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Q
May prospective parents or families tour Chaminade during the school day?
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A
Yes, a member of Chaminade's Admissions Office would be happy to tour you around our campus. Please contact us to schedule a tour appointment. Because we have a 55-acre campus, most tours take about 75 minutes.
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Q
Do you have an upcoming Open House?
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A
Chaminade hosts its annual Open House the first Sunday of November from 11:00 AM until 4:00 PM. Prospective students in grades 4 through 8 and their parents are invited to attend - no RSVP is necessary. Families may tour our campus most other school days.
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Q
What kind of need-based financial aid does Chaminade offer?
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A
For the 2011-2012 school year, Chaminade has distributed about $1.6 million in financial aid. Financial aid is usually awarded as need-based direct grants that do not have to be repaid with work/study grants also available. About 250 students receive financial aid annually.
Chaminade awards renewable academic scholarships of $1,500 - $5,000 to incoming 6th graders, 7th graders and freshmen based on grades and test scores. Students must apply by the primary admission deadlines to be considered for an academic scholarship.
Chaminade does not award any athletic scholarships.
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Q
What is the first step in applying to Chaminade?
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The first step is to complete the online Request A Brochure, and we will send you the admissions information packet. You can also apply online by completing the Independent Schools of St. Louis (ISSL) Secondary Application. To apply online, visit the ISSL website (www.independentschools.org) and click on "Apply".
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Q
What does Chaminade consider when a student applies for admission?
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A
First, we want to make sure that the student will have a good chance to be academically successful at Chaminade. Generally, if the student achieves A's and B's in his core academic classes and scores between the 60th and 99th percentile on standardized tests like the Iowa Basics Test or the Stanford Achievement Test, the student should be successful. Some students with average standardized test scores are accepted if their grades are strong. We also consider the student's recommendation form, student interview, and other factors. Grades are the most important factor we consider in the admissions process.
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Q
Do you accept the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) Secondary Application?
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Yes, we do for all grade levels. We encourage families who are applying to two or more schools to use the SSAT Secondary Application. Since most of the area schools who accept middle school students accept this form, completing the form online not only saves time but can be paid for online as well. Please note there is a separate supplemental application for most St. Louis area schools including Chaminade.
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Q
What is the application fee?
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U.S. students – the application fee is $50 (payable to Chaminade). For international students, the international student application fee is $150.
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Q
When will I be notified of the admission decision?
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Once Chaminade's admissions office has received a student's application and academic transcripts, the student and his parents would meet with our admissions office for an interview. Freshman applicants are mailed their acceptance letters on February 3 while Middle School applicants are mailed their letters on March 15.
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Q
When can a student come to Chaminade for a shadow visit?
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Yes - we highly encourage shadow visits. Shadow visits begin at 7:30 AM and are finished by 12:30 PM most school days. Shadow visits can be scheduled between Labor Day and Friday, December 9, and from Monday, January 9 until Friday, May 11. Families interested in scheduling a visit may contact Chaminade's Admission Office at 314-692-6640. Please see the "Visit Chaminade" tab for additional information.
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Q
How much is tuition, and what payment plans do you offer?
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Chaminade’s tuition for day students for the 2010-2012 school year is $15,195. In addition, laptop fees average $700 per year, and additional class fees are $400 - $600 per year. Tuition can be paid by August 1 or can be spread out over nine months through the FACTS monthly payment plan for a $50 fee. Tuition can be paid with a personal or cashier’s check, MasterCard, Visa, Discover or American Express. For resident students, tuition + 5-day room and board is $31,780, and tuition + 7-day room and board is $31,880.
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Q
Is an admissions test required?
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Yes for Middle School admissions but not for High School applicants. The Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) is required for all middle school applicants. Chaminade offers the test on Saturday, November 12 and Saturday, February 4 with other area schools administering the test on Saturday, December 10 and Saturday, February 7. Students may test at any location in St. Louis and have their scores sent to Chaminade. Students MUST register for this test at least two weeks in advance. Families register for the test online at www.ssat.org.
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Q
What is your average ACT test score? What percentage of your graduating seniors receive college scholarships?
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The Class of 2011's average ACT composite score was 26. Over 80% of our seniors who just graduated were offered almost $13 million in merit-based college scholarships.
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Q
At what grade levels does Chaminade accept students?
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About 75 students begin Chaminade at the 6th grade level. Another 25 - 30 students start at Chaminade at the 7th grade level, and about 10 students will be accepted for next year's 8th grade class. We can accept up to 60 students for next year's freshman (9th grade) class. We will consider sophomore and junior applicants on a space available basis.
