St. Agnes Academy
Sharpstown · Southwest Houston
9000 Bellaire Blvd., Houston, TX 77036Map ↗Established 1905
About this information
$28,400
Tuition · 2026–27
9–12
Grades
934
Enrollment · 2023–24
9:1
Student–teacher
At a glance
An all-girls Dominican college-preparatory school where students reach advanced coursework, including AP Capstone and upper-level classes shared with neighboring Strake Jesuit.
Deep AP Curriculum
Twenty-seven AP courses are offered, and 97% of AP exams are scored 3 or higher.
AP Capstone Diploma
AP Seminar and AP Research build to a 4,000-5,000 word paper with an oral defense.
FIRST Robotics
Students compete on Spectrum 3847, a joint team with Strake Jesuit with twelve straight FIRST Championship appearances.
Dominican Tradition
Founded in 1905 by the Dominican Sisters of Houston, with the motto Veritas (truth).
Tuition & financial aid
2026–27 Tuition
$28,400
Estimated First-Year Required Cost
$30,125
Enrollment deposit
$500
TEFA (Texas Education Freedom Account)
Payment options
Annual
Jul
Semi-annual
Jul / Dec
Monthly
Jul–Apr, +4% deferral fee
Need-based aid
For the 2025-26 school year, approximately 20% of the student body received financial aid totaling nearly $2.95 million, covering tuition and the freshman laptop purchase.
Merit scholarships
Not offered — aid is need-based only
Sources
- Official school source
- Official school source
- Houston Chronicle — elite private schools and the TEFA voucher program
Source last checked: Sep 23, 2026
Additional & conditional costs
Required and potential costs beyond published tuition
Mandatory freshman fees
Included in estimated first-year required cost
Tablet PC (technology)
2025-26 figure; aid recipients get automatic tech award
Application / pre-admission costs
Not included in estimated first-year cost
ISEE exam (paid to ERB)
Application fee
Optional / variable expenses
Not included in estimated first-year cost
Financial aid application fee
Blackbaud, school code 14060
AP test fee
Per AP / Honors-AP class
Athletics fee
Per sport
Sources
Source last checked: Sep 24, 2026
Admissions
Admissions Timeline
2027–28 cycle- Dec 15, 2026
Application Deadline
- Jan 15, 2027
Recommendation & Transcript Deadline
- Feb 1, 2027
ISEE Score Deadline
- Mar 5, 2027
Admission Decisions Released
- Mar 24, 2027
Enrollment Contract Deadline
- Apr 10, 2027
Placement Testing
What's required
Entrance exam: ISEE
Teacher recommendations
Transcripts (6th, 7th, 1st-sem 8th)
Student essay
Visits & Events
Academy Access
Mar 17, 2027
Student only
Sources
Academics
Advanced Coursework
27
AP Courses
12
Honors Courses
Academic Model & Programs
Advanced Academic Access — AP Calculus BC → Honors Multi-Variable Calculus (taken at Strake Jesuit) · Select cross-campus coursework with Strake Jesuit in advanced math, world languages, STEM, and performing arts
Grading
+1.0 Honors / +2.0 AP
Class Ranking
Selective DisclosureOfficial rank is computed on cumulative GPA over 8 semesters at the end of senior year; before Graduation Day, class rank is provided only to college admissions offices and scholarship program administrators
Graduation Requirements
26 total creditsSources
- Course Selection Guide 2026-27 — full, grades 9-12 (PDF)
- Academics — Curriculum overview
- Student Support (Wellness Center & Student Success Center)
- St. Agnes Academy — Home
- How to Apply — 9th Grade
- Technology — Tablet Program
- College Counseling
- How to Ace the SAT with Help from College Counseling Team
- Upper School Handbook 2026-27
- Naviance Page
- Course Selection Guide for Incoming 9th Grade 2026-27 (PDF)
- School article: stats & outcomes
Source last checked: Sep 25, 2026
Academic Notables
12 consecutive FIRST Championship appearances
Accommodations
Extended time • Separate / small-group testing • Preferential seating
Academic Support
Executive-function support • Study skills • Organization & time management • Academic intervention
Good to know
Documentation of the student’s needs is required.
