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Quick Facts

15 - Average Students Per Class

Saint Thomas Academy boasts a 10:1 student-faculty ratio and small class sizes, allowing faculty time to work with your son individually, ensuring he is encouraged and challenged academically. Each week, faculty have scheduled tutoring hours after the regular school day and before after-school activities begin, when they can help students who may have a simple question or need personalized instruction.

Our manageable size means everyone at the Academy takes an interest in your son’s development. We all embrace our mission of developing boys into young men of character and know this is best realized in partnership with each other, with the boys and with parents.

85 - percent of faculty who hold advanced degrees

Because they are dedicated to your son’s fullest academic development, our faculty devote themselves to continually learning how to effectively engage and motivate students, particularly, boys. They understand boys well and tailor their curriculum, classroom activities and assignments to boys’ unique learning styles, interests and maturity levels. Our unique flex period allows boys to participate in experiential learning opportunities outside the classroom, such as NASA educational programming.

100 - percent of graduates accepted to post-secondary institutions

Saint Thomas Academy appreciates the trust you place in us to prepare your son to be a leader in college and life. You expect him to pursue higher education after graduation. That’s why we require every student to apply to at least one post-secondary college or university. Each year, about 99% of our graduates go on to a college or university; the remaining 1% chose a two-year college, junior hockey, or other unique opportunities.

28 - Average five year ACT score of graduates

Our students are challenged academically and their scores on college entrance exams demonstrate their mastery of subjects. In fact, several cadets have achieved a perfect score on the ACT in recent years. While only 69% of students in Minnesota take the ACT, 100% of our students take the test at least once.

37 - Percent of non-Catholic students

Saint Thomas Academy welcomes families of all faiths and cultures and believe boys of any faith background can benefit from our teaching and practice of Catholic traditions and values. One of our four pillars, our Catholic identity helps develop your son into a selfless leader of integrity and character.

48 - percent of students receiving a financial aid grant award

Saint Thomas Academy awards more than $3 million in financial aid each year, making the cadet educational experience more accessible to families of diverse ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. 

25,000 - average hours cadets collectively devote to community service each year

Community service opportunities help your son gain empathy and a broader understanding of people and hardships they may face. Both Middle and Upper School students are encouraged to volunteer in neighborhood clean-ups, Memorial Day preparations at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery, meal packing at Feed My Starving Children, and other opportunities, as well as regular food drives, fundraisers and collections of household essentials, winter coats and additional items. As a senior, your son is required to complete 70 hours of community service, including a 40-hour senior service project during the two weeks before graduation.

25 - students in each Middle School house

Saint Thomas Academy Middle School employs a unique “house” system that helps your son acclimate to daily student life. These groups spanning 6th, 7th and 8th grades give your son a consistent cohort of classmates that ground him in the daily experience throughout his three years at the Middle School. The houses foster organic mentoring and friendships, a sense of brotherhood, applied leadership opportunities, and help your son transition more smoothly from grade school to the Middle School, and the Middle School to the Upper School.

50+ - co-curricular activities available for boys to explore and expand their interests

Saint Thomas Academy’s broad offering of co-curricular activities provide ample opportunities for your son to explore new interests or excel in something he already loves. In addition to our sports teams for both Middle and Upper School students, we offer activities including chess club, the prestigious Model UN, Quiz Bowl and Knowledge Bowl, intramural basketball, sporting clays and much more. Approximately 85% of Middle and Upper School students participate in at least one co-curricular activity.

99 - spotlight theater awards won by VISTA Productions

The highly acclaimed VISTA Productions, the combined theater program of Visitation School and Saint Thomas Academy, allows students to explore their theatrical talents, whether on the stage or behind-the-scenes. Every production highlights exceptional teamwork and talent, with the spring musicals consistently earning multiple awards from the Spotlight Musical Theater Program, a statewide educational initiative of the Hennepin Theatre Trust.  These awards cover a wide range of categories,  from Outstanding Overall Performance, Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theatre, Outstanding Individual Performance in a Lead, Supporting or Featured role, Outstanding Vocal Ensemble and a wide range of recognition for our Technical Achievements (Crew, Stage Manager, Costumer, Board Operators, Sound Design etc.).

40+ - State Athletic championships in Academy history

Saint Thomas Academy has a rich legacy of athletic accomplishment. The cadets consistently make state tournament appearances in hockey, football, basketball, soccer, alpine skiing and swimming. Regardless of the sport your son may choose to pursue, he is challenged physically and gains new skills in leadership and teamwork.  The most recent championship was won by the Cadets Baseball team in 2019.

15 - National championships, plus 1 international championship, won by the Experimental Vehicle Team in its 20-year history

The Experimental Vehicle Team has beat out many college teams on the way to winning 15 national championships and 1 international championship and setting numerous national records. Past Experimental Vehicle Teams have built a safer electric motorcycle, multiple solar vehicles, a one-person car that got more than 1,300 mpg and an electric car that traveled 50 miles on two car batteries. More importantly, the EVT has successfully sparked many students’ engineering careers in its history as a co-curricular program teaching real-life problem-solving skills.

88-acre campus

Our beautiful campus and facilities in Mendota Heights provide high-functioning spaces that allow boys to learn and grow in a safe and healthy environment. Our state-of-the-art, 6,000-square-foot Innovation Center, which opened in the fall 2017, offers the latest in technology and instruction in STEM disciplines. Vincent J. Flynn Hall, dedicated in 2013, provides health-club-caliber workout and athletic spaces, as well as impressive Fine Arts facilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Affiliations and Accreditations

Independent Schools Association
of the Central States 
Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States
Association of Military Colleges & Schools of the United States logo
Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Crest and shield logo of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
National Association of
Independent Schools
 
National Association of Independent Schools logo
Minnesota Association of
Independent Schools
Minnesota Association of Independent Schools logo
Catholic Schoo of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis