Saint Pius V High School, Bronx, New York

College Prep

St. Pius offers a full program of college prep courses including Algebra, Geometry and Trigonometry in sequential math, and Pre-Calculus; Biology and Chemistry; American Studies and Economics; American Literature and British Literature, and Psychology. Physics and Calculus are also available. Advanced students who speak Spanish are required to complete three years of French. New York State Regents Exams are given in Social Studies, Math, Foreign Language, Biology, Chemistry and English. 95% of Pius students take the SAT. An average of over 85% of graduating students are accepted to colleges and universities and offered financial aid packages.

College Advisement

The St. Pius V High School college advisement program has been systematically transformed to take advantage of the changes in higher education as a result of Federal mandates and the desire of colleges to bring a broader range of cultural perspectives to their campuses. Local urban schools often contain a comfortable racial and ethnic mix of students, but schools in rural areas of the state do not enjoy this mix. The director of college advisement negotiates attractive financial incentives for our students from many of these schools, because our students demonstrate clear academic ability and because they are willing to leave home to find success. Motivating students to reach beyond their own community is a primary goal of the St. Pius V High School college advisement program.

Pius graduates have gone on to schools in far-flung regions of the state, such as Clarkson University in Potsdam, Colgate University in Hamilton, Cornell University in Ithaca, Hobart & William Smith Colleges in Geneva, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, Sarah Lawrence College in Pelham and Union College in Schnectady. Pius graduates have also attended schools outside the state, including Boston College in Chestnut Hill. Massachusetts, Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont and Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Computer Education

Using funds available through a Federal program created to bring technology to schools, and with significant private funding from our generous donors, St. Pius has constructed a high-speed Internet and telecommunications network that links our classrooms and three computer labs to each other, and to the world beyond. Teachers have the ability to access carefully-screened information from sources across the globe and bring it to 25”monitors mounted in each room. CD and DVD interactive tools are also utilized in an effort to keep St. Pius and its students ahead of the technology curve.