HSPT in Cincinnati and Dayton 2026: date, fee and registration
The school pages we read for Cincinnati and Dayton (Archdiocese of Cincinnati) give the HSPT on Saturday, November 21, 2026. The fee on those pages is $30, and online registration runs from August 1 to November 18 or 19, depending on the page. Dates still ahead on our list: Sat, Nov 21, 2026 (Cincinnati-area Catholic high schools, Purcell Marian, St. Xavier, McNicholas, Carroll (Dayton)).
Updated October 25, 2026 · by AdmitTest
Registration for the Cincinnati area goes through the archdiocese's online HSPT registration page (linked from the Carroll and McNicholas pages). The rows below are from school pages we read on October 25, 2026. This is a sample of schools that use the HSPT, not a ranking and not a complete list.
Cincinnati and Dayton HSPT date, fee and registration
| School or group | Date | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Cincinnati-area Catholic high schools | Sat, Nov 21, 2026 | Mercy McAuley's page says the test is given at all Cincinnati-area Catholic high schools that day. Fee $30; register online through the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's site; last day to register is Nov 19 on that page. You can list up to three high schools to receive scores, and you must select a school to have scores sent there even if you test on its campus. | Mercy McAuley: HSPT |
| Purcell Marian High School | Sat, Nov 21, 2026 (7:45 a.m.) | At Purcell Marian, 2935 Hackberry St, Cincinnati. Fee $30, paid by card at the end of online registration through the STS site; registration closes Thu, Nov 19; late or walk-in registration may be allowed, but accommodations may not be available. November is the only date it offers. | Purcell Marian: HSPT |
| St. Xavier High School | Sat, Nov 21, 2026 | Online registration Aug 1 to Nov 18, 2026, through STS's system. The page names no test site and lists no test fee. | St. Xavier: placement test |
| McNicholas High School | Sat, Nov 21, 2026 (8:15 a.m. at McNicholas) | Usually ends before noon. Fee $30; registration opens Aug 1 through the archdiocese's HSPT site. Accommodation requests are due Nov 7, 2026 (accommodation plan emailed to [email protected] plus a signed approval form from the student's school). | McNicholas: HSPT |
| Carroll High School (Dayton) | Sat, Nov 21, 2026 | Fee $30. Online registration is required in advance, Aug 1 to Nov 18, 2026. The page says the test takes place at all Archdiocesan high schools and names no site. | Carroll HS: important dates |
No date is left on our list for this season. Check with your school or diocese: each sets its own date (STS: test dates). HSPT dates by region.
Schools with an HSPT page
- Purcell Marian High School, Cincinnati
- Mercy McAuley High School, Cincinnati
- St. Xavier High School, Cincinnati
- McNicholas High School, Cincinnati
- Carroll High School, Dayton
How it works in Cincinnati and Dayton, from the school pages
- Register online in the archdiocese's system, and list up to three high schools for the scores (Mercy McAuley).
- Test site: Purcell Marian and McNicholas say they host the test on their own campuses; Mercy McAuley says it is given at the area's Catholic high schools. Check which site your registration assigns.
- Accommodations: McNicholas gives a deadline of November 7, 2026 for requests, with paperwork from the student's school; Purcell Marian says accommodations may not be available with late registration.
- Prep classes: some schools run their own (St. Xavier lists a prep class with a $195 fee). They are optional.
What to do in the weeks before your date
Count back from the date of the school you test at. This is our own plan, not STS's:
- Four weeks or more: take one full timed test now to see where the points go, then follow the 4-week study plan.
- Two to three weeks: one full timed test, a week of short daily practice on the weakest section (see the Verbal, Quantitative, Reading, Mathematics and Language guides), then a second full test. The preparation guide has a day-by-day two-week plan.
- Under two weeks: one full timed test, then daily 20-minute sessions on the one or two weakest skills, and an early night before the test day.
The test is on paper and has no calculator, so practice without one. The free HSPT practice test has all five sections on their own clocks; for the dates in other areas, see HSPT test dates 2026.
Free full-length HSPT practice test. 298 questions in five timed sections, no sign-up. Your child's score by section and by skill when it ends.
Start the free testCommon questions
When is the HSPT in Cincinnati in 2026?
Saturday, November 21, 2026. Mercy McAuley's page says it is given that day at all Cincinnati-area Catholic high schools. Dates still ahead on our list: Sat, Nov 21, 2026 (Cincinnati-area Catholic high schools, Purcell Marian, St. Xavier, McNicholas, Carroll (Dayton)).
How much is the HSPT in Cincinnati?
The fee is $30, according to the Mercy McAuley, Purcell Marian, McNicholas and Carroll (Dayton) pages. St. Xavier's page lists no test fee.
What is the HSPT registration deadline in Cincinnati?
The school pages give slightly different last days: November 18 (St. Xavier, Carroll) and November 19 (Mercy McAuley, Purcell Marian). Plan for the earlier one. Registration opens August 1.
When is the HSPT in Dayton?
Carroll High School's page in Dayton lists Saturday, November 21, 2026, a $30 fee, with online registration from August 1 to November 18, 2026, through the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's registration page.
Can I send scores to more than one Cincinnati high school?
Yes, up to three. Mercy McAuley's page says you can list up to three high schools to receive scores, and that you must select a school to have scores sent to it even if your child tests on its campus.