How are admissions decisions made?

Each student who applies for admission to OLSH is evaluated individually, based upon the required documents submitted. These may include the student’s most recent report card or transcript, standardized test scores, and discipline/attendance history at their current school. Additionally, students who currently have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan in their current school will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to ensure that OLSH is able to provide the necessary accommodations to meet their needs. Students who submit their application and required documentation can expect an admissions decision within 2-4 weeks.

Click here to view the application process.

My child has an IEP or 504 Plan and will require specific accommodations. Can you accommodate my child? Who do I contact to discuss their accommodations?

Though OLSH is not required by law to address accommodations, we do our best to provide for students with IEPs and 504 Plans. Anticipated accommodations should be disclosed during the admissions process in order to assess whether OLSH can appropriately meet the needs of the student. Meeting with a school counselor may be required before an admissions decision can be made.

How do I apply for tuition assistance?

All applications for OLSH Tuition Assistance are due in mid-March, and are only accepted online through FACTS Tuition Management System. Be sure to complete your taxes as soon as possible to finalize your application. Tuition assistance is available for new students and transfer families applying after the March deadline; however funds may be limited and are not guaranteed.

Click here to read more about Tuition Assistance at OLSH.

When will we hear about tuition assistance decisions?

Provided that all required information has been received, freshmen generally receive their financial aid packages by the end of April, and upperclassmen receive their financial aid packages by the end of May.

Are there expenses or fees beyond the cost of tuition?

The AAC Fee is assessed to every student at our school to help cover the costs of operating and maintaining the Angela Activities Center, where your student will learn, study, compete, practice, eat, socialize, and relax. While the AAC facility provides a wide range of benefits to OLSH student athletes, it also hosts our phys ed classes as well as our wellness/conditioning initiative, led by Mr. Kris Karagory. The AAC serves as a site for OLSH dances, the annual pre-Prom Grand March, commencement exercises, and other special events. The AAC fee is $500 per student; $750 maximum per family.

A Technology Fee of $100 per student covers the costs of equipment, licensing, and ongoing maintenance for the OLSH Chromebook Initiative

In order to continue to deliver a meaningful and memorable graduation experience, and at the same time simplify the ordering of graduation regalia, diplomas, and other materials, all senior families are charged a graduation fee of $100 per senior student.  

Do you offer scholarships?

OLSH offers a growing number of scholarships to incoming freshman students as well as additional scholarship opportunities for upperclassmen. Scholarships are awarded to students based on their qualifications for the individual scholarships that may be based on student academic record, extracurricular involvement, and financial need.  

Click here for more information on OLSH Scholarships.

When are scholarship applications due? When will we receive notice about scholarship decisions?

Many of OLSH’s scholarships have a need-based requirement; therefore, scholarship applications are due at the same time as the tuition assistance application deadline of March 15. Final decisions for scholarships are made by the designated scholarship committees by early May, and are communicated to families soon thereafter.

Do you accept international students? What is required for application?

OLSH accepts international students at the beginning of each semester of study.  Please contact the OLSH Admissions Office if you know a student interested in attending school in the United States, and click here to learn more about the process for international students.

General Questions about OLSH

When does the school day begin and end? When does my child have access to the building?

School begins each day with homeroom at 7:39 am, and ends at 2:25 pm. Your student will enter the school via the Student Entrance, where they will use a mobile phone app to access the building. Student access is granted between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Students who stay in the building until 5:00 pm should remain in the social commons on the ground floor, or in the library on the first floor unless they are meeting with a teacher. Students staying after school are also permitted to study in the Sr. Christopher Cafe in the AAC.

What is the school uniform?

OLSH uses Land’s End as our uniform provider. Boys wear navy blue dress pants, navy blue crew socks, solid navy blue ties (ties only need to be worn from November 1 to March 31). Girls wear navy blue skirts, skorts, or dress slacks, navy blue knee socks or solid navy blue tights. Students are permitted to wear polo shirts with the OLSH crest from April 1 – October 31. White shirts/blouses with the school crest must be worn by boys and girls from November 1 - March 31. Boys and girls may choose to wear a navy blue v-neck or cardigan sweater and/or vest from Land’s End.

How do lunches work? Is there a sample list of menu items?

Lunches provided in the OLSH cafeteria are sold in both meal and a la carte options. There are five unique food stations where students can choose their preferred meal. Fusion offers globally inspired cuisine, Grill offers hot sandwiches and French fries, Trattoria offers pizza and pasta options, and Salad provides students with a unique salad-of-the-day. Offerings vary daily and menus are updated weekly on the Student/Parent Portal.

Does the school provide the students with laptops/iPads? Can my child bring their own?

OLSH is a 1:1 technology school. Your student will be issued a Chromebook for use during and outside of school throughout the school year. PC and Mac desktop computers, MacBook Pro laptops, and iPads housed in the Tisch Family Library, the computer lab, and in classrooms via mobile carts are also available to students. All faculty are provided with laptops and iPads for use in the classroom at their own discretion. OLSH also provides each student with their own email address (@olsh.org) in order to complete, turn in, or print assignments from the computers in the school library or Counseling Center. The student's Gmail account allows for communication and collaboration between peers and teachers and provides access to the Google Apps for Education Suite. 

Do you have a family service hour or fundraising requirement?

OLSH does not require families to contribute a specified number of service hours or fundraising dollars annually. If your child participates in activities such as a sports team or theatre, you may be required as part of participation to share in concession stand, team dinner, or other similar responsibilities from time to time. Families are encouraged to participate in large-scale annual fundraisers coordinated by the OLSH Advancement Office such as The OLSH Fund, Charger Challenge, and other school-wide events to the extent of their ability, as funds raised from these initiatives contribute directly to the school's operational budget as well as to Tuition Assistance funding.

Click here to learn more about the Advancement Office and their ongoing efforts.

What are the options for honors and AP courses?

Current Advanced Placement courses taught at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School are: AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP US History, AP World History: Modern, AP US Government and Politics, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science A, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Physics I, and AP Studio Art.

The OLSH AP Advantage Program provides additional resources for students and teachers enrolled in AP courses and also provides financial incentives for qualifying scores on AP tests through the University of Notre Dame's AP Teacher Investment Program.  Additionally, if a student is interested and eligible to take an AP course that is not currently offered by OLSH, the school has partnered with Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth to provide online AP courses at a discounted rate. Click here to read more about this opportunity.

In addition, OLSH offers 12 honors level courses, including Honors Spanish 4 and Honors French 4, with college credit provided through Duquesne University. There is also an option to take AP Computer Science A for College in High School credit through the University of Pittsburgh.

Click here to view the Academic Course Catalog.

What types of support do you provide to students?

Every OLSH student is assigned a Teacher-Advisor and a School Counselor to offer them support with academics, career exploration, college planning, and other issues. Students also have access to the OLSH Writing and Learning (OWL) Center and the OLSH After-School Tutoring Program.

The OWL Center includes two "Centers" sharing one space: Writing Center students are tutored by any of the English Department teachers or a selected and trained peer tutor. Learning Center students are tutored individually or in any of their subjects by the OWL Center instructor, or a selected and trained peer tutor. Learn more about the OWL Center here. 

The OLSH After-School Tutoring Program is designed to provide a comprehensive layer of academic support for all students at OLSH, providing individualized tutoring at no additional cost to families. The After-School Tutoring Program is held each Monday-Thursday from 2:45 pm – 4:45 pm as long as school is in session. Learn more about the After-School Tutoring Program here.