Admissions Overview & Opportunities |
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Thank you for your interest in St. Francis High School! If you haven't already done so, we encourage you to start your journey towards becoming a Golden Knight by completing our Prospective Student Interest Form. This will help us learn more about you and showcase how our Capuchin Franciscan approach to college preparatory education develops young men of goodness and excellence.
We are fully committed to providing you with an honest, comprehensive, and insightful perspective of all that St. Francis has to offer. We know that nothing compares to an on-campus, in-person experience of our learning environment, academic programming, and vibrant student culture. There are so many intangibles that make St. Francis such a special place for our young men to call home. Therefore, we encourage you to sign up for a campus tour, schedule a personal family meeting with Fr. Tony, participate in our Knights of the Round Table panel discussions (November 9 and December 13), and attend our Open House (Saturday, January 7, 2023 from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.). Additionally, this fall our Admissions Team will be on the road attending high school nights and events throughout the area. We will also be hosting campus visitation days for many of our partner schools in November. If your school is not participating, but you'd like to join, please reach out to our Admissions Director, Mr. Joe Monarrez.
Here at St. Francis, we treasure relationships as an essential component of our special family spirit and emphasize relational learning as part of our educational philosophy. We look forward to meeting you so that we can begin the process of getting to know you better. We also want you to ask questions, discuss the philosophy of the school, and learn more about why our Golden Knights love being at St. Francis.
As an all-boys Catholic college preparatory school, St. Francis High School’s mission is to develop faithful men, loving brothers, virtuous leaders and dedicated learners in the Capuchin Franciscan tradition of love, discipline, and prayer. We look forward to partnering with you in pursuit of this important endeavor.
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Thank you for your interest in St. Francis High School, a 76-year tradition of enriching the mind and heart. Guided by our mission and philosophy, we remain committed to developing young men of virtue through brotherhood, humility, respect, prayer, and service.
What defines a Golden Knight?
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Kindness
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Nurturing
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Integrity
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Gratitude
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Humility
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Trust
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Service
Step #1: Complete the Prospective Student Interest Form. If you've already done this, thank you! This form serves as an introduction, lets us know what interests you, and helps us get to know you better.
Step #2: Learn as much as you can about what makes St. Francis such a great place to call home. Schedule a campus tour, Visit our website, review our Admissions Brochure, connect with us on social media, speak with our students, parents, and alumni, attend Open House, and visit campus for other community events and activities (sporting events, theater productions, etc.). We would love to meet you in-person, show you around our beautiful campus, and introduce you to our school family.
Step #4: Submit your Pastor or Faith Leader Recommendation Form (if applicable). This provides us with insight into your character and spirituality. If you would like to have additional letters of recommendation sent, we will gladly accept up to three (from former teachers, coaches, mentors, leadership figures, alumni, etc.). There is no official recommendation form for these additional letters of recommendation. Please have any additional letters of recommendations mailed to: Registrar, St. Francis High School, 200 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada, CA 91011
Step #5: The St. Francis Admissions Team will request transcripts and evaluations forms from your current school.
Step #6: Take the High School Placement Test (HSPT). The HSPT is required for all applicants, and we plan to offer this test in-person, on campus on Saturday, January 21, 2023 from 8:30am – noon. Please note, it is not mandatory to take the HSPT at St. Francis High School. However, only students who test at St. Francis will be considered for merit scholarships.
The HSPT is offered free of charge for all prospective students who have completed our application. If you checked "YES" on the application to your son taking the HSPT at St. Francis, then you are automatically registered for the test on campus. If you checked "NO" to taking the HSPT at St. Francis and change your mind, please contact our Registrar, Mrs. Betty Dowling, to reserve your seat for the test.
Step #7: Mandatory interview with a St. Francis administrator or faculty member. Our Admissions Team will contact you by email during the week of January 31, 2023 with your time and location for you and (mandatory) at least one of your parents to meet with one of our administrators or faculty members on campus on Saturday, February 4, 2023.
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St. Francis will consider transfer applicants. However, availability will depend upon the size of the class into which the applicants is applying. If a class is full, we will not accept any additional transfers. Please call or email the Admissions Team to inquire about transfer timing and space availability.
