Getting into college isn’t the goal

Now, hold on right there. With all the media coverage, social pressure, and money poured into navigating college admissions combined with the fact that I am employed by a school to, quite literally, help students get into college, you might be surprised to read that statement. 

Yes, as a college-preparatory institution, we want our students to build an academic and extracurricular resume demonstrating the kind of incredible people they are. We also want them to possess the tools and resources to communicate who they are in a compelling way throughout the application process. That said, it’s important to remember that getting in isn’t the exclusive goal of the college admission process. 

The true goal of college preparation

Being admitted to college is just one small step on the way to becoming balanced, faithful, and influential friends, siblings, spouses, parents, colleagues, neighbors, and citizens of this country and of the world. The college admission experience illuminates the growth our students have made over the past four years. It encourages me to know our students will succeed wherever they find themselves post-high school because they have already begun developing the habits of mind they will bring to whatever opportunities they are presented with, academically, socially, and spiritually. 

Who are our graduates?

It is always a joy to watch our students navigate the college admission experience because I get to see a complete picture of all 16 Habits of the Mind described in The Portrait of Our Ideal Graduate at work. They start compiling their lists of colleges by being curious, collaborating with their parents, peers, and mentors, and thinking critically about who they are and who they want to be. Then, they complete their applications with tech-savvy and problem-solving skills, crafting application essays about their resilience and compassion for others while demonstrating creativity, eloquence, and literary acumen. While the waiting game for admissions decisions can be difficult, our students show emotional intelligence and support each other in true deep friendship as they hear back from schools, seek the Lord’s direction through spiritual disciplines, and ultimately aspire to make wise decisions about their future as people committed to healthy living and good stewardship of the physical and intellectual resources with which they have been entrusted. 

While I know our students are just a fraction of the way along their journey toward becoming the people whom God has created them to be, I know our students already are people who desire to grow; they ask good questions, value others, and persevere through obstacles and challenges. They are the kind of people who will be successful wherever they go and in whatever they do. 

I am very proud of the members of the Class of 2022. They have navigated a challenging four years with many obstacles and they have remained faithful and even joyful as they have lived through what we will look back on as a pivotal and historic season. This year, our 12 seniors were admitted to 37 different institutions and awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in academic and merit-based scholarships, including two Westmont Augustinian Scholarships, awarded to only 30 students out of nearly 200 outstanding candidates. Members of the Providence Class of 2022 have had many doors opened to them and they have made prayerful and thoughtful decisions about where they will continue their education. 

Please join me in congratulating this senior class and in wishing them well in their future endeavors!

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Providence School Class of 2022 College Acceptances

Bold indicates the schools which our students have chosen to attend.