FAQ

Northwest Catholic welcomes students of all faiths and with all degrees of religious commitment. What makes NWC unique is that no matter where a student is on his or her faith journey, we welcome, inspire, and teach from a Catholic perspective. If you want what we provide — a rigorous education rich in spirituality and service — then NWC is the right fit for you.

Prospective students often worry about leaving old friends and making new ones. Through community-building programs, welcoming classrooms, and a wide range of extra-curricular activities, those worries disappear. We are an inclusive community, and the message to our students is that everyone belongs. Just as impressive are the friendships formed among the parents over the course of the high school years. We are a caring and supportive family, and lifelong relationships are formed at Northwest Catholic.

Yes, classes are difficult. That’s how we guide students to become their best selves. We believe in discipline and rigor, and we expect students to work to their highest potential. Our graduates are intellectually curious, diligent students, and 98% continue their studies at competitive colleges and universities across the nation. NWC is a college preparatory school, and although we do have students who join the military or workforce upon graduation, our goal is to prepare students for higher education. 

If you don’t make the sports team you were hoping to make, you will find a new activity. Students sometimes enter NWC with their sights set on a particular sport or part in the play or role in a club. Experience teaches us that we don’t always get what we want, but we do get what we need, if we are resilient and open to growth. NWC is small enough where opportunities abound, but occasionally a student does need to reframe their goals, and we have found that this switch usually leads the student to his or her greatest reward.

Absolutely. Not only will a Northwest Catholic education prepare you for college, the faculty and staff you work with will guide you to your right-fit school. Experienced school counselors begin the college process at the start of freshman year, and they lead their students through the search until every senior has a plan. But guidance doesn't end with the school counselors: mentors are found at every turn, and our teachers and coaches guide our students in a myriad of ways, teaching lessons that last a lifetime.

This could be the most important question you ask. NWC is a friend to all public and private schools. Most incoming freshmen come to us from public schools, and their students are wonderful, well-educated contributors to their community. Our private and parochial sending schools also deliver us capable and caring students ready to face the challenges at NWC.

What distinguishes NWC from public school is our commitment to the education of the whole person — mind, body, spirit, and imagination. Many public schools make this claim, but they are aimed at different priorities. We believe that an education that does not take into account a student’s spiritual life is incomplete. Public schools are pillars of the community and they have a great responsibility to educate everyone, but they don't celebrate the spiritual life, they don't require community service, and they don't bring together a truly diverse community like Northwest Catholic does.

This is another excellent question. Students researching independent schools have many variables to consider. Boarding or day, co-ed or single gender, religious-affiliated or not are important factors to weigh, but the real answer is often found in the school’s mission statement and core values. If a school’s mission and values fit your own, you have likely found your school. Also important to note: NWC provides as rich, if not richer, experience for far less tuition than most of its competitors. We are proud of our commitment to keep NWC affordable and provide over 50% of our students with financial assistance.

We think you will. The proof is in our alumni testimonials. Over and over our alumni tell us that their formative years spent at Northwest Catholic changed their lives and shaped their futures. Our graduates are intellectually curious, spiritually aware, compassionate leaders. They are living proof that a Northwest Catholic education prepared them for life. Ask around. You'll find that you know an alum or know someone who does. Ask him or her this question and find out what we know to be a true: Northwest Catholic provides an exceptional educational experience and memories that last a lifetime.