See below for answers to questions frequently asked about applying to high school.
Where can I get more information about public high schools in the area?
Where can I get more information about private high schools in the area?
What do I need to know about the Catholic High Entrance Examination?
Is the Catholic High Entrance Exam the only entrance test I have to worry about?
What will Almaden Country School do to help me with the application process?
What about ACS alumni at some of the private schools? How can I contact them?
Where can I get more information about public high schools in the area?
To find out more about the San Jose Unified School District and the area high schools go to their website at http://www.sjusd.k12.ca.us/. In the top tool bar is a tab labeled “Parents” which includes a drop down menu with “Enrollment Process.” There is also a tab in the top tool bar labeled “Schools.” This will give you the option to look for more details about the district high schools.Where can I get more information about private high schools in the area?
Most private high schools in the area have their own websites with very detailed information and contact names and numbers. ACS has put together a chart with some basic information about schools where our graduates commonly apply. That chart can be downloaded by clicking HERE.There are many more schools than are included on this list. If you start researching these schools and feel like you are looking for something different, please feel free to call the ACS Admissions Office and we can help direct you to additional schools. If you would like to do some initial research on your own, Peterson’s is a national organization that gathers information about all types of schools around the country. You can look for their book, Peterson’s Private Secondary Schools or go online at http://www.petersons.com for additional resources.
What do I need to know about the Catholic High Entrance Examination?
If you are planning to apply to one of the Catholic high schools, they require students to take the Catholic High Entrance Exam. This test is offered on 3 different dates at several of the Catholic schools. To see the scheduled dates for this admission season, click HERE. Even if you are planning to apply to more than one school, the test needs to be taken only once.The day of the test, the applicant will list the schools he/she would like scores to be sent to. Make sure you have thought about this before taking the test. Additionally, each school has different requirements about where you take the test. There are several schools that require you to take the test at their school if that is your first choice school. For more details about each school’s ranking preferences, please call the ACS Admissions office.
Is the Catholic High Entrance Exam the only entrance test I have to worry about?
There are other non-religious schools that are great options for high school. These schools have other testing requirements for admission. One common alternative is the ISEE, the Independent School Entrance Exam. Information about this test can be found online at the Educational Records Bureau (ERB) at this website: http://www.erbtest.org/parents/admissions/isee. Many schools also accept scores from the SSAT. More information about this test can be found on their website at http://www.ssat.org/. Look at the application requirements for each school you are interested in to determine which tests are required.What will Almaden Country School do to help me with the application process?
ACS is a valuable resource for you as you go through the application process. The administrators at the school have a great deal of experience regarding the private high school application process and will be happy to answer your specific questions. We have worked to compile contact information and details about open house and shadowing dates as well as the schedule of Catholic School Information Nights.When you have chosen the schools to which you are applying, complete the ACS High School Application Worksheet and return it to the ACS Admissions Office. With this information, ACS will be able to help you by ensuring that the needed records are sent to the appropriate schools. However, this form is not enough by itself! Each school has its own “Request for Grades” and “School Recommendation” form that ACS must complete. Send these forms to ACS along with an addressed, stamped envelope for each school to which you are applying. The completed information will be forwarded to the appropriate schools by the deadline.
What about high school shadow dates? I heard that in the past ACS helped set up group dates for the students.
Setting up shadowing dates at the high schools you are interested in is a great idea. It allows the student to get a better feel for the school community and the opportunities he or she would have by attending that school. ACS will not be scheduling group shadow dates to the high schools. Some schools no longer encourage this. Set up a date with a friend or two and share the carpooling.Each school has a different process to set up shadow dates. Some schools require families to complete a paper form and mail it to the school, some have an online form, and some allow you to set up the date over the phone. Call the school or visit their website to learn when and how to schedule a shadow date for your child.
Your child will miss school to visit the high school and our teachers understand that this is an important part of the application process. However, each student will be responsible for making up any missed work or quizzes. Encourage your child to talk to the teacher before they miss class to let the teacher know they will be gone and to ask for any work in advance.
What about ACS alumni at some of the private schools? How can I contact them?
If you know of a student at one of the high schools you are interested in, let their Admissions Office know that you would like your child to shadow with that person if possible. If you don’t know anyone who attends that school, let the Admissions Office know that you are from ACS and ask if it is possible for your child to be partnered with an ACS alumnus.What if my child is in 7th grade? Is there something I should be doing to prepare for next year’s application process?
In the fall, most high schools are focused on the 8th grade students who are considering applying to their school. In the winter or spring, some of the schools will sponsor a “7th grade day” where they open the school to 7th graders who are interested in applying next year. To find out which schools do this, go visit the website of the schools you are interested in.Additionally, some schools open their shadowing program to 7th graders, but this is not true of all schools so be sure to check with the Admissions Office at the school you are interested in. Another way to begin getting a feel for a school community is to attend some of the sporting events or plays sponsored by the school. This will give your family a sense of the community as well as providing a less pressured setting for your child to visit the school campus. The most important thing your child can do to prepare for high school is to do his or her best in school and participate in extra curricular activities that are interesting to him or her, whether through ACS or in the community.
