How to Get Into Bishop Blanchet High School: A Complete Admissions Guide for Parents

Brought to you by Cardinal Education, independent admissions consultants for Seattle-area families.

Quick Answer for Busy Parents

Getting into Bishop Blanchet means submitting a complete online application by January 5, 2027, that includes the HSPT (Blanchet does not accept the SSAT or ISEE), a parent statement, a student personal statement, and a teacher recommendation, along with transcripts forwarded from the applicant’s current school. The $30 application fee is due at submission. Blanchet offers two HSPT dates in mid-November 2026, and admissions decisions are emailed to families on February 12, 2027, with enrollment due February 25.

Blanchet is a Catholic, coeducational, college-preparatory day school in Seattle serving 1,000+ students in grades 9-12, with a 99% college matriculation rate and 28 AP, Honors, and University of Washington in the High School (UWHS) courses available.

Please note that there is an early application deadline of December 14, 2026.

Why Do Families Choose Bishop Blanchet?

Founded in 1954 by the Archdiocese of Seattle, Bishop Blanchet High School was the first Catholic coeducational high school in the archdiocese, and today counts more than 16,000 alumni among its civic, professional, and community leaders. The school serves 1,000+ students in grades 9 through 12, offering 28 AP, Honors, and University of Washington in the High School (UWHS) courses across eight academic departments: Business/Technology, English, Languages, Mathematics, Performing and Fine Arts, Physical Education, Science, Social Studies, and Theology. Ninety-nine percent of graduates go on to enroll in college. Blanchet describes its mission as educating the whole student, rooted in Gospel values, with a lifelong commitment to faith, scholarship, and service.

Academic & Community Snapshot

How Hard Is It to Get Into Bishop Blanchet?

Bishop Blanchet does not publish an official acceptance rate, so families should treat any specific percentage circulating online as an unverified third-party estimate rather than a school-confirmed figure. What Blanchet does weigh directly: HSPT performance (used for both admission and course placement), an academic transcript spanning sixth grade through the first half of eighth grade, a teacher recommendation from a core academic subject, and both a parent and a student personal statement. Families often compare Blanchet informally against other Seattle-area Catholic high schools, including Seattle Preparatory School and O’Dea High School, both of which draw from a similar Catholic elementary and middle school pipeline in the Puget Sound area.

Top Tips for Applying

• Register for the HSPT as soon as registration opens in mid-October; only two test dates are offered, November 14 and 15, 2026.
• Request the teacher recommendation early from a core academic subject: English, mathematics, or a world language.
• Start transcript collection early, since a complete file requires records from sixth grade through the first half of eighth grade.
• Submit before the January 5, 2027 deadline; incomplete applications are not considered.

Best Practices for Families

• Attend an Open House (October 15, 2026) or a Bear for a Day visit before applying.
• Disclose any existing learning plan (IEP, 504, or school-based plan) directly on the application, as Blanchet recommends.
• Sign up for Blanchet’s admissions mailing list for registration and deadline reminders.

The Bishop Blanchet Admission Process

1. Visit: Attend an Open House or register for a Bear for a Day 8th-grade visit day on campus.
2. Test: Take the HSPT on one of two dates in mid-November; registration opens in mid-October.
3. Apply: Create an account in the Finalsite admissions portal and submit the online application and $30 fee by January 5.
4. Forward School Forms: Route the Confidential School Report/Transcript Request and Confidential Teacher Evaluation Form to the applicant’s current school through the portal.
5. Submit Transcripts: Ensure sixth-, seventh-, and first-half-of-eighth-grade transcripts arrive by the January 5 deadline.
6. Await Decision: Admissions decisions are emailed to families on February 12, 2027, at 3:00 p.m.
7. Enroll: Complete enrollment by the February 25, 2027 deadline.

Admissions Calendar and Key Dates

Every published date in Blanchet’s Class of 2031 cycle is listed below, in order.

