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ISEE Upper Level Essay Section: What Private Schools Like Strake Jesuit Actually Want to See (2026)
School Prep Guides
July 25, 2026 8 min read

ISEE Upper Level Essay Section: What Private Schools Like Strake Jesuit Actually Want to See (2026)

The ISEE essay is unscored — but Strake Jesuit admissions readers see every word your son writes. This post explains what Houston private school admissions teams actually look for in the 30-minute writing sample, how Jesuit values shape that review, and how timed essay practice can turn those unscored minutes into your strongest admissions asset.

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ISEE essay tips ISEE Upper Level essay section
What Is the HSPT STEM Critical Thinking Section? A Complete Prep Guide for 8th Graders Applying to Tampa Catholic (2026)
School Prep Guides
July 25, 2026 9 min read

What Is the HSPT STEM Critical Thinking Section? A Complete Prep Guide for 8th Graders Applying to Tampa Catholic (2026)

The HSPT STEM Critical Thinking section is the most overlooked part of Tampa Catholic High School's admissions test — and it directly affects honors course placement. This guide explains exactly what the section tests, what scores matter, and how 8th graders in the Tampa Bay area can prepare before the one-shot November test date.

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HSPT STEM critical thinking section HSPT science section prep
ISEE Upper Level Essay Tips for St. Thomas High School Houston: The Section Everyone Ignores (But Admissions Reads Carefully)
School Prep Guides
July 24, 2026 8 min read

ISEE Upper Level Essay Tips for St. Thomas High School Houston: The Section Everyone Ignores (But Admissions Reads Carefully)

Most ISEE prep guides call the essay unscored and move on — but St. Thomas High School's Admissions Committee reads every word of it. This post explains what St. Thomas really looks for in the ISEE Upper Level essay, how stanine scores affect merit scholarships, and how to prepare your son for one of Houston's most competitive Catholic all-boys admissions processes.

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ISEE Upper Level essay tips ISEE essay section Houston private school
How to Get Into Staten Island Technical High School in 2026: SHSAT Score, Cutoffs & Prep Guide
School Prep Guides
July 24, 2026 11 min read

How to Get Into Staten Island Technical High School in 2026: SHSAT Score, Cutoffs & Prep Guide

Getting into Staten Island Technical High School means hitting a 527+ SHSAT composite score — and in 2026, doing it on a brand-new computer-adaptive test. This guide covers the exact SITHS cutoffs, the updated digital format, and the STEM critical thinking skills that separate admitted students from the rest.

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Staten Island Technical High School SHSAT 2026
How to Score in the 90th Percentile on the HSPT for St. Mary's Academy's Academic Excellence Award (2026–2027 Guide)
School Prep Guides
July 23, 2026 9 min read

How to Score in the 90th Percentile on the HSPT for St. Mary's Academy's Academic Excellence Award (2026–2027 Guide)

St. Mary's Academy's Academic Excellence Award requires a 90th-percentile HSPT score — and your daughter only gets one shot at the exam. This guide covers the exact score threshold, the sections that move the needle most, and a month-by-month prep plan built around SMA's January test date and December deadline.

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St. Mary's Academy HSPT HSPT 90th percentile Denver
How to Get Into St. Pius X High School Houston (2026–2027 Complete Guide)
School Prep Guides
July 23, 2026 10 min read

How to Get Into St. Pius X High School Houston (2026–2027 Complete Guide)

St. Pius X High School admissions requires the ISEE Upper Level, two written components, and a January 15 application deadline. This guide covers every requirement for the 2026–2027 cycle — from target stanine scores to the portal essay prompt — so your 8th grader walks in prepared.

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St. Pius X High School admissions how to get into St. Pius X Houston
How to Prepare for the HSPT at St. Joseph Notre Dame High School (2026 Guide)
School Prep Guides
July 22, 2026 9 min read

How to Prepare for the HSPT at St. Joseph Notre Dame High School (2026 Guide)

The St. Joseph Notre Dame High School HSPT is a one-shot test administered every January by the Diocese of Oakland — and your child's score affects admission, course placement, and scholarship eligibility all at once. This guide covers what SJND actually reviews, which sections matter most, and how to build the quantitative reasoning skills that move 8th graders from average to honors placement.

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St. Mark's School of Texas Admissions Essay: What to Write (and What to Avoid) in 2026
School Prep Guides
July 22, 2026 9 min read

St. Mark's School of Texas Admissions Essay: What to Write (and What to Avoid) in 2026

Getting into St. Mark's School of Texas means more than strong grades — your son's admissions essay and ISEE writing sample both land on the same desk. This post gives grade-specific essay strategies, an ISEE prep timeline, and writing tips aligned to St. Mark's core values of character and leadership.

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St. Mark's School of Texas admissions essay ISEE essay writing tips
The SI Post-HSPT Writing Prompt: What It Is, How It's Scored, and How to Practice (2026 Guide)
School Prep Guides
July 21, 2026 9 min read

The SI Post-HSPT Writing Prompt: What It Is, How It's Scored, and How to Practice (2026 Guide)

St. Ignatius College Preparatory is one of the only Bay Area Catholic high schools that requires a same-day timed essay immediately after the HSPT. This guide explains exactly what the SI Post-HSPT writing prompt is, how admissions staff evaluate it, and how to build a realistic 8–10 week practice plan before December 6, 2025.

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SI HSPT writing prompt St. Ignatius Post-HSPT writing prompt