First and foremost, I would like to bring to light that obviously everyone has a different opinion and different experiences. To see the other side of this argument, view Abby Schiano's article The Cons Of Attending Catholic School.

I grew up attending public school. Kindergarten through ninth grade I was a product of public school education. Halfway through the first semester of my tenth grade year I transferred to a small, private, Catholic high school. When I say small, I mean small. I went from having a graduating class with over five hundred people, to a class of nine. You read that correctly, nine people. Our small class sized enabled me to connect with my peers in a way that isn't common in bigger schools, and every graduating class from that school is made up of individuals who grow to become a family. At our peek, my school had a total of 43 students. To say that this was a big transition would be an understatement. Once I got over the fact that I had to leave all of my friends, I came to appreciate all of the things this school offered me that a public school could not.

While I can't say that my uniform was something I loved wearing, I can say that it definitely humbled me. Public school made me care too much about my appearance, and not enough about my education. My father would give my siblings and me money at the end of each summer to buy a back to school wardrobe. I became unappreciative of this, and, no matter how much money he gave us, I always felt it wasn't enough to "perfect" my back to school look. When I started going to St. Francis Xavier High School, all I had to worry about was a few pairs of knee-length socks, a new pair of Sperry's, and maybe I needed to get a skirt hemmed. That was it. I woke up and my only attire-related decision was whether I wanted to wear a white Polo or a green Polo, a skirt or khakis. I spent more time worried about my academics than my appearance, and my GPA reflected that.

Despite its being a Catholic school, you did not have to be Catholic to attend. In fact, I believe that a majority of our students were not Catholic. We did take a Religion course each year, but it wasn't strictly on Catholicism. Even when we discussed topics that related to the Catholic church, students were allowed to voice their opinions, regardless of whether they agreed or not. Our Religion teacher, Mr. Ray, often encouraged us to challenge him, and debates were a common occurrence. Students were required to attend Catholic mass every Friday, but were in no way forcefully pushed towards Catholicism. The only requirement was that you respect the beliefs of the school and of your peers. One of my best friends at the school was Buddhist at the time, and he certainly had beliefs that differed, and sometimes even contradicted, the beliefs of the Catholic Church. Obviously this isn't the same for every school, but, through my experience with a Catholic education, they did a tremendous job of allowing and encouraging us to be free thinkers.

I was academically and intellectually prepared for college. This school challenged me in ways I never dreamed possible. In such a small atmosphere, teachers were able to interact with students in a more personal manner. They expected more of us than any public school teacher ever did. They pushed us to do our best, because they knew when we didn't give something our all. I learned how to have an intellectual debate, and how to voice my opinion without offending someone else's. I even had a professor pull me aside within a month of being in college and commend me on my debate skills. Upon entering college, I found college-level essays easier, and frequently have friends ask me to look over their papers for them. Thanks to this school, I was able to excel in my first semester at a university.

Being an inactive member of the school was not an option. Sports were for everyone, and school spirit never ran dry. In the span of three years I played three different sports, became a mathlete, was junior class president and student body president, led the prom committee, sang in choir, became a lector at school mass, was a member of mock trial, and so much more. Let's just say my high school resume wasn't a light read. There was a place for everyone, despite our small size. Our teachers and parents worked harder than most to ensure the clubs and sports the students wanted were available. You didn't have to worry about being left out if you weren't the best at something, because everyone was included.

Lastly, through my Catholic education I became an active member of society. Going to a school that size requires everyone to take part. Students had a set amount of volunteer hours each school year, and their families did, also. Through my years at St. Francis I put together a blood drive entirely on my own, helped out at a retirement home, was a voice for the voiceless, volunteered at countless school functions, and the list goes on. I graduated with well over one hundred hours of service, and am a better person for it.

Catholic schools seem to have a bad reputation lately. Going to this school pushed me to become the best version of myself. I can honestly say that I would not have gotten into the school of my dreams had I not attended St. Francis Xavier High School, and I can't begin to express my gratitude towards the members of my high school community who helped me along the way.