Academy Of The Holy Cross

Academy of the Holy Cross frames its teaching in a Christ-centered, Catholic college-preparatory environment that values diversity and aims to develop courage, compassion, and scholarship. Instruction emphasizes innovative, interest- and goal-guided coursework and a personalized learning experience, with faculty attending to each student’s learning style and strengths and providing layered academic support so students can take intellectual risks and grow as critical thinkers. (academyoftheholycross.org)

Holy Cross directs families to apply through its online Admissions Portal (Blackbaud), typically after scheduling a visit like “Tartan for a Day”; for 2026-2027, the online application and $60 fee were due Friday, December 5, 2025. (academyoftheholycross.org) All applicants are required to take the Archdiocese of Washington High School Placement Test (HSPT); the school listed the HSPT administration date as December 6, 2025, with registration opening October 6, 2025. (academyoftheholycross.org) Catholic grade-school applicants are instructed to list Holy Cross on the Catholic High School Student Information Form, and their schools send transcripts and teacher recommendations; non-Catholic applicants must submit records including a transcript request (7th final and 8th first quarter/semester grades) and two teacher recommendations (English/Language Arts and Math or Science) by Monday, January 5, 2026, and Saint Mary’s Program applicants must also provide a recent psycho-educational/neuropsychological evaluation and related documentation (e.g., IEP/504/CAP). (academyoftheholycross.org) Optional financial aid is handled via the FACTS Grant & Aid application (deadline shown as Monday, January 5, 2026); decision notifications for completed 9th-grade applications were listed as mailed February 26, 2026 and emailed February 27, 2026, with a Class of 2029 registration deadline of March 13, 2026, while transfer admissions are rolling and were noted as beginning review in March 2026. (academyoftheholycross.org) The admissions pages reviewed do not describe a waitlist process or any explicit admissions priority categories (such as sibling/alumnae preference), so families would need to contact the Admissions Office for those details. (academyoftheholycross.org)