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If your family is aiming for admission to one of Seattle’s top Catholic high schools, there’s one test you can’t overlook: the HSPT. Short for High School Placement Test, the HSPT is required by many elite Catholic schools in the Seattle area—and here’s the kicker: students only get one chance. No retakes. No second shot. That makes strong preparation not just helpful, but absolutely essential.
At Cardinal Education, we help Seattle students get fully prepared for the HSPT with expert tutoring that aligns with U.S. Catholic school admissions standards and local academic expectations. We target every section of the test—Verbal Skills, Quantitative Skills, Reading, Mathematics, and Language—with customized instruction and real strategies. With flexible scheduling, individualized learning plans, and top-tier tutors, we make sure your child walks into test day confident, focused, and ready to impress schools.
We kick off HSPT prep with a full diagnostic exam that highlights your child’s strengths and pinpoints areas for improvement across all five sections of the HSPT. This approach shows us where to focus and ensures every tutoring session is efficient, effective, and tailored to help your child succeed at top Seattle Catholic schools.
Our expert Seattle tutors cover every section of the HSPT: Verbal Skills, Quantitative Skills, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics, and Language. We teach students how to apply logic, manage time, and approach each section strategically. Knowing the material is one thing. Performing under pressure? That’s where we come in.
Practice makes perfect. Our Seattle students complete full-length, proctored HSPT practice exams under real test conditions to build stamina, improve pacing, and boost test-day confidence. Each session builds familiarity with the HSPT’s unique structure and reinforces strategies that stick.
From tricky analogy questions to time-crunch math sections, we teach Seattle students how to stay calm and focused under pressure. Our coaching blends test strategy with mindset training—so students learn to think clearly, manage nerves, and perform their best when it counts most.
We don’t stop at test prep. Our Seattle-based team also helps families navigate the Catholic high school admissions process. From high HSPT scores to faith-aligned application materials, we offer step-by-step guidance that helps students apply to schools like O’Dea, Bishop Blanchet, and Holy Names Academy with confidence and clarity.
Since the HSPT is typically offered only once a year—usually in December or early January—Seattle families need to be strategic. We recommend beginning HSPT prep in late summer or early fall. This timeline gives students enough breathing room to understand the test structure, sharpen their skills in key areas, and complete multiple full-length practice tests. It also helps avoid last-minute cramming during the busy school year.
Starting early means your child won’t just survive test day; they’ll own it. In Seattle’s competitive Catholic school admissions landscape, timing truly is everything.
Your child’s path to a top Catholic high school in Seattle begins with smart, focused preparation. At Cardinal Education, we go beyond basic tutoring to offer a fully customized HSPT prep program and admissions guidance tailored to Seattle’s most competitive Catholic schools.
The HSPT is a one-time exam, so there are no retakes, and every point counts. With expert instruction, full-length practice tests, and deep knowledge of the admissions process, we turn preparation into confidence—and confidence into results.
Don’t leave your child’s future up to chance. Let us guide your family through the HSPT and Catholic school admissions with clarity, strategy, and unmatched support.
If you’re thinking “we’ll get to it after soccer season,” you’re already behind. The HSPT is typically offered once a year—usually in December or early January—and there are no retakes. One shot. That’s it. We recommend families in Seattle start HSPT prep around late summer or early fall. Why? Because students juggling honors classes, debate team, music lessons, and, oh yeah, sleep, don’t need extra pressure crammed into November.
Starting early means your child gets familiar with the HSPT’s unique structure, practices full-length exams, and develops real test-day stamina—without sacrificing their sanity (or yours). With enough lead time, we can identify weak spots (grammar, math, pacing—whatever’s hiding), and actually fix them.
Our Seattle tutors build skills that stick, so when the big day comes, your child won’t be hoping for a miracle—they’ll be walking in ready. And trust us, that confidence shows.
The HSPT is like the SAT’s little Catholic cousin—shorter, faster, and far less forgiving. What makes it different? For starters, it’s only offered once a year and has no built-in do-over. Unlike the SSAT or ISEE, which let you test more than once, the HSPT gives Seattle students one crack at proving they’re ready for the rigor of Catholic high school. It covers five sections: Verbal Skills, Quantitative Skills, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics, and Language (think spelling, punctuation, grammar rules your kid forgot existed). And it’s fast. We’re talking multiple sections in just a couple of hours—no time to zone out.
That’s why prep matters. Knowing the content is step one. Knowing how to tackle it under pressure? That’s the game-changer. Our Seattle HSPT tutors not only teach students the material, but also how to handle the pacing, think strategically, and stay calm when the timer starts. It’s prep with a purpose.
If you’re applying to any of Seattle’s top Catholic high schools, chances are you’ll be meeting the HSPT sooner rather than later. Schools like Bishop Blanchet High School, O’Dea High School, and Holy Names Academy all use the HSPT to assess applicants. And while some schools don’t shout about score cutoffs, make no mistake—strong performance matters.
These schools want students who can keep up academically and fit into their faith-based, values-driven communities. A great HSPT score shows you’re ready for that challenge. It signals to admissions teams that your child isn’t just smart—they’re serious.
And let’s be honest, in a competitive city like Seattle, “just okay” won’t cut it. So yes, the HSPT is a big deal. The good news? You’ve got time to get ahead of the curve—and we’re here to make sure you do it right, from first diagnostic to final practice test.
Think of our tutors as part coach, part cheerleader, and part academic ninja. Seattle families come to us because we don’t do cookie-cutter tutoring—we build full, personalized prep programs that actually work. Our process starts with a diagnostic test to figure out what your child’s already good at—and what needs serious TLC (hello, misplaced modifiers).
From there, we craft a customized plan that targets weak spots, reinforces strengths, and builds real test-day confidence. We cover every HSPT section—grammar, vocabulary, math, logic, reading comprehension—and show students how to manage time, think under pressure, and bounce back from tricky questions.
Plus, we keep things structured and supportive. Weekly progress reports keep parents in the loop, and students always know where they stand. Whether they’re aiming for O’Dea, Bishop Blanchet, or Holy Names, our Seattle students don’t just prepare—they walk in ready to crush the test. That’s what real prep looks like.
DISCLAIMER
Cardinal Education is an independent educational consulting company. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by any private school, including those mentioned on this website. All school names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are used here for descriptive purposes only.
