Research Bishop Guilfoyle High School Private Schools in Altoona, Pennsylvania

“My husband and I have put 3 children through BGHS, and although no school is perfect, BG is far superior to any public school that I know of in the area. I believe their academic program is very good and improving, with partnerships at two area colleges. They also offer AP courses as well. The proof is in the pudding, both of my older chldren are doing above average in college and adjusted to the work and routine fairly easily. My third child is about to embark and I am not worried about his adjustment either. They offer alot of extras by way of sports and other interests that most children should be able to find something of interest to them. The social atmosphere among students seems better than average and the faculty all are more than qualified. Parents are encouraged to become involved, but on limited levels.”

“We have had two children at Bishop Guilfoyle over the past four years. Academically, Guilfoyle has challenged them, and prepared them for college studies. In addition, both students have enjoyed varsity sports (football and soccer), chorus, and the drama club.”

“My 5th child is now a student at Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School. My previous 4 children who attended and graduated from BG have all done well in college and are well on their way to successful careers. Bishop Guilfoyle High School provided them with a solid academic base and enhanced their concern for others as well as giving them a solid moral foundation.”

“This school is excellent in academics with over 90% placement in college. The size is small which allows for great interaction between students and faculty and allows for participation in many extracurricular activities.”

“My daughter is 2007 graduate of BGHS,( and I have a daughter who is a junior there also).We are absolutely thrilled with the education and environment that BGHS offers. The sense of community is quite comforting and the quality of parents and students is superior.It is refreshing to be affiliated with a place that supports and promotes Christian morals and values for our young people. My daughter earned generous scholarships through the academics offered at BG. ( well beyond our expectations) I find BGHS to be a real value and we will be sending our 2 sons there also. I could not have provided my children a better learning environment for these critical formative years.”

“My husband and I put 3 children through Bishop Guilfoyle. All 3 were very different types of students. One needed no extra pushing, one needed alot, and one was just did as little as possible. The teachers were great, caring and worked with our student that needed it, pushed the one who needed shoved, and challenged the one who liked to work. Our kids have said that they were ready for college, they felt they had good writing skills due to their training at BG. Also, they are able to read and comprehend and all 3 attributed this to the fact that Bishop Guilfoyle has a reading program all students must participate it. Two of our 3 have graduated from college and are pursuing masters degrees. The last is still in college. The fact that it is Catholic faith based is even better!”

“Good families and committed staff. School needs to try to recapture the spirit it had when it had a priest as the principal. Hasn't been the same since.”

“I attended Bishop Guilfoyle High School and I am very lucky I did. I am in college now and my freshman admissions counselor was going to go back to B.G. to speak with students about going to my college. She asked me if there were other schools close so that she could visit several schools in one trip. I told her that there is Altoona High, Tyrone, and Bellwood. She looked at me, laughed a little bit and said 'that's ok I won't waste my time on those.' This made a huge impression on me. I already thought highly of B.G. but this floored me that they feel this way in Pittsburgh where I attend college. I feel this proves that Bishop Guilfoyle is far above any other school in the whole area. The education and experience are like no other.”

“Having sent children to both Altoona and Bishop Guilfoyle, the thing I find most distressing about BG parents is their blind generalizations without any basis in fact about AAHS. At both schools, the students get the education they decide to get, and there are good and bad students at each place. The advantage of small classes and atmosphere is ofset by the limited course offerings at BG, while the size at altoona can cause students to get lost in the shuffle, but offers a much wider variety of extracurriculars, especially in music. A decision should be based on each individual child's aptitudes, interests, and needs rather than preconceived notions. I have found more of a Christian attitude of acceptance of all students in the public schools.”

“I am a recent graduate of Bishop Guilfoyle High School, and in my opinion, the education and life skills that I learned from this institution cannot be compared to Altoona High. The small school setting allowed me to meet my entire school and really get a sense of school community, family, and pride. The teachers are dedicated individuals who get paid a very meager salary compared to other local schools. Always willing to go the extra mile, these people are the very foundation of the BGHS community. I may not have wanted to admit it at the time, but I highly respect these intelligent members of the BG family. Bishop Guilfoyle has changed my life for the better, and I for one am glad that I received my education from such fine people.”

“I am currently sending my daughter to Bishop Guilfoyle. This is her freshmen year. We are quite pleased with her education. The teachers are very helpful. This is a very safe school and I feel that there is little tolerence for inappropriate behavior, drugs, bullying, and other situations that are well tolerated in the public school systems. Bishop Guilfoyle teaches morals along with their religious studies. This is something that alot of families of public schools have lost along the way. No school is perfect. But Bishop Guilfoyle is close.”

“Sending my child to Bishop Guilfoyle was a big mistake. There is a revolving door at the school for faculty, so there is virtually no stability for the students in this regard. This is due in large part to the poor administration of the school. I am sure there are many other parents who have been displeased with the quality leadership and education at Bishop Guilfoyle. Parents would do much better to send their children to Altoona Area High School, and save the money they would have otherwise spent for tuition for college.”