Where is Chinquapin located?

We are located off exit 789 on 10 East, near Baytown. We run bus routes throughout the greater Houston area and over 90% of our student body is from Houston. We also have students from Seabrook, Pasadena, Baytown, Spring, and other outlying cities.

How much is Tuition?

Chinquapin provides a college-preparatory education that far exceeds the amount of tuition we ask families to contribute. All students are on scholarship and receive the same education at a fraction of the $18,000+ it costs to adequately provide a college preparatory education to our community.

How is Tuition calculated?

Each student’s tuition is calculated on a sliding scale that is dependent on family income. All families submit National School Lunch Program (NSLP) forms to help with tuition calculation.

How is Tuition paid?

Tuition is broken down into monthly installments. Families may link tuition payments to their checking account, pay by check, cash, or money order, and make credit card payments via telephone or directly online.

When will I receive my tuition bill?

Tuition statements are sent out in September.

How do I apply?

The first step is to educate yourself and the prospective student about Chinquapin. You may call the office at (281) 426-5551 to request materials or apply here.

Do I have to register for the entrance exam?

You will be invited to test after all of your documents have been received.

What is on the exam?

The entrance exam is a basic test to determine if the prospective student is at or near grade level. The test has five sections that cover basic subject matter such as math, reading comprehension, vocabulary, and writing.

Should I study for the exam?

This test is geared to determine the grade level of the prospective student. Those who take the exam are not expected to know all of the material.

When will I get a decision?

Once a student’s file is complete, qualified students will be invited either to shadow one of our students for a day at Chinquapin or to interview. Students will either be offered early admission or invited to Summer Session in June. Students who attend Summer Session will receive a decision by June 20, 2022. (Please see Application Steps)

What if I don’t file taxes?

We can also accept a signed statement of income or a copy of the food stamp letter.
 

Which factors set Chinquapin apart from other prep schools nationally and local charter schools?

• Each accepted student is offered a scholarship to help cover tuition, transportation, and meals.
• Chinquapin Prep offers a full college preparatory program in grades 6-12 with a full boarding program for boys and girls in grades 7-12. Students are not charged for boarding.
• Chinquapin is among the few college preparatory schools that require acceptance to a four-year college or university to graduate.
• The admission process is not a lottery system. Students are carefully selected by our admission team based on grades, test scores, recommendations, and a multiple interviews.
• Chinquapin Prep is small, with around 150 students, and has very small class sizes with an 8 to 1 student-teacher ratio. This allows Chinquapin teachers and students to form very special, close relationships, which build our unique sense of community. Chinquapin students often refer to the school as “family.”
• 85% of our graduates complete a college education. In contrast, approximately 1 in 10 students in Houston Independent School District —where many of our students come from—graduate from college.
• Chinquapin has full interscholastic programs for middle school and high school in soccer, cross country, volleyball, basketball, tennis, and track.
• Chinquapin is a private, non-profit college prep school that does not participate in NCLB testing or other federally required educational mandates. We believe that highly qualified and talented faculty members are fully capable of providing excellent curriculum and instruction that ensures success after high school and especially in college.
• The school supports well over 90% of its school expenses, facilities, transportation, and programs with private donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations.
• Chinquapin’s 55-acre campus and 24 buildings include a 13,000-volume library, 3 dormitories, a full kitchen, a gym with locker rooms and a weight room, a music studio, an art studio, and residences for up to 22 adult faculty and staff members.
• Since our founding, our students have lived by the school motto, Quid Pro Quo, or “something for something.” As a testament to that motto, all of the students work to maintain the campus, clean, serve food, and improve the facilities and its many native Texas plants. The school employs only one full-time groundskeeper and no janitors.
• The school has had highly successful and stable leadership both administratively and on its Board. The Board of Trustees recently hired the 5th director of the school since 1969.
• Over the years, the school has built an endowment of $12 million. The endowment is overseen by a separate Chinquapin Endowment board.