Admission FAQ

Below are questions often asked by families of applicants. If you have a question not addressed below, please contact us—we are happy to help.

When do we begin the admission process?

When do we submit the application?

When will families be notified of admission decisions?

What are SPA's payment plans?

Grade PK-12 Tuition Payment Plans

SPA offers the following payment plans for families:

Payment Options	Scheduled
Payment Option #1	100% due in July
Payment Option #2	50% due in July 50% due in November
Payment Option #3	10 month payment plan due July through April

Financial Aid grants do not need to be repaid.

What are the age requirements for PreKindergarten and Kindergarten?

Applicants must be 4 years old on, or before, September 1st of their enrollment year for PreKindergarten, and 5 years old on, or before, September 1st of their enrollment year for Kindergarten.

Children applying for grades 1-12 whose birthdays fall outside of the cut-off date are evaluated on a case by case basis. Our attention to age is based on our experience that a child’s emotional maturity is often linked to age, and as children grow older, positive interaction with peers is facilitated when their emotional development is closely aligned.

What factors are taken into consideration for admission?

Decisions are made after thoughtful deliberations, taking into account the individual candidate’s ability to be successful at St. Paul Academy and Summit School. The Admission Committee looks at the applicant in the context of students currently attending SPA and the other candidates who would like to join the same grade. Many factors are taken into consideration, including academic ability, developmental readiness, maturity, curiosity, and extracurricular interests. We use teacher evaluations, school records (if applicable), admission testing/assessment, and an admission interview as tools of assessment.

Will my child take an admission assessment?

Is financial aid available?

What does the assessment include for PreKindergarten and Kindergarten applicants?

There are two separate components of our PreKindergarten and Kindergarten assessment process: an individual assessment and a play group.

The purpose of the individual assessment is to discover a child’s learning strengths, emerging areas of development, and problem-solving strategies. Each applicant will take part in a one-on-one assessment with a member of our admission team. This assessment takes approximately 30 minutes.

The purpose of the play group is to observe children at play within our school setting. During the play group the children will visit one of our classrooms for circle time, activities with teachers, and free play.

Individual assessments and the play group take place in January and February.

What does the assessment include for applicants in Grades 1-5?

What does the assessment include for applicants in Grades 6-12?

Our Grade 6-12 applicants are required to take an admission test, specifically the ERB/CTP5, which consists of 3 multiple choice tests to assess a student’s level in verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning and reading comprehension. Applicants will also complete an essay on the day of testing. In addition to testing, every applicant will also have a conversation with a member of the Enrollment team.

Are there expenses in addition to tuition?

If you are an international student, can you apply?

Frequently Asked Questions | Financial Aid

Important questions and answers about financial aid at SPA are below. Families are invited and encouraged to contact Associate Director of Admission and Financial Aid Anne Marso at any time with additional questions.

What is financial aid?

At SPA, financial aid consists of tuition grants, which do not need to be repaid. They are determined based only on a family’s demonstrated need and not upon academic, athletic, or other merit. “Demonstrated need” is defined as the difference between the amount a family can be expected to contribute to the cost of the student’s education and the amount of annual tuition at SPA. All families attending SPA are expected to contribute towards the education of their child at some level. We also expect that all parents with school-age children will be employed.

What is SPA's financial aid philosophy?

The purpose of the financial aid program is to provide access to our school and to promote socio-economic diversity in our student body. Affording a quality education does take some planning, and most families employ several strategies to keep the costs within reach. In this planning, it is important to realize that the family bears the primary responsibility for financing a child's education to the extent that it is able. The basic criterion for a financial aid award is demonstrated need.

How do I apply for aid?

The first step is to indicate an intent to apply for financial aid on your admission application. Families then complete the financial aid application through the third-party vendor Clarity. Tax forms and W-2s will be collected as indicated below.

If your child is an applicant for admission:

Complete the application by February 1. All parents/guardians must complete an application, and fill out all items fully and honestly.
As soon as possible, and no later than March 1, upload a photocopy of your most recent Federal Income Tax Return with W-2 forms and all the attached schedules.

If your child is a current student:

Complete the application by November 1. All parents/guardians must complete an application, and fill out all items fully and honestly. Current families applying for aid for the first time should call the Enrollment office at 651-696-1339.

How are financial aid awards determined?

Awards are determined by the SPA Financial Aid Committee using Clarity Tuition. Clarity's financial analysis considers income, assets, liabilities, family size and the number of children attending tuition-charging institutions. After allowances for living necessities and taxes, discretionary income is considered available for education on a sliding scale. Families with larger earnings and assets are expected to make greater contributions.

All information required for the application process is kept in strictest confidence.

How many students receive financial aid?

What does financial aid cover?

Will applying for financial aid affect my child's chances for admission?

When will we learn if we will receive financial aid?

How does the process work for divorced, separated, or single parents?

SPA requires complete financial information from both the custodial and non-custodial parents, including the Clarity application and tax forms. This information is collected in an attempt to determine the ability, not the willingness, of each parent to financially support his/her child’s education. If the whereabouts of the non-custodial parent are unknown, a good-faith effort must be made to locate him or her. In most cases, a letter from a third-party (such as a teacher or minister) will be required to verify that the non-custodial parent has not had contact with the applicant within the past three years.

If my child is already a student at SPA but has never applied for aid, can we apply?

We expect that families who begin by paying full tuition to the school will continue to do so unless unforeseen circumstances make that impossible. We advise families not to go to extraordinary lengths to pay full tuition their first year in the hope of receiving tuition assistance the following year. However, if your financial situation has changed significantly since you joined the school, you should apply for aid. The school makes every effort to be helpful in case of circumstances beyond a family’s control (i.e. loss of job or unexpected illness). The school is usually not able to support parents who choose to make a change in their employment status which reduced their income (i.e. a working parent who returns to school, or a parent who chooses to quit his/her job to start a business).

Current families applying for aid for the first time should call the Enrollment office at 651-696-1334.

Should we apply for financial aid if we don't know if we'll qualify?

We encourage every family in need of financial assistance to apply. A number of factors are used to determine financial need, so it is impossible to specify income levels or other criteria that would guarantee a student receive financial aid. Income, assets, taxes, family size, unusual expenses, parents' ages and number of family members in tuition-paying schools are just some of the factors used in the equation to determine financial need. There are many factors that affect award decisions, but SPA is committed to meeting the needs of a broad spectrum of families.

Is financial aid available for supplemental costs?

SPA makes every attempt to give each student access to the special programs that the school offers. We provide supplemental assistance for students with educational opportunities, such as foreign language exchanges and instrument rentals. However, we expect families to contribute significantly, as SPA has limited funds available. We also offer limited supplemental assistance for students to participate in after-school program and to purchase the required laptop. To apply for supplemental aid, please contact the Financial Aid office directly. Please bear in mind that these supplemental aid grants are all subject to the availability of funding.

What are the deadlines for applying for financial aid?