High School Placement Test (HSPT)

All 8^th grade students interested in enrolling at Badin High School are required to take the High School Placement Exam that is administered by all Archdiocesan high schools. The placement test will be given on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Students may take the test at any of the Cincinnati archdiocesan high schools and have the scores sent up to three high schools for placement consideration. Students must mark Badin High School on their test form to be considered for Badin scholarships.

Students may prepare for the test by purchasing ARCO’s Master the Catholic High School Entrance Exam available at area book stores. For online practice tests, click here: (http://www.testprepreview.com/hspt_practice.htm).

Students must pre-register to take the placement test by calling Nancy Gersbach in the school office – 513.863.3993. Test fee is $25. Students should bring two number 2 pencils. Contact Dirk Allen, Director of Admissions, with any questions.

What is the High School Placement Test?

The High School Placement Test (HSPT) is a standardized battery of tests given to incoming freshmen for the purpose of helping Badin High School place students in the proper level for their English, mathematics and science courses.

The HSPT consists of the following subtests: Verbal Skills, Quantitative Skills, Reading, Mathematics, Language and Science.

Cognitive Skills :

Verbal skills will measure the use of synonyms, antonyms, verbal analogies, verbal classifications, and logical reasoning.

Quantitative skills will measure the use of number series and number
manipulations.

Basic Skills:

Reading will measure the ability to remember important ideas and significant details, recognizing central thought or purpose, making logical inferences, and understanding vocabulary in context.

Mathematics will require the student to demonstrate computation and problem-solving skills. Calculators are not allowed to be used during the High School Placement Test.

Language will evaluate the student’s skill in punctuation, capitalization, spelling, grammar, usage, and composition.

Science will sample the student’s general knowledge in the areas of astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth science and physics

Writing will require the student to exhibit the combination of thought and word to answer a pre determined topic that will be announced the day of the exam.

How are my scores on the High School Placement Test used?

Scholastic Testing Service will score the test and send a report for each student to Badin High School. A copy of this report will be sent to the student’s parent/guardian in early January.

Badin’s Academic Dean then meets with the student’s eighth grade teachers. This group will review the student’s past academic performance, the student’s performance on the Terra Nova tests, and the student’s performance on the HSPT to determine a placement recommendation in English, mathematics and science. This recommendation will be shared with the parents and student at the time of registration in February.