Requirements and Testing

List of 9 items.

• Kindergarten

  There are 150 openings for the incoming Kindergarten class, which will include 6 classrooms of 25 students each (some variations occur).
  
  

  Applicants for the 2022 – 2023 school year must have been born within the following dates:

  • Boys: June 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017
  • Girls: September 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017

  Kindergarten application due dates for the 2022 – 2023 school year are as follows:

  • October 1, 2021: Application due, along with birth certificate and previous year report card or progress report
  • January 15, 2022: Supporting documents due (current year report card or progress report and teacher reference report)

  Applications should be submitted as soon as for older children with birthdates in the first half of the birth date range. Scoring of tests is age-adjusted, so ideally we want to see the older applicants ahead of the younger ones.
  
  

  After submitting your application online through the Enrollment Management System, your child will be scheduled for an in-person individual session, required of all candidates. These sessions are scheduled Monday-Friday between September through January. During this session, an assessment specialist will conduct an individual assessment. Your child will also be scheduled for one of our four in-person Saturday group observation sessions. If you have any questions regarding scheduling, please contact Adele Uyehara at auyehara@punahou.edu.

  
  A teacher reference report must be submitted by your child’s current teacher. Applicants will also be asked to submit a report card or progress report from the previous school year and the first semester of the current school year. If your child’s school does not have any written reports, please contact the Admission Office so we may note this on your child’s application.

  
  Non-O‘ahu Applicants:
  Candidates for K-grade 8 who apply from the Neighbor Islands, the mainland or foreign countries will be considered only if their parents will be living on Oahu during the school year. In-person testing and an observation session are required of candidates for kindergarten – grade 1.

• Grades 1 – 3

  Openings in grades 1 – 3 are based on withdrawals (spaces that become available due to current students who will not return for the next school year). Applications for grades 1 – 3 are only accepted from applicants who were placed in the previous year's wait pool (those who qualified the previous year, but were not placed). Wait pool applicants must submit a new application and complete testing for the current application year.

  
  Grades 1 – 3 application due dates for the 2022 – 2023 school year are as follows:

  • December 31, 2021: Application due, along with previous year report card
  • January 15, 2022: Supporting documents due (current year report card and teacher reference report)

  Only those who qualified for the Kindergarten wait pool may apply. These will only be one Saturday in-person testing and observation session on February 19, 2022.
  
  

  Begin by submitting your application online. A teacher reference report must be submitted by your child’s current teacher. Applicants will also be asked to submit a report card or progress report from the previous school year and the first semester of the current school year.

  
  Non-O‘ahu Applicants:
  Candidates for kindergarten – grade 8 who apply from the Neighbor Islands, the mainland or foreign countries will be considered only if their parents will be living on O‘ahu during the school year. In-person testing and an observation session are required of candidates for kindergarten – grade 1.

• Grade 4

  There are 50 openings to join the fourth grade class, which is comprised of roughly 200 students, in 8 classrooms of 25 students each (some variations occur).
  
  

  Grade 4 application due dates for the 2022 – 2023 school year are as follows:

  • October 31, 2022: Application due, along with previous year report card
  • January 15, 2022: Supporting documents due (current year report card, teacher reference reports and EL SSAT scores)

  Your child must register for and take the Third Grade Elementary Level SSAT (EL SSAT). The results must be sent to Punahou by SSAT.  You may download or order the Official Guide to the EL SSAT at SSAT.org. If requesting a waiver for the EL SSAT fee, contact the Financial Aid Office for assistance before registering for the test.
  
  IMPORTANT NOTE: If you plan to have your child take the test on O‘ahu, please register for the November 13, 2021 test at Punahou. We are not aware of other O‘ahu schools offering the test this season. We strongly encourage you to explore the SSAT website for more information, and we recommend that you schedule a test date as soon as possible as space is limited.
  
  

  Score range averages of successful applicants are:

   

  READING	VERBAL	QUANTITATIVE
  520 – 540	530 – 550	515 – 535

  
  

  These are not cut-off points, but guidelines for decisions. While the majority of those accepted to Punahou score within or above the ranges listed, some applicants with lower scores may be admitted.
  
