Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 19:03     Subject: Gonzaga
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It’s not a quantifiable thing. Turning “boys into men" in Jesuit education is about forming well-rounded, ethically grounded, and service-oriented individuals, not just academically successful ones. They think a lot about character, faith, and service, in addition to academics. It’s a good thing IMO.


I have watched the lacrosse team play several times and I am always amazed by the trash talking and lack of sportsmanship.


It’s sports and they have really competitive teams. Trash talking is typically all in good fun.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 18:26     Subject: Gonzaga
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The average SAT score of seniors at Gonzaga is no higher than the better public schools in Montgomery, Fairfax and Arlington. So how competitive can admissions really be?


The school turns boys into men. Can’t say the same at public.


"The school turns boys into men. "

As a graduate of a Jesuit school I cannot stress how important this is to the ethos of the Jesuit education. The Jesuits are focused on developing men for others. Which is to say they believe that serving the community, working for the greater good, and focusing on social justice is an important part of the whole person. Anything you can do before applying to show this is a core belief, in action, will go a long way. If you try to fake it they will see through it in an instant.


How does a school measure that “the school turns boys into men.”? Just curious as that seems like a tough one to quantify.


It’s quite obvious when you meet them. Have you heard Fernando Mendoza speak? Is he similar to regular public school boys?


He went to Christopher Columbus HS, which is Marist not Jesuit. He went to Jesuit middle school.

Where does that leave Jesuit universities? Wouldn’t they be able to mold their students as well?
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 17:50     Subject: Gonzaga
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The average SAT score of seniors at Gonzaga is no higher than the better public schools in Montgomery, Fairfax and Arlington. So how competitive can admissions really be?


The school turns boys into men. Can’t say the same at public.


"The school turns boys into men. "

As a graduate of a Jesuit school I cannot stress how important this is to the ethos of the Jesuit education. The Jesuits are focused on developing men for others. Which is to say they believe that serving the community, working for the greater good, and focusing on social justice is an important part of the whole person. Anything you can do before applying to show this is a core belief, in action, will go a long way. If you try to fake it they will see through it in an instant.


How does a school measure that “the school turns boys into men.”? Just curious as that seems like a tough one to quantify.


It’s quite obvious when you meet them. Have you heard Fernando Mendoza speak? Is he similar to regular public school boys?
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 17:48     Subject: Gonzaga
Anonymous wrote:It’s not a quantifiable thing. Turning “boys into men" in Jesuit education is about forming well-rounded, ethically grounded, and service-oriented individuals, not just academically successful ones. They think a lot about character, faith, and service, in addition to academics. It’s a good thing IMO.


I have watched the lacrosse team play several times and I am always amazed by the trash talking and lack of sportsmanship.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 16:49     Subject: Re:Gonzaga
Anonymous wrote:You need to look at his own specific class to see if anybody’s gonna block them and look at historically how many come from your school?

Really not competing against the masses, competing against the courts in your own eighth grade.

So historically, your school sons five boys Gonzaga and there are no athletes or legacies Buckingham I’ll get him. But if you school historically free and there’s two athletes in a legacy ahead of him no matter what their grades are. He’s not gonna get it..

This is probably true. I know someone with a 99% who was rejected last year. My kid was WL with an HSPT in the high 50s.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 16:49     Subject: Gonzaga
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The average SAT score of seniors at Gonzaga is no higher than the better public schools in Montgomery, Fairfax and Arlington. So how competitive can admissions really be?


The school turns boys into men. Can’t say the same at public.


This.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 16:39     Subject: Re:Gonzaga
You need to look at his own specific class to see if anybody’s gonna block them and look at historically how many come from your school?

Really not competing against the masses, competing against the courts in your own eighth grade.

So historically, your school sons five boys Gonzaga and there are no athletes or legacies Buckingham I’ll get him. But if you school historically free and there’s two athletes in a legacy ahead of him no matter what their grades are. He’s not gonna get it..
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 16:21     Subject: Gonzaga
It’s not a quantifiable thing. Turning “boys into men" in Jesuit education is about forming well-rounded, ethically grounded, and service-oriented individuals, not just academically successful ones. They think a lot about character, faith, and service, in addition to academics. It’s a good thing IMO.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 15:11     Subject: Gonzaga
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The average SAT score of seniors at Gonzaga is no higher than the better public schools in Montgomery, Fairfax and Arlington. So how competitive can admissions really be?


The school turns boys into men. Can’t say the same at public.


"The school turns boys into men. "

As a graduate of a Jesuit school I cannot stress how important this is to the ethos of the Jesuit education. The Jesuits are focused on developing men for others. Which is to say they believe that serving the community, working for the greater good, and focusing on social justice is an important part of the whole person. Anything you can do before applying to show this is a core belief, in action, will go a long way. If you try to fake it they will see through it in an instant.


How does a school measure that “the school turns boys into men.”? Just curious as that seems like a tough one to quantify.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 12:24     Subject: Gonzaga
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The average SAT score of seniors at Gonzaga is no higher than the better public schools in Montgomery, Fairfax and Arlington. So how competitive can admissions really be?


The school turns boys into men. Can’t say the same at public.


"The school turns boys into men. "

As a graduate of a Jesuit school I cannot stress how important this is to the ethos of the Jesuit education. The Jesuits are focused on developing men for others. Which is to say they believe that serving the community, working for the greater good, and focusing on social justice is an important part of the whole person. Anything you can do before applying to show this is a core belief, in action, will go a long way. If you try to fake it they will see through it in an instant.
Anonymous
Post 12/25/2025 01:15     Subject: Gonzaga
Anonymous wrote:The average SAT score of seniors at Gonzaga is no higher than the better public schools in Montgomery, Fairfax and Arlington. So how competitive can admissions really be?


The school turns boys into men. Can’t say the same at public.
Anonymous
Post 12/23/2025 20:07     Subject: Gonzaga
Anonymous wrote:OP here - got HSPT scores and he did get a 99. I read his essays and I thought they were good. So fingers crossed.


Your son is similar to mine last year, and he was admitted with a Presidential Scholarship, so looks promising!
Anonymous
Post 12/23/2025 08:51     Subject: Gonzaga
OP here - got HSPT scores and he did get a 99. I read his essays and I thought they were good. So fingers crossed.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 16:57     Subject: Gonzaga
Anonymous wrote:Did anyone with high 80's HSPT and no hooks get into Gonzaga? We do not know anyone to write recommendations other than teachers.


Mine did. He had high 70's but had some good recommendations outside teachers. I would guess he was on the bubble for admissions. I think high 80's is ok, especially if you are coming from a K-8. No hooks other than Catholic, coming from K-8 with excellent grades. Spent a LOT of time on the essay, which I think helped a lot.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 11:18     Subject: Gonzaga
Anonymous wrote:Did anyone with high 80's HSPT and no hooks get into Gonzaga? We do not know anyone to write recommendations other than teachers.

My son did last year.