Frequently Asked Questions

List of 16 frequently asked questions.

• How can my family see the school?

  Please see Visit Saint Ignatius for opportunities to experience our campus and engage with our Admissions Office and school community.

• How do I apply?

  Application to Saint Ignatius College Prep  for incoming freshmen begins with the entrance exam, held on the first Saturday of December each year. Per the Archdiocese of Chicago Office of Catholic Schools, Catholic high schools plan to administer the entrance exam on Saturday, December, 5, 2020, while monitoring health conditions over the course of the fall semester. 
  
  Eighth grade students may only take an entrance exam at one Catholic high school and must test with Saint Ignatius to be considered in our admission process. Saint Ignatius utilizes the STS High School Placement Test. The HSPT has five sections: verbal, quantitative, reading, math and language (English). A brief student writing prompt is administered following the entrance exam. There is no application required in advance of the entrance exam. The entrance exam is followed by the completion of our online application, which becomes accessible to all applicants on December 7, 2019, and is due December 18, 2019.
  
  Application for transfer becomes available each January and is due June 1 of each year. 

• How will remote learning, school closures, or assessment adjustments related to COVID-19 be taken into consideration when reviewing applicants?

  We understand that school closures in the light of COVID-19 have brought major adjustments to the delivery of instruction and implementation of assessments. Please be assured an understanding of these modifications and circumstances will inform this year’s admissions process at Saint Ignatius College Prep. 
  
  Traditionally, our application includes the submission of a final 7th grade and first term 8th grade report card, as well as a record of standardized testing from 7th and/or 8th grade. 
  
  For those applying to the Class of 2025, students will be asked to submit a final 6th grade report card, a final 7th grade report card, and a first term 8th grade report card. Applicants will not be penalized for “passed” (or similar) markings in lieu of letter/numerical grades from this Spring 2020 term. The same applies should adjusted learning and assessments continue into Fall 2020. Standardized test results submitted can also range from 6th-8th grade. The Saint Ignatius Admissions Office will gladly address additional circumstances and questions on a case-by-case basis.
  
  Saint Ignatius College Prep maintains a holistic admissions review process within which a range of application components are reviewed collectively and comprehensively. Application for admission will continue to include student/parent applicant statements and recommendations, and a review of HSPT entrance exam scores, in addition to the materials described above.

• How can I prepare for the entrance exam?

  The best preparation is working hard in grammar school. Peterson's, Barron's and Princeton Review, among other test prep publishers, all publish study guides for the HSPT.

• What entrance exam does Saint Ignatius administer?

  Saint Ignatius administers the STS High School Placement Test or the HSPT.

• What criteria are used to select Saint Ignatius students?

  The entrance exam score and application contents are collectively reviewed for every applicant. The entrance exam score is important because our applicant pool is traditionally a large, diverse group of students from all over the Chicagoland area, representing a wide range of school grading scales and assessment frameworks. Following the entrance exam, students will submit an application. The application is used to submit report cards, previous standardized test scores, student and parent statements, and recommendations. Other considerations in the admission process include but are not limited to: Catholic heritage/school, family legacy/tradition with the school (sibling/parent), and adherence to policies of the school. Saint Ignatius strives to promote a 50/50 male/female population. Saint Ignatius admits students without regard to race, color, and/or country of national origin.

• When are applicants notified of an admissions decision?

  Notification letters of acceptance, non-acceptance, or waiting list placement are emailed by February 1, 2021.

• When is the enrollment deadline?

  The enrollment contract including tuition deposit must be completed by March 9, 2021.

• Do you offer scholarships?

  Saint Ignatius College Prep offers need-based tuition assistance. Applicants and their family can begin the tuition assistance application via FACTS beginning the date of the entrance exam, December 5, 2020. Over $5 million in Tuition Assistance has been awarded for the 2020-21 school year. 

  
  Saint Ignatius also partners with several external scholarship organizations. These include:

  • Daniel Murphy Scholarship Foundation: www.dmsf.org
  • LINK Unlimited: www.linkunlimited.org
  • HIGHSIGHT: www.highsight.org
  • Holy Family Scholars: www.hfschicagoscholars.com

• What courses are offered at Saint Ignatius?

  Graduation requirements and a full course listing can be found in our Curriculum and Course Planning Guide. Saint Ignatius currently offers over 40 honors electives, 25 Advanced Placement courses, and a Dual Enrollment program with Saint Louis University. 

• How can I register for honors classes my freshman year?

  Saint Ignatius administers optional placement exams for math, foreign language, and World History. each spring. Math placement testing and HSPT results are considered in determining honors Science placement. Placement testing for the Class of 2025 will be held on March 27, 2021.

• What is the tuition at Saint Ignatius?

  Tuition for the 2020-2021 school year is $19,850.

• What is the dress code at Saint Ignatius?

  Nice casual is a simplified description of the Saint Ignatius dress code. Full dress code specifications are listed within our Dress and Appearance Standards.

• What is the Parent Commitment Program?

  The Parent Commitment is a tax-deductible contribution, over and above tuition and fees, asked of all parents each year to help cover the annual deficit between tuition and school operating costs.

• What athletic teams does Saint Ignatius have?

  Saint Ignatius offers 34 interscholastic and club sports for both boys and girls. Check out Sports on Campus!

• What kind of clubs and co-curriculars does Saint Ignatius offer?

  Saint Ignatius has over 80 co-curricular activities. Find out more at our Clubs & Activities!