St. Thomas Aquinas High School

Aquinas is far behind its competitors in academics. Here's what you should know: 1. Grade inflation - Notably the 5 extra points added for "honors" classes 2. Lack of AP/IB/BC courses - The archdiocese cannot afford to hire teachers who are qualified to teach these courses, and therefore students are behind when college rolls around. 3. Athletic atmosphere - Aquinas dumps all of its energy - and funds - into their athletics program, which leaves little emphasis on education. They recently dropped $1 mil on new turf and stadium seats - money that could have been used to hire better teachers or implement an SAT/ACT preparatory program. 4. Easy curriculum - When at Aquinas, I took every "honors" class available, however, upon coming to college I found that my peers were much more prepared - especially in Math, Science and Economics. 5. Dull reputation - Compared to other schools in the area, Aquinas just isn't known by universities outside of Kansas and Missouri. If your child is planning on attending a prestigious university they are REALLY going to have to excel. Rockhurst, Sion, St. Teresa's or the Blue Valley School district are definitely better options.
--Submitted by a student

I graduated from Aquinas four years ago and in hindsight, I was not at all prepared for college. The school atmosphere and athletics were outstanding. The academics? Not so much. I took honors classes in all available subjects and did not feel particularly challenged. There was far too much teaching via videos as well as substantial grade inflation. The lack of an AP program hurts students both in terms of college preparation and competitiveness of applications when applying to college. If your son or daughter is looking to go to a (semi)prestigious college, I would suggest looking at Rockhurst, St. Teresa's, Sion, or the Blue Valley schools.
--Submitted by a student

My son is in college now and he attended STA and it was a great school with wonderful teachers. It is a college prep and he was well prepared for college after attending STA. An amazing fact - he never had anything stolen in all the years he went there. Prior to STA he attended a Catholic boys school in KC MO that is supposed to be good. He got EVERYTHING and I do mean EVERYTHING he took to school stolen there and his life was threatened there and the administration did nothing. Oh - they did - they told us our son needed to "man up" - I guess stealing and threats are something you are supposed to get used to there. But STA was a wonderful school with no threats or stealing. He was always amazed at how nice everyone was to each other. Also the drug problem is horrible at the Catholic High school for boys. There are drugs at STA also but not nearly as bad as the boys school.
--Submitted by a parent

Aquinas creates an apathy for learning, and I was not prepared for college after attending. The honors courses were too easy. There are not enough opportunities to gain college credit. My honors economics teacher only taught us the philosophy of Milton Friedman (by watching videos none-the-less), I received an A on every paper I wrote during lunch in the library, biology teachers spent more time on creationism than evolution, the religion classes were a joke. The fact that the school creates it's own curriculum is extremely problematic. Do not expect you or your student to be intellectually or culturally stimulated; expect boredom and a resentment of Catholicism. Aquinas does, however, manage to win multiple state championships a year. Weak academics, great athletics. Where are your priorities? Don't waste your money.
--Submitted by a student

I have a freshman and a junior at Aquinas and the school is top notch. The emphasis on academics creates a tremendous college preparatory atmosphere. Academics definitely come before athletics, though the schools athletic programs prove to be extremely competitive. The soccer teams (boys and girls) have been ranked nationally and the school has state championships in almost every sport in which they compete. There is also a definite family atmosphere for a school with a large enrollment. The school is very inclusive, with students from all income categories. Opportunities exist for those requiring financial assistance. Parents are kept up to date with student progress with bi-weekly grade reports via e-mail. The Catholic foundation provides for a foundation of discipline and genuine respect among the students for teacher and other students. I highly recommend this school to anyone who wishes for great opportunities fro success for their child. -TPD
--Submitted by a parent

I've had one child graduate from Aquinas and another currently attending. This school and staff are simply wonderful. Academics come before atheltics, and that's a huge plus. I feel the discipline of a Catholic school helps the learning process. I highly recommend this school to other parents. DS
--Submitted by a parent