Many of the benefits of attending a Christian prep school are the same as you might experience at a secular college prep high school. However, in addition to the faculty excellence and positive classroom experience you might find at a good college preparatory school, Christian prep schools speak to the bigger picture. The best of them consider your high school days as a transition period where you might attain critical skills and life-long values that will help you become the person God intended you to be.
How Christian Schools Are Similar to Private Prep Schools
Similar to what you might experience at a private prep school, at a Christian preparatory school, you’ll find faculty who are masters in their subjects with a passion for teaching, rigorous college preparatory courses, interesting electives, and extracurricular opportunities in athletics, clubs, arts, STEM, and academic competitions. You will likely be in small classes where you will be known as an individual and have the ability to receive one-on-one attention. Your faculty and academic advisors will mentor you, and, when it comes time to apply to colleges, you will receive sound advice, guidance, and encouragement.
If you care about your education and the future it might open for you, the peers in your classes will be an important part of your high school experience. Academically driven peers who value intellectual pursuits can exert positive peer pressure and help you take pride in your achievements. Elite private schools, whether affiliated with a particular religion or not, strive to only accept students who are serious about their academics. This helps to ensure that your peers will have similar focus and determination as you do.
How Christian Schools Differ from Other Private Prep Schools
Christian prep schools distinguish themselves from their secular counterparts by offering curriculua and instruction designed to help you explore the big questions of life and think through them using theological and biblical concepts. Led by mission-minded faculty, you will learn Christian moral and spiritual formation through discipleship, spiritual practices, chapel services, youth group activities, service opportunities, and Bible studies.
Another differentiator of a Christian environment is the student body and their supporting families. You will learn side-by-side with other Christian students who share your worldview and can encourage your spiritual growth. They will hold shared ideals such as love of God and neighbor, environmental stewardship, character cultivation and care for the less fortunate. If you are not a Christian, attending a Christian prep school is still an excellent option. It can provide a rigorous and supportive academic environment where you can ask questions, make new friends from diverse backgrounds, and grow as a student and person.
Importance of Spending Formative Years in a Christian Learning Environment
High school is a very important time in your life. You accumulate knowledge, explore different academic interests, and prepare for college. You want to be stretched intellectually to learn how to critically think and increase the likelihood of acceptance to a top-tier college where you will thrive and succeed. You want to explore interests and passions, without the distraction of less serious-minded peers. An elite Christian prep school provides you with the kind of learning environment that can help you reach your potential without succumbing to secular-world temptations. You will learn how to make good decisions, avoid distractions, and press on toward your goals.
Christian Prep Schools Focus on More Than Just Classes and Scores
Christian Prep Schools are the perfect combination of rigor, reputation and character development. They can help you grow spiritually and morally. This type of development is especially important during formative years. Christian Prep Schools can provide you with a strong foundation and support to help nurture your development. You will be reminded of the Christian principles that have helped to shape lives for centuries.
- Love
- Hope
- Faith
- Wisdom
- Justice
- Courage
- Temperance
If you want to thrive in a faith-rich environment where you can ask important questions in a place of safety and encouragement, a Christian college preparatory high school might be a good home for you.
Gravitas is an online extension of The Stony Brook School. For more than 100 years, The Stony Brook School has provided a rigorous and supportive education to students. Now, Gravitas is a school built on the same strong foundation, but readily available to students from all over the world, no matter your schedule and lifestyle. Please contact us to learn more about how Gravitas can help you grow into a strong young person and adult in the future.