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Admissions
Applying for seventh through eleventh grade admission to Palma School is an easy four-step process You will need:
- Online application
- SSAT
- Take the Snapshot
- Teacher Recommendation and Release of School Records forms (Sixth grade has only one form here)
Your son will be considered for admission once we receive these materials.
Applicants will need to take the SSAT, Palma’s admissions test. The SSAT at home is the same standardized test as the SSAT but delivered via computer rather than on paper at a test center. It is offered every Saturday and some Sundays each month. The test is administered via a secure web application with continuous AI monitoring, data forensics, and live remote proctoring. It is about the same length as the in-person SSAT.
Grades and test scores don’t tell us the whole story of your son; character and personal growth are also an integral part of a Palma School education. Along with the SSAT, all applicants to Palma School are required to take The Character Skills Snapshot, which gives us richer holistic information and illuminates areas where Palma School can help your son grow and thrive. For students who take the SSAT, there is no charge to take the Snapshot. Once you register for an SSAT, you will also have access to the Snapshot.
Lastly, deliver the Teachers’ Recommendations and Release of School Records forms to your son’s school. These forms can be downloaded using the links on the right, from the online application site or can be picked up at the school office. The forms will also be available at our open house. There are two recommendation forms: one goes to your son’s current English teacher and the second goes to his current Math teacher. Please include envelopes with Palma’s address so the teachers can mail the forms to us. The Release of School Records form should be given to your son’s school’s front office so they may send a current transcript and test scores directly to us. Be assured that we will keep the information contained in all of these forms confidential.
Once the test results and forms are in our possession, the Admission Committee will review your son’s file and make a decision regarding his admission to Palma. Palma’s Admission Committee will start meeting in mid January and you and your son will receive a decision soon thereafter.
*Character and personal growth are an integral part of a Palma School education. Grades and test scores just don’t tell us the whole story. The Character Skills Snapshot gives us richer holistic information and illuminates areas where Palma School can help your son grow and thrive. All applicants to Palma School are required to take The Character Skills Snapshot. For students who take the SSAT, there is no charge to take The Snapshot. Once you register for an SSAT, you will have access to The Snapshot.
Current Palma 8th Grade students who are interested in attending high school at Palma are not required to fill out the online application nor to sit for the admission test.
Selection Criteria
Palma School, a private school for young men, mindful of its mission to be a witness to the love of Christ for all, admits students of any race, color, national and/or ethnic origin. While Palma School does not discriminate against students with special needs, a full range of services may not be available. In order to be considered for admission to Palma School, a student must have met the following prerequisites:
- Successful completion of grade 6 to be admitted to the junior high school, or successful completion of grade 8 to be admitted to the high school.
- Proficient score on the admission test provided by Palma School which indicate potential for a successful transition to our college preparatory curriculum.
- Positive recommendations from the student’s current school, along with a copy of the student’s transcript indicating that the student is in good standing.
Applicants who fall below these prerequisites, but have shown the potential for success, may still be considered for admission, provided resources are available to meet their needs.
Students at Palma School come from a wide array of backgrounds and socio-economic strata and the Admissions Committee understands that any one piece of information is not sufficient to render an accurate picture of a student. By weighing multiple sources, we can better ascertain unique strengths, gifts and talents.
The Director of Admissions is always eager to help should you have a question about the application process. Call 831.422.6391 x241 or email rico@palmaschool.org.
Let’s Talk
We would love to hear from you. You can start the conversation by choosing a button below.
Mindful of our primary mission to be a witness to the love of Christ for all, Palma School admits students of any race, color, national and/or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to the students at the school. Palma School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and/or ethnic origin, nor age in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. While Palma School does not discriminate against students with special needs, a full range of services may not be available. Likewise, Palma School does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of gender, age, disability, race, color, and national and/or ethnic origin. Palma School reserves the right to be a sole judge of merit, competence and qualifications, and can favor Catholic applicants and co-workers in all employment decisions, especially in those positions that have direct bearing upon the pastoral activity of the Church.