Bishop Blanchet Application Requirements

High School Placement Test (HSPT)

Required of every ninth-grade applicant. Covers Language and Math, plus a written essay, in about four hours. Offered Saturday, November 14, 2026 (9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., or 9:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. with extra-time accommodations) or Sunday, November 15, 2026 (1:00-4:30 p.m.). Registration opens mid-October. Students should arrive 15 minutes early, park in the main lot, and bring student ID, two #2 pencils, and a blue or black ink pen; Blanchet provides breaks and snacks. Results are used for both admission and initial course placement in English, math, and science, and arrive by email from the testing company a few weeks after the test date.

Teacher Recommendation and Transcripts

Parent Statement and Student Interest Rankings

Parents submit a statement on why they want their child to attend Blanchet, a list of the student’s activities and interests (clubs, organizations, team and church or community activities), any awards or honors, and a ranked top-three list of the student’s areas of interest at Blanchet, spanning band, choir, fine arts, clubs, and the full athletics roster. The application also asks whether the student has an existing learning plan (IEP, 504, or school-based plan), has had cognitive or psychological testing in the last two years, or is requesting an Individualized Learning Plan.

Student Personal Statement

Applicants write a 1-2 paragraph personal statement, in their own words, on their passions and interests inside and outside the classroom, and how they hope to grow from their Blanchet experience.

Ready to Start Your Bishop Blanchet Application?

Cardinal Education’s consultants help families navigate the HSPT, the parent and student statements, and every deadline between now and enrollment.

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Student Life at Bishop Blanchet

Academics

Blanchet offers 28 AP, Honors, and University of Washington in the High School (UWHS) courses across eight departments: Business/Technology, English, Languages, Mathematics, Performing and Fine Arts, Physical Education, Science, Social Studies, and Theology. Average class size is 22 students, with a 14:1 student-teacher ratio and four dedicated college counselors.

Activities

Blanchet offers 150+ clubs and extracurricular activities. Verified, named examples include the Art Club, the Blanchet Spirit Club, a book club, an outdoors-focused club, and five official student affinity groups: the Asian Pacific Islander Student Union, Black Student Union, Latinx Student Union, Mixed Student Union, and One Body, all supported by the school’s Multicultural Affairs Council. The student newspaper, The Miter, and the yearbook, Pallium, are both student-run publications.

Athletics

Blanchet fields 15 sports across 46 teams in the Metro League: cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, baseball, fastpitch softball, lacrosse, tennis, track and field, ultimate frisbee, and cheer. Athletic rivals include Seattle Preparatory School, O’Dea High School, and Holy Names Academy. The school’s mascot has been the Bears since 2022, when the student body retired the prior Braves mascot; the current mascot character, ‘Chet, debuted the same year.

Arts and Faith Formation

Beyond its Performing and Fine Arts department, Blanchet hosts retreat and service programming rooted in its Catholic mission, including a four-day Kairos retreat for upperclassmen, alongside its 70%-Catholic, 100%-welcome student body.

Notable Bishop Blanchet Alumni

1. Patrick M. Shanahan (Class of 1980): Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense in 2019 and 33rd U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense; currently president and CEO of Spirit AeroSystems.
2. Most Rev. Joseph J. Tyson (Class of 1975): Bishop of the Diocese of Yakima since 2011; previously Auxiliary Bishop of Seattle.
3. Tom Workman (Class of 1963): Professional basketball player across multiple NBA and ABA teams.

Trying to juggle the HSPT, deadlines, and writing a parent statement that actually stood out felt impossible. Cardinal helped us stay organized and guided us on how to show our child’s personality in his application. We’re so grateful for their help in getting our child into Bishop Blanchet.

— Parent of a 9th-grader

Related Articles

• Clubs and Athletics at Bishop Blanchet High School: A Family Guide
• Bishop Blanchet’s Whole-Student Mission: What Families Should Know

Frequently Asked Questions