FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

• What kind of school is St. Lawrence Seminary High School?

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  St. Lawrence Seminary High School is a private, Catholic, seven-day residential school for young men, founded in 1860 by Capuchin Franciscans. It is a community and institution that exists to promote, foster, and live principles proclaimed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and articulated in the Roman Catholic Church. It is accredited by Cognia Global Commission.

• Does everyone who goes to St. Lawrence become a priest?

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  No. St. Lawrence is a minor seminary. As such, its mission is to provide an opportunity for young Catholic men in high school to lay a foundation on which they can build a life of ministry in the Catholic Church as laymen, deacons, brothers or priests.

  

• What’s the difference between a boarding school and public school?

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  One of the biggest reasons students and parents choose a boarding school is because they want a supportive environment for their teenager that will promote their shared family values. A public school is obliged to remain neutral and likely will not have a theme or focus as strong as that of a charter school, private school or boarding school. These often times stem from a form of religion, for example, St. Lawrence Seminary which is a Catholic high school.

• What’s the difference between a boarding school and a private day school?

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  While boarding schools and private schools may seem similar, there are a few differences between the two. Because students are on campus full-time at a boarding school, they’re able to form deeper bonds with classmates and teachers. Additionally, boarding schools by-and-large have smaller class sizes over private day schools, which allows for more individualized attention for each student.

  Learn more about the differences in our blog: 5 Differences Between Boarding School and Private Day School

• What percentage of St. Lawrence graduates go on to the seminary for college or on to religious life?

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  Most of our graduates marry and become active in ministry and as leaders in their parish. Many choose careers that impact people’s lives in a positive way.

• How many St. Lawrence students are Catholic?

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  100% of our students are active, practicing Catholics. Learn more about how St. Lawrence Seminary empowers our students through spiritual direction.

  

• What are your classrooms like?

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  Our teachers are lay, religious, men, women, priests, brothers, married and single. The student-teacher ratio is 9:1. Two teachers have a Ph.D.., two teachers have a Divinity Masters, thirteen teachers have a Master’s Degree, and thirteen have a B.A. or B.S. Degree.

• How do your students compare academically with students from other schools?

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  At St. Lawrence 100% of our students are accepted to college. 100% of St. Lawrence students take the ACT, achieving an average composite score between 23 – 24, higher than the State of Wisconsin and national averages, and compares well with other similar private schools in Wisconsin. Get more information about our academic programs.

  

• Do you offer college credit courses?

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  Several upper level courses are offered for college credit through our partnering university, which is Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. Any student who meets the strict academic requirements set down by that university and has at least a 3.2 GPA at SLS may enroll and receive college as well as high school credit for the course. Students could graduate with up to 23 credits of college coursework completed. The Dean of Studies of the seminary assists any student who wishes to partake in this dual registration process. Tuition fees are to be dealt with by the university and the parents of the student who chooses this option. These courses are highly encouraged for eligible students as they can save students time in their college coursework after leaving SLS and may help them fulfill general education requirements at college. 

• What sports are offered at St. Lawrence?

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  In the fall we offer junior varsity and varsity soccer and cross-country. In the winter there is E-Sports, junior varsity and varsity wrestling and junior varsity and varsity basketball. In the spring we have junior varsity and varsity baseball, track and tennis. Throughout the year, those who do not participate in interscholastic sports play in a wide variety of intramurals. We also compete with other schools in forensics and math competitions. Check out our full offering of sports.

  

• How diverse is the student body?

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  Our students come from all over the world and represent many social and economic backgrounds. 

  Our diverse student body is comprised of:

  • 36% Asian
  • 30% Hispanic
  • 25% Caucasian
  • 10% Other

  St. Lawrence Seminary admits students of any race, color and national origin. Helping students to appreciate other cultures, as well as assisting them in gaining the necessary skills to live in a diverse community, is a strong part of the residential living program.

  

• How many students are enrolled at St. Lawrence Seminary High School?

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  Our average enrollment is approximately 170, which allows us to keep our average class size of under 20 students and student faculty ratio of 9:1. 

• Does St. Lawrence offer financial aid?

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  Yes. There are two types of financial aid.

