High School Admissions Process
We invite all 6th-8th grade families to attend our Open House for a school tour on Sunday, October 11, 2026 from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. We encourage families to start early and start exploring your options in 6th/7th grade!
Sion invites all interested 8th graders to schedule a Shadow Day in the Fall of their 8th grade year, to experience a “day in the life” of a Sion girl. Scheduled dates and sign-ups for group Shadow Days each year can be found on our “Visit Sion” page.
Key Steps & Dates for the 2026-27 School Year Admissions Process
| Placement Test Prep Course (Optional) |
Saturday, November 14, 2026 8th grade students interested in attending Sion are invited to join our optional test prep course. The course, taught by Sion’s incredible faculty, will cover the four content areas of the PreACT 8/9 as well as test taking strategies. The cost of this course is $100 and includes lunch. Registration fee is non-refundable after Wednesday, 11/11. The duration of the course session will be hosted from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. Students may still register to take the Placement Test even if they do not take this Prep Course - the course is OPTIONAL. |
| Application Deadline for Early Acceptance |
| Tuesday, December 1, 2026 |
| High School Placement Test |
Saturday, December 5, 2026
Registered students interested in attending Sion will take the PreACT 8/9. If your daughter needs accommodations during testing, please email our Admissions Director, Katie Glatz (kglatz@ndsion.edu), with a current 504 or learning plan in order to register for extended test time. |
| Financial Aid Materials Deadline for Early Acceptance |
Thursday, December 31, 2026 The financial aid application will go live Thursday, October 1, 2026. You can read more about need-based financial aid here. |
| Final Deadline for all Early Acceptance Materials |
Friday, January 8, 2027 8th grade girls who have completed their full application materials by Friday, January 8th will receive their offer package by Friday, January 15, 2027. If you are applying for financial aid, then we will need your full financial aid materials by Thursday, December 31, 2026 to receive an offer with a financial aid package by Friday, January 15, 2027. |
| Interviews with Early Applicants |
| Wednesday, January 13, 2027 and Thursday, January 14, 2027 |
| Sion will make offers to Early Applicants for the Class of 2030! |
| Friday, January 15, 2027 |
| Launch Rolling Admissions |
Monday, January 18, 2026 Offers will be extended for the Class of 2030 within two weeks of receiving full application materials. |
The Change to Pre-ACT 8/9 (vs. HSPT)
Notre Dame de Sion High School strives to connect each individual to her unique purpose, and to ensure students' success in the classroom.
One of the tools Sion uses in the admissions process is the PreACT 8/9 assessment. This assessment offers students an early experience with ACT test items, provides a predicted ACT test score, and offers a wealth of information to help the Sion admissions team determine potential for success with Sion’s curriculum, freshman course placement, and specific insights into areas of strength and growth for faculty.
The PreACT 8/9 takes approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes (30 minutes per test) to complete and covers the same subject areas as the ACT (reading, math, science, English). It is offered as a paper and pencil assessment. Accommodations including Spanish language directions and extended time may be requested with supporting documentation.
Once the assessments have been scored, each student will receive an individualized student report (student sample). These reports include predicted ACT scores, detailed strengths, ideas for improvement, and an item analysis.
Sion faculty will use this information to customize curriculum by providing opportunities for enrichment or support. Some colleges and universities have moved to test optional admissions during the past few years, however research indicates that the ACT is still a valid predictor of college success as well as an integral tool in curriculum development.
The PreACT 8/9 assessment is one component that is taken into consideration during Sion’s holistic admissions process. In our experience, students who score below the 20th percentile may find the course work at Sion too challenging. Further discussions and support will be needed to determine admissibility.
Each incoming freshman that scores at or above the 80th percentile on the PreACT 8/9 administered at Notre Dame de Sion will automatically receive an academic scholarship. This scholarship is renewable each year through the student’s senior year, provided that she maintains the required Grade Point Average listed on the chart.
(Please note, you must register and take the PreACT at Sion to qualify for our academic scholarships).
Composite
| Percentile | Scholarship | Renewal GPA |
|---|---|---|
| 98%-99% | $3,000 | 3.75 |
| 95%-97% | $2,000 | 3.50 |
| 90%-94% | $1,000 | 3.25 |
| 86%-89% | $750 | 3.00 |
| 80%-85% | $500 | 3.00 |
If a candidate for admission has taken an entrance exam at another location and would like those results considered in the Sion admissions process, simply share the results with the admissions office. Alternate exams include the HSPT (High School Placement Test) or ISSE (Independent Schools Entrance Exam).
