An Investment in Education That Pays Dividends

This is a paid post contributed by a Patch Community Partner. The views expressed in this post are the author's own, and the information presented has not been verified by Patch.

Perhaps you've never given thought to your high school student's tuition as more than an expense. But today, the costs of a Catholic or private school education can, in fact, be an investment – one that produces tangible returns in college grants and awards for your student.

“The choice for us was clear and we just felt like it was the right fit,” said Katherine Tucker, whose daughter Caroline graduated in 2022 and son William is a junior. “It was the right size and gave our kids the opportunity to stand out. This decision paid big dividends when our daughter applied for college.”

Caroline was offered scholarships and grants totaling $400,000 from schools across the country. Ultimately, she decided to study engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology because the program there is ranked as one of the top in the nation. “She was excited and wanted to go to the best school she got into,” Katherine said. Immaculate helped her get there.

Caroline was far from alone when it came to great offers. Overall, the Class of 2022 qualified for $33.5 million in grants and scholarships from colleges and universities. After the 117 students in that graduating class decided where they wanted to go, the awards accepted averaged $59,854 per student. So, Immaculate’s annual tuition of $16,750 makes this high school education an investment that can, in fact, triple.

For 60 years, Immaculate High School has been providing a rigorous, Catholic education to high school students in 28 communities in Connecticut and New York. The school is celebrating its milestone anniversary with a $4 million Capital Campaign targeted for campus improvements, athletic field enhancements and a scholarship endowment. Above all, Immaculate prides itself as a unique environment that fosters the development of the whole student.

It's academically challenging college preparatory curriculum is just part of Immaculate’s commitment to helping students grow spiritually, morally, intellectually and socially. Mustangs are also required to do community service in a culture that encourages respect, responsibility and reverence. The school is on an upward trajectory, as the Niche schools ranking just named Immaculate the Number One Catholic Co-Ed Day School in Connecticut for the second year in a row.

Colleges and universities where recent Immaculate graduates have decided to attend include Yale, Georgetown, Villanova, West Point, Northeastern, Colgate, Bucknell, Middlebury, the University of North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Boston University, UCONN and Wake Forest to name a few.

“It’s a great climate for kids where they are encouraged to excel,” Katherine Tucker said. “Let me put it this way: our family had an opportunity to relocate to another state due to a job offer and we decided we had to stay here to keep our children in Immaculate.”

At a time when students’ SAT scores are dropping across the country, Immaculate’s results are going up. The College Board recently reported that the average SAT total score declined nationally for the class of 2022, recorded as 1050 compared to 1060 for the class of 2021. However, Immaculate’s average SAT score went up 51 points to 1153 from 2021 to 2022. The school’s SAT scores consistently outperform national and State of Connecticut averages and are the #1 SAT scores in the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut.

“The average SAT score is definitely on the rise here at Immaculate,” said Tim Nash, Dean of Counseling and Student Services. “This is a result of the outstanding, very personal education we provide – and our ability to help each student reach their maximum potential.”

The school’s 11 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio ensures students get the academic support they need. Plus students have a counselor who works with them throughout the college admissions process. This month’s Counseling Department advisory sessions included Understanding Your Transcript and the Academic Journey for freshman, Career Exploration for sophomores, Brainstorming Your Resume for juniors and College Scholarships for seniors. Recent alumni consistently say Immaculate prepared them for their careers – whether in STEM, nursing, law, teaching, finance or the military.

“Going to Immaculate gave me confidence since so many people invested in me,” said Isaiah Payton, who graduated in 2018 and attended Western Connecticut State University to study cybersecurity and criminal justice. In addition to working for a local security firm, Isaiah launched his own successful photography and videography business, Zays.fliks that offers services to professional and college sports teams as well as private businesses. “The smaller school setting, one-on-one tutoring and mentoring really paid off and helped me start my own business venture.”

The school’s older alumni feel the same way. John Lopes (‘80) went on to West Point, then Duke University School of Law and is now the CEO of LST Marketing in Indianapolis.

“Immaculate set the foundation for my entire academic life. Specifically, it was the difference in a highly competitive admissions process for West Point,” Lopes said. “My decision to attend Immaculate set the course for what would eventually lead to military service, a career in law and marketing, as well as a chain of events impacting my entire life.”

When John looks back at his days as a student-athlete at Immaculate, he believes that’s where he first learned two important lessons he carries with him every day: “The first is: do something every day to make yourself better and stronger -- constantly improve. I was taught that at Immaculate,” he said. The second thing is “never, ever, under any circumstances, quit. Stick with the toughest challenges and good things happen.”

Lopes said an Immaculate education was a great investment for him and these values exemplify what it means to be a Mustang.

If you’re interested in becoming a Mustang too, visit Immaculate High School’s website to learn more: Immaculate High School | Catholic School in Danbury CT (immaculatehs.org)

This post is an advertorial piece contributed by a Patch Community Partner, a local brand partner. To learn more, click here.