Used across both the Diocese of Paterson and the Archdiocese of Newark, the COOP Exam is administered at various high school testing sites, usually on the first or second Friday of November each year. Students already in Catholic elementary schools will typically be informed by their schools of registration procedures, fees, and other relevant details, but students from public schools will need to be proactive when seeking test information. The most current information on the exam may be found online at COOPexam.org.
We find that parents are consistently curious about how information from the COOP Exam will be used to evaluate their children. While each school may have its own unique methods, many schools tend to have similar protocol for interpreting and applying the test's results during the admissions process. In this post, we hope to shed some light on how scores may be used for applicants to Mary Help of Christians Academy.
We find that parents are consistently curious about how information from the COOP Exam will be used to evaluate their children. While each school may have its own unique methods, many schools tend to have similar protocol for interpreting and applying the test's results during the admissions process. In this post, we hope to shed some light on how scores may be used for applicants to Mary Help of Christians Academy.
How will my child's test results be used?
At Mary Help of Christians Academy, COOP Exam scores are a required component of the application process. The COOP is useful to us for several reasons...
Requiring COOP scores for scholarship recipients helps us affirm the importance of our admissions deadline.
While we will continue to accept applicants until all spaces are full, it is much easier for us to allocate the available pool of scholarship dollars when we evaluate all applicants at one time. In addition, we believe in rewarding those families who are diligent in their commitment to their children's education. This diligence includes taking an active role in the school search process and remaining mindful of the application timeline and its requirement. Especially in the case of families for whom the expense of tuition is a potential concern, it is important to begin the high school search early enough to ensure access to as many funding opportunities as possible.
Families seeking scholarships should take care to remain attentive to deadlines including those set by COOP and those set by our Office of Admissions. We understand that parents are juggling a multitude of tasks, so we try to make the process easier by providing email reminders of important dates. You can sign up for those here.
The COOP Exam facilitates the comparison of applicants from various elementary schools.
One of the arguments in favor of standardized testing is that it "levels the playing field" for all students. Not all elementary school programs are created equal, and many have subtle differences in grading scales. When we compare standardized test data, we are more easily able to identify trends in schools and across schools, which allows us to better compare students across those schools.
As educators, we realize that some students experience test anxiety which may affect performance and result in an inaccurate summary of their abilities and skills. As a result, we take a holistic view to each applicant, evaluating students based on the "whole picture" their applications portray. If your daughter has struggled with test anxiety in the past and you are worried it may impact her scores, it may be helpful to provide supplemental application materials such as letters of recommendation from a teacher or principal which may attest to the student's academic abilities.
The content of the COOP Exam is aligned to the curriculum of Diocesan schools.
Many times, our public school applicants will ask if they can substitute other standardized test results for the COOP. Priority deadline applicants are required to submit COOP scores for scholarship consideration. Special requests to substitute other tests are generally not permitted. Because the COOP has been designed with both the NJ state content standards and Diocesan curriculum guidelines in mind, this exam truly is the most accurate tool for measuring existing student knowledge as well as potential for learning in our unique setting.
That being said, we consider all sources of information submitted by our students as part of the holistic review process. Additional scores submitted will be considered in conjunction with COOP results, academic records, and other required components. In the case of late applicants who have missed the annual COOP test date, Terra Nova, PARCC, or other standardized tests may been considered in lieu of COOP results. For those applicants, the availability of scholarships after the priority deadline cannot be promised or guaranteed, as funds will only become available if priority applicants decline to enroll.
What is considered a "passing" score?
The COOP Exam is similar to many other standardized tests in that it has been tested repeatedly with multiple groups of students. The data gathered from each test administration forms the basis of the expected performance levels. Each student's actual performance levels are compared to expected levels, and that comparison will result in a scale score for each subtest. While this information is useful, we at Mary Help place a greater emphasis on the applicant's local percentile rankings. (For an explanation on the different types of scores, please see our earlier COOP blog post.)
Percentile rankings actually compare test takers to other test takers from the same cohort in the same area. This data is more meaningful to us because we consider our entire applicant pool for academic scholarships. Because your child's percentile ranking will be relative to other test takers, it is difficult to peg a "good" numerical score, but generally speaking, the typical Mary Help scholarship recipient will be ranked in the low to high 90th local percentile.
Will I be able to review my child's COOP scores before deciding whether to apply?
Unfortunately, due to the timeline set by the Diocese, applicants will not know the results of their COOP test until January. Catholic school students will receive score reports directly from their elementary schools in the first week of January. For public school students, score reports will be mailed home about one week later. Notification of acceptance decisions are mailed by high schools in mid-January, just shortly after test results are released to families. As a result, it would be unwise to wait for test results before deciding where to apply, as most school's application deadlines are in late November/early December. Students are encouraged to apply to at least three schools in order to maximize their chances of receiving an acceptance and favorable scholarship opportunity despite not knowing their scores in advance.
Where can I learn more?
We recommend visiting the websites of each school to which you plan to apply for the most accurate and up to date information on their COOP requirements. You may contact our Office of Admissions with specific questions either by email or phone at 973.790.6200. The Diocesan websites also each provide their own useful summaries of test information. Finally, please take a look at our blog post explaining the test format and scoring posted here, as well as our free COOP resources.
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