Admissions at Notre Dame
The Academy of Notre Dame de Namur welcomes application from young women of different backgrounds and abilities who seek a college preparatory educational environment that is Catholic and academically excellent; a school community that lives by an honor code; and a school culture that encourages service, recognizes the unique potential of each young woman and inspires leadership. The Academy enrolls approximately 500 students in grades six through twelve. The entering freshman class averages 93 students and the entering sixth grade class averages 45 students.

Contacting Admissions

Director of Admissions: Mrs. Diane Sander
Assistant Director, Admissions: Mrs. Victoria Gadomski
Director of Junior School Admissions: Mrs. Mia Wesner

• Admissions Office : 610.971.0498
• Senior and Junior School Main Office: 610.687.0650
• Athletics: 610.971.4905
• Business Office: 610.971.1509

Applying to the High School
Applicants to the ninth grade take Notre Dame’s Entrance and Scholarship Examination in the fall and are encouraged to attend the annual Open House in November. Applicants also spend a full or half-day visiting classes. Students who apply to the ninth grade are admitted on the basis of the Entrance Examination, previous academic records, teacher recommendations, personal visit and completion of all admission requirements by the stated deadlines.

Transfer applicants to any of the upper grades must complete an application and submit teacher recommendations and a transcript showing recent standardized test scores. Applicants must spend a day at the Academy and participate in an interview with the Director of Admissions. Transfer admission decisions are made by the Admissions Committee, which reviews all aspects of a student’s application in light of space availability.

Applying to the Junior School (6th, 7th and 8th grades)
Applicants to the sixth grade must take Notre Dame’s Entrance and Scholarship Examination in January. Notre Dame also requires a personal interview with the applicant and parent(s), as well as a full-day visit by the student.

The Admissions Office must receive the applicant's forms by the deadline, which is clearly stated in all correspondence.

Admission decisions for sixth grade are made by the Admissions Committee following the Sixth Grade Entrance and Scholarship Examination. Admission decisions for transfer applicants to the seventh and eighth grades are made on a rolling basis in light of space availability.

Download Junior School Forms

• Sixth Grade Application Process and Registration Form
• 7th and 8th Grade Application
• Teacher Recommendation
• Parent Permission for Release of Records

Academic Scholarships
Notre Dame awards only academic, merit-based scholarships.
High School
One full and several partial academic scholarships are awarded at the ninth grade level, based on an applicant's standing on Notre Dame's Entrance and Scholarship Examination and her completion of all admissions requirements.

Junior School
Partial academic scholarships are awarded at the sixth grade level based on an applicant's standing on Notre Dame's Entrance and Scholarship Examination and her completion of all admissions requirements.

Tuition for 2008 - 2009
Grades 9 to 12:   $16,660 plus fees
Grades 6 to 8:     $14,760 plus fees

Books and uniforms are extra. Cafeteria service is available at the option of the student.

Financial Aid
Limited need-based financial aid is available. Those interested in applying for a financial aid grant must complete a Parent Financial Statement from School and Student Services which can be obtained from the Admissions Office of the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur or at https://sss.ets.org/.

Transportation
Public school districts will transport students free of charge to Notre Dame if they live within a ten-mile radius of the school. Philadelphia school district will bus students in grades 6 through 8 to Notre Dame.

• Chester County School Districts
  • Great Valley
  • Phoenixville Area
  • Tredyffrin-Easttown
  • West Chester Area
• Delaware County
  • Haverford Township
  • Interboro
  • Marple Newtown
  • Radnor Township
  • Ridley
  • Rose Tree Media
  • Southeast Delco
  • Springfield
  • Upper Darby
  • Wallingford-Swarthmore
  • William Penn
• Montgomery County
  • Colonial
  • Lower Merion
  • Lower Moreland Township
  • Methacton
  • Norristown Area
  • Springfield Township
  • Upper Merion

To accommodate students outside the busing limits, Notre Dame runs private bus service before and after school to the following locations for an additional fee: Villanova train station, South Philadelphia, Center City Philadelphia, West Philadelphia, and upper Chester County.

Each year Notre Dame adjusts its private bus routes according to ridership needs. The routes for 2006-2007 are as follows:

• Chester County Bus Stops
  • Rte. 926 and Rte. 202
  • Malvern Prep
• Notre Dame partners with Devon Prep on three routes as follows:
  • Rte. 113 & Rte. 30
  • Rte. 100 & Fellowship Road
  • Rte. 401 & Rte. 100
  • Devon Road at Whitford (YMCA)
  • Rte. 100 at Target
  • Collegeville Shopping Center
  • Rte. 401 & Creek Cross Crossing Lane
  • Rte. 401 & Rte. 113
• Philadelphia Bus Stops (High School Students Only)
  • 78th & Lindbergh
  • Suburban Station
  • 57th & Hazel
  • 61st & Chestnut
  • 60th & Thompson
  • 64th & Jefferson
  • 57th & Drexe

Carpools are frequently arranged by families within specific geographic areas.

Demographics
Delaware County: 49.3%
Montgomery County: 12.5%
Chester County: 33%
Philadelphia County: 5%

Admissions Policy
The Academy of Notre Dame de Namur admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to the students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid and student loan programs, or athletic and other school-administered programs.

The Academy of Notre Dame de Namur is accredited by the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges and is a recipient of the National Exemplary Secondary School Recognition Award from the U.S. Department of Education. The Academy is a member of the National Catholic Education Association, the National Association of Independent Schools, the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools, the College Entrance Examination Board, and the Association of Supervision, Curriculum, and Development