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Q
Do Chaminade students have laptop computers?
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Yes, Chaminade students receive a laptop when they enter middle school and again at high school. Our students use Lenovo (formerly IBM) ThinkPad laptop computers. Parents pay a yearly lease fee for the laptop. The laptops have proven to be a very useful tool not only for our students but our teachers and administrators as well. Chaminade was the first St. Louis high school to require laptop computers, and most of our graduates feel they are much more ahead of other graduates when it comes to technology.
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Q
Does Chaminade offer any special assistance for students with learning differences or disabilities?
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Chaminade has a learning consultant who assists students with mild learning differences or disabilities. Students often receive assistance in areas such as organizational skills, study skills, or tutoring in a specific subject area. Also, National Honor Society students tutor students before or after school.
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Q
How many students attend Chaminade and what is the average class size and student: teacher ratio?
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Our overall enrollment in grades 6 - 12 is 790 students. There are 495 young men in the high school and 295 students in the middle school. The average class size is 18 students and the student: teacher ratio is 10:1.
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Q
Does Chaminade offer Advanced Placement and other college credit courses?
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Chaminade is a leader among private, Catholic high schools in offering college credit courses. This year, Chaminade offers 23 Advanced Placement courses to sophomores, juniors and seniors, and an additional 50 semester-long courses are available for credit through St. Louis U. and UMSL.
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Q
Is there a dress code at Chaminade?
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Yes, Chaminade students are required to wear a collared shirt, khaki pants or shorts, a belt, shoes and socks. On special occasions, a suit or sport coat with dress shirt and tie may be required. Hair must not fall below the eyebrows in the front, the ear lobes on the sides, and the collar in the back. Students wear their House polo shirt on Fridays.
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Q
When does your school day start and end? When are your facilities typically open?
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Our school day begins at 7:45am and ends at 2:45pm. Chaminade Hall (academic building) opens at 6:15am and closes at 9pm. Our library/media center opens weekdays at 6:30am and closes at 6:30pm. Supervised study halls are also available after school until 6pm. Our library/media center is also open Saturdays from 9am until 2pm, and Sundays from noon until 6pm.
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Q
What is your grading scale, and how often are grades updated?
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Our students are awarded percentage grades on progress reports and report cards with 93% - 100% representing an A; 85% - 92% = B; 77% - 84% = C; 70% - 76% = D; below 70% = F. Grades are usually updated online once per week – both parents and students can access these grades any time they log into our portal.
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Do non-Catholics attend Chaminade? Are non-Catholics required to take religion classes?
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We welcome students of all faiths to apply to Chaminade. All students are required to take religion classes, attend Mass and retreats, and participate in numerous community service projects. For the 2011-2012 school year, 82% of our students are Catholic while 18% are non-Catholic.
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How diverse is your student body?
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For the 2011-12 school year, 15.5% of our students are minority students, including Asians, African-Americans, Hispanics, multiracial students, American Indians and Alaskan Natives. Our day students represent 70 zip codes throughout the St. Louis area, and our resident students hail from numerous countries.
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Q
Does Chaminade require community service hours?
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Yes, Chaminade requires students to complete service hours each year. In the middle school, students complete 10 - 20 hours each year. In the high school, students complete 25 - 50 hours each year. Our Campus Ministry Office assists students with locating projects best suited for them.
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Q
What sports do you offer?
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Chaminade offers the following sports:
Fall season: Football, soccer, cross country, and swimming/diving
Winter season: Basketball, hockey, wrestling, racquetball, and bowling
Spring season: Baseball, track, lacrosse, tennis, golf, volleyball, and water polo
While we do not require students to play interscholastic sports, about 75% of our high school students did so last year with many students playing sports in two or all three seasons. Last year, 59 of our 65 teams kept everyone who wanted to play; a few teams like varsity soccer and varsity basketball do limit the number of students who can participate.
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Q
Do I need previous musical experience to join the band program?
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Chaminade offers Beginner Band classes at the middle school and high school levels for students who want to learn how to play a musical instrument. Chaminade has about 175 students in our symphonic, concert, jazz, intermediate and beginner bands. Our Symphonic Band has achieved the highest rating possible in state competition for the last 25 years.
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Q
What agency accredits Chaminade?
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Chaminade is accredited by the Independent Schools Association for the Central States (ISACS). This organization accredits many of the top private schools in St. Louis and the Midwest. Chaminade is also a member of Independent Schools of St. Louis (ISSL), a group of about 40 private schools throughout the St. Louis area.