Admissions
Acceptance & Placement
Incoming freshmen interested in attending Elder High School or any Archdiocesan high school must take the High School Placement Test (HSPT).
The HSPT is offered at Elder and across the Archdiocese on Saturday, November 21, 2026. The cost is $30.00 and it must be paid prior to the day of the test. Students should arrive at Elder by 8:00 A.M. and the test will end around 12:00 P.M. Registration will open in August.
Students may take the test at any Archdiocesan high school and have the option of sending their results to up to three different schools. To be eligible for scholarships at Elder, or for admission to our Honors Program, or for admission to Elder High School itself, prospective students completing the exam at another high school must indicate at the time of testing that they would like their results shared with Elder High School.
Accommodations
For students requesting accommodations during the HSPT, accommodation records (IEP/ISP/504/Accommodation Plan) should be provided to Elder from your grade school along with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati High School Placement Test Accommodation Form.
Make-up Test Date
In special cases where students are unable to test on the official test date, Elder will offer a make-up HSPT. More information on the make-up test will be posted in August. Please contact Mr. Joe Pieper in Elder's Admissions Office at pieperjm@elderhs.net or 513-921-3429 with any questions.
The HSPT is offered at Elder and across the Archdiocese on Saturday, November 21, 2026. The cost is $30.00 and it must be paid prior to the day of the test. Students should arrive at Elder by 8:00 A.M. and the test will end around 12:00 P.M. Registration will open in August.
Students may take the test at any Archdiocesan high school and have the option of sending their results to up to three different schools. To be eligible for scholarships at Elder, or for admission to our Honors Program, or for admission to Elder High School itself, prospective students completing the exam at another high school must indicate at the time of testing that they would like their results shared with Elder High School.
Accommodations
For students requesting accommodations during the HSPT, accommodation records (IEP/ISP/504/Accommodation Plan) should be provided to Elder from your grade school along with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati High School Placement Test Accommodation Form.
Make-up Test Date
In special cases where students are unable to test on the official test date, Elder will offer a make-up HSPT. More information on the make-up test will be posted in August. Please contact Mr. Joe Pieper in Elder's Admissions Office at pieperjm@elderhs.net or 513-921-3429 with any questions.
Preparing for the HSPT
Elder High School offers HSPT prep camps over the summer for rising 8th graders as well as "boot camps" leading up to the official HSPT testing date. Both have track records of improving students' scores on HSPT practice tests and increasing their chances of merit-based scholarships.
Summer 2026 HSPT Prep Camp information:
- Session #1 - July 20-23, 8:30 A.M.-12:00 P.M.
- Session #2 - July 27-30, 8:30 A.M.-12:00 P.M.
Elder High School
Cincinnati’s First Catholic Diocesan High School
