When should my child start preparing for the HSPT in Washington, D.C.?

If your child is applying to a Catholic high school in Washington, D.C., the best time to start HSPT prep is late summer or early fall of 8th grade. Why? Because the HSPT is only offered once per year—typically in December or January—and there are no do-overs. Early prep gives your child the time to master all five sections: Verbal Skills, Quantitative Skills, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics, and Language.

At Cardinal Education, we recommend starting 4 to 6 months before test day to allow for full diagnostic testing, custom learning plans, and plenty of timed practice exams. Starting early also reduces stress and helps build real confidence, especially important when every point counts.

If you’re looking for the best HSPT prep timeline in D.C., this is it: start before school chaos hits, and prep smart, not last-minute.