We publish 44 in-depth prep guides covering 26 selective enrollment and competitive admission schools in California, including Archbishop Mitty High School, Archbishop Riordan High School, BASIS Independent Fremont, BASIS Independent School, BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, Bellarmine College Preparatory, Bellarmine HSPT, Bishop O'Dowd High School, and 18 more — covering essays, exam strategy, and application timelines.
The CCHS English Honors Writing Supplement is a 45-minute optional timed essay that determines 9th-grade English Honors placement at Cathedral Catholic. This guide covers the exact format, scoring criteria, and prep strategies you need before January 24, 2026.
The Cathedral Catholic High School placement test is CCHS's own proprietary exam — not the HSPT — and your student's results shape honors placement and scholarship consideration. This guide covers exactly what's on the January 2026 test, how the optional English Honors Writing Supplement works, and how to prepare for the math and English sections efficiently.
Francis Parker School requires both the unscored ISEE essay and its own Student Writing Assessment — two timed writing challenges most San Diego applicants underprepare for. This post teaches a 30-minute argument framework, section-by-section ISEE score targets, and a prep timeline built around Parker's February 1 priority deadline.
The Mark Twain IHP Interdisciplinary Assessment is one of LAUSD's most demanding middle school admissions tests — and the official school site offers zero prep guidance. This guide breaks down every section, explains the four critical thinking skills the rubric actually evaluates, and gives you a concrete preparation timeline from August through January test day.
The Mark Twain IHP Interdisciplinary Assessment tests four specific critical thinking and problem-solving skills — and no published practice tests exist for it. This post breaks down each skill with student-facing examples and gives you a concrete prep plan tied to the actual IHP eligibility criteria LAUSD evaluators use.
The IHP Mandatory Assessment at Walter Reed Middle School includes a high-stakes writing component — and LAUSD releases no official practice materials. This guide explains exactly what the IHP Walter Reed essay writing test demands, who qualifies to apply, and how to prepare your 5th grader before the January exam.
The IHP Placement Assessment at Walter Reed Middle School is one of the most demanding middle school entrance exams in Los Angeles — and LAUSD releases zero official practice materials. This guide breaks down all four tested domains, the 2026–27 admissions timeline, and exactly how to prepare your child before the January exam.
Serra's HSPT gives your son exactly 30 minutes and 52 quantitative skills questions — under 35 seconds each — to show abstract reasoning with no calculator. This post breaks down every question type, what a competitive Serra score looks like, and how Bay Area 8th graders can build the critical thinking speed they need before the one-shot December 6 test date.
Junipero Serra High School requires the HSPT for 9th-grade admission — and the Serra Scholars benchmark sits at the 90th percentile. This guide gives Bay Area 8th graders a concrete, section-by-section prep plan to hit that target before the one-shot December 6, 2025 test date.
Applying to La Jolla Country Day School starts with choosing the right ISEE level — and that one decision shapes your entire prep calendar. This guide covers ISEE Middle Level vs. Upper Level for LJCDS, competitive stanine benchmarks, and a month-by-month prep plan for every pathway into one of San Diego's top private schools.
Getting into La Jolla Country Day School means mastering the ISEE — and two separate written components most families never see coming. This guide covers LJCDS-specific ISEE stanine benchmarks, a prep calendar tied to the February 1 deadline, and exactly how STEM critical thinking practice connects to the sections LJCDS weighs most.
Lowell High School is San Francisco's most competitive public high school — and the Lowell High School STAR score requirements are the number every family wants to know. This guide breaks down Band 1 point totals, what STAR Reading and Math scores actually contribute, and how to prepare for all three admissions pathways before January.