I am a dad. That is one of the most important roles I am called to fulfill in my life. Being a father of four daughters is one of the most joyous, most difficult, most challenging parts of my life. I want my daughters to be happy, to be holy, and to thrive. At the core of my desires for my daughters are two chief hopes:

• I want them to know Jesus and put their faith and trust in Him, because outside of His sacrifice our relationship with God cannot be restored. Without a resurrected Jesus, we are without hope of true joy in this life or in the next. If I could have one thing for my girls, I would choose this.
• I want them to be well prepared for life. I want them to be fitted for God’s calling and prepared to thrive in this life. That means that they have been taught right and wrong. That also means that they know where they stand in history and how to navigate the ideas of the world in order to be a good Christian, a wise citizen, and a thriving member of a community.

In summary, I want them to be followers of Jesus and ready to follow God’s calling in the family, church, career, and civil commitments that God gives them.

If I could only have one of these, I would ask that God give them a true and abiding faith. In truth, however, I want both.

That brings me to the conclusions that we should draw from the comprehensive Good Soil Report examining the effect that a person’s school has on their various life outlooks and outcomes. The main conclusion is very simple: if you desire your child to put their faith and trust in Christ AND you want them to be prepared to thrive in college, career, and calling, then you should consider sending your children to a Classical Christian school.

(If you haven’t read our previous posts on The Good Soil Report, you can catch up on the data and read them here.)

Living and Lifelong Faith in Christ

The data shows that alumni of Classical Christian schools are most likely to have a lively, genuine faith that informs every area of their life. They are most likely to believe the Bible and to practice the Christian disciplines that lead to joy and an abiding trust in Jesus.

These commitments guide the way they live. They impact the choices that they make in their relationships. They influence the time that they spend volunteering. They prepare these young adults for a life of standing for those who are treated unjustly. A Classical Christian education prepares them to trust the Bible and to trust science rightly done. The data across the board is amazingly consistent and, if you hold these desires for your children, very encouraging.

Prepared for Calling, College, and Career

But, remember, if you are like me, you want both—lively faith in the God of the Bible and excellent preparation for calling, college, and career. The data from The Good Soil Report emphatically says that at a Classical Christian school, you can get both.

Alumni coming from ACCS schools are well prepared for college and life beyond; not only do they report feeling well prepared and earning high marks, they also end up having more influence, and they tend to display lives characterized by thriving. This is what really makes the data compelling. The two data sets below point out both of these overall characteristics:

In both data sets, we see that ACCS alumni fit the two characteristics discussed in this post. They are spiritually and practically prepared to thrive.

Common Concerns Parents May Have

“Okay,” you might say, “I really desire what Classical Christian schools offer, but I am not sure if it will work for my family or for my child.”

I understand your concerns, and I’ve talked to many families with the same misgivings. The most common reasons for this skepticism: financial concerns, starting too late, and not trusting the data.

Can We Afford It?

Financial concerns are a legitimate reason. Private education has a cost. It would be foolish and unbiblical to make a commitment without counting that cost. As a dad, I want to put my daughters in a place where faith is encouraged and where they are prepared to thrive in calling, college, and career. Those goals are worthy of a sacrifice. That doesn’t mean you’re left to fend for yourself without help in lifting the burden.

At Veritas Academy (and other Classical Christian schools) you are entering communities that are committed to helping families who have financial needs afford this education. Our teachers and administrators WANT your family to come here, no matter your ability to pay full tuition. Because of this, we have resources to help meet families financial needs so that they can attend.

I advise you to do three things, if you are concerned about affording a Classical Christian education.

First, come and take a look at the school for yourself and work to reckon the value of the education being provided.

Second, be forthright about your circumstances with the Admissions Director (At Veritas, our Admissions Team is led by Jill Trimbath. She will give you expert and thoughtful guidance to answer your questions.).

Finally, apply if you feel the school is a good fit, and see what the financial aid offer is. You are not committed to pay any tuition at Veritas until the financial aid offer brings the tuition to a level that you can afford. If we can’t make it work for you, you aren’t obligated any further.

Is It Too Late For My Child to Start?

You might say, “I wish I would have known about Classical Christian education years ago, but it is too late for my child or family to start now.”

Just know that Veritas Academy and other Classical Christian schools assist students and families every year who are worried about this challenge. We are experts in helping students get caught up and preparing them to thrive here. Sometimes this might take some work, but we want all of our students to not only learn to work hard but also to enjoy the learning and the work they’re doing. As such, you will find that each teacher and administrator are exceptional at infusing each class, each lesson, each assignment with a measure of joy and passion.

Is It Too Good to Be True?

Finally, you might be concerned that this data presented in the Good Soil Report isn’t entirely real, or that it seems too good to be true. All I would say in response is this: “Come and see.”

See the way kids are thriving and enjoying their school experience. Check out some alumni testimonials that speak to the faith and life preparedness these young adults possess. Ask parents about the fruit they see in their child’s life from a Classical Christian education. You can see some of our families’ stories in our video gallery.

If you desire that your children would be faithful believers and that they would be completely prepared for life - including their calling, college, and career - then you owe it to yourself to take a look at Classical Christian education.

I hope to see you on a tour soon!

Ready to continue your journey in exploring Classical Christian Education? Schedule your visit to Veritas to meet us in person and see how your family can thrive here with us!