Top Ten Reasons
to visit St. Francis
Tuition - Through FACTS
Payment Plan
This
page was
last updated:
March 28, 2013
ADDMISSIONS FAQ's - INCOMING | FRESHMEN
- We are interested in St. Francis, but are not certain where our child will attend high school. Do you have any opportunities for me (and my family) to meet the faculty and perhaps current St. Francis parents?
- Can we still be considered for admission if my family is not Catholic or my child attends a public school?
- Can I transfer in as a current high school student?
- We are not sure if we can afford to send our child to a private school. Do you offer any kind of tuition assistance?
- Do you offer different tuition payment plans?
- Do you offer any scholarships?
- My child is a nervous wreck about the entrance exam what is the entrance exam, when is it, and how can I help my child prepare?
- We are trying to decide which school to send our 8th grader to, but have discovered that the entrance exams are held on the same day what should we do?
- My child is coming to “Shadow” for a day. How does this work?
1. We are interested in St. Francis, but are not certain where our child will attend high school. Do you have any opportunities for me (and my family) to meet the faculty and perhaps current St. Francis parents?
As
you know, in making an important decision like choosing a school, the
more
information you have the
more informed decision your family will be able to make. At St. Francis
we offer several different formats for students and parents to get
to know who we are and what we do. For starters, we will offer two
Open House opportunities in the fall where visitors are welcome to view our facilities
and meet our faculty. (Date/times will be posted on our Open House page)
For current eighth graders we offer an opportunity to
individually "Shadow" current high school students.
The Shadow program is great for students who need more contact before making
a final decision. We make a great effort to pair prospective students (Shadows)
with current students who have similar interests. As a Shadow, not only
do students get the chance to visit the school, but they also receive the
benefit
of one-on-one contact with a hand-selected student mentor. To set up a
Shadow Day, or take a personalized tour of the campus, please call
at (630) 668-5800 ext. 1120.
In the Spring the Shadow program is available to 7th grade students.
Tuesday Tours
We invite parents to visit St. Francis while school is in session on selected Tuesday mornings. We begin with an information session followed by a tour of the building.
Contact Dan Tuskey at (630) 668-5800 ext. 1120 or email at dtuskey@sfhsnet.org to reserve your space.
2. Can we still be considered for admission if my family is not Catholic or my child attends a public school?
Absolutely. St. Francis admits non-Catholic students. If you need more information, or have any questions regarding admissions, please contact at (630) 668-5800 ext. 1120 or email at dtuskey@sfhsnet.org.
3. Can I transfer in as a current high school student?
Yes. We do accept transfer students based on their academic performance (you must have at least a "B" average) as well as a good attendance and discipline record. We do not accept Senior transfer students except those moving here from out of state.
1. The parents and the student must each submit a brief letter of introduction to the Director of Recruiting. This letter must include the reason for, or circumstances surrounding the decision to seek admission at St. Francis.
2. The student must have at least a "B" average.
3. The parents or guardians are required to sign a letter of permission allowing St. Francis to obtain disciplinary information from the student's current high school. This letter must be sent or faxed directly to the Director of Recruiting.
4. The parents or guardian must request the student's unofficial transcript to be sent directly to the Director of Admissions. Or, if you have copies of report cards (from the past 2 years) you may submit those.
5. Please also submit copies of any standardized tests that the student has taken (like the Terra Nova, Explore, Illinois Goal Assessment Program, etc.)
If you need information about transferring into SFHS, please call at (630) 668-5800 ext. 1120 or email at dtuskey@sfhsnet.org.
4. We are not sure if we can afford to send our child to a private school. Do you offer any kind of tuition assistance?
Financial aid is available through the Diocese of Joliet. Applications for financial aid become available in January, and are due to the Diocese of Joliet on March 1st. Decisions on financial aid are made by the Diocese and families are notified by the end of June.
5. Do you offer different tuition payment plans?
Payment Plans
- Full Payment – One payment via FACTS Tuition Management Plan on either July 5th or July 20th.
- Semester Payment – Two (2) installments via FACTS Tuition Management Plan on July 5th/December 5th or July 20th/December 20th.
- Monthly ($41 fee) – Ten (10) installments (July through April) via FACTS Tuition Management Plan on either the 5th or the 20th of each month.
Questions? Contact Bob Gorski at (630) 668-5800 ext. 1138
6. Do you offer any scholarships?
Yes, thanks to a host of generous donors, last year alone we awarded more than $120,000.00 in scholarships. Applications are available and are due back to us by March 1st. If you feel you qualify for more than one scholarship, then you may submit more than one application. All applications must be complete.
Link to available scholarships
For more information on scholarships please contact at (630) 668-5800 ext. 1120 or email at dtuskey@sfhsnet.org.
7.
My son is a nervous wreck about the entrance exam.
What is the entrance
exam and when is
it?
Eighth graders seeking admission into St. Francis must take the "Scholastic Testing Service" (S.T.S.) High School Placement Exam. This is a standardized test that we use to assess baseline academic performance. Exam sections include: verbal skills, cognitive skills, reading comprehension, math concepts, math problem solving (there is no algebra material on this exam) and language-grammar skills. We administer the exam on the second Saturday of January (See our Entrance Exam Page for date). There is a $35 test fee (checks may be made out to St. Francis.) Registration is due by the Monday before the test date. The exam takes about 3 1/2 hours with one 20-minute refreshment break. (Note: Calculators are not allowed.)
8. We are trying to decide which school to send our 8th grader to, but have discovered that the entrance exams are held on the same day—what should we do?
The most important thing you can do is try to make a decision on where you want your child to attend as early as possible. Most schools give priority consideration to students who take the entrance exam at their school. So even if you are not sure, take the test at your first choice school. There is no need to take the exam twice. If you take the exam elsewhere, you may still submit the scores to us for consideration.
9.
My child is coming to “Shadow” for a day. How does
this work?
The Shadow program enables prospective
students to follow current students through a typical school day
at St. Francis. The Shadow program is in the fall for 8th grade students and prospective transfer
students. We
offer
the Shadow program to 7th grade students and prospective transfer
students in the spring. (Note: Prospective
transfer
students must have submitted unofficial transcripts in advance
of setting up a Shadow date.) The parent of the interested student
must contact
at St. Francis to set up a day and time.The following
are some general guidelines for the day:
- Dress for success. That means wear your Sunday best.
But please, no jeans, sweats or T-shirts. - Bring a book.
- The day begins at 7:45 am and ends at 2:30. Please contact the Main Office upon your arrival. You must have a ride prearranged.
- Please enter Door #4 at the Main Office
