Admissions
Important Dates & Information for 8th Graders
Class of 2031
Class of 2031
How to Become a Freshman at DCHS
Important Dates/Information for 8th Graders
Thursday, July 23 - 11:30 am to 12:30 pm - Zoom session- What to expect from DCHS during the 8th grade year along with information on the application process and all things Dowling Catholic.
Application deadlines –
-
October 1 to November 16, 2026 - Priority Enrollment
Application opens for students from our 11 Des Moines Metro parochial schools, siblings of current DCHS students, and children of DCHS faculty/staff.
-
November 17 to November 30, 2026 –
If space allows, the application opens for members of our 26 participating Catholic parishes.
-
December 1 to December 17, 2026 –
If space allows, the application opens for students from public schools and other private schools.
-
NOTE:
All applications will close on December 17, 2026. If space allows, the application will open again on March 1, 2027.
Friday, Oct. 2, 2026 – Free DCHS Maroons Football Ticket
Attend the Dowling Catholic football game vs. Cedar Rapids Kennedy at Valley Stadium at 7:00 pm. All 8th graders get in free with the postcard that will be mailed or by showing their 8th grade student ID card.
Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026 –
Attend the 64th Annual Pancake Breakfast at the Varied Industries Building between 7:30 am and 12:00 pm. All 8th grade students get in free with their 8th grade student ID card.
Dowling Catholic High School Open House:
Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026 –
Bring the whole family to Dowling Catholic’s Open House anytime between 11:00 am and 1:30 pm.
*Student Ambassadors will be giving tours
*Meet teachers, coaches, and moderators
*Play games and win prizes
*Listen to the choirs and bands
Incoming Freshman Placement Test:
January 9 or January 16, 2027–
All accepted 8th graders take the DCHS Placement Test from 8:30 am to 12:15 pm AT Dowling Catholic on their designated date(see below).
Please email admissions@dowlingcatholic.org or call 515-222-1047 with any questions.
More information will be sent in early December.
|
January 9th, 2027
|
January 16th, 2027
|
|
Christ the King
|
St. Francis
|
|
Holy Family
|
St. Joseph
|
|
Holy Trinity
|
St. Luke
|
|
Sacred Heart
|
St. Pius X
|
|
St. Anthony
|
St. Theresa
|
|
St. Augustin
|
All other schools
|
February 6, 2027 –
Accepted 8th graders and at least one parent will attend Freshman Registration in the morning. Dr. Arnold will speak, students will register for their classes and meet their counselor.
Time to be determined and will be communicated to you in early January.
Tuition Assistance –
Applications to apply for tuition assistance will be available at Freshman Registration on Feb. 6th.
Get Involved –
Throughout your 8th grade year, we hope that you will attend many DCHS activities like a sporting event, a camp, one of our drama productions, etc.
**We look forward to working with you through this process. Please reach out if you have any questions**
Early Action Items that may be completed:
There are two checklist items that may be completed at this time to start the application process:
-
Create an account in OnCampus
-
If you are new to DCHS and need the invite email to create your account, please contact admissions@dowlingcatholic.org.
-
If you are a current parent, you just need to login and then select your 8th graders’ name in the top left corner under ‘Children’
-
Fill out the DCHS Application Form in your 8th graders’ checklist.
If you have younger children, please do not fill out their application form at this time.
-
Complete the ‘Name Pronunciation’ checklist item
More details will be shared in the Zoom session and application information will be sent out beginning in late July 2026.
Please email admissions@dowlingcatholic.org with questions.
The Des Moines Region Catholic School Corporation’s (the “Region”), Catholic schools, under the aegis of the Bishop, state that all of the Region’s Catholic schools admit students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the schools. These schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, age, disability, color, and national or ethnic origin in the administration of their educational policies, employment practices, scholarship and loan programs, athletic or other school-administered programs. The employment relationship between the Region and its employees is governed by canon law as well as civil law. As religious institutions, nothing in the Iowa Code and this policy shall be construed as prohibiting the Region’s Catholic schools from imposing qualifications based on religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity when such qualifications are related to a bona fide religious purpose. In addition, schools shall comply with the anti-bullying/anti-harassment laws of the state of Iowa, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act as such may apply to the Region’s Catholic schools.
Dowling Catholic High School
Preparing Leaders for Life, Centered on Christ. Every Dowling Catholic graduate discovers and cultivates their God-given talents to make positive change in the world.