  

  Please register for an in-person classroom group sessions.  A teacher reference report must be submitted by your child’s current English and math teachers. Applicants will also be asked to submit the previous school year’s complete report card, including teacher comments for all reporting periods, and the first semester report card, including comments for the current school year.
  
  Non-O‘ahu Applicants:
  Candidates for kindergarten – grade 8 who apply from the Neighbor Islands, the mainland or foreign countries will be considered only if their parents will be living on O‘ahu during the school year.
  

• Grade 5

  Openings in grade 5 are based on withdrawals (spaces that become available due to current students who will not return for the next school year). Applications for grade 5 are only accepted from applicants who were in the fourth grade wait pool. Wait pool applicants must submit a new application and complete testing for the current application year.
  
  

  Grade 5 application due dates for the 2022 - 2023 school year are as follows:
  

  • October 31, 2021: Application due, along with previous year report card
  • January 15, 2022: Supporting documents due (current year report card, teacher reference reports and EL SSAT scores)

  Your child must register for and take the Fourth Grade Elementary Level EL SSAT (EL SSAT). You may download or order the Official Guide to the EL SSAT at SSAT.org. If requesting a waiver for the EL SSAT fee, contact the Financial Aid  Office for assistance before registering for the test.
  
  

  IMPORTANT NOTE: If you plan to have your child take the test on O‘ahu, please register for the November 13, 2021 test at Punahou. We are not aware of other O‘ahu schools offering the test this season.

  
  Please register for the in-person classroom group session on January 22, 2022.

  
  A teacher reference report must be submitted by your child’s current English and math teachers. Applicants will also be asked to submit the previous school year’s complete report card, including teacher comments for all reporting periods, and the first semester report card, including comments for the current school year.
  
  Non-O‘ahu Applicants:
  Candidates for K-grade 8 who apply from the Neighbor Islands, the mainland or foreign countries will be considered only if their parents will be living on Oahu during the school year.
  

• Grades 6 and 7

  There are 88 openings to join the sixth grade class, which is comprised of roughly 288 students, in 12 classrooms of 24 students each. There are 80 openings to join the seventh grade class, which is comprised of roughly 368 students, in 16 classrooms of 23 students each. Some variations occur.
  
  

  Grade 6 and 7 application due dates for the 2022 – 2023 school year are as follows:

  • November 15, 2021: Application due, along with previous year report card
  • December 31, 2021: Supporting documents due (current year report card, teacher reference reports, SSAT scores and interview; optional: extracurricular reference forms, additional standardized testing results)

  Your child must register for and take the August, September, October, November or December Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT). The results must be sent to Punahou by SSAT. You may download or order the Official Guide to the SSAT at SSAT.org. If requesting a waiver for the SSAT fee, contact the Financial Aid Office for assistance before registering for the test.
  
  

  Score range averages of successful applicants are:

   

  GRADE	READING	VERBAL	QUANTITATIVE
  6	620 – 640	620 – 640	620 – 640
  7	615 – 635	620 – 640	620 – 640

  
  

  These are not cut-off points, but guidelines for decisions. While the majority of those accepted to Punahou score within or above the ranges listed, some applicants with lower scores may be admitted.
  
  

  Each applicant is required to participate in a one-on-one interview and complete a writing sample.
  
  

  In addition to favorable SSAT test results, applicants need to have commendable academic records, satisfactory writing skills, and a positive recommendation from their current school.

  
  A teacher reference report must be submitted by your child’s current English and math teachers. Applicants will also be asked to submit the previous school year’s complete report card, including teacher comments for all reporting periods, and the first semester report card, including comments for the current school year.
  
  

  Two extracurricular reference report forms may be submitted by the leaders of two activities in which the applicant participates, e.g., scouts, music lessons, sports. These forms are optional.
  
  Non-O‘ahu Applicants:
  Candidates for kindergarten – grade 8 who apply from the Neighbor Islands, the mainland or foreign countries will be considered only if their parents will be living on O‘ahu during the school year.

• Grade 8

  Openings in grade 8 are based on withdrawals (spaces that become available due to current students who will not return for the next school year.)

