At a Glance
A small, affordable Catholic seminary-prep where formation, brotherhood, and college readiness share equal weight.
Best suited for
Catholic (or Catholic-curious) families with sons who want a small, affordable, faith-centered college prep and who are open to — or actively discerning — a priestly vocation.
What stands out
- Tuition is a flat $10,000 for all four years — unusually affordable for a private NYC secondary school