Step #2: Learn as much as you can about what makes St. Francis such a great place to call home. Schedule a campus tour, Visit our website, review our Admissions Brochure, connect with us on social media, speak with our students, parents, and alumni, attend Open House, and visit campus for other community events and activities (sporting events, theater productions, etc.). We would love to meet you in-person, show you around our beautiful campus, and introduce you to our school family.
Step #4: Submit your Pastor or Faith Leader Recommendation Form (if applicable). This provides us with insight into your character and spirituality. If you would like to have additional letters of recommendation sent, we will gladly accept up to three (from former teachers, coaches, mentors, leadership figures, alumni, etc.). There is no official recommendation form for these additional letters of recommendation. Please have any additional letters of recommendations mailed to: Registrar, St. Francis High School, 200 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada, CA 91011
Step #5: Once you have completed the application, the St. Francis Admissions Team will request transcripts and evaluations from your previous and current school. Transcripts from the last three years of education will be requested. Students with below average grades will not be considered. If you have any questions, please contact the Admissions Director before applying. 818-790-0325 ext. 908 or jmonarrez@sfhs.net.
Step #6: Attend Open House on Saturday, January 7, 2023 from 11:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. RSVP is not necessary.
Step #7: Interview with a St. Francis administrator or faculty member. Interviews will begin in December for midyear transfer applicants. Fall transfer applicant interviews will begin in April of 2023.
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A Virtual Tour of St. Francis High School |
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Important Admissions Dates |
Knights of the Round Table: Wednesday, November 9, 2022
(6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.) / In-Person, On-Campus (Norman Family Courtyard)
Knights of the Round Table: Tuesday, December 13, 2022
(6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.) / In-Person, On-Campus (Norman Family Courtyard)
Open House: Saturday, January 7, 2023
(11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.) / In-Person, On-Campus
Entrance Exam (HSPT): Saturday, January 21, 2023
(8:30-noon, meet in theater by 8:15 a.m.) / In-Person, On-Campus
Deadline: Sunday, January 31, 2023
Interviews: Saturday, February 4, 2023
In-Person, On Campus
Admissions Decision & Financial Aid Letters Mailed: Friday, March 3, 2023
Newly Accepted Students Welcome Home BBQ: Wednesday, March 8, 2023
(5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.) / In-Person, On-Campus
Freshman Registration Deadline: Sunday, March 12, 2023
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Meet the Admissions Director
Mr. Joe Monarrez
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Mr. Joe Monarrez is entering his 27th year at St. Francis High School serving as the Admissions Director and the Freshman Grade-Level Counselor.
Joe graduated from California Lutheran University with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Education in 1988. Over the years, he has enjoyed the many different roles he’s had at St. Francis. Joe is also the father of a Golden Knight – it was a very special four years having his son Andrew ’18 on campus and on Friedman Field. Andrew recently graduated from San Diego State University and is now working in San Diego. Joe also has a daughter, Marissa, and is blessed with his first grandchild – a grandson, Kacen. Family time is something Joe enjoys and makes his priority.
Community is everything to Joe and it is clear, with 27 years at St. Francis, the people he works with mean so much to him. As a St. Francis parent in the very recent past, Joe is excited to work with young men and their families who are interested in becoming part of the St. Francis family. Go Knights!
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Meet the Registrar
Mrs. Betty Dowling
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Mrs. Betty Dowling is entering her 17th year at St. Francis High School. She has served as the Registrar for the past 7 years. Prior to that, she worked in the Athletic Department as the Athletic Secretary.
Betty is the proud mother of three Golden Knights; Kevin ’07, Erik ’09, and Joseph ’12. She also has a daughter, Sarah, who currently is a first-grade teacher in Northern California.
St. Francis is a very special place to Betty. As a parent of three graduates, she understands and appreciates the impact that St. Francis has had on her family. She is a strong proponent for the Capuchin Franciscan approach to education and is excited to help prospective families through the admissions process.
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Admissions FAQs
Do you offer financial aid?
St. Francis High School, of La Canada Flintridge, provides need-based financial aid to approximately 30% of its families. Qualified students who require assistance in meeting tuition costs may apply for financial aid. In order for us to allocate our resources wisely and fairly, we have enlisted the help of Blackbaud Financial Aid Management. Blackbaud provides a need-based financial aid analysis service indicating their recommendation of what a family should reasonably contribute toward tuition. In addition to the Blackbaud application, all applicants must also submit the SFHS Financial Aid Questionnaire. All information from Blackbaud and the questionnaire is kept confidential. Complete applications are reviewed by the SFHS Financial Aid Committee, which determines the allocation of financial aid awards.
