Featuring Loyola Academy

As we lead up to the High School Placement Test (HSPT) this Saturday, December 6th, Test Prep Chicago is featuring some of the top parochial schools in the area. This week, we are spotlighting Loyola Academy in Wilmette, a leading Catholic college-preparatory high school near Chicago.

Loyola Academy was founded in 1909 and is rooted in the Jesuit, Catholic tradition of faith, scholarship, and service. The school offers a rigorous liberal arts curriculum, including a wide selection of Advanced Placement (AP) and honors courses. Students study English, mathematics, science, social studies, foreign languages, fine arts, and theology, with opportunities for enrichment through specialized electives. Loyola also maintains strong college matriculation outcomes and is known for its committed and experienced faculty.

Additionally, student life at Loyola is well-rounded. The school supports numerous clubs, arts programs, athletic teams, and service opportunities. Extracurricular involvement is a major part of the Loyola experience, encouraging students to develop leadership skills and build lasting friendships. On the arts/performing-arts side, there are many clubs and activities including art clubs, jazz band, drumline, dance groups, theater/drama, and other visual & performing arts clubs. At the same time, athletics are a major strength: Loyola fields roughly 80 athletic teams across 34 different sports — making it one of the largest and most varied athletic programs among private/Catholic high schools in the area.

Admissions to Loyola Academy is competitive, and the High School Placement Test (HSPT) is a key component of the application process. If your child is considering Loyola or another Catholic high school, focused preparation for the HSPT can make a meaningful difference. Test Prep Chicago offers individualized tutoring (click here), providing students with practice tests, targeted review, and proven strategies aligned with each section of the exam. Although the test is coming up very soon, scheduling even a one-hour session prior to the exam can help improve confidence, test-taking strategies, and scores. 

An Overview of Loyola Academy

A part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, Loyola Academy is a private, co-ed school located in Wilmette, IL, a northern suburb of Chicago. The school was originally founded on Loyola University’s campus in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood in 1909 but moved to its current campus in 1957. Loyola is rated as the 6th best Catholic school in Illinois and the 4th best school for athletes in Illinois. The school has a student population of approximately 2,050 with a student to teacher ratio of 14:1. Not only does Loyola have a graduation rate of 99%, but 99% of those students go on to attend a four-year college after high school.

The curriculum at Loyola provides a challenge for high achieving students, and even allows them to further specialize in their interests in the form of two honors programs: The Dumbach Scholars Program and the Clavius Scholars Program. As their website states, “The Dumbach Scholars Program is rooted in the humanities, while the Clavius Scholars Program is grounded in math and science.” Each program is competitive and requires specific AP and honors classes, service hours, and includes several interdisciplinary field trips. Loyola also uniquely offers a Global Studies Program with academic trips to France, China, Greece and Italy, Spain, Central America, or England as well as the opportunity to take a service trip to Mexico.

In addition to other resources, Loyola Academy also has a 1:1 iPad initiative which began in 2013 and continues today. While students must purchase their own, the initiative makes Loyola an Apple Distinguished School which, among other things, offers a discount to families. The school also has a proud tradition of athletics for students to participate in including 34 different sports and over 80 different teams. Many students at Loyola go on to play for reputable college teams across the nation.

As with most other Catholic schools, tuition is required for admission into Loyola Academy. Tuition for Loyola is approximately $15,260 with financial aid and payment plans available. To find out more about Loyola Academy’s tuition, how to apply, or to read more about their academics or athletics, visit their website at goramblers.org. 

Lauren Lynch, Tutoring Coordinator
lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

An Overview of the High School Placement Test

Used by parochial and Catholic schools nationwide for 8th graders applying to high school, the High School Placement Test (HSPT) is the shortest in length of time of the three high school entrance exams but includes the most questions (298). Students have two hours and thirty minutes to complete the exam, and the exam includes the following five sections: mathematics (64 questions, 45 minutes); quantitative skills (52 questions, 30 minutes); reading (40 questions in reading comprehension, 22 questions in vocabulary, 25 minutes); verbal skills (60 questions, 16 minutes); and language (60 questions, 25 minutes). There is no essay or writing sample required with this test, and as with the other two high school entrance exams, a calculator is not permitted, and there is no guessing penalty.

This test, designed by Scholastic Testing Service, Inc. is administered by St. Ignatius, Loyola Academy, as well as other parochial schools on the first Saturday in December. However, since the test is so infrequent, there are sometimes make-up exams in the cases of illnesses or emergencies. Where a student sits for the HSPT is very important. If students want to be considered for St. Ignatius OR Loyola Academy, they MUST sit for the HSPT at the respective school. Additionally, if students would like the chance to earn a scholarship at their first-choice school, they must test at that school. Students will not be considered for scholarships at schools in which they don’t sit for the HSPT.

Lastly, similar to the ISEE but unlike with the selective enrollment high school process, the HSPT is viewed in conjunction with a student’s transcript. Thus, a student’s score on the HSPT isn’t the only thing considered for admission but is still of great importance. To learn more about how to prepare for the HSPT, visit testprepchicago.com.

Lauren Lynch, Tutoring Coordinator
lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266