  The first is offered to all students. The actual cost of room and board and educating a St. Lawrence Seminary High School student for a year is approximately $53,000. However, the generosity of our benefactors allows St. Lawrence to keep the charge for tuition, room, and board at $17,300 per year.

  There is additional need-based financial aid available for students from the United States. Upon acceptance, families receive a financial aid packet which includes an application for financial aid from an independent company. This company sends the results to the St. Lawrence Business Office which then determines the amount of financial aid that can be offered. The process generally takes six to eight weeks to complete.

  

• What payment options are available?

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  Payment may be made by cash, check, credit card, or debit card. Domestic families can spread payments over one, two, four or ten installments. International families may make one or two payments a year.

• Can students have cars at St. Lawrence?

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  No. Students are not allowed to have cars on campus. We do, however, offer Drivers’ Education as a class, for both international students and those from the United States. Students have frequent opportunities to go off campus, but they either walk, ride their bikes, or the school provides transportation.

• When can I see my son? How often does he get to come home? When can I call him?

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  Sunday is family visiting day on campus. Students are allowed to sign out and leave campus, with the permission of the Rector, after Sunday morning liturgy, and can stay off campus until 7:00, when they must return for evening prayer.

  • Thanksgiving (generally six days)
  • Christmas (usually three weeks)
  • There is one “home weekends” a year.
  • The Rector may extend permission for students to leave at other times for special occasions such as family weddings or funerals.
  • Families are welcome to send “care packages.”
  • Easter Break (usually nine days)
  • Winter Break (usually nine days)

  The school publishes a list of times during which a student can normally be called to the phone; at other times messages will be taken for the students.

  In cases of emergency, callers may ask to speak with the Rector. In addition, students have the use of phones from which to place outgoing calls. Students may also have cell phones with restrictions in place. All cell phones must be registered with the Dean of Students.

How it all began…

The story of St. Lawrence Seminary High School begins on October 15, 1856 when two Swiss diocesan priests, Fr. Francis Haas and Fr. Bonaventure Frey, arrived in Mount Calvary, Wisconsin. In 1860, the Convent Latin School opened with 4 students and tuition was only $10 for the year. Fast forward a little over 150 years into the future and the school has changed a lot! Below are some fast facts about St. Lawrence Seminary High School.

The Students and Faculty

Our diverse student body is comprised of:

Our students come from 8 different countries and 16 different states:

Average Class Size

< 20 Students

Student Faculty Ratio

9:1 with 29 total faculty members

Our Faculty

13 teachers with a B.A. or B.S.
13 teachers have Master’s degrees
2 teachers have a Ph.D.
2 teachers have a Divinity Master’s

Academic and Co-Curricular Achievements

ACT Scores

• 2015 Composite: 23.20
• 2016 Composite: 23.60
• 2017 Composite: 22.70
• 2018 Composite: 23.30
• 2019 Composite: 23.80
• 2020 Composite: 23.60

Some examples of co-curricular activities:

• Art Club
• Band
• Choir
• Baseball
• Basketball
• Cooking Club
• Cross Country
• Field Trips
• Forensics
• International Club
• Math Team

• Movie Club
• National Honor Society
• Reading Club
• Student Government
• Student Publications
• Soccer
• Tennis
• Track & Field
• Venture Scouts
• Wrestling

Life on the Hill

St. Lawrence Seminary traditions are celebrated throughout the school year:

• All School Party
• Catholic Schools Week
• Christmas Celebration
• Cultural Heritage Festival
• Field Day
• Founder’s Day
• Labor Day
• Our Lady of Guadalupe
• Parents Weekend

• Spirit Week
• St. Nicholas’ Day
• Talent Night
• Thanksgiving Banquet
• The Hilltopper
• The Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi
• TET Celebration
• Winter Carnival

The Campus

Over 150 acres of land in the rolling hills of central Wisconsin

11 buildings built according to God’s plan:

• St. Anthony Hall
• St. Conrad Hall
• St. Fidelis Hall
• St. Francis Hall
• St. Joseph Hall
• St. Mary Hall

• St. Thomas Hall
• The Chapel
• The Friary
• The Laurentianum
• St. Clare Guest House