A separate financial aid application must be submitted to Blackbaud Financial Aid Management no later than January 31 in order to be eligible. Please note that late financial aid applications (those submitted after January 31), will not be eligible for consideration for financial aid during the following school year.
Do you offer scholarships?
Yes, we offer merit scholarships to the top 10 scorers on the HSPT. These awards are renewable each year a student maintains a 3.5 GPA and enrolls in honors/AP coursework at St. Francis high School. These scholarships are entirely based on merit; there is no financial need component. Please not that these merit scholarships are only available to students who take the HSPT on our campus. Here is a summary of the scholarships:
- Top Scorer will receive a 75% scholarship
- #’s 2, 3, and 4 will each receive a 50% scholarship
- #’s 5, 6, and 7 will each receive a 33% scholarship
- #’s 8, 9, and 10 will each receive a 25% scholarship
Does my son have to test at St. Francis?
No, we do not require your son to take the HSPT at St. Francis. However, if you are applying to St. Francis but wish to test at another site, you must submit a written request to the school where the test is taken to transfer the scores to St. Francis no later than February 1. You should also verify that the other school will forward results to us in a timely manner, if at all. The student will not be eligible for a St. Francis Merit Scholarship if he does not test at St. Francis. If students test here and want their scores sent to another school, we must also have a parent request in writing the day the exam is given.
What test do you use?
We use the Scholastic Testing Service High School Placement Test (HSPT), which is the one generally given at Catholic High Schools in the Los Angeles Archdiocese.
Do we need to register to take the HSPT at St. Francis? Is there a fee to take the HSPT?
The HSPT is offered free of charge for all prospective students who have completed our application. If you checked "YES" on the application to your son taking the HSPT at St. Francis, then you are automatically registered for the test on campus. If you checked "NO" to taking the HSPT at St. Francis and change your mind, please contact our Registrar, Mrs. Betty Dowling, to reserve your seat for the test.
Does St. Francis offer extended time on the entrance examination?
Here are the requirements that applicants must fulfill in order to be granted extended time:
- The student must have submitted an application to St. Francis High School.
- The student must submit a letter from their current principal, on school letterhead, indicating that they have met the qualifications for extended time and receive it regularly in their current school.
- Both the application and letter requesting extended time must be received by the Registrar at St. Francis no later than Tuesday, January 4, 2023, at 12:00 p.m.
- A student who receives extra time on the entrance exam may be considered for admission to the Directed Studies program at St. Francis. There are a limited number of openings in this program.
- Due to the planning required to implement this, we regret that we will not be able to offer extended time to those who do not meet our requirements and/or deadlines.
- The granting of extended time on the entrance exam will not guarantee that a student, if he is admitted, will receive such an adjustment at St. Francis. We expect families to submit documentation of complete psycho-educational testing by a licensed professional within the previous three years that diagnoses or reconfirms a previous diagnosis of a LD and/or ADHD and demonstrates that the condition impairs the student’s academic functioning.
Listed below is a sample of the appropriate wording that we must have in order to grant extended time on the entrance exam:
“I certify that (student name) has qualified for extended time at (current school name) and receives this adjustment regularly in our school.”
How do I get transcripts to St. Francis?
Be sure you have completely filled out the “Authorization to Release Records” form in the online application before submitting it to St. Francis. Our office will forward this form to his current school and request all the necessary information. If the applicant has attended more than one school in the past three years, a separate form is required for each school.
What if I would like to have additional letters of recommendation sent?
Teacher evaluations will be automatically sent to your son’s school with the request for transcripts. We will gladly accept up to three additional letters of recommendation you wish to forward them to us (from former teachers, coaches, alumni, etc.). There is no formal recommendation form.
What is the basis for admission?
Admission decisions require 6, 7, and 8th grade standardized test scores (including the entrance exam), 6, 7, and 8th grade transcripts (academic, work habits, conduct grades, disciplinary records, and attendance), teacher evaluations, and notes from the interview. Additional, but not required, information includes the pastor or faith leader recommendation form and any additional letters of recommendation (up to three). No decision will be made on an applicant until all of the required information is received and complete.
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St. Francis High School
200 Foothill Boulevard
La Cañada, CA 91011
(818) 790-0325
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