Admissions Policies and Procedures

Seattle Prep’s unique, rigorous, college preparatory curriculum is designed for strong students who are motivated to learn and grow in a Christian, Catholic, Ignatian community committed to developing young men and women who can live creatively, constructively, spiritually, and critically with the ambiguity of a rapidly changing world. The goal of the admissions process is, therefore, to admit a diverse body of students who will share and contribute their energy and special talents toward this mission. Every effort is made to be fair and to balance the needs and desires of the students and their families with the needs and goals of the school.
Following are the general guidelines used in the admissions process:

STUDENT PROFILE

Applicants are first evaluated on academic ability, personal character, and motivation. Students should be earning at least a B average in their current course work to be considered for the program. Their placement exam scores, standardized testing from their current schools and the teachers’ recommendations are also evaluated in this process. Prep’s 9th grade students begin with eight solid subjects. The curriculum demands that students be motivated to participate fully in their own education and to succeed academically.
 

DIVERSITY

The ideal community of learners invites into it a representation from the community it serves. The Admissions committee strives to admit a class which is rich in ethnic, economic, geographic, gender, and religious diversity.

Ethnic

Seattle Prep is committed to ethnic pluralism among its faculty, administration, students, and Board of Trustees. For the past several years, about 36% of Prep’s students have been students of color; the Admissions Committee’s goal is to attract and include more students of color in the Prep community. The Board of Trustees, administration, faculty/staff, and students are involved in our efforts to ensure a welcoming, accepting and supportive atmosphere for all members of the Prep community.

Economic

At present, about 31% of the students at Seattle Prep receive financial assistance at various levels. Seattle Prep will make every effort to make aid available to families who apply for it.

Geographic

The Admissions Committee makes a concerted effort to accept students from neighborhoods throughout the area. To this end, we accept students from over 100 middle schools and 70-80 zip codes.

Religious

About 25% of Seattle Prep’s student body is not of the Catholic faith. We have found that this variety of religious beliefs assures a lively exchange of ideas and contributes positively to the appreciation of the role of faith in the educational environment.

Talents and Interests

The Admissions Committee is challenged to include in the student body students with various talents and interests to enrich the whole spectrum of school life. We seek to accept students who are well-rounded and interested in life outside the classroom, as well as in it.
 

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

It is important for applicants and parents to understand that a family history with Seattle Prep does not guarantee admission to the program. However, from among those students who qualify academically for admission, special consideration will be given to those who have had a sibling in the school or whose parents are alumni/ae. Qualified students transferring from other Jesuit secondary schools will also be given special consideration, if space allows.
 

THE WAIT LIST

Students who meet the basic requirements for acceptance but were not accepted on the first round of admissions are placed on the “Wait List.” After the registration deadline, two weeks after the determination letters are mailed, we know which students are planning to attend and which have decided on other schools. If spaces are available, students are selected from the Wait List by the Admissions Committee. Students on the Wait List are not assigned a numerical priority since the committee’s choices are partially based on the make-up of the class according to the criteria listed above at the time openings occur. Usually, spaces are available just after the registration deadline and more occur over the summer as families move or other decisions are made known to us.
 

PROCESS AND POLICY REVIEW

In implementing this policy, the Admissions Committee will act in good faith taking into account the best interest of the school and all relevant facts and circumstances. The selection process will be subject to strict confidentiality. The Board of Trustees will periodically review the Admissions Policy, its effect on the make-up of the student body and its compliance with the mission and values of the school.
The Board of Trustees does not, collectively or individually, review or mediate individual decisions regarding the admissions process.
 

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

Seattle Preparatory School admits students of any sex, race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.
It does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, national and ethnic origin, sexual orientation or disability which can be reasonably accommodated in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid programs, athletic programs or other school-administered programs. (The definition of "reasonably accommodated" falls fully and solely under Prep's discretion.)

STATEMENT OF MUTUAL RESPECT FOR ALL INDIVIDIUALS

 

Seattle Preparatory School seeks to be a faith community dedicated to quality education and Christian formation in the Ignatian tradition. As a Catholic community we recognize the presence of God in all people and seek to respect all members of our community in their individual uniqueness. In all we do we strive to create an atmosphere of trust, in which together we can challenge one another to growth. Our Catholic tradition affirms the human dignity and worth of every person and recognizes the need for protection of their basic human rights. Further, in the Jesuit mandate of faith doing justice in the promotion of love, we are especially called to be a community committed to the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family, recognizing that this respect and fair treatment of all people is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in our world.