Catholic
High School Admissions Process Begins for Eighth Grade Students The program enables nearly 30,000 eighth graders to sit for a common admissions examination for entrance into one of 117 participating Catholic secondary schools of the greater metropolitan area. In the Archdiocese of Newark nearly 7,500 eighth graders applied for admission into one of the 35 Catholic secondary schools located within the four counties — Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union — in the archdiocese last school year. And the numbers are growing for this year’s program. The admissions process begins in September with information nights, open houses, public service announcements and advertisements. Educational agencies and schools in northern New Jersey have been notified of the COOP examination and received pertinent information about the admissions examination. All Catholic school students register for the examination through their elementary school. Public and private school students may obtain applications for the examination at the open houses sponsored by the Catholic high schools, from parish religious education offices or by contacting CTB/McGraw-Hill, the assessment company which administers the program, at (800) 569-2667, or via e-mail at coop2002@ctb.com. The $30 examination fee is payable by certified bank check or money order. The fee entitles the applicant to a Student Handbook, a seat for the examination, to have the examination scored and the results sent to three secondary schools of the applicants choosing, and to receive a Home Report of scores explaining student performance in comparison to local and national performance standards. The COOP examination measures scholastic aptitude in verbal and non-verbal contexts and assesses achievement in reading, language arts and mathematics. This data, along with each student’s transcript of marks from grades six through eight, teacher and/or principal recommendation, and record of student responsibility (conduct, effort, attendance and punctuality) forms the fundamental criteria for the admission of candidates. Some schools require the completion of an essay and participation in a candidate interview. As student enrollment on the secondary level continues to swell, many schools have been able to augment curriculum offerings, expand athletic and performing arts facilities and bring advanced technological advances into the classroom. The consistent growth at each of the Catholic secondary schools focuses on the individual student, so that each one may continue to grow in faith and knowledge as teachers “touch hearts, nurture souls, kindle minds and inspire lives.” For further information about the Cooperative Admissions Examination Program for the Catholic secondary schools of the Archdiocese of Newark, contact the Office of the Superintendent of Schools at (973) 497-4260 or on the web at www.rcan.org/schools.
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