High School Acceptance Trends & Scholarships
Trends Change, Success Continues
It feels appropriate in this Jubilee Year for Catholics that our newest batch of Monarch graduates are heading to Catholic high schools in larger numbers. In more recent years, St. Mary’s graduates were neatly split with a third to Catholic Schools, a third to Specialty Centers and the final third attending either zoned Public Schools or other local Private Schools.
This year 51% of graduates will continue their educational and faith journeys in a Catholic High School. The other half of the class of 2025 is fairly evenly split among Specialty, Public and other Private Schools.
Mrs. Bisese, our Admissions Director has seen fluctuations in trends before, but believes this trend may be triggered by several factors, not least of which is our student’s desire to continue to be surrounded by faith.
“The Benedictine Schools of Richmond have made a concerted effort to recruit our students by sending former SMCS graduates back for lunch and learn sessions that give 8th graders a sense of what it feels like to transition from the hallways of our International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IBMYP) to their campus in Goochland."
"Across the board," Bisese continued, "our students remain very competitive and successful in receiving scholarship awards. Even those who do not apply for scholarships are excellent candidates when it comes to Admissions. Time and time again, we hear that St. Mary’s students are well-prepared, flexible and kind. They are the type of student every school wants on their campus.”
Principal Esparza adds, “Our students reflect their faith values and the IB Learner Traits that have been instilled in them at St. Mary’s Catholic School. This foundation will stay with them forever.”
To date, we have been notified by schools about numerous students including Hannah D., Bella D., Dhruv P., Mary Grace G., Allison N., Mary-Catherine V., Sydney D., Ryan F., Brendan L. and Sarah L., who have all been awarded either full scholarships or partial merit scholarships to their secondary schools of choice including St. Gertrude High School, Benedictine College Preparatory, The Steward School and Trinity Episcopal High School.
We are incredibly proud of ALL of our soon-to-be graduates and we know that God has a wonderful plan for their future!
“They will follow the Lord; He will roar like a lion.” --Hosea 11:10
