By Michele Jurich
Staff Writer

When the Great Doors of the Cathedral open after the Rite of Passage Mass (see related story), the Class of 2012 from the diocesan high schools will walk onto the Cathedral Plaza and meet with representatives of more than 20 Catholic colleges and universities who are coming from as far away as Rhode Island and as near as Oakland to offer information.

Students and their parents are also invited to attend the Catholic College Fair Oct. 3, from 6 to 8 p.m., in the Conference Center at Cathedral of Christ the Light.

One of those colleges, Thomas Aquinas College, comes with a new feather in its cap.

The American Council of College Trustees and Alumni has released its second annual report on the curricular strength of American colleges and universities, and once again, Thomas Aquinas College is at the very top of the list.

At www.whatwilltheylearn.com, the council has posted its evaluations of more than 1,000 public and private colleges and universities. Thomas Aquinas College is one of only three to receive a perfect score as well as one of only 19 to receive an “A” grade.

The website rates each college on whether it requires seven core subjects: composition, literature, foreign language, U.S. government or history, economics, mathematics and natural or physical science.

Participating colleges and universities Ave Maria University Naples, Florida www.avemaria.edu Belmont Abbey College Belmont, North Carolina belmontabbeycollege.edu Benedictine College Atchison, Kansas www.benedictine.edu Catholic University of America Washington, DC www.cua.edu Christendom College Front Royal, Virginia www.christendom.edu Creighton University Omaha, Nebraska www.creighton.edu Dominican University of California San Rafael www.dominican.edu Dominican School of Philsophy & Theology Berkeley www.dspt.edu Franciscan University Steubenville, Ohio www.franciscan.edu Gonzaga University Spokane, Washington www.gonzaga.edu Holy Names University Oakland www.hnu.edu John Paul the Great University San Diego www.jpcatholic.com Notre Dame de Namur Belmont www.ndnu.edu Providence College Providence, Rhode Island www.providence.edu Saint Mary’s College of California Moraga www.stmarys-ca.edu Santa Clara University Santa Clara www.scu.edu Thomas Aquinas College Santa Paula www.thomasaquinas.edu University of Dallas Irving, Texas www.udallas.edu University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, Indiana www.nd.edu University of San Francisco San Francisco www.usfca.edu University of San Diego San Diego www.sandiego.edu Wyoming Catholic College Lander, Wyoming wyomingcatholiccollege.com Xavier University Cincinnati, Ohio www.xavier.edu

Jonathan Daly, director of admissions for the 358-student college in Ventura County, said he visits the Bay Area once or twice a year. “Definitely twice this year,” he said. About 20 percent of the students are from California; the highest concentration is from the Los Angeles area, he said, with the Oakland/San Francisco/San Jose area second.

Established in 1969, Thomas Aquinas College was originally planned to be in the Bay Area but it instead made its home in Santa Paula, in Ventura County.

The curriculum of the liberal arts college is based on the Great Books. “Our school is unique in using the Socratic Method,” Daly said. “Some have expressed that it’s a very natural way to learn. Read, ask questions, discuss.” Students engage in those discussions with other students under the guidance of a tutor.

Prospective students are welcome to visit any time class is in session, Daly said. The visitor will be greeted by a host student, and with a class schedule. “The heart of our visit is to get in the classroom,” Daly said.

Since its founding in 1863, Saint Mary’s College of California has welcomed students from the East Bay. According to the college’s statistics, three-quarters of its students are from Northern California. As the college looks to building its 650-member Class of 2016, there is much to recommend students graduating from the diocesan high schools.

“We’re looking for students who have taken vigorous college prep coursework and have excelled academically,” said Michael Beseda, vice president for enrollment. In addition to academics, the college seeks “students who have shown a commitment to activities and involvement in the community, particularly social justice issues.”

In the Catholic high schools, Beseda said, Saint Mary’s finds “the alignment of our Catholic values and scholarship.”

Beseda invites prospective students to Preview Days this fall on the Moraga Campus. On Oct. 9 and Nov. 12, the campus invites students to attend an opening liturgy, lunch, academic and student services fair, as well as attend presentations on admissions, financial aid and the programs of study. Campus tours will be available. See the admissions info at www.stmarys-ca.edu to sign up.

In addition to the admissions officers from the Catholic colleges, representatives from Newman Centers at the University of California, Berkeley, and at San Francisco State University will be at the Catholic College Fair.

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