  
  

  Grade 8 application due dates for the 2022 – 2023 school year are as follows:

  • November 15, 2021: Application due, along with previous year report card
  • December 31, 2021: Supporting documents due (current year report card, teacher reference reports, SSAT scores and interview; optional: extracurricular reference forms, additional standardized testing results)

  Your child must register for and take the August, September, October, November or December Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT). The results must be sent to Punahou by SSAT. You may download or order the Official Guide to the SSAT at SSAT.org. If requesting a waiver for the SSAT fee, contact the Financial Aid Office for assistance before registering for the test.
  
  

  Score range averages of successful applicants are:
  
  

  READING	VERBAL	QUANTITATIVE
  660 – 680	670 – 690	660 – 680

   

  These are not cut-off points, but guidelines for decisions. While the majority of those accepted to Punahou score within or above the ranges listed, some applicants with lower scores may be admitted.

  
  Each applicant is required to participate in a one-on-one interview and complete a writing sample.

  
  In addition to favorable SSAT test results, applicants need to have commendable academic records, satisfactory writing skills, and a positive recommendation from their current school.

  
  A teacher reference report must be submitted by each of your child’s current English and math teachers. Applicants will also be asked to submit the previous school year’s complete report card, including teacher comments for all reporting periods, and the first semester report card, including comments for the current school year.
  
  

  Two extracurricular reference report forms may be submitted by the leaders of two activities in which the applicant participates, e.g., scouts, music lessons, sports. These forms are optional.
  
  Non-O‘ahu Applicants:
  Candidates for kindergarten – grade 8 who apply from the Neighbor Islands, the mainland or foreign countries will be considered only if their parents will be living on O‘ahu during the school year.

• Grade 9

  There are 72 openings to join the ninth grade class, which is comprised of roughly 440 students.
  
  

  Grade 9 application due dates for the 2022 – 2023 school year are as follows:

  • November 15, 2021: Application due, along with previous year report card
  • December 31, 2021: Supporting documents due (current year report card, teacher reference reports, SSAT scores and interview; optional: extracurricular reference forms, additional standardized testing results)

  Your child must register for and take the August, September, October, November or December Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT). The results must be sent to Punahou by SSAT. You may download or order the Official Guide to the SSAT at SSAT.org. If requesting a waiver for the SSAT fee, contact the Financial Aid Office for assistance before registering for the test.
  
  

  Score range averages of successful applicants are:

   

  READING	VERBAL	QUANTITATIVE
  655 – 675	665 – 685	670 – 690

  
  

  These are not cut-off points, but guidelines for decisions. While the majority of those accepted to Punahou score within or above the ranges listed, some applicants with lower scores may be admitted.
  
  

  Each applicant is required to participate in a one-on-one interview and complete a writing sample.
  
  

  In addition to favorable SSAT test results, applicants need to have commendable academic records, satisfactory writing skills, and a positive recommendation from their current school.

  
  A teacher reference report must be submitted by your child’s current English and math teachers. Applicants will also be asked to submit the previous school year’s complete report card, including teacher comments for all reporting periods, and the first semester report card, including comments for the current school year.

  
  Two extracurricular reference report forms may be submitted by the leaders of two activities in which the applicant participates, e.g., scouts, music lessons, sports. These forms are optional.
  
  

  Non-O‘ahu Applicants:
  Applicants for grades 9 – 12 may be admitted if they will be living with legal guardian(s) who agree to accept full responsibility for the students while they attend Punahou. Legal guardian responsibilities include having authority to act on behalf of the student in an emergency situation. The legal guardian(s) must have a notarized written authorization from the student’s parents.

• Grades 10 and 11

  Openings in grades 10 and 11 are based on withdrawals (spaces that become available due to current students who will not return for the next school year.) 

