Why AQ

Academics are always a top priority at Aquinas, with typically 98% of our graduates going on to college. However, our ultimate vision for our students is to prepare them academically, socially, and spiritually for the rest of their lives. Our mission is to teach all students goodness, discipline, and knowledge, supported through gospel values, within a comprehensive curricular and co-curricular program that will prepare them to be responsible and caring citizens.

Our faculty does an amazing job of challenging our students to be successful. From the moment a student applies to Aquinas, we take great care to ensure that he or she is placed in the proper classes that suit his or her academic ability. If a student is of higher academic ability, we can challenge him or her with honors placement, dual credit college courses and our outstanding Advanced Placement program. If a student has academic difficulties in certain areas, we have in place the necessary assistance to help that student succeed. This unique academic environment allows Aquinas to make average students good, good students great, and great students extraordinary!

At Aquinas, we believe that every person, as a child of God, deserves respect. We should treat others as we want to be treated. These guiding principles play a major role in the character development of all students in all aspects of life at Aquinas. These principles are also present when students step outside of the walls of Aquinas, as all students take part in our community service program. Our students possess numerous gifts and talents and understand it is important to share these gifts and talents compassionately with our community.

Aquinas draws students from throughout Rochester and Monroe County as our student body represents 22 different school districts. The young men and women of Aquinas form a rich tapestry of varying backgrounds, faiths, and interests. With our international student program growing to more than 20 students from countries all around the world, education at Aquinas is truly a global experience!

Thanks to the generosity of many of our 20,000 graduates, Aquinas has been able to invest over $20 million into our facility in recent years. The resources and facilities at Aquinas enhance the educational experience for our students and offer a unique combination of state-of-the-art technology in a traditional and historical setting. Outside of the classroom, our students are offered endless opportunities. From our fine arts center to our field house to our student union, the facilities on our campus are unmatched in New York State.

The Aquinas Institute is a vibrant, spirited community where relationships are built upon trust, respect, and faith. The caring relationships at Aquinas, and the active network of supportive parents, alumni, faculty, and friends ensures the strong sense of community that we cherish, and forges lifelong bonds between members of the Aquinas family.