Spring Round Application Process
During the Spring Round of admissions, families can apply (or reapply) for grades that are projected to have available seats or a short waitlist after Main Round. Final Main Round matches will not be made by New Orleans Public Schools until April 30, 2024.
All public schools in New Orleans, including Willow School, participate in the NOLA-PS Common Application Process (NCAP). Our school, along with four other public schools in Orleans Parish, has academic admissions criteria that require a supplemental application and an admissions exam. This process is essential to evaluate the readiness of applicants for our rigorous program and is reflected in a matrix score.
What's Different in the Spring Round
Grades Open for Applications: During Main Round, Willow accepts applicants to all grades K-12. In the Spring Round, Willow does not accept applicants to grades where it is projected that there are no available seats and a long waitlist after the Main Round. For the 2024-2025 school year, Willow is accepting applicants in the Spring Round for grades K, 3-5, and 8-12.
NOLA-PS Application ("OneApp"): Families do not need to complete a NOLA-PS application during the Spring Round. Eligible students will be asked to complete a NOLA-PS Seat Request Form, which will be used in the placement process with the school district. The Seat Request Form tells the district that your student wants to accept an available seat at Willow more than another NOLA-PS school assignment.
Assessment Matrix Score: In the Spring Round, students who applied in the Main Round can take the assessment again, resulting in two assessment scores (one from Main Round and one from Spring Round). Applicants can use their best scores from the math and reading sections to earn matrix points in the Spring Round. For example, let's say a student earned 9 matrix points in math and 4 matrix points in reading on the Main Round assessment, then earned 8 matrix points in math and 8 matrix points in reading in the Spring Round assessment. For the Spring Round matrix calculation, we would use the student's highest scores to calculate their total assessment points: 9 points in math from the Main Round and 8 points in reading from the Spring Round.
Mid-Year Report Card: Applicants provide the most up to date report card available for the application period. Main Round applicants who were asked to provide a mid-year report card shared a report card from the first semester, first trimester, or first two quarters. For the Spring Round, applicants who are asked to provide a mid-year report card will share a mid-year report card reflecting the first semester, two trimesters, or three quarters.
Priorities: Priorities do not apply during the Spring Round. According to Orleans Parish School Board policy, priorities can only apply during Main Round. For Willow, this means there is no sibling priority, Tulane priority, or economically disadvantaged priority for the Spring Round of admissions.
Quicker Timeline: The Spring Round is shorter than the Main Round application period. There is less time for document submission and follow-up, so we ask that families respond as quickly as possible to outreach from the Willow admissions team.
The Willow admissions team is happy to answer any questions you have and help you complete your child's application. Please reach out to us by email or phone. In-Person and virtual appointments are available by request for support or computer access.
Applicants in Grades K-4, please reach out to Peter Hunt: email LowerAdmissions@willowschoolnola.org or call 504-324-7318.
Applicants in Grades 5-12, please reach out to Jenny Cromer: email UpperAdmissions@willowschoolnola.org or call 504-304-3961.
Our admissions office is located at the Willow middle school campus at 5625 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70115.