A Parent’s Guide: Navigating the High School Admissions Process
The First Steps to Your Child’s Educational Journey
The high school admissions process can be both exciting and overwhelming. Finding a school that is a perfect match to promote the highest quality of growth and development in your student is a journey in itself.
At Immaculate High School, we understand the importance of this decision and offer guidance, support, and transparency when assisting you in finding the right high school for your child.
This transitional period is an opportunity to slate your student in an environment that promotes success, celebrates the unique achievements of each student and supports them in their endeavors.
In this comprehensive guide, we will dive into the core of the admissions process, answer frequently asked questions and leave you prepared to embark on this educational journey with confidence.
When Should I Start Planning for High School Admissions?
To be frank, it is never too early to start planning for the high school admissions process.
At Immaculate High School, we believe beginning the process at least one year prior to application is crucial to giving your student the time and research they need to be satisfied with their decision on where they will be spending the next four years.
Allocating a full-year to the process can give your family extra time to gather documents, attend personal tours and open house events for your target schools, while getting any questions answered that are pivotal to a final decision.
Most importantly, an extended time frame can grant comfort and confidence to your child as they begin to visualize themselves thriving in the particular environment they choose.
How Do I Choose the Right High School for My Child?
The first steps to your child’s educational journey are to identify what environment your student will best excel in and to establish what key amenities are non-negotiables for them to reach this success.
There will always be a school with a great athletic program or top-notch facilities, but finding the school that is the right fit for your child requires a combination of these factors, paired with results that prove these resources have empowered students to achieve their fullest potential.
Creating a list of target schools can help to narrow down your considered options, while also granting your family a “blueprint” as you compare programs, facilities, tuitions, distance from home, outcomes and other quantifiable information that can make a difference in your final decision.
Throughout the process, becoming increasingly familiar with each of your target schools will pay dividends when coming to a decision that you and your student will feel confident with. We encourage our prospective families to go through the entire process, rather than to be deterred by a price tag.
Here at Immaculate High School we approach every situation with a listening ear and an open mind. We understand that not every highschool student’s perfect match for a learning environment is our own.
At the end of the day, the most important detail is that EVERY student finds themselves in a school that meets their specific needs, and allows them to be empowered to take advantage of these provided resources.
The “Right School” at Immaculate:
The right school typically holds strong values in community and togetherness, offers a broad selection of both challenging and innovative courses, and has expressed an active and ongoing interest in developing the entire student to be prepared for college.
At Immaculate, our educational philosophy is that the whole student remains the focal point throughout their four years of studies. We are not creating a graduating class of all businessmen, a class full of engineers, or a class full of athletes. Each student is incredibly unique and these differences are always valued in our community.
Our mission is to promote the identification of future callings, while providing students with both tangible and intangible skills that will pay dividends in college and in life. Our Counseling Office is prepared to work with each student through the college admissions process to ensure they are on track to graduate, and to create an attractive resume come graduation.
Our counseling team works with our students through the entire college application process. In turn, we believe our students stand apart from their competition when it comes time for college admissions decisions.
Finding a perfect high school takes an open channel of communication with your student as well. Certain environments will grant them the right tools to reach new heights, while some may look like a potential match on the surface, but might not follow through with their 4-year commitment to developing your student.
At Immaculate, our community believes in the fact that it is “cool to do good in school”. In an environment where 100% of our students, staff and faculty are committed to academic excellence, every day you will see students pushing themselves and their peers to new heights.
Understanding the Admissions Process:
The Admissions Process operates year-round for both admissions teams and prospective families. The season officially opens up in the summer with applications for both transfers and freshman becoming live on July 1st for the following year.
Our Admissions process lives YEAR ROUND, which grants us the opportunity to connect with as many families as possible as we continue to spread the good word of Immaculate.
Throughout the course of the year there are many opportunities to engage with the school, visit the facilities, and meet the members of our community that make Immaculate so great. Below, we invite you to use this link as a one-stop shop to sign up your student to become familiar with Immaculate.
Apply Online:
The application can be completed entirely online - (Application - IHS), which grants our prospective families a single location where they can track their progress throughout the admissions process.
After the application form is complete and a fee is paid, your application checklist will provide directions on submitting online requests to your child’s school for supporting documents such as transcripts and recommendation forms.
Moving the application to an online format assists in the transition between middle school to high school, and greatly improves communication between all parties involved. Transcript Requests can be sent in a few clicks, and tour appointments can also be booked entirely within one platform.
Ways To Visit Immaculate:
Event registrations for Mustang For a Day Shadow Visits, Family Tours and Open House turn live in the summer. These opportunities all go hand and hand to assist your student in immersing themselves in every possible corner of our school, prior to making a decision.
A personalized family tour will get your family familiar with the layout of our campus, as you begin to dive into seeing our facilities, class rooms and amenities that work to ensure our students can reach their fullest potential.
Your student can even take this experience a step further, and become a Mustang For a Day. Your child will be paired with a current student based on extracurricular activities, anticipated coursework, and their grade level. If you know someone at our school, we are happy to have your child shadow that student upon request. MFAD Shadow Visits are orchestrated to ensure your child is comfortable as they spend the day simulating a real day as an Immaculate student.
Our goal is for our guests to experience a true day in the life of an Immaculate student, witness our engaging classes, visit our updated facilities, have lunch in our Dining Hall and come to know the welcoming, inclusive community of students and staff that make our school a nurturing place to grow and develop.
Take The High School Placement Test:
The High School Placement Test (HSPT) Exam is for freshman applicants and is held at Immaculate on October 28th and November 11th. Students are permitted to take the exam once and will receive a score report with their decision notification. Performance on the HSPT can play a factor in being accepted, as well as potential merit scholarship consideration.
