Regis High School: Strategic Admissions Support for Asian American Families
Navigating a Tuition-Free Manhattan Jesuit School Where Roughly One in Five Students Is Asian or Pacific Islander
Cardinal Education is an independent educational consulting company. We are not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with any private or public school, including Regis High School.
As Seen On
About the School
Regis Through an Asian American Perspective
For Catholic Asian American families in the New York area, Regis High School’s pitch is unusually direct: a full, tuition-free scholarship to one of the most academically respected Jesuit high schools in the country, admission decided almost entirely on merit and need rather than ability to pay.
According to Regis’s own 2025-26 School Profile, Asian or Pacific Islander students make up approximately 19.4% of the graduating class, and students at Regis maintain an active Asian Cultural Society as part of the school’s club life. Founded in 1914 and enrolling roughly 540 boys across Grades 9–12, Regis draws from 219 zip codes across the metropolitan area, and 41% of its students speak a language other than English at home.
Fast Facts
Location
55 East 84th Street, New York, NY 10028 (Upper East Side, Manhattan)
Type
Private, all-boys, day school, Catholic (Jesuit), college preparatory, tuition-free
Grades
9–12 only
Enrollment
540 students
Asian/Pacific Islander Enrollment
Approximately 19.4% (school-reported)
Language Diversity
41% of students speak a language other than English at home
Application Deadline
Monday, November 2, 2026 (for Fall 2027 entry, Class of 2031)
Community & Academic Snapshot
Asian/Pacific Islander Enrollment (School-Reported)
≈19.4% of the graduating class
Students Speaking a Language Other Than English at Home
41%
Religious Requirement
Applicants must be baptized Catholic
Culture & Identity Clubs
Asian Cultural Society, Diversity Club, and others
SAT Middle 50% (3-year)
1430–1530 composite
Want a Full Picture?
For full admissions requirements, timeline, and student life details that apply to every Regis applicant, see our How to Get Into Regis High School: A Complete Admissions Guide for Parents.
What Applicants From Non-Catholic Schools Should Know
A meaningful share of Regis’s Asian American applicants come from public or independent middle schools rather than parish schools, which changes the first step of the process. Rather than a principal nomination, these families request an application directly, confirm the applicant is baptized Catholic, and submit a final 7th grade report card for review before receiving portal access. Regis is explicit that baptism is required regardless of an applicant’s cultural or immigrant background; there is no exception for otherwise highly qualified non-Catholic applicants.
Key Dates & Events
Online Application Deadline
November 2, 2026
Recommendation & Report Card Due
November 9, 2026
Regis Scholarship Exam
November 14, 2026
Semifinalist Decision
December 16, 2026
Semifinalist Interview
January 9, 2027
Admissions Decision
January 26, 2027
Regis High School Application Requirements
To apply to Regis High School, you will need to submit the following:
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01Nomination or Application Request
Applicants from local Catholic schools are nominated directly by their principal or 8th grade teacher. Applicants from public or independent schools request an application themselves, confirming they are baptized Catholic and submitting a final 7th grade report card for review before receiving portal access.
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02Student Essay & Writing Exercise
The online application includes a short essay where students articulate their interest. Semifinalists also complete an in-person writing exercise. For support, our Programs in Writing and Reading (PWR) helps students develop an authentic writing voice that ensures their statement stands out.
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03Recommendations
Applicants must provide a 7th-grade teacher recommendation and a character reference detailing potential and character. To secure a strong recommendation letter, ensure recommenders highlight your child’s leadership, behavior, and academic impact on the community.
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04Transcript
A final 7th-grade report card and standardized test scores are required for review. For extra support, our tutoring and academic coaching help strengthen key skills, allowing students to demonstrate sustained academic growth well before applications are due.
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05Regis Scholarship Exam
Applicants sit for the High School Placement Test at Regis. This three-hour exam helps determine competitiveness. To succeed, engage in targeted HSPT test prep to master fast-paced sections, develop effective pacing strategies, and gain familiarity with the exam’s unique, one-time structure.
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06Admissions Interview
Semifinalists participate in two 20-minute interviews to gauge their alignment with the Jesuit mission. To communicate with confidence and authenticity, utilize our comprehensive interview preparation, which helps students discuss their interests, achievements, and reasons for applying effectively.
Why Families Choose Cardinal Education for Regis Admissions
Cardinal Education has worked with Asian American Catholic families across New York navigating Regis’s unusual combination of a merit-and-need-based, tuition-free model with a religious eligibility requirement that some families don’t expect from a school this academically selective. Our consultants help families confirm the right application path (nomination versus direct request), prepare for the HSPT and interview format. For the general Regis admissions timeline and requirements that apply to every applicant, see our Regis High School Admissions Consulting: HSPT Prep & Strategy.
“Regis gave my son a transformative education and a brotherhood that has lasted well beyond graduation. Cardinal Education helped us understand a process that felt overwhelming at first.”— Regis Parent
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is the Asian American population at Regis High School?
Does Regis have any Asian American student clubs?
Does my son need to be Catholic to apply, even if our family is not from a Catholic background?
What if my son attends a public or independent middle school, not a Catholic one?
Is Regis need-blind or need-aware in admissions?
Considering Regis High School?
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