By Mrs. Janet Stankus, HSPT tutor for 15 years.

Updated November 2026

Good HSPT test prep starts with knowing what the High School Placement Test asks of your daughter. The HSPT is the entrance exam many high schools give in 8th grade.

Villa Victoria Academy, an all-girls Catholic school for grades 6 to 12 in Ewing Township, New Jersey, uses it for placement and scholarships. This guide is for families in Mercer County, NJ, nearby Bucks County, PA and beyond.

Know the format before you start prep

Scholastic Testing Service (STS) writes the test, which runs about 2.5 to 3 hours with two breaks. It has five sections: Verbal Skills, Quantitative Skills, Reading, Mathematics and Language. Villa’s HSPT page lists each section and what it tests.

How to prepare for the HSPT: When should my daughter start HSPT test prep?

Your daughter should start HSPT test prep lightly in the summer before 8th grade and add timed practice in September. A steady plan beats a last-week scramble, whether she tests at Villa Victoria Academy or another school.

Month-by-month HSPT study guide for 8th graders

This plan counts back from her test date in four stages.

Summer before 8th grade: Preview the HSPT format

Have her read through the five sections so the format feels familiar, then try a few untimed questions from each one.

September and October: Timed sections and a review class

She can do one timed section a week and write down why she missed each wrong answer. Villa’s evening review class is another option, and the dates and sign-up form are on Villa’s HSPT page.

Two to three weeks out: Do a full timed practice run

Set up one full, timed test on paper with a pencil and no calculator, then spend the next few days on her two weakest sections.

Test week: Light HSPT test prep and calm routines

Keep the review light, and plan the route, the payment and what she needs to bring.

Final days before the HSPT at Villa Victoria Academy this fall

If she tests at Villa Victoria Academy on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, use the last few days for one timed practice test and a calm review.

Practice at home like it’s test day

The best home practice copies the real test: paper, a pencil, a timer and no calculator.

For where to find practice tests and what a good one looks like, see Villa’s HSPT page.

Wrong answers: Build her own HSPT study guide

After each section, go over the answers together. Her missed questions become her own HSPT study guide for the next session.

HSPT tips for test day at Villa Victoria Academy

Six simple HSPT tips can help on test day at Villa Victoria Academy:

  • Sleep well: a full night’s rest beats late cramming.
  • Eat breakfast: it’s a long morning, and a real breakfast helps her focus.
  • Pack supplies: get her bag ready the night before so the morning stays calm. Villa’s HSPT page has the full list of what to bring.
  • Pace each section: proctors call out the halfway point.
  • Answer every question: a wrong answer costs nothing, so a guess is worth it.
  • Stay calm: on a hard question, she can guess, move on and come back if time remains.

“Get a full 9 hours of sleep the night before the test. Your brain needs to repair itself! Eat breakfast so your brain has fuel to burn. And don’t get hung up on a single question. If something feels confusing, come back to it later.”

Mr. Mario Pierpaoli, Villa teacher and HSPT prep class instructor

Villa’s test dates, the exam and prep class sign-up forms, how scores work and the scholarship deadlines are all on Villa’s HSPT page.

HSPT in context: One piece of her application

The HSPT is one piece of your daughter’s application to Villa Victoria Academy. Her report card, teacher recommendations, activities and interview all show more of who she is.

To the 8th grader reading this: a Saturday morning test does not decide who you are. Do your best, and then go enjoy the rest of your day.

HSPT FAQ

Is the HSPT hard?

The HSPT is written for 8th graders, so most of the content will feel familiar, but the pace is the hard part: 298 questions in about 2.5 to 3 hours.

How much HSPT test prep does my daughter need?

A little HSPT practice goes a long way, because a few timed sections show your daughter the format and pace before test day.

Next steps: test dates, sign-up and a campus visit

Ready for the next step? Villa’s HSPT page has the test dates and sign-up forms, and a campus visit lets you see Villa for yourself.

Choose a next step:

For help, contact Mrs. Colleen White, Director of Admissions, at 609-882-1700, ext. 419, or cwhite@villavictoria.org.

Written by Mrs. Janet Stankus. Janet has tutored students for the HSPT, SSAT, SAT, and ACT for 15 years, and she holds degrees in civil engineering and elementary education. Mrs. Stankus has taught Villa Victoria Academy’s fall HSPT prep class for 8th graders. Janet is also the mother of Villa grad Elise ‘21.