Providence Catholic Expands Scholarship Program For Families
Providence Catholic High School offers more than $1.5 million in scholarships, financial aid grants and family discounts each year to families. There are numerous scholarships and grants available to all prospective and current PCHS students. Some are based on financial need and others are based on academic ability according to Ed Barrett, the school’s Director of Need Based Aid and Scholarships.
“Many families do not consider Catholic high school education because they perceive it to be too expensive,” said Barrett. “What they don’t realize is that more than half of their tuition can be covered with scholarships combined with financial aid awards from both the school and outside foundations if they qualify. The goal of our scholarship and grant program is to make a Providence Catholic High School education affordable for families.” 
The top scorers on the school’s placement exam on Saturday, December 1 will qualify for Celtic Scholar and Celtic Scholar With Distinction Awards which are valued at $10,000 and $6,000 over four years. “These are our most sought-after scholarships we offer and more than 40 students qualify for these scholarships each year,” said Rachel Ellingson, Director of Student Enrollment at the school.”
Funding for scholarships is generated by the school’s endowment funds, and donations from the school’s friends and benefactors. Nearly 75% of those PCHS families who apply for aid are awarded some type of scholarship or financial aid each year. The school has 40 scholarships available for students based on leadership and financial need. The average financial aid and scholarship award is $3,506.
Funding from outside sources include the Catholic Education Foundation of the Joliet Diocese which provides 70 scholarships each year to Providence Catholic students. The Kazma Family Foundation also sponsors 20 students each year with considerable scholarship grants to attend Providence Catholic High School.
The State of Illinois implemented the Invest in Kids Act in 2017 to help provide families with funding to attend the school of their choice. Scholarships offered through this program may cover a significant amount of tuition for the next school year. Students from low-income families are eligible to receive an IL Tax Credit Scholarship. An outside Scholarship Granting Organization makes these determinations. All families can apply through Empower Illinois by going to the following website: empowerillinois.org/students/. Families will be notified of their scholarship application status by Empower Illinois.
“The benefit of attending a college prep school like Providence Catholic High School are the doors that open for you because you are a PC graduate,” according to Frank Palmasani, College Counselor at PCHS and author of “Right College, Right Price”. “Some of our students are qualifying for full tuition scholarships at top universities,” added Palmasani, “and most are getting into the school of their choice because of their preparation at PCHS.”
Providence Catholic is the area’s top college prep high school with students going on to study at top colleges and universities across the country. With 100% of its graduates going onto college, students receive personalized college counseling to help them make the right choice. The most recent graduation Class of 2018 received nearly $40 million in college scholarship offers, more than any other high school in the area. It is quite clear that there is an advantage to attending Providence Catholic, often dubbed The Providence Advantage!
Families with grade school age children are encouraged to attend the school’s Open House for more information on Sunday, November 18 between 10 AM and 2 PM. Families can tour the school’s new 21,000 square foot Brown Student Commons and learn about the school’s academic and extra-curricular offerings.
New in 2019 will be the creation of the school’s STEM Program. STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The Providence Catholic STEM Academy will provide students with self-directed and collaborative learning in those integrated fields of study and the content of all four disciplines will be interwoven. It will provide students with communication and presentation skills that are necessary today for both college and careers.
Interested families should call Mrs. Rachel Ellingson at (815) 717-3160 to schedule a school visit. The school is located at 1800 W. Lincoln Hwy. in New Lenox. For more information about PCHS, please visit www.providencecatholic.org.
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Kathleen E. Kennedy
Director of Communications