admission process | Visit or Shadow | Apply for Admission | affordability | tuition & fees | financial aid | TIMELINE
Admissions
Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Victory seeks students eager to pursue truth, goodness, beauty, and virtue through a classical liberal arts curriculum rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition. Through engaging academics, virtue-building athletics, House activities, and formation activities, our students are uniquely prepared to fully live out Catholic culture in today's society.
Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Victory’s application process is holistic. We look for students who are open to seeing the goodness, beauty, and truth in creation and who seek to lead a virtuous life in service to God. Academic ability, though important, is secondary to character in this process: students of diverse talents and gifts will be accepted. The process is competitive, and not everyone who applies will be accepted. Components of the application include statements by applicants and their parents, character and academic recommendations, academic scores, and a writing sample.
Admissions Process Overview
1. Attend an Admissions Event to Meet the Our Lady of Victory Community.
Register your student to experience a Shadow Day with an OLV student ambassador, and/or join us for OLV Adventure Days, an all-day immersive experience including our unique Formation Friday House Competitions! Parents will want to attend an Open House and tour the school and/or join OLV parents in their home for coffee to hear first-hand about the Chesterton difference.
2. Submit an Application.
Online applications opened on September 9, 2024.
3. Register for the High School Placement Test (HSPT).
The HSPT will take place on Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 8:45 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Victory. We have a make up HSPT on Saturday, January 11, 2024 from 8:45 a.m. - 12 a.m. at Our Lady of Victory.
4. Complete an Admissions Interview.
Each family (student and parents) will need to take part in an admissions interview, made by appointment.
5. Receive an Admissions Decision!
Admission decisions will be communicated on January 6, 2025.
6. Enroll and Apply for Financial Aid.
OLV is committed to affordable Catholic education. Financial aid awards will be communicated on March 7, 2025.
Continue reading below for details, guiding you along each step of the process.
Step 1: Come Visit and Shadow!
The first step to discerning whether Our Lady of Victory is a great fit for your family and student is to come visit and experience the Chesterton difference!
Adventure Days
Come experience a full day to learn from our engaging faculty and form friendships with OLV students and other prospective freshmen! The day begins with Mass at 7:30 a.m. and ends with a Formation Friday House Competition. These are joyous events that allow students to grow in true friendship through friendly competition among our four Houses: House Augustine, House Athanasius, House Chrysostom, and House Ambrose. Your student will be excited to learn which House they will join for the day and help to win the year-end White Horse Cup! The remaining 2024-2025 Adventure Days are:
January 17th
Shadow Days
Students are individually paired with an Ambassador to experience our classes and joyful atmosphere. Shadow days are held several times a month, generally on Tuesdays or Thursdays starting in September. Parents may choose a full day or half day. REGISTER HERE or contact our admissions director to set up a shadow day for your student.
Middle School Formation Friday
Calling all 7th and 8th grade students! You are invited to join the OLV students for an afternoon of outdoor fun and camaraderie. You will be assigned to one of our four Houses and join OLV students for House competitions and participate in our weekly Formation Friday!
Friday, April 11th
Open Houses
Ideal for parents, our morning Open Houses consist of a presentation, tour, and ample opportunity for Q&A from 8:15-10:15 a.m., with the option to join us for daily Mass at 7:30 a.m. We offer one weekday evening Open House as well. In addition, OLV families open their homes on Saturday mornings to answer questions about our curriculum, culture, and formation. Interested parents should plan to attend one (or more!) of these events to learn about our classical curriculum, our approach to Catholic formation, and what makes a Chesterton Academy unique. In order to complete an application for admission, a parent must attend one of these events, and their student must attend a shadow day or adventure day (see below for more details). The remaining 2024-2025 Open House dates are:
April 9th morning (Mass at 7:30 or join at 8:15 a.m.)
Prospective Parents Coffee
Meet current OLV parents at an informal morning gathering in their home. Hear about current families’ experience with OLV’s student formation and get to know the community. The 2024-2025 Prospective Parents Coffee dates are:
Saturday, February 8th (9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.)
Sign up using our “Visit OLV” form below.
Step 2: Apply for Admission
Our Lady of Victory uses TADS for our online admissions application, enrollment, and tuition management. To submit an application for admission, you will need to create a TADS account. Once your application is complete and all required documents are submitted, we will contact you to set up an interview.
Step 3: Register for the HSPT
OLV requires all incoming freshmen to take and submit results from the HSPT.
Step 4: Interview
Shortly after your application is complete, you will be contacted via an email from our Admissions team to set up an interview with the family, parents and the student, typically lasting about an hour.
Step 5: Receive an Admissions Decision
You will receive an email from office@ourladyofvictorydenver.com communicating a decision about your child’s admission. First round admission decisions will be sent on January 6, 2025, with rolling admissions decisions thereafter until our freshman enrollment is filled.
Step 6: Enroll To Secure Your Seat and Apply for Financial Aid
Enrollment
If your student is accepted, our Admissions Team will guide you in completing the necessary enrollment forms and a tuition agreement. Enrollment must be completed and registration fees paid by the February 17th deadline (see the Timeline below) to avoid forfeiture of your student’s seat. Please communicate frequently with Mrs. Lisa Cushnie, Director of Admissions, at office@ourladyofvictorydenver.com if you have questions or issues.
