Frequently Asked Questions

List of 15 frequently asked questions.

• At what age can students first apply to Hockaday?

  In order to attend prekindergarten, a girl must be four years old by September 1. That typically means applying when the child is three years old.

• What are the school hours?

  Hockaday Lower and Middle School students begin class at 8:00 a.m. Upper School students begin classes at 9:00 a.m. and end the academic day at 4:00 p.m. 
  
  Lower School students release by grade level:

  • PK/K/Primer: 2:45-3:00 pm 
  • First/Second Grades: 3:10-3:25 pm 
  • Third/Fourth Grades: 3:30-3:45 pm 
  • Fifth/Sixth Grades: 3:30-3:45 pm 
  • Seventh/Eighth Grades: 3:45-4:00 pm 

• Do you have after school options for my daughter?

  Daisy Afternoons provides girls in Pre-K through Eighth Grade options for extended learning and enrichment during the hours immediately following the school day. Programs provide supervised play indoors and outdoors, a variety of enrichment classes, time to complete homework, and more. After-school programs remain open on school days until 6:00 pm. 

• Are Hockaday students required to present up-to-date immunizations to enroll in the School?

  Yes. In accordance with Texas law, the Hockaday School requires all students to present a certificate of up-to-date immunizations. Official records from a physician or clinic are required. For all new students, official records must be approved by the Director of Health Services before the enrollment process is considered complete. Exemptions from immunizations for reasons of conscience will not be accepted for any enrolled students.  

• Do you have a waiting list from year to year?

  Since we treat each year as a new year, we do not carry over a waiting list. For example, if a student goes through the admission process and is placed in the wait pool, she may be able to enter Hockaday before the school year starts, if a spot opens for her. If she is not admitted to Hockaday and decides to apply for another admission year, she begins a new application and goes through a new admission process.

• Do you offer admission application fee waivers?

  The Hockaday School is committed to providing families with the financial resources needed to make an independent school education possible. Admission application fee waivers are available for those who qualify. Please contact the Office of Admission at admission@hockaday.org or call 214-360-6526 for information.

• What grade levels have openings?

  We have 36 openings at the prekindergarten level, our earliest grade. Kindergarten and first grade usually have 5-7 spaces. We add 20-25 new students in fifth, 5-8 in sixth, 10-12 in seventh, and 8-10 in eighth. Ninth Grade has 20-25 new students. Other grade levels may have spaces available for new students based on attrition.

• What world languages are offered and when?

  Students are introduced to both French and Spanish at the Pre-kindergarten level and continue through second grade. In third grade, they select Spanish or French to study. Students can begin the study of Latin in the seventh grade.

• Are siblings and children of alumnae guaranteed admission?

  They are not guaranteed admission; however, if all other factors are equal, children of alumnae and siblings of current students do receive preferential consideration. Our policy states that every effort is made to accommodate qualified children of alumnae and qualified siblings of current students; however, admission decisions are based primarily upon the composite qualifications of the individual candidate.

• What types of tests are given to Prekindergarten and Kindergarten students?

  Typically, students participate in a group test setting that evaluates their developmental areas as well as how well they follow directions and interact in a group setting. Each student also participates in an individual session at the Collaborative Academic Testing Services (CATS) to examine her verbal and non-verbal problem-solving skills. 

• What kind of test preparation course should a student take before applying to Pre-K, K and First Grade?

  We strongly discourage applicants from taking test prep courses or being tutored in any way for admission testing. “Prepping” makes students overly anxious about the testing process as well as question their own abilities. For the best testing situation, we recommend that girls get a good night sleep and have breakfast before coming for the test.

• What is the ISEE?

  The Independent School Entrance Exam is an admission test that has four levels: Primary (for applicants to grades 2, 3 and 4), Lower (for applicants to grades 5 and 6), Middle (for applicants to grades 7 and 8) and Upper (for applicants to grades 9 through 12). The ISEE has different forms at each level for security purposes. 

   

  At the Lower, Middle and Upper levels, the ISEE consists of three parts: (a) verbal and quantitative reasoning tests; (b) reading comprehension and mathematics achievement tests; and (c) an essay section. The ISEE essay is timed and written in response to a prompt. 
  
  

  For more ISEE information please call 1-800-446-0320 or visit www.iseetest.org.

• Is Hockaday affiliated with a particular religion?

  Hockaday is an independent school and is not associated with any particular religion. Our girls come from diverse religious backgrounds. It is the goal of the school to foster each student’s appreciation of her own spiritual beliefs as well as develop an understanding of the religious beliefs of other students.

• Can a new international student receive a Form I 20 to enroll at Hockaday?

  An international student is one who does not hold American citizenship or is not considered a permanent resident of the United States. The Hockaday School does not issue a Form I 20 to new international students. 

• Do international students have to take the TOEFL to apply to Hockaday?

  Yes. An international student is one who does not hold American citizenship or is not considered a permanent resident of the United States. All non-native English speakers are required to submit the TOEFL test results to complete their application to The Hockaday School. Middle School applicants may take the TOEFL Jr.