FAQs

List of 16 items.

• Where is Mercy High School located?

  Mercy is located at 1300 E. Northern Parkway, between Loch Raven Boulevard and The Alameda.

• What is the cost of tuition?

  Tuition and fees for the 2024-25 school year are $18,800.

• Is there tuition assistance? Financial Aid? Scholarships?

  Yes! Scholarships are based solely on merit, and do not have a separate application. Mercy High School awards scholarships to qualified candidates based upon High School Placement Test scores, grades, and other activities. Scholarship candidates are invited for an additional interview that takes place in January each year, and recipients are notified of awards in acceptance packages. More information on scholarships and financial awards can be found here.
  
  Financial aid may be applied for online. Financial aid awards are based on calculation of a family’s need. Mercy High School strives to meet the needs of all families with resources available. However, we expect that education will be a high priority in a family’s budget.
  

• How many students attend Mercy?

  Our enrollment for the 2024-25 school year is 445 Mercy Girls.

• What is the average class size?

  The average class size is 20-25 students for freshman classes.

• What is the school schedule? How early can students arrive in the morning and how late can they stay in the afternoon?

  The school day is from 7:55 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. Students may arrive at Mercy as early as 7:00 a.m. and stay as late as 5:00 p.m. If they need to stay later, a note must be on file with the dean of students.

• What extracurricular activities are available?

  There are many activities available at Mercy, and if we don’t have what you are looking for, we encourage you to start it! Just a few activities we offer include The Shield (student newspaper) and The Lance (literary magazine), Craft Club, The Garnet (yearbook), Footlighters (drama club), Model United Nations, Student Council and Student Government, Dance Troupe, Pep Squad, and more! You can find more information on our clubs and organizations here.

• What is required for admission to Mercy? What does the Admissions Office consider when evaluating applications?

  Mercy’s application for admission can be found here.
  
  The High School Placement Test (HSPT), offered each December by the Archdiocese of Baltimore, is required for admission to Mercy. We also consider grades and standardized tests from sixth, seventh, and eighth grades, as well as teacher recommendations.
  
  A visit to Mercy (which includes a brief interview) is required for all applicants. The Admissions Office considers all materials submitted when evaluating a candidate. Potential students must show a solid academic background, interest in Mercy’s programs, and enthusiasm for joining the Mercy community.

• What is the Mercy uniform? Where can uniforms be purchased?

  The Mercy uniform is a white button-down shirt, plaid kilt, and a red blazer for formal occasions. Students may choose from a variety of uniform sweaters during colder weather, and may wear knee- or ankle-length socks in white or black, or opaque black tights or leggings. Shoes are an all-black buck oxford.
  
  

  Uniforms are available at FlynnO’Hara Uniforms in Parkville, and shoes may be purchased at many locations, though we recommend Van Dyke and Bacon on Northern Parkway, just down the road from Mercy.

• What percentage of your graduates go on to college?

  100% of Mercy Girls are accepted into college. The Class of 2024 earned more than $23.1 million in merit scholarships and awards.

• What sports are available?

  Fall: Cross Country, Field Hockey, Soccer, Volleyball, and Tennis
  
  Winter: Basketball, Swimming, and Indoor Track & Field
  
  Spring: Lacrosse, Outdoor Track & Field, Golf, and Softball.
  
  To learn more about our athletic offerings, visit our Athletics page.

• Are there Advanced Placement (AP) and college credit opportunities available?

  Yes! AP courses available include Biology, Statistics, Calculus AB/BC, U.S. History, English Literature and Composition, Psychology, French or Spanish, Music Theory, Advanced Computer Topics, and Studio Art. There are opportunities for upperclassmen to earn dual credit for high school and college through online classes via the Community College of Baltimore County and Notre Dame of Maryland University.

• Are there STEM Programs available?

  Yes! All students will receive a thorough background in science and mathematics thanks to our state-of-the-art labs and rigorous curriculum. Students with special interests in science and/or medical fields may be interested in applying for our Women in Medicine in partnership with Mercy Medical Center, Women in Technology, The Sister Agnese Neumann Scholars Program in partnership with MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital, or the Project Lead the Way Biomedical Sciences programs, which offer students in-depth experiences in medicine, information technology, and biomedical science. All of these programs require an additional application.

  
  To learn more about our STEM Signature Programs, please visit our Signature Programs page. 

• Are there arts programs available?

  Yes! Mercy’s four-year Visual Arts Program is for students with serious interest in developing their artistic skills, and in potentially pursuing the visual arts (such as painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.) in college or in their future career. The sequence of classes is designed to prepare students to create a varied portfolio to be submitted for Advanced Placement Studio Art credit in the senior year. Art students at Mercy explore the elements, principles, and history of art, develop their observational, creative and critical skills, and learn to work in a variety of media—pencils, charcoal, clay, acrylics, tempera, watercolor, and more. Mercy’s visual artists have gone on to exceptional careers as professional painters, art instructors, graphic designers, and fashion designers. 
  
  

  Mercy also has its very own Dance Program, which is for serious students of dance who are continuing to develop their performance skills and perfect their technique. The Mercy Dance Troupe is selected by audition in the second semester of the 8th grade or in the fall of every year while at Mercy. Dance Troupe earns academic credit, while exploring the genres of ballet, modern dance, and jazz dance, and performing several times during the year both within and outside the school community. In addition to the Dance Troupe program, is Apprentice Dance Company, which offers a basic dance program in ballet, modern, and jazz with the purpose of building beginning dance skills. Invitations to our Dance Program will be sent after auditions.
  
  To learn more about our Arts Signature Programs, please visit our Signature Programs page. 
  
  

  Each of these programs require an additional application.

• Does Mercy have a Law Program?

  Mercy’s Law and Social Action program provides students with opportunities to evaluate how interdependence, as well as political, legal, social and economic change, affect all communities, with a focus on both globalization and sustainable development. A study of social change through governance, social and legal policy, and justice provides students with an understanding of both individual and systemic power; she will be encouraged to engage in innovative, responsible action. The Law and Social Action program requires an additional application. 

• Can my daughter attend Mercy if we are not Catholic? What is Mercy’s religious education program like?

  Absolutely! Mercy welcomes students of all backgrounds and traditions. Our mission reflects the values of the Sisters of Mercy and the teachings of the Catholic Church. Our religious education curriculum is a four-year requirement that covers Church history, ethics, and social and moral responsibility while encouraging each Mercy Girl to grow in her personal relationship with God.