St. Thomas High School

Location · Rice Military, Houston

Sources: St. Thomas, About; Admissions FAQ (Quick Facts); Affordability; "How to Afford St. Thomas High School" (Sept. 28, 2026); Faculty & Staff; Strategic Plan; Home. Accessed November 8, 2026.

St. Thomas states its mission in one line: teaching goodness, discipline and knowledge, the tradition of the Basilian Fathers, as a Catholic college preparatory high school. Its vision describes a "man of St. Thomas" as a faith-filled, lifelong learner who thinks critically, communicates effectively, serves his community and measures success by the Gospels, and the school says it seeks a socioeconomically and ethnically diverse student body. Read the full mission and vision.

What to know first. Ninth grade is the main door, and St. Thomas enrolled 218 freshmen in 2025-26. The school describes its review as holistic: it calls the ISEE "one of ten things" it considers and says it admits boys with a wide range of scores every year. Freshman applicants send middle school records, standardized scores from 6th and 7th grade, two teacher recommendations, a student statement and a resume; there is no freshman interview. Transfers into 10th through 12th grade add a family interview. Applicant numbers and acceptance rates are not published.

Key dates, 2026-27 cycle (fall 2027 entry). St. Thomas gives the ISEE on campus on Saturday, November 14, 2026 and Saturday, January 9, 2027 at 8:00 a.m. (school code 571055). Open House is Sunday, December 6, 2026. The freshman application, the first round of transfer applications, and the Blackbaud financial aid application are all due January 15, 2027, and the aid application must reach "Verified" status. Supporting documents are due January 31. Decisions are released March 5, 2027, with the enrollment reply due March 24. Transfers after January 31 are reviewed on a rolling basis until June 1.

How to prepare. Because merit scholarships for freshmen are awarded on the ISEE, the test matters for affordability as well as admission, so plan a fall sitting and keep January in reserve. Give the student statement and resume real attention; in a process with no freshman interview, they are where a boy's service, interests and character come through. Families can take a family tour, book an Eagle Shadow Visit with a current student, or attend themed events such as STEAM Night. If your family is not Catholic, know that every student takes Catholic theology, attends the five retreats and joins school liturgies, and the school says students of every faith are welcome.

Sources: St. Thomas, Prepare; Apply; Admissions FAQ; Visit; Affordability; "What ISEE Score Does Our Son Need?" (Oct. 28, 2026). Accessed November 8, 2026.

St. Thomas offers more than 40 advanced and AP courses: Advanced (honors-level) sections in 9th and 10th grade, 21 AP courses beginning in sophomore year, and 4 dual credit courses through the University of St. Thomas (Texas Government, Sacred Scripture, Philosophy and Mandarin IV). AP Seminar and AP Research are part of the menu, and in 2026 three graduates became the school's first AP Capstone Diploma recipients. Freshmen are placed by level in English, World Geography, math, biology and languages (Mandarin, French, Spanish or Latin), and placement is reviewed every year. A modified block schedule runs 7:50 a.m. to 3:10 p.m., with study hall, Communio (advisory) and a long lunch built in. Every student uses a school-provided laptop, and all 9th through 11th graders use the Ray Dass SARA program for PSAT, SAT and ACT preparation.

Grading and graduation. St. Thomas uses a 4.0 scale, weighted to 5.0 for advanced courses, and does not rank students (it reports the top 6% and 10% to certain state universities). Graduation requires 28 credits: four each of English, social studies, math, science and theology, two of world language, and credits in PE and health, fine arts, speech, technology and electives. Students complete six service experiences each year.

Source: St. Thomas, Academics; Advanced Placement; Admissions FAQ; "National Merit Semi-Finalists, Commended Scholars, AP Scholars" (Sept. 23, 2026); About; Counseling Faculty & Staff. Accessed November 8, 2026.

Brotherhood and faith. Brotherhood is the word St. Thomas uses most, and the structure behind it is deliberate. Every freshman starts at Camp Aquinas, a four-day outdoor leadership camp near Livingston. Students are sorted into eight Houses, which meet weekly in Communio for mentoring, compete in a yearly tournament and give seniors leadership roles. Five retreats are required across four years, and the faith program adds weekly Adoration, Mass, Confession and all-school liturgies. Students complete six service experiences a year. The school lists more than 65 clubs and organizations, and its sister schools (St. Agnes, Duchesne and Incarnate Word) share dances, spirit clubs, band and some athletic spaces.

Athletics. St. Thomas fields 12 varsity sports with freshman, JV and varsity teams, competes in TAPPS at the 6A Division I level and reports more than 107 state titles since 1900. About two-thirds of students play a sport, and boys may play up to three sports a year in different seasons. Facilities include a football field, baseball park, practice fields, a track, two gyms and an athletics complex with a weight room, training room and wrestling room.

Arts. Every student earns a fine arts credit. The program covers band, choir, theater and visual arts, with a Dean of Fine Arts and directors for band, choir and theater; freshmen can start in beginning band, string ensemble, choir, theatre or drawing. The school reports state and national competition in band and choir, though participation figures are not published.

Support and the school day. The Learning Enrichment Center has content specialists in math, science, world languages and writing, an executive functioning program, peer tutoring through National Honor Society members, and five accommodations for documented learning differences, including up to 50% extended time. A full-time wellness counselor offers short-term counseling and programming. Students follow a dress code (collared shirt and khakis, with blazer and tie on dress days) and are supervised from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Sources: St. Thomas, Faith; Camp Aquinas; House System; Clubs & Organizations; Athletics; Arts; Learning Enrichment Center; Wellness Counseling; Admissions FAQ. Accessed November 8, 2026.