Placement Exam
Information about the 8th Grade Placement & Scholarship Exam
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10TH (8:00AM-11:45AM)
Mercy High School, like all Catholic high schools in Omaha, uses the HSPT (High School Placement Test) as its entrance exam.
The initial step for an 8th-grade student wishing to apply to Mercy High School is to take a placement exam. Scholarships awarded to students are based on test scores taken only at Mercy High School.
Once you've registered, make sure you apply at Mercy.
Information about the 6th & 7th Grade Practice Exam at Mercy
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10TH (8:00AM-11:15AM)
Open to 6th and 7th-grade girls, the Practice Test at Mercy High School is not an admissions exam, but rather a helpful way for students, parents, and Mercy to gauge academic progress and readiness for high school.
We will be administering the HSPT this year. This assessment measures overall educational development and includes standardized sections in reading, math, English, and science. Please note that the test is written for students at the 8th-grade level and is intended solely for practice.
The HSPT consists of six sections, all multiple-choice:
- Verbal Skills – 60 questions covering analogies, synonyms, logic, and vocabulary
- Quantitative Skills – 52 questions covering number series, comparisons, and mathematical reasoning
- Reading Comprehension – 62 questions covering understanding passages, author’s intent, and vocabulary in context
- Mathematics – 64 questions covering algebra, geometry, and problem-solving
- Language – 60 questions covering spelling, punctuation, grammar, and composition
- Science – 40 questions covering biological sciences (plants, animals, life processes, health, ecology), earth sciences (astronomy, geology, weather), and physical sciences (matter, energy, chemistry, electricity, magnetism)
Want to prepare more? You can purchase one of the many HSPT study guides. They are well designed and give numerous hints.
Instructions for day of test:
- Arrive no later than 8:00 a.m.
- Students must bring #2 pencils
- NO calculators are needed for this test
- Enter through the main entrance
- Pickup by parents at 11:45 a.m. for 8th graders, and 11:15 a.m. for 6th & 7th graders.