It is just as important for a prospective student and her family to become acquainted with the mission and goals of Duchesne Academy as it is for the Admission Committee to meet the student and learn about her academic and personal qualities. The admission process is designed to help prospective families and the school make a clear appraisal of one another to determine whether an appropriate match exists between the two. The admission process includes the following:

Open House

Open House offers interested families an opportunity to visit the school and speak directly with the Headmistress, the Director of Admission, Heads of School, teachers, students and parents. If you would like to attend an Open House or schedule a tour, please call the Admission Office, (713) 468-8211 ext. 139.

Middle School and Upper School - Sunday, November 02, 2008

Time:  2:00 - 4:00 p.m. in the Fine Arts Building

Lower School Grades PK-4th  -

Thursday, Thursday, October 16, 2008 and Thursday, November 13, 2008    

Time:  8:30 - 10:30 a.m. in the Lower School Building 

Campus Visits are available on designated Thursdays during the admission season, at 10:00 a.m.  Please check the Admission calendar for tour dates and  call to make a reservation.

Candidate Profiles

Candidate Profiles must be completed before an admission decision will be made. Complete profiles include:

1. Application and non-refundable fee of $80.00 (plus testing fee, if applicable)

2. Admission testing results

3. Confidential Teacher Evaluation form(s).  Download these from our Application site.

4. Transcripts, school records and report cards for current year and the previous two years

5. Results of all previous standardized testing

6. Interviews and visits as requested by the Admission Office or Middle and Upper School.

Application Deadline

The deadline date for first-round acceptance is January 23, 2009. 

The application for the 2009-10 school year will be available online in September, 2008. 

Admission Testing  (admission testing used for admission purposes only)

Admission Testing is arranged after the application and fee are received.

Pre-Kindergarten: Tested individually by appointment.

Group visit - on a weekday, as arranged.  You will be notified of available appointments.

Kindergarten - 4th grade: Tested individually by appointment.

Group observation: Saturday - February 7, 2009.

Grades 5 - 8: Group testing: ISEE* - Saturday, January 24, 2009 - 8:00 a.m.

Grades 9 - 12: Group testing: ISEE* - Saturday, January 31, 2009 - 8:00 a.m.

Please click here Houston ISEE for the link to all the Houston area school sites where the I.S.E.E. will be administered for the 2009-2010 school year applicants.

To ensure test validity and to eliminate the repeated testing of a student, Duchesne Academy cooperates with several other Houston area independent schools in the scheduling and administration of admission testing. Candidates applying to other Houston independent schools should schedule the admission testing at one school and request that the test scores be shared. Testing at another school will not affect your application with Duchesne.

Visits for grades 5 - 12 are by invitation after achieving a qualifying score on the entrance exam.

Wait Pool

Students qualifying for a grade in which there are no spaces remaining may be offered a Wait Pool position. Candidates in the Wait Pool are unranked. If a space becomes available, the profiles of all candidates in the Wait Pool are reviewed.

Financial Aid

Financial assistance for the 2009-10 school year may be available based upon demonstrated need. Inquiries and requests for the School and Student Service for Financial Aid Form (SSS) should be directed to the office of the Headmistress at extension 113.

Parents are to mail the completed SSS form, with the appropriate fee for processing, to School and Student Service for Financial Aid in Princeton, New Jersey. Submit a photocopy of the completed SSS form and the parents' most recent tax return, with all attachments, to Sr. Jan Dunn, Headmistress of Duchesne Academy, by March 1, 2009.

The admission decision for a candidate is not influenced by the application for financial aid. Financial aid applicants must meet the same requirements as all other candidates and must be accepted for admission to Duchesne Academy before financial aid awards can be granted.

We appreciate your consideration of Duchesne Academy and look forward to working with you during the admission process. Please contact the Admission Office at (713) 468-8211, ext. 139 if you have questions or need additional information.

Admission Office
Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart
10202 Memorial Drive
Houston, TX 77024
Phone: (713) 468-8211 ext. 139
Fax: (713) 465-9809
E-mail: admissions@duchesne.org