We realize that, as is the case in other private Catholic high schools in Denver, you will complete the tuition agreement before a decision on your FACTS application for financial aid (including ACE Scholarships) has been communicated to you. Please do not worry; we place our trust in Jesus through Mary. Thanks to her goodness and the generosity of our benefactors, no student has been unable to attend OLV due to an inability to pay or due to receiving inadequate financial aid. Our Admissions team will work closely with you to help make an OLV education attainable for your student.
An Affordable Education
Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Victory is committed to affordable education for all families. Consistent with the Chesterton Schools Network motto - cultura vitae (culture of life) - our tuition rates allow families from all backgrounds to enjoy a joyful, authentically Catholic learning environment focused on academic excellence, true friendship, and formation in the faith.
Through scholarship programs, grants, generous donations, and careful stewardship, we offer significant financial aid to families who apply and qualify for need-based assistance. Our partners include:
The Schmitz Family Foundation
OLV’s own scholarship fund, thanks to generous donors
We are grateful that no student who was accepted and desired to attend OLV has been turned away due to financial factors. Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Victory admits and provides financial aid to students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.
Tuition & Fees for 2024-2025
Our Lady of Victory subsidizes tuition for 100% of its students in the amount of about $5,500 each per year, in light of the over $14,000 cost to educate each student. As a result, our tuition is approximately half the average rate for private Catholic schools in our area. This unique character of radical trust displays our commitment to accessibility of Catholic education, as is typical of Chesterton Academies nationwide.
2024-25 Tuition $8,900 per year
2024-25 Average Tuition after Financial Aid $5,300 per year
Enrollment Fee $300
Book Fee $425 (covers costs associated with student books, textbooks, labs, fine arts supplies, etc.)
Activity Fee $400 (covers costs of weekly Formation Fridays and other schoolwide activities)
(All tuition and fees are non-refundable once paid.)
We encourage all families to submit an application for OLV financial aid and the ACE scholarship, even if you believe you may not qualify. If you love OLV’s mission but have concerns about making this education possible for all of your children, please do not hesitate to complete an application and/or reach out to our Admissions team.
Applying for Financial Aid through FACTS
Applying for financial aid at Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Victory is a two step process. Carefully read the instructions below. For questions regarding OLV's Financial Aid program, please contact Lisa Cushnie at office@ourladyofvictorydenver.com.
Step 1: Apply for OLV Financial Aid
Like other private schools, we use the FACTS Financial Aid application for financial aid award analysis. Applications to OLV open on December 6, 2024. The deadline for submitting applications and supporting documents is January 31, 2025. Applications may still be submitted after this date, but may not make the first round of financial aid award letters sent on March 7, 2025.
You may begin an application for financial aid before receiving an acceptance letter, however, only those who have completed the enrollment process may be included in the first round of financial aid awards. For the first round of awards you must complete the FACTS application including uploading your 2023 tax return and 2024 W-2’s to FACTS.
Applicants for financial aid who miss the first round of awards will be considered as available funds permit.
Step 2: Apply for an ACE Scholarship
All families who apply to OLV for financial aid may also apply to ACE Colorado if requested to do so by OLV, or if the family feels they qualify according to ACE’s requirements. Completing the ACE application also gives access to the Schmitz Family Foundation scholarship. Families will not have to pay another application fee to apply to ACE after applying to OLV.
Applications for ACE Scholarships in Colorado open on February 3, 2025 and close on April 15, 2025. The ACE application process in FACTS requires a separate application from the application you submitted for OLV. Please read through the steps below:
To apply, visit the ACE Colorado Application.
Important: If you have already submitted an application for OLV, use your same username an password to sign in to avoid paying the application fee again.
In the ACE application you will have to choose Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Victory as an additional school so that we can receive updates on your ACE application status.
You will be required to upload your 2024 tax return to the ACE application by April 15th.
For additional information and specific questions about the ACE scholarship, please visit the ACE Colorado website. If you have questions during the FACTS application process read through this instruction document, or contact FACTS at 856-746-6521.
Admissions and Financial Aid Timeline
September 9, 2024: Applications for admission for the 2024-2025 school year open
Beginning October 15: Admissions interviews held by appointment
December 6: OLV Financial Aid applications open through FACTS
December 7: HSPT testing at Our Lady of Victory
January 6, 2025: First round of Admission Decision letters sent via email for new and transfer students
January 31: Deadline to complete OLV financial aid applications through FACTS in order to be considered for the first round of financial aid awards to be sent on March 7.
February 17: Enrollment Deadline* for new and transfer students accepted in the first round
February 3: ACE Scholarship applications open through FACTS
March 7: OLV Financial Aid award letters sent
*IMPORTANT: Failure to meet the Enrollment Deadline means your student’s seat may be offered to another prospective student. To meet the deadline, Enrollment forms, Tuition Agreements, and Registration fees must be completed and paid. Please communicate frequently with Mrs. Lisa Cushnie, Director of Admissions, at office@ourladyofvictorydenver.com if you have questions or issues. We are happy to assist you!
Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Victory admits students of any race, color, or national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national or ethnic origin in administration of its admissions policies, educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs.