22:31 - thanks for the note. How difficult are the classes there? Are they as rigorous as other parochial/private schools? And do they have the ability to test for learning disabilities?

My son is a 9th grader there and we have had a wonderful year thus far. All schools has its issues but overall, the faculty, the teachers and the students are genuinely happy and content. I would strongly recommend considering this school for a few reasons:

When I went High School shopping, I interviewed and attended many open houses... but my son has a interest in Art and I wanted to speak to the Director of that department. Of all the schools I interviewed - they were the only ones that put me in contact with that department head. The other schools directed me to the open houses, and to the website. I personally like to feel like my child is more than just a number but a student that will join their ranks. If I could not get them to respond to give me access to school faculty then what chance do I have with the faculty as a parent?

My son shadowed at the schools and when I went to visit, the most striking difference I noticed is that the kids were allowed to decorate their lockers. It may seem trivial but to me, the atmosphere of the school is as important as the academics... who wants our son to attend a school that is not fun and inviting to attend.

Overall, the school is great, I speak to his Academic Advisor quarterly, they are diverse, the academics are stellar offering a fully rounded student and competitive to get into the best colleges and universities. Plus they have a great Arts and Science program. My son is not an athlete but because his school is also excels in athletics, he has school spirit.

It is a well rounded school that I feel deserves a good look at. Hope this helps!

The school gets very good ratings on the internet. Top schools of NOVA.

Anonymous wrote:Sorry you can't spell and use a dictionary.

I am not sorry I can't spell, why should it bother you.

Sorry you can't spell and use a dictionary.

Anonymous wrote:Use a dictionary and a thesarus pp.

Sorry you are so angry and bitter.

Use a dictionary and a thesarus pp.

Anonymous wrote:That's fine pp when someone goes public. But when you pay for h.s. you expect better results for college.

I don't actually. I may not be able to afford a 4 year college right out of the gate. Maybe my kids go 2 years to a a community college or even 1 year and then transfer. I may just want my kids to get into UMD because they won't from their public school. Maybe I just want them to grow spiritually. Maybe my child has a LD - and Paul VI has the best program for kids with SN/LD.

So, speak for yourself, not all of us are chasing the Ivy and the all mighty dollar.

Your opinion is myopic.

That's fine pp when someone goes public. But when you pay for h.s. you expect better results for college.

15% going to two-year colleges seems high until you consider the kids who are going to NVCC with the intent to transfer to 4-year institutions after two years. We are in Arlington and know a handful of Yorktown and W-L kids who are doing that - getting a strong foundation in the "commodity" intro courses at Nova and then transferring to UVA or Va Tech. They didn't get in on the first round, could have gone to other 4-year schools, but decided to save some money, get an internship, knock out the prereqs and then claim a spot at UVA/VT.

Scroll to the bottom of this link for the college acceptance (not matriculation) list. It is a little vague in that it doesn't say how many graduating classes it encompasses.

http://www.paulvi.net/page.aspx?pid=779

Graduates
From the Class of 2012, 99% are attending post-secondary educational institutions; of these, 84% attend four-year colleges and 15% attend two-year colleges. Since class of 2004, average percentage of students enrolled in college the first year after high school w ho returned for a second year (Freshman to Sophomore Persistence) is 97%.

It is your basic Catholic high school. Nothing exceptional. Nice balance of decent academics, wholesome environment and smallish class size.

My DD went to shadow for a day when we were considering it. Her perception was that it seemed a lot like public school. There were many younger teachers that did not seem to have control over the classrooms. In my experience, the office and admissions staff were extremely warm, polite, and accommodating. I think the school is getting a better reputation than in years past. I would suggest anyone that is thinking about it should send their child for a visit. I think that gives you the very best idea if it would be a good fit.

Any other thoughts? I know it isn't as highly regarded as some other secular schools, but how are the academics there? Do they send a decent number of kids to highly selective universities, etc?

OP here. Thanks for the feedback. Anything else people can add would be appreciated.