<p>I have been evaluating Catholic prep schools, and want to know if anyone on CC has heard of this school and, if so, what is it's reputation.</p>
<p>wow, St. John's...I know quite a few people that go there. It's hard not to think of athletics when you hear about SJP because the school is well known for producing some of the best teams and players in Massachusetts. The campus is fairly nice, mostly brick buildings. The head of their school is a dynamic man, who could go on all day about "The Prep Experience", or the long lasting effect of an SJP education. Most of my friends that ended up going there were all above average students in their hometown public school system; not the top students, but well-rounded, bright kids.<br>
Along with athletics, the school has a well-known drama program. The majority of kids that go to "The Prep" come from the Northshore of Mass., including towns such as Danvers, Peabody and Salem.</p>
<p>BigBlue, thanks for your response. Interesting. What is St. John's academic reputation and social prestige reputation vis a vis other Catholic prep schools? For instance, Canterbury, Portsmouth Abbey, St. Sebastien's, Boston College High School, and/or Xaverian high school. Also, how well does it do for elite college matriculations? Thanks.</p>
<p>Pinderhughes/others, Can anyone comment of Portsmouth Abbey with regard to academics, social, athletics?</p>
<p>Portsmouth Abbey is an excellent school. The campus is about 500 acres, and it borders the Narragansett Bay. It's mostly boarding, but it does have a day school contingent. Of course, it's Catholic, the religious order that founded and largely run the school escapes at the moment.</p>
<p>Socially, it appeals to upper middle class to upper class Catholics. I believe the son of the conservative columnist William F. Buckly went there, as an example.</p>
<p>Athletically, it plays but public and private schools. It's rival, principally because of proximity, is St. George's School in Middletown, RI, an upper class WASP kind of school with graduates such as Tucker Carlson and Howard Dean.</p>
<p>That's all I can think of right now.</p>
<p>Pinderhughes, thanks for the information on PAbbey. Interestingly, in my research, the founder of St.George's School also founded Pabbey. Apparently he converted from Episcopalian, to Catholic. I believe they are Benedictine.</p>