Cathedral Catholic gives its own placement test to 8th graders who apply, and offers its students a pre-engineering program, AP courses and college classes. Our tutors are UC San Diego students who help with both: getting ready for the test, and keeping up once a student is there.
Tell us about your student, and we’ll match them with a UC San Diego tutor who fits.
We tutor math, science, English, history and languages. Sessions are one-on-one, at your home in Carmel Valley or online.
The Cathedral Catholic placement test
Cathedral Catholic doesn’t use the HSPT, the test many Catholic high schools give. Applicants take the school’s own test, about two hours of math and English, on a Saturday in late January. There is an optional writing section for students who want to be considered for honors English. The math covers pre-algebra through second-semester algebra. The English covers reading passages and language skills such as grammar and sentence correction. Students who take the test at Cathedral Catholic get priority consideration.
Preparing an 8th grader for the test
A tutor reviews the algebra your student has covered, works through fiction and nonfiction passages and grammar, and gives practice under time pressure. We also help with the optional writing section. Because the math reaches second-semester algebra, it helps to have 8th grade algebra solid well before January. Learn more about our admissions test prep for San Diego’s private and Catholic schools.
Engineering, AP and college courses
Cathedral Catholic’s Pre-Engineering Program is recorded as a distinction on the transcript, and the school’s math courses go through AP Calculus BC and AP Statistics. Juniors and seniors can also take MiraCosta College courses during the school day. For students in these programs we look for UC San Diego students in engineering and the sciences. Learn more about our science tutoring.
What Cardinal Tutors families say
“My son was a senior this year and I reached out to Cardinal Tutors and was lucky enough to find the most amazing tutor. I wish I had found him earlier.”
Sharon C. · Yelp review
Tell us if your student is at Cathedral Catholic now or getting ready for the January test, and we’ll find the right tutor.
Tell us about your student, and we’ll match them with a UC San Diego tutor who fits.