Benet Academy is a Roman Catholic, Benedictine, co-educational, college-prep school which accepts students of any race, gender, color, national or ethnic origin, or financial situation. Benet Academy does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, national or ethnic origin, in the administration of any academic policies, financial aid, athletic or other school-administered programs.

Admission to the Academy is selective.

Freshmen selection considerations include:

• the applicant's score on the standardized entrance exam taken in January of their 8^th grade year
• priority to Catholic applicants

Other considerations:

• applicant's relationship to Benet alumni (parents and siblings) and currently enrolled Benet siblings.  See FAQ below regarding legacy applicant's entrance exam score cutoff.
• other information such as essays and elementary school grades are considered for waitlisted applicants. 

Transfer student considerations include:

• class availability
• academic performance at the previous secondary school with a minimum of a B average
• interview with the assistant principal

Admissions Process

Eighth Graders

• View the admissions process calendar for dates, time-lines, and important events
  • Events include open houses, shadow days, parent breakfast, and grade school visits.  Attending events is the very best way to get to know Benet first hand and get questions answered directly by Benet.
  • All event scheduling information is provided in the calendar

General Application Process Steps

1. Shadow Day - "Be a Redwing for the Day"
   • An applicant is invited to shadow a current Benet freshman.  This is an excellent opportunity to experience first hand a typical day. 
   • Click here for more information about shadowing
2. Apply for Admission
   • The application should be submitted to Benet Academy between September 15th and December 15th.   A $35 application fee, copies of 7th and 8th grade report cards, recent standardized testing, and an optional essay should accompany the application. 
   • Click here for the application to Benet
3. Entrance Exam
   • All applicants are required to take the High School Placement Test (HSPT) by Scholastic Testing Service (STS) at Benet Academy on the second Saturday in January.  The application file must be completed by the test date.  The entrance exam begins at 9 a.m. and concludes at 12:15 p.m.  Admissions results are mailed in February.
   • To register for the entrance exam, complete the application for Benet (step #2)
4. Interview
   • Some applicants may be called for an interview prior to reaching an admission decision.  Most acceptance decisions are made without an interview.
5. Welcome to Benet Program
   • In late February, Benet Academy will host a "Welcome" program for all those admitted to the next freshman class so that families may further explore the education, athletic, and social opportunities that await them.  An acceptance confirmation form is distributed at the program. This should be returned by March 15th along with a $300 non-refundable deposit to secure a place in the class. 

Transfer Students

• Contact Benet Academy at 630-969-6550 to speak to the Admissions Director 
• Complete a transfer student application

In February, the results of the entrance exam are mailed to the students' homes along with instructions for accepting a spot in the Freshman class. 

FAQ

Q:	When is the application for enrollment due?
A:	Benet Academy requests receipt of applications by December 15th.
Q:	Do I have to take the entrance exam at Benet in January?
A:	Priority decision is given to students who test at Benet Academy.
Q:	What consideration is given to students with siblings or parents who attended Benet?
A:	Students whose sibling(s) or parent(s) graduated from or currently attend Benet are considered legacy applicants. Benet Academy emphasizes academics and family and legacy applicants are accepted to Benet Academy with entrance exam scores at or above the 60th percentile.
Q:	How does the exam score affect the admissions' decision?
A:	After legacy applicants are accepted, Catholic applicants who are the first from their family to attend Benet are then selected based on their score of the entrance exam.
Q:	What are the essay and grade school grades used for? What is Benet looking for?
A:	The essay and previous grades are used for evaluating wait-listed candidates.  Benet is looking for a student's own words and work.
Q:	What percentage of students are brand new to Benet? Are most students legacies?
A:	The majority of students accepted to each freshman class are from new families (not legacy). The exact percentage varies annually but legacy students are typically under 50%.
Q:	I'm not Catholic. Do I have a chance of being accepted?
A:	Priority acceptance is given to new Catholic students in a freshman class.   Non-Catholics have occasionally been accepted from the wait list (highest scores on the exam) or as transfer students after freshman year.
Q:	I heard someone scored over 90% on the entrance exam and didn't get accepted. How high is the cutoff? How hard is it to get in?
A:	The entrance exam cutoff score for non-legacy students has never been higher than 89%. Cutoffs for non-legacy students have ranged in the 70s and 80s. Approximately 70% of all test-takers are accepted. Students who score very high and were not accepted may have indicated that they are not Catholic, otherwise, a student scoring in the 90s would have been accepted.