Dear Class or 2024 Families,

Wow, time is flying by--no one knows that better than you! We are looking forward to a great year with our 2024 Lions and know it'll be their best year yet.

This year also comes with a lot of excitement, decisions and maybe even some trepidation. The high school selection process can be difficult with so many wonderful options. I can assure you that our Lions are prepared for high school and will do well wherever they choose to attend. Shadow days and other enrichment opportunities at area schools will be shared in the Weekly View. We do encourage a shadow day as an 8th grader--perspectives change now that the time is here and experiencing a day at their preferred school is a great opportunity to finalize their decision.

Saturday, December 2nd is the High School Placement Test (HSPT) given all all area Catholic high schools. Students need to test at their first choice school in order to qualify for academic scholarships offered by the school and, at some schools, financial aid. Many schools do not accept transfer scores if students do not attend their first choice school.

How can you get specific information about individual schools? Attend the Catholic High School Fair at St. Giles on Thursday evening, October 5th in McDonough Hall from 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm. Representatives from area Catholic schools will be available for questions, etc.

If you have any questions regarding the process, don't hesitate to contact me or the high schools directly. We will get through this process together!

Thank you,

Meg

HSPT Test Preparation

There are several opportunities for students to prepare for the HSPT test, including books that can be purchased online. Test preparation is not required. If you are interested in test prep for your child, you can find information below for online or in person prep. These are entities that have been used by families in the past but have no direct affiliation with St. Giles.

Outside Scholarship Information

There are several scholarship-granting organizations that assist families with the cost of Catholic high school tuition. These organizations have various requirements and strict deadlines. Included below is information on 2 organizations that have shared their information nights/sites with us. Please continue to check the high school section of the Weekly View for additional scholarship opportunities as they become available.

Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund

The Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund is accepting applications for the new cohort of Murphy Scholars - the Class of 2028. The application deadline is October 1, 2023.

Please contact the DMSF Admissions Team at admissions@dmsf.org or call Mia Stokes, Director of Admissions, ​at 312-455-7809 with any questions.

HFS Scholarship Fund

The application for the high school Class of 2028 is now open for current 8th graders! The application deadline is November 15. See the attached flyers (in both Spanish and English) for more information about HFS as well as application requirements and guidelines. 

Founded in 1993, HFS Chicago Scholars helps economically disadvantaged Chicago high school students flourish in and out of the classroom by providing educational enrichment through our lifelong mentoring, college readiness and academic excellence programs, as well as providing financial assistance to attend top Chicago-area schools. 

Click here to register for the HFS Fall Open House 

Thursday, October 19 from 6:00 - 7:30 PM

bit.ly/HFSOpenHouse2023

If families have any questions about the program or the application process, please contact Matthew Suss at msuss@hfschicagoscholars.com or via phone at (312) 421-4070.