To learn more about test taking best practices, the layout of the exam, and what subjects will be covered, we encourage you to visit our HSPT Exam Blog Post or download our HSPT Prep Guide. Utilizing these resources can grant confidence for your test-taking student, and provide you with a better understanding of how the exam will unfold.
Everything You Need To Know About The HSPT - Blog
Decision Time:
After these sessions are concluded, there is a quick turnaround with Priority Decision Admission closing on November 15th, and decision notifications sent by December 15th.
In our eyes, the most important goal is for your child to be placed in the environment that is most appropriate to foster their success while developing effective skills for post-high school life.
The Final Decision & Next Steps:
The final decision-making process involves reviewing acceptance letters, considering any offered financial aid packages, and ultimately making an informed choice.
At this point in the process the ball is 100% back in your court, as this time should be spent looking over any provided information, listening to the attitudes of your child towards each potential school, and maybe even reaching out to connections who have interacted with the school or are current families At Immaculate, we also provide opportunities between acceptance and enrollment to attend events such as Accepted Student Night.
Our admissions team is available and willing to assist your family in double and triple checking to make sure the logistics of the transition is in the best interest of your student’s future academic endeavors.
If you or your student have final questions, or wish to visit the school again, this is something that is both feasible and can be the difference maker in giving your student confidence when they walk through the doors on the first day of school.
Financial Considerations & Scholarships:
When considering schools based on affordability, it is important to note that at Immaculate, we are committed to filling our school with mission-centric students and celebrate families' commitment to a Catholic secondary school education.
At Immaculate, through financial aid, merit scholarship opportunities, and need-based scholarships, we are able to identify those students who will make a positive impact on our community, and provide resources to assist in reducing the ultimate cost of tuition.
Putting numerical values to the side, our school will also work with families to create a payment plan that works for you. Tuition can be paid once a year, twice a year, or up to a payment once a month for each month of the academic year.
Merit based scholarships are determined based on performance on the High School Placement Exam (HSPT), student transcripts, school recommendations and more.
Here at Immaculate, our goal is to fill our school with students who represent our values, and who will take advantage of their experiences to become the best possible version of themself.
We encourage families that are considering Immaculate, but do not know the logistics of applying for tuition assistance to contact our business office to speak further.
We also do not give athletic scholarships as per CIAC regulations. While granting athletic scholarships is against CIAC rules, it also jeopardizes the integrity of our admissions office as we make decisions based on how we deem prospective students will fit into our community.
Transitioning to High School:
So, the final decision has been made and your student is planning on becoming an Immaculate Mustang (good choice)! Your child’s application and transcript have been approved, and you have submitted your enrollment deposit. Now that the end of the road is approaching, it is our job to welcome your child to our Immaculate family.
In the eyes of our faculty, staff, students, and alumni, you have already become a Mustang as soon as enrollment is confirmed.
This transition period begins immediately with virtual information sessions, an in-person course registration meeting, as well as invitations to events such as our spring musical the summer before attending, Accepted Students Day, captains practices for Fall sports and other student activities held at Immaculate.
For most of our incoming freshmen, this is a period to make new friends, get your school supplies straightened out and even start thinking about what clubs and activities they are interested in come the first day.
The truth of the matter - everybody is in the same boat! This period should be a celebratory time as students and their peers become familiar with each other and begin to translate these relationships into the classroom come Day 1.
As the school year kicks into gear, Join A Club Day will provide our new students with a look at the 30+ clubs and activities we have to offer and features a presentation where faculty and returning students share how each extra curricular activity is worthwhile in their own unique way.
Your child will learn about how each club functions, when the meetings will be and can make their own educated decision on which clubs they will continue to remain apart in.
Incoming freshman and transfer students will be welcomed home to campus by faculty, staff and students during their Orientation. This day is intended to introduce new students to their new highschool schedules, their peers and the facilities.
Students will be introduced to their classmates through ice breakers, games, and a service project to give back to the community. Orientation in a sense, acts as the foundation for our freshman, as they get their first real glimpse into what our school is truly about.
Most importantly however, Orientation is a celebration of the beginning of their journey here at Immaculate. Our goal by the end of the day is to have our students leaving confident, knowing the name of at least one other peer, and to be excited to return the following day as a Mustang.
Embarking on a Journey of Excellence
The journey between middle school and high school is often regarded as a “whirlwind” of information, decisions, and contemplation. Taking a deep breath and carefully considering the unique values of each school and the financials involved is crucial when aiming to land your student in the perfect environment.
While the final decision is incredibly important, our admissions office is eager to create and curate a personal relationship where we can help your child decide if Immaculate is right for them.
Our mission is to grant your students both guidance and insight as they explore our college-preparatory curriculum and become familiar with the many amenities our school offers.
We approach every admissions season as an opportunity to welcome new students into our family here at Immaculate. Here in the admissions office, our role is to put every piece of the puzzle together, with your student being the final missing piece.
When the circumstances are right, the environment is suitable, and your family is excited to get started, we are confident your child will fit in perfectly with the mission of our school and the Mustang family that is here waiting to welcome them.
As this journey closes for our prospective families, a new one begins for those who have chosen to join our Immaculate family. For the next four years, your student will be immersed in a culture that promotes hard work and success.
They will be pushed to achieve their very best work, and will be surrounded by like-minded peers who strive for the same thing.
Through rigorous coursework, intriguing extra curricular activities and their Immaculate Family always supporting them, your student will walk across the graduation stage prepared to tackle the world.