Sources
Source last checked: Sep 22, 2026
World Languages
Spanish
Spanish 1 • Spanish 2 • Spanish 3 • Spanish 3 Advanced • Spanish 4 • Honors AP Spanish Language and Culture • Honors AP Spanish Literature and Culture
French
French 1 • French 2 • French 3 • Honors French 4 • Honors French 5
Honors French 4/5 taken at Strake Jesuit
Mandarin
Mandarin 1 • Mandarin 2 • Mandarin 3 • Honors AP Chinese Language and Culture
Taken at Strake Jesuit
German
One-semester elective (German Language and Culture) only — no multi-year sequence
American Sign Language
One-semester elective only — no multi-year sequence
Sources
Source last checked: Sep 23, 2026
College Prep
College Counseling
7-member College Counseling team (1 Director, 4 Associate Directors, 1 Administrative Assistant)
Collective 80+ years in higher-ed academic advising, college admissions and college admissions counseling · Counselor assigned beginning sophomore spring, program deepens junior year · Junior parent meetings · Senior Family Night · Senior summer workshops
Testing & Test Prep
SAT prep materials + Khan Academy partnership
College Counseling office provides access to SAT practice tests, study guides & online resources · Partners with Khan Academy for free SAT prep tutorials/practice tests · Students can meet with Wellness Counselors specifically re: test-taking stress/anxiety
College Planning
Naviance platform; mandatory college fair programming
Naviance in use for college search/planning (feature details not published on the school's own site) · Mandatory college fair events as part of college counseling programming
College outcomes · Class of 2025
98%
Four-Year College Attendance
94
Universities Attended
$39M+
Scholarship Offers
33
States + Abroad
Sources
- College Counseling
- How to Ace the SAT with Help from College Counseling Team
- Naviance Page
- School article: stats & outcomes
Source last checked: Sep 22, 2026
Faith & community
Catholic identity
Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Dominican — founded 1905 by the Dominican Sisters of Houston (Mother Pauline Gannon, O.P.); motto "Veritas" (truth)
Mass & prayer
Weekly all-school Mass
Thursdays, 9:10 AM · Confession before/after · Invitational, not required
Retreats
Annual · Overnight
Progresses through the four Dominican Pillars: Community Retreat (9th, Camp For All in Burton, 2 days/1 night) · Study Retreat (10th, 2 days/1 night, Houston-area service) · Prayer Retreat (11th, Forest Glen Camp in Huntsville, 3 days/2 nights) · Preaching Retreat (12th, 3 days/2 nights)
Sources
Source last checked: Sep 22, 2026
Athletics
TAPPS
League / Classification
Water Polo, Lacrosse, Field Hockey via independent orgs; cheer with Strake Jesuit/St. Thomas
70%
of students play a sport
12 sports offered
Varsity/interscholastic offerings
Cross Country • Field Hockey • Volleyball • Water Polo • Basketball • Soccer • Swimming • Golf • Lacrosse • Softball • Tennis • Track & Field
Athletic Notables
120 state titles (historic total)
Water Polo, Lacrosse, and Field Hockey offered through independent organizations
Cheer co-op with Strake Jesuit and St. Thomas
Sources
Source last checked: Sep 22, 2026
Arts
Orchestra / Strings
String Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra & Chamber Orchestras, joint program with Strake Jesuit · Violin, viola, cello, string bass & harp · ~14 performances/year
Band
100+ member Concert Band splitting into Symphonic Band/Wind Ensemble in spring plus Jazz Ensemble, joint with Strake Jesuit, rehearses at the Parsley Center
Musical Theater
Spring musical produced through the Theatre Arts program
Dance
Tiger Girls Dance Team — Competition Team and Gameday Team, open audition, P.E. credit eligible (not a Fine Arts course)
Improv
ComedySportz
Joint improv team with Strake Jesuit, part of the national ComedySportz High School League · Competitions & community performances
