Grades 1–4

List of 5 items.

• Complete the Online Application

  Apply Online

  
  The online application and the $50 application fee and a copy of your daughter's birth certificate must be submitted by December 15, 2025. The full application (including testing, parent statement, and teacher evaluation) must be scheduled or completed by January 30, 2026.
  
  *Application fee waivers are available for those who qualify. Please contact Kristen Laws at klaws@hockaday.org for information.
  

• Schedule Admission Testing

  Grade 1:
  ATS FIRST GRADE ASSESSMENT:
  Register Here
  This is a web-based virtual admission assessment that is being managed by Admission Testing Solutions (ATS). This assessment is approved by the Dallas Area Independent School Consortium. The testing fee is $99* and is due at the time of registration.
  
  

  FIRST GRADE OBSERVATION:
  All first-grade applicants will be asked to visit Hockaday for a First Grade Observation with one of our Lower School teachers on either Saturday, January 10, or January 24, 2026. Once your daughter’s application is submitted, please select the observation date in the parent portal.

  
  

  Grades 2-3:

  All applicants will be required to take the Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE). The ISEE will be offered at Hockaday on Saturday, January 10 or Saturday, January 24, 2026. Applicants are encouraged to test at Hockaday. Once your daughter’s application has been submitted, please select the testing date in the parent portal. The test registration code for the ISEE will populate in the parent portal. You will use this code to register online for the ISEE at https://iseeonline.erblearn.org. There is a registration fee.*

   

  Grade 4:

  All applicants will be required to take the Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE). The ISEE will be offered at Hockaday on Saturday, January 10 or Saturday, January 24, 2026. Once your daughter’s application has been submitted, please select the testing date in the parent portal. The test registration code for the ISEE will populate in the parent portal. You will use this code to register online for the ISEE at https://iseeonline.erblearn.org. There is a registration fee.* If your child will be taking the ISEE test at another location, she will be required to attend an observation at Hockaday. As a note, students taking the ISEE at Hockaday will complete the observation prior to the test and do not need to schedule an additional observation date.

   

  *Application and testing fee assistance is available for those who qualify.

   

• Submit School Records Release Form to Current School

  Once you have submitted your daughter's application, please locate the School Records Release Form in the parent portal checklist and click on 'Edit this Request'. You will have the opportunity to enter the email address of the school administrator who is responsible for grades, school records, or progress reports at your daughter’s current school. This will allow the school to upload your daughter‘s school records directly to the student application file. Note: if your child is applying to prekindergarten or kindergarten and the school does not issue school records, the form will allow the official to indicate that. This checklist item will be marked complete once the records have been received by Hockaday. The deadline for the receipt of your child’s school records (Fall 2025, 2024-2025, and 2023-2024), if available, is January 30, 20256

• Return Teacher Evaluations by January 30, 2026

  Please provide your daughter's current teacher's name and email address on the Teacher Evaluation request form in the checklist in the parent portal. Hockaday will send an online confidential Teacher Evaluation to your daughter's current teacher. You may confirm receipt of the Evaluation in the checklist.

• Admission Decision

  Admission decision notifications will be emailed on March 13, 2026, to all applicants who have completed their applications by January 30, 2026.