r/akron • u/Longjumping_Turn_527 • 17h ago
Need an opinion about two Catholic schools.
Parents, students, alumni, or teachers familiar with Akron-area Catholic high schools — I’d appreciate some local perspectives.
If you had a choice between St. Vincent-St. Mary or Walsh Jesuit which would you choose and why?
I’m helping my son look at high-school options and trying to look beyond just the brochures and school websites. I’d especially like to hear from people with firsthand experience with one or more of these schools.
A few things I’m interested in:
Overall academics and college preparation
Scholarships and college opportunities
Student culture and whether kids generally feel welcome
Teacher and counselor support
Band, orchestra, theater, and other arts opportunities
Sports and extracurricular activities
School size and overall atmosphere
Whether you felt the tuition/private-school experience was worth it
For alumni and parents, looking back, do you think attending one of these schools actually made a meaningful difference later in life — college, career opportunities, connections, or otherwise?
And if you had the decision to make again, would you choose the same school?
I’m not trying to rank or criticize any of the schools. I’m genuinely interested in hearing different experiences — positive, negative, or somewhere in between — before we make a decision.
If you have experience with more than one of the three, I’d especially appreciate hearing how they compared.
Thank you
A concerned parent.