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Inspired by the charism of the Sisters of Mercy, we foster academic excellence in an innovative and creative learning environment. We are committed to helping each student pursue her individual passions and develop into a confident, independent, compassionate, and socially conscious young woman. We actively strive for a diverse population, seeking students from many different backgrounds. If you are ready to provide your daughter a top-notch, college-ready education within an empowering community of faith and leadership, Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women is the ideal school.

We look for students who are bright, motivated, hard-working, and who are dedicated to the core Mercy values of compassion, hospitality, and community. An application to Mercy is completed in four simple steps:

An online application
Academic transcript/record
Recommendation form sent to a teacher/school staff member who worked directly with your daughter within the last two years
Grade-specific entrance exam

In order to provide the best experience for your daughter, we strongly encourage all applications to be completed no later than June 1. Applications completed after June 1 are subject to remaining enrollment openings. If you have any questions about the admissions process or applications to Mercy, please contact Stephanie Yaeger Wallace ‘89 P’23 P’24, Director of Enrollment Management at 585-288-7120 x310 or swallace@mercyhs.com.

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Mercy utilizes an online application portal, MercyLINK. Please read the following information carefully as it will help you successfully begin and complete an application for your daughter.

If you are new to Mercy and have not yet registered for an event or submitted an inquiry, please use the Create an Account feature after you click Apply via MercyLINK below.
If you have previously registered for an admissions event (such as Open House) or you have submitted an online request for information from Mercy, you can log in using your existing credentials. If you need to retrieve this information, click the Forgot Login or First Time Logging In button after you click Apply via MercyLINK below.
For families who already have a daughter enrolled at Mercy, or had a daughter who attended Mercy, you will need to log into MercyLINK using your existing account credentials once you click Apply via MercyLINK. If you need to retrieve this information, please use the Forgot Login button.

Applications do not need to be completed in one session; you may begin an application and return to it at a later date/time if needed. Once you have begun an application for admission, you will be able to register your daughter for the entrance exam as well as view her admissions progress via the MercyLINK portal. You will also need to request a letter of recommendation on behalf of your daughter. This letter must be from a non-family member, and requests are submitted directly to recommenders via your daughter’s Admissions Progress Checklist within MercyLINK.

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An overview of the MercyLINK application process can be downloaded here. If you have questions during the application process, or have trouble logging into MercyLINK, please contact admissions@mercyhs.com.

Entrance exams are conducted monthly, usually on the first Saturday, from November through June and are required as part of your daughter’s application to Mercy. During the summer, exams are conducted upon request. All entrance exams are virtual; your daughter will need access to a computer with video and internet access. The exam lasts approximately 1.5 hours and exams start at 8:30 a.m.

Exam registration is completed using the checklist feature from your daughter’s Admissions Progress page in MercyLINK. The Admissions Progress page is initiated once you begin an application or profile. Remember, click your daughter’s name in the top-left corner of the MercyLINK page to retrieve her Admissions Progress checklist. Please note that exam registration opens 60 days prior to the exam date and closes three days prior to the date.

If your daughter is unable to attend one of our regularly scheduled Saturday exams, please contact the admissions office directly at admissions@mercyhs.com.

Mercy hosts student experience visits – “Shadow Visits” – offering families a feel for life at Mercy during the school day. Student visitors will join a current Mercy student of a similar grade-level to attend her classes, flex time, and lunch (provided) to experience what it’s like to be a Mercy Girl. Click here more information and registration details.

Mercy accepts mid-year transfer students on a case-by-case basis. Transfer students are required to complete the standard admissions process, including the entrance exam. If you are interested in a mid-year transfer to Mercy for your daughter, please contact the admissions office directly so we can discuss her educational needs and reasons for a transfer as part of her application.

As part of our commitment to developing students with a growth mindset who are globally ready, Mercy is proud to offer educational opportunities to international students each year. International students help Mercy develop a global perspective within our school as well as fostering cross-cultural competence and diverse viewpoints in our student body.

International students at Mercy participate in our full college and career readiness curriculum and are welcomed into both our middle school and high school programs. International students are also encouraged to participate in our extracurricular programs and college planning process. Mercy also matches international students with host families in Rochester.

To review international student application requirements and apply for admission, please contact Stephanie Yaeger Wallace ‘89 P’23 P’24, Director of Enrollment Management at 585-288-7120 x310 or swallace@mercyhs.com.

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