Visual Arts
Fine Arts program — drawing, painting, graphic design, photography & video across multiple skill levels, dedicated art rooms · Student art shows
Theater / Drama
Theatre Arts course plus fall play and student-directed one-acts, joint with St. Joseph · Performs at the on-campus Arthur Buckley Theatre & Buckley Black Box Theatre
Choir / Vocal
100+ member Mixed Chorus (joint with Strake Jesuit, daily rehearsal) plus audition-only Triple Trios & Performance Workshop, grades 10-12 · Private voice lessons available
Digital / Media Arts
Graphic design, photography & video offered within the Fine Arts program
Arts Notables
Most All-State Choir qualifiers of any private high school in Texas
One of the largest private-school instrumental programs in Houston
Tiger Girls Dance Team competes at UDA Nationals in Orlando
Sources
- Arts — Orchestra
- Arts — Band
- Arts — Theatre
- Arts — Dance (Tiger Girls)
- Arts — ComedySportz
- Arts — Fine Art (Visual)
- Arts — Music (Choir)
Source last checked: Aug 30, 2026
School life
Campus & Setting
Planned: Student Life Center
In active fundraising — not yet built
$26.5M capital campaign on the main campus: Sr. Jane Meyer, O.P. Assembly and Performance Hall, Student Commons, Jamieson Family Dance Studio, and additional classrooms
East Campus Athletics Complex
18.7 acres · Bellaire & Fondren
Acquired 2010, dedicated to athletics — separate from the main academic campus
Sources
Source last checked: Sep 22, 2026
Daily Life
School Day
8:00 AM – 3:05 PM
Regular day · Campus open 7:50 AM–3:20 PM for before/after-school activities · Rotating 8-day period schedule
Uniform
Uniform required (Flynn O'Hara); daily except designated free-dress days
Community Time
Daily
~50-minute block built into the regular school day
Sources
Source last checked: Sep 21, 2026
Freshman Transition & Success
Getting Started
Tiger Camp + Technology Orientation
Mandatory freshman orientation plus technology setup/training before school
Ongoing / Success Support
Freshman Seminar
One-semester transition course covering study skills, organization, time management, self-advocacy and adjustment to high school
Peer Support
Big Sister + Fish Week
Senior-freshman "Big Sister" pairing and costume parade during Welcome Week, a tradition since the 1940s
Summer Readiness
Tiger Jump Start · Optional
Summer high-school readiness program focused on communication, study skills, time management, organization, note-taking, reading and writing
Sources
- Official school source
- Student Support (Wellness Center & Student Success Center)
- Our Favorite Catholic School Traditions Then and Now
Source last checked: Sep 22, 2026
Clubs & Activities
31 activities across 7 categories
49 open-membership + 4 application-based (incl. National Honor Society)
Special Interest
- Anime Club
- Art Club
- Book Club
- SAA Gaming/Esports Club
- Step Team
- SAA Film Club
- The Calligraphy Club
- Friendly Fashion
- The Feminist Knitting Club
Cultural & Affinity
- Asian Culture Club
- Asian Student Union
- European Club
- Middle Eastern Club
- Latin American Youth Association (LAYA)
- Voices of Black Youth
- Diversity Club
Academic
- Model United Nations Club
- Junior State of America
- Future Medical Professionals Club
- The Global Health Club
Service
- Key Club
- Caritas
- SHARE Club
- St. Agnes American Red Cross Chapter
Honor Societies
- National Honor Society
- National English Honor Society
- National Science Honor Society
STEM / Robotics
- STEM Club
- Spectrum Engineering Team (FIRST Robotics, joint with Strake Jesuit)
Faith & Ministry
- Campus Ministry
- Respect Life Club
Sources
Source last checked: Sep 22, 2026
About our dataInformation comes from official school sources. Availability reflects what we could verify from published materials.