Quick answer
Across the Bay Area, Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of San Francisco and the Dioceses of San Jose and Oakland use the HSPT for admissions and honors placement. Students typically take it once in 8th grade and have scores sent to multiple schools. Saso Prep prepares Bay Area families with online self-study and live Zoom classes, with live students averaging in the 90th percentile.
If your family is aiming for a competitive Bay Area Catholic high school, the HSPT is likely the single most important number in the application. Schools weigh it for admission and for placement into honors and accelerated tracks, and because students get just one attempt, preparation is the part you can actually control.
Which Bay Area Catholic high schools use the HSPT?
The HSPT is the standard Catholic high school entrance exam throughout the region. Schools are organized by diocese, and scores are generally shared among schools on request. Below are well-known examples by area; always confirm the current entrance-exam requirement directly with each school.
San Francisco & the Peninsula – Archdiocese of San Francisco
Schools here test on the first Saturday of December. Well-known HSPT schools include St. Ignatius College Preparatory (SI), Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory (SHC), Archbishop Riordan, Junípero Serra (San Mateo), Mercy High School Burlingame, and Notre Dame High School Belmont. Applicants who apply to more than one of these can usually take the test once and have results shared.
San Jose & the South Bay – Diocese of San Jose
Diocese of San Jose schools, including Archbishop Mitty, Bellarmine College Preparatory, and St. Francis High School (Mountain View), administer the HSPT in January. Students applying to multiple diocesan schools take the exam a single time, and the testing fee is generally bundled into the school's application fee.
The East Bay – Diocese of Oakland
The Diocese of Oakland administers the HSPT across its Catholic high schools on a Saturday in January. Familiar HSPT schools include De La Salle (Concord), Carondelet (Concord), and Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland). Families register through the diocese's Scholastic Testing Service portal and can send scores to up to three schools where they've applied.
School and diocese names are referenced for informational purposes only. Saso Prep is an independent test-prep provider and is not affiliated with, authorized by, or endorsed by any of these schools or dioceses. Test dates change every year; always verify directly with your target school.
The Live Online HSPT Course is a ten-session program over Zoom, timed to the Bay Area's fall and winter test windows. Live students average in the 90th percentile, and registration includes a self-study course, assessment, and mock exam at no extra cost. $1,299
When is the HSPT given in the Bay Area?
Each diocese sets its own date. San Francisco Archdiocese schools test on the first Saturday of December, while the Dioceses of Oakland and San Jose test in January. Registration usually happens through your school's application, and the test fee is commonly included in the application fee. Because most students test only once and have scores shared, picking your testing site and confirming its date early is the first practical step. See the HSPT test dates page → for dates across all regions.
HSPT scores & honors at Bay Area schools
Bay Area Catholic high schools use HSPT results for more than a yes/no admission decision. Strong percentiles, especially in Reading and Math, can earn a freshman seat in honors or accelerated courses. A few points of percentile can mean the difference between a waitlist and a welcome letter. (For what counts as strong, see what's a good HSPT score →.)
How Bay Area families prepare with Saso Prep
Saso Prep started in the Bay Area and has spent nearly three decades on one thing: the HSPT. Today we prepare families across the region, and anywhere else, entirely online, so geography is never the barrier. Two paths fit most families:
- Live online. The Live Online HSPT Course ↗ is a ten-session program taught over Zoom by Mr. Saso, with classes timed to fall and winter test windows. Live students average in the 90th percentile, and registration includes a self-study course, assessment, and mock exam at no extra cost.
- Self-paced. The Ultimate HSPT Self-Study Course ↗ covers all five sections on demand, so your child studies on their own schedule.
Whichever you choose, the reliable sequence is the same: diagnose, build, rehearse.
- Assess with a full-length HSPT Diagnostic Assessment ↗ to get an approximate starting percentile.
- Build skills across every section with live classes or the self-study course.
- Rehearse with a true-to-test HSPT Mock Exam ↗ so test day feels routine.
New to the test? Start with what is the HSPT → and how to study for the HSPT →. Ready to choose? Compare everything on the courses & practice tests page →.
Take the $79 assessment to see your child's starting percentile and exactly what to fix before the December or January test. $79