  
  

  Grade 10 and 11 application due dates for the 2022 – 2023 school year are as follows:

  • November 15, 2021: Application due, along with previous year report card
  • December 31, 2021: Supporting documents due (official transcript of all high school work including first semester report card for current year, teacher reference reports, SSAT scores and interview; optional: extracurricular reference forms, additional standardized testing results)

  Your child must register for and take the August, September, October, November or December Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT). The results must be sent to Punahou by SSAT. You may download or order the Official Guide to the SSAT at SSAT.org. If requesting a waiver for the SSAT fee, contact the Financial Aid Office for assistance before registering for the test.
  
  

  Score range averages of successful applicants are:

   

  GRADE	READING	VERBAL	QUANTITATIVE
  10	695 – 715	700 – 720	710 – 730
  11	675 – 695	705 – 725	735 – 755

  
  

  These are not cut-off points, but guidelines for decisions. While the majority of those accepted to Punahou score within or above the ranges listed, some applicants with lower scores may be admitted.
  
  

  Each applicant is required to participate in a one-on-one interview and complete a writing sample.
  
  

  In addition to favorable SSAT test results, candidates need to have commendable academic records, satisfactory writing skills, and a positive recommendation from their current school.

  
  A teacher reference report must be submitted by each of your child’s current English and math teachers. Applicants will also be asked to submit the previous school year’s complete report card, including teacher comments for all reporting periods, and the first semester report card, including comments for the current school year. Grading symbols other than A, B, C, etc., should be explained, as should any citizenship grading system.

  
  In addition to official report cards, an official transcript of all high school work, including the first semester or trimester of the current school year, must be submitted. Grades of C or above are transferable for Punahou credit. Grades of C- or below are not transferable for credit.
  
  

  Two extracurricular reference report forms may be submitted by the leaders of two activities in which the applicant participates, e.g., scouts, music lessons, sports. These forms are optional.
  
  

  Non-O‘ahu Applicants:
  Applicants for grades 9 – 12 may be admitted if they will be living with legal guardian(s) who agree to accept full responsibility for the students while they attend Punahou. Legal guardian responsibilities include having authority to act on behalf of the student in an emergency situation. The legal guardian(s) must have a notarized written authorization from the student’s parents.

• Grade 12

  Openings in grade 12 are based on withdrawals (spaces that become available due to current students who will not return for the next school year). 

  
  Grade 12 application due dates for the 2022 – 2023 school year are as follows:

  • November 15, 2021: Application due, along with previous year report card
  • December 31, 2021: Supporting documents due (official transcript of all high school work including first semester report card for current year, teacher reference reports,SAT scores and interview; optional: extracurricular reference forms, additional standardized testing results)

  Your child must provide Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores with essay. The limited openings at this level will be filled by applicants with strong SAT scores. Scores of 653 for Evidence Based Reading and Writing and 675 for Math are guidelines for decisions, but are not cutoff points. Applicants may register for the SAT with essay online at www.collegeboard.com and a copy of the results must be provided to Punahou by the applicant.

  
  Each applicant is required to participate in a one-on-one interview and complete a writing sample.

  
  In addition to favorable SAT test scores, applicants need to have commendable academic records, satisfactory writing skills, and a positive recommendation from their current school.

  
  A teacher reference report must be submitted by each of your child’s current English and math teachers. Applicants will also be asked to submit the previous school year’s complete report card, including teacher comments for all reporting periods, and the first semester report card, including comments for the current school year. Grading symbols other than A, B, C, etc., should be explained, as should any citizenship grading system.

  
  In addition to official report cards, an official transcript of all high school work, including the first semester or trimester of the current school year, must be submitted. Grades of C or above are transferable for Punahou credit. Grades of C- or below are not transferable for credit.

  
  Along with strong SAT scores, above average grades and exemplary citizenship reports, applicants must have sufficient transferable credits to meet Punahou graduation requirements within one year.
  
  

  Two extracurricular reference report forms may be submitted by the leaders of two activities in which the applicant participates, e.g., scouts, music lessons, sports. These forms are optional.

  
  Non-O‘ahu Applicants:
  Applicants for grades 9 – 12 may be admitted if they will be living with legal guardian(s) who agree to accept full responsibility for the students while they attend Punahou. Legal guardian responsibilities include having authority to act on behalf of the student in an emergency situation. The legal guardian(s) must have a notarized written authorization from the student’s parents.