request and coordinate any modifications with STS before the December exam date.
- Q: What happens if my child is sick on HSPT test day — can they retake it?
- A: The HSPT may only be taken once per testing year, and the lowest score is reported if a student tests at more than one site. If your child misses NDP's December administration due to illness, contact the Admissions Office immediately. A makeup date may be available in rare cases, but it is not guaranteed. Missing the exam without communication could compress the already tight January 15 application deadline window significantly.
- Q: How does practicing STEM critical thinking help with the HSPT Quantitative Skills section?
- A: The Quantitative Skills section presents 52 questions in 30 minutes, testing number series, geometric comparisons, and abstract non-verbal reasoning — not standard math procedures. STEM Critical Thinking practice tests build exactly the pattern-recognition and logical sequencing skills this section demands. Students who practice these skills consistently over 12–16 weeks develop the processing speed needed to work accurately through the section's rapid pace without stalling on unfamiliar problem formats.
Start Notre Dame Preparatory HSPT Prep Today — With Practice Tests That Target the Right Skills
The Quantitative Skills section is 30 minutes of abstract reasoning problems that your child's math class has almost certainly never covered directly. In my experience, it is the most consistent difference between students who move from the 65th to the 85th national percentile — and those who plateau. Targeted STEM Critical Thinking practice, started at least 12 weeks before December, is the prep strategy most Scottsdale families discover too late.
What I tell families about the STEM Critical Thinking Practice Tests at stemcriticalthinking.com is this: they are structured to build abstract reasoning, pattern recognition, and logical problem-solving in short focused sessions — exactly the cognitive skills the HSPT Quantitative Skills section tests. Each session is timed, not because timed practice is more stressful, but because processing speed under time pressure is a trainable skill. Your child can get better at it, and 12–16 weeks is enough time to see real improvement.
If your child is working on NDP's personal statement alongside test prep, our Essay Writing Practice Tests help 8th graders build the organized written thinking that makes both the application essay and freshman-year academic writing stronger.
Whether your child is an 8th grader preparing for the December 2026 exam or a 7th grader getting a head start on the 2027 admissions cycle, starting structured practice now means your child arrives at September registration already trained — not just starting.
Start a STEM Critical Thinking Practice Test now and build the Quantitative Skills advantage your child needs for Notre Dame Preparatory's December entrance exam.
![Flat illustration of a student working through math problems on paper at a desk with STEM symbols and geometric shapes in the background, representing NCSSM Discovery Day preparation publish_date: May 22, 2026 [SCHEDULED — verify before publishing]](/static/images/blog/ncssm-math-assessment-how-to-prepare-hero.webp)
