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Strake Jesuit College Preparatory

CatholicAll-BoysGrades 9–12Mascot: Crusaders

Sharpstown · Southwest Houston

8900 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77036Map ↗Established 1960

About this information
SchoolPodium uses information published by each school and links to original sources. Information shown as unavailable means we could not verify it from published school materials; it does not necessarily mean the school does not offer it.

$29,970

Tuition · 2026–27

9–12

Grades

1,433

Enrollment

10:1

Student–teacher

At a glance

Academic Model
STEM-Strong Jesuit College-Prep

An all-boys Jesuit college-preparatory school with a strong STEM curriculum, career-connected programs, and a house system built around service and community.

STEM Curriculum

Ranked #27 of 5,000 STEM schools nationally by Newsweek, with engineering, biomedical science and cybersecurity coursework.

Business Partnership Program

Students get summer internships and placements with local companies.

Service and Mission Trips

Grade-level Service Days for grades 9-11, plus international mission trips and pilgrimages.

House System

Eight houses, each with advisory groups of 15-20 students, faculty moderators and student captains.

Tuition & financial aid

2026–27 Tuition

$29,970

2026-27 rate

Total Required Cost

$29,970

No separate mandatory freshman fees — published tuition already includes every required fee.

TEFA (Texas Education Freedom Account)

Accepted

Required general fees — included in $29,970

Textbooks (physical + digital) · iPad + keyboard case with insurance · AP exam fees · SAT/ACT prep · Course fees (ceramics, science labs) · Academic support · Most extracurricular/athletic expenses · Lab goggles + PE uniforms · Parking

Need-based aid

~25% of students; $6.4M budget; awards $4,000–full; average $17,096; no income cap to apply; deadline Jan 15

Sources

Source last checked: Sep 25, 2026

Additional & conditional costs

Required and potential costs beyond published tuition

Application / pre-admission costs

Not included in estimated first-year cost

ISEE exam (paid to ERB)

$170
Sources

Source last checked: Sep 25, 2026

Admissions

Admissions Timeline

2027–28 cycle
  1. Jan 15, 2027

    Freshman Application Deadline

    Freshman Financial Aid Application Deadline

  2. Mar 5, 2027

    Admission Decisions Released

  3. Mar 24, 2027

    Incoming Freshman Registration Deadline

What's required

  • Entrance exam: ISEE

  • Teacher recommendations

Visits & Events

Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE)

Oct 31 & Jan 9

Student only

Open House

Dec 3, 2026 · 5:30 PM

Parent + student / Family

Crusader for a Day (Shadow Visit)

Multiple dates available

Parent + student / Family

2027–28
Sources

Source last checked: Sep 25, 2026

Academics

Advanced Coursework

29

AP Courses

15

Honors Courses

Dual Credit

Not offered

Test Prep

Included

Free Ray Dass PSAT/SAT/ACT prep; national SAT/ACT test center on campus

Academic Model & Programs

Signature program: Business Partnership Program — Students complete a supervised summer internship with a local company, coordinated by the school; placements have included Northwestern Mutual, Brand Extract, and Cogan and Partners.

Grading

4.0GPA Scale

+1.0 (AC/AP)

Class Ranking

Not Ranked

Does not rank students

Graduation Requirements

28 total credits
English4
Mathematics4
Science4
Social Studies4
Theology4
Foreign Language2
Communications/Fine Arts1
PE1
Speech/Computer App/Service2
General Electives2
Total28

Academic Notables

Newsweek: #27 of 5,000 STEM schools

Learning Support & Accommodations

Learning Resource Center

Academic Resource Center

Accommodations

Extended time • Separate / small-group testing • Preferential seating • Note-taking support

Academic Support

Academic coaching • Executive-function support

Good to know

No additional charges are required for LRC services to qualified students.

Sources

Source last checked: Sep 25, 2026

World Languages

French

French 1 • French 2 • French 3 • AC French 4 • AC French 5

Latin

Latin 1 • Latin 2 • Latin 3 • AC Latin 4

Mandarin

Mandarin 1 • Mandarin 2 • Mandarin 3 • AP Chinese Language and Culture

Corrected 2026-09-07: an AP course exists beyond Mandarin 3, per the department's own curriculum browser

Spanish

Spanish 1 • Spanish 2 • AC Spanish 2 • Spanish 3 • AC Spanish 3 • Spanish 4 • AP Spanish Language & Culture • AP Spanish Literature & Culture

Sources

Source last checked: Sep 23, 2026

College Prep

College Counseling

Dedicated counselor per grade level, weekly group + individual sessions

Naviance access from freshman year, tightly linked to the Guidance Office for admissions-data tracking · No class rank policy

Testing & Test Prep

Ray Dass SARA™ free for all students; official SAT/ACT testing center on campus

Partnership since 2019 for PSAT, SAT, and ACT prep

College Planning

Naviance from freshman year

Resume-building, scholarship/career research, and on-campus college rep visit registration · Also used to log service hours

Career Exploration & Experience

Business Partnership Program

Summer internships · Local company placements · Professional field experience

Sources

Faith & community

Catholic identity

Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

Jesuit (Society of Jesus) — "Men for Others," Ignatian formation; founded 1960

Mass & prayer

Monthly all-school Mass

Plus Eucharist at major events (Father-Son Breakfast, Baccalaureate)

Optional Daily Mass · Weekdays 7:20 AM, Chapel of St. Ignatius · 8:30 AM on late-start days

Service

Grade-level Service Days

9th-11th grade-level Service Days · Senior year individual service hours, graded and on transcripts

International Travel & Mission Trips

International mission trips and pilgrimages, including a pilgrimage to Spain retracing the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola

Mission trips open to all students, priority to seniors; a completed mission trip earns 100 service hours. Also includes a locally-held Seven Churches Pilgrimage and a domestic pilgrimage to the March for Life in Washington, D.C.

Retreats

Grade-level · Annual · Overnight

Freshmen attend an overnight retreat at the 60-acre Retreat & Leadership Center (Leona, TX). Father/​Son Retreat (soph) is 2-day/​1-night at the same center. Kairos (jr) is a 4-day retreat. Seniors choose among Brotherhood, Leadership, Ignatian Prayer (each 1 overnight) or a weekend Wilderness Retreat. The school owns and operates this property itself — eight cabins, a dining hall, the Fleming Conference Center, and a chapel — and also hosts retreats there for faculty, staff, and alumni.

Athletics

UIL — competes against public schools rather than in TAPPS

League / Classification

Lacrosse (THSLL), ice hockey (ISHL), martial arts (Alliance) outside UIL

80%

of students play a sport

17 sports offered

Varsity/interscholastic offerings

Baseball • Basketball • Cross Country • Football • Golf • Ice Hockey • Lacrosse • Martial Arts • Roundnet • Rugby • Soccer • Swimming • Tennis • Track & Field • Volleyball • Water Polo • Wrestling

Athletic Facilities

Clay Stadium (football/soccer/lacrosse/rugby/track) • Competition Gym (2,500-seat) • Fieldhouse Gym (3 basketball courts) • Competition Pool (8-lane, 25m x 25yd) • Markle Steel Baseball Field (600-seat) • Four lighted tennis courts • Lilly Auxiliary Fieldhouse + 2 practice fields • Golf Learning Center

Arts

Orchestra / Strings

Joint with St. Agnes; 20+ performances/year

Band

Instrumental music program joint with St. Agnes; performs at school functions, liturgies, sporting events & festivals; repertoire from Baroque, Classic & Romantic composers

Visual Arts

Half- and full-credit visual arts courses; Strake Jesuit Art Museum (founded 1996); Art Club

Theater / Drama

Southwell Players (40+ year tradition, named for St. Robert Southwell, S.J.) & International Thespian Society (member since 1998); Fall Play, Spring Play, Student-Directed One-Act Plays; shows year-round in the Lowman Theater; joint with St. Agnes

Choir / Vocal

Mixed Chorus (grades 9-12) meets daily 7:10-7:50am at St. Agnes; selected by audition in April; required individual jury; TPSMEA State Choir leader among TX private schools; Triple Trio (grades 10-12, audition-only, 9 vocalists) performs at Texas Renaissance Festival, credit-bearing course.

Mixed Chorus & Triple Trio, joint with St. Agnes; annual Christmas concert, spring tour, Texas Renaissance Festival

Digital / Media Arts

SJET (student television/digital media production), Filmmaking Club, Photography Club, Electronic Music Production, Podcast Club

Arts Notables

Largest string orchestra among Houston private schools

School life

Campus & Setting

Main Campus

52 acres · Southwest Houston

STEM — Agee Hall

70,200 sq. ft. STEM facility

Biology · Chemistry · Physics · Computer Science · Engineering labs

Arts & Culture

Designated City of Houston art museum

Lowman Theater (~230 seats)

Sources

Source last checked: Aug 29, 2026

Daily Life

Uniform

Collared shirt tucked in, slacks (no jeans/cargo), belt, non-athletic shoes, clean-shaven; Spirit Dress days more casual

Policy surfaced via site event pages; formal handbook not public

Community Life

Eight houses (Bellarmine, Campion, Gonzaga, Jogues, Regis, Xavier, Faber, Claver); each house has 9 advisory groups of 15-20 students led by adult advisors, a faculty House Moderator, and 4 student House Captains; House Council Executive Committee has top 4 student leaders elected across all 8 houses

Literary Magazine

Inkwell Magazine — annual student literary publication featuring short stories, poems, graphic design, photography, and art; Inkwell Creative Writing Club supports production

Sources

Source last checked: Sep 24, 2026

Freshman Transition & Success

Getting Started

Crusader Crew · 2 days

Student-led orientation covering school culture, schedules/​classrooms, technology, expectations and community

Ongoing / Success Support

4-Year Advisory

Freshman Crusader Crew small groups become students’ Advisory groups for the next four years

Peer Support

Crusader Crew Leaders

Upperclassman student leaders guide freshman small groups and help them transition to Jesuit life

Sources

Clubs & Activities

39 activities across 7 categories

Special Interest

  • Chess Club
  • Dungeons & Dragons Club
  • Gaming Club
  • Board Games Club
  • Magic: The Gathering Club
  • Paintball Club
  • Ski Club
  • Ultimate Frisbee Club
  • Esports

Service

  • Best Buddies
  • Crusaders Against Homelessness
  • Crusaders Helping Children
  • Food Rescue Initiative
  • Key Club
  • Labre Club
  • SJ Crusaders for Operation Smile
  • Students Helping Immigrants

Cultural & Affinity

  • Asian Culture Club
  • Black Student Union
  • Caribbean Club
  • Hispanic Student Union
  • Indian Student Association
  • Italian Culture Club
  • Russian Culture Club

Academic

  • Quiz Bowl
  • Math Club
  • Accounting Club
  • Astronomy/Astrophotography Club
  • Science Club
  • Technology Student Association

STEM / Robotics

  • Spectrum 3847 (FIRST Robotics Competition, joint team with St. Agnes Academy)
  • Aerospace Club
  • Cybersecurity Club
  • AI Development Club

Faith & Ministry

  • Bible Study
  • Frassati Society
  • Rosary Club
  • SJ Young Theologians

Debate & Speech

  • Debate Team (Lincoln-Douglas & Public Forum)
Sources
Commute from home

About our dataInformation comes from official school sources. Availability reflects what we could verify from published materials.