Quick answer
The HSPT is the entrance exam used across Florida's major Catholic school markets: Archdiocese of Miami high schools including Christopher Columbus, Jesuit High School in Tampa, and Cardinal Mooney on the Gulf Coast. Students take it once, and schools using the exam can share scores. One exception to know: Belen Jesuit in Miami uses the ISEE instead. Saso Prep prepares Florida families online with an on-demand self-study course, plus practice assessments and mock exams.
For families targeting a Catholic high school in Florida, the HSPT is the gatekeeper. Schools use it to decide admission, to place incoming freshmen into honors and accelerated courses, and to inform merit awards, and since students take the HSPT once, thorough preparation is the highest-leverage move you can make.
Which Florida Catholic high schools use the HSPT?
Florida's Catholic high schools set their own admissions calendars, but the HSPT is the exam that runs through all three of the state's major markets. Below are the well-known examples; always confirm the current entrance-exam requirement directly with each school.
Miami & South Florida – Archdiocese of Miami
Archdiocese of Miami high schools use the HSPT in admissions, with Christopher Columbus High School the most prominent example. Other archdiocesan schools using the HSPT include Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, St. Brendan, and Immaculata-La Salle. One important exception: Belen Jesuit uses the ISEE, not the HSPT; families applying to Belen alongside HSPT schools should plan for both exams.
Tampa Bay
Jesuit High School in Tampa requires the HSPT of every freshman applicant and administers it on campus in early December, adding its own supplemental writing section on exam morning. Scores from the HSPT can be shared with other schools that use the exam.
Sarasota & the Gulf Coast – Diocese of Venice
Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota uses the HSPT for freshman admission, with test dates in November, the earliest in the state. Admission there is competitive enough that recent freshman classes have filled to capacity, which makes both the exam and the application timeline worth taking seriously.
School, diocese, and archdiocese 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, dioceses, or archdioceses. Test dates and policies change every year; always verify directly with your target school.
How Florida schools use HSPT scores
Beyond the admission decision itself, Florida Catholic high schools use HSPT results to place incoming freshmen into honors and accelerated courses and to inform merit-scholarship consideration, so a strong score can shape both your child's acceptance and their schedule from day one. Award details vary by school and change yearly; verify current offerings with each school. (For what counts as a strong percentile, see what's a good HSPT score →.)
Saso Prep's Ultimate HSPT Self-Study Course covers all five sections with 18 video lessons, 1,000+ practice problems, and 2½ model tests, on demand, so your child can start today and study on their own schedule. $499
When is the HSPT given in Florida?
Dates are set by each school and shift a little every year, so confirm rather than assume. Florida's season runs earlier than most families expect: Gulf Coast schools test in November, while Miami and Tampa Bay schools test in early December. That early calendar makes summer the natural prep window; the practical first step is to pick your testing school and lock in its date and registration deadline early. See the HSPT test dates page → for dates across all regions.
How Florida families prepare with Saso Prep
Saso Prep has spent nearly three decades on one test, the HSPT, and prepares Florida families entirely online, so location is never the barrier. The Ultimate HSPT Self-Study Course ↗ covers all five sections on demand, so your child studies on their own schedule, ideal for getting ahead of Florida's November and early-December test dates. The dependable sequence is the same for every student: assess, build, rehearse. The course delivers all three:
- Assess. The course opens with a full-length practice test, so you see your starting point and which areas need the most work.
- Build. 18 video lessons and 1,000+ practice problems take you through all five sections.
- Rehearse. It closes with a full-length test under real timing, so test day feels routine.
Prefer live instruction? The summer session of the Live Online HSPT Course ↗ is the one that fits the Florida calendar; it wraps up well before the November and December exams, and registration includes the self-study course, assessment, and mock exam.
New to the exam? Start with what is the HSPT → and how to study for the HSPT →. Ready to choose? Compare every option on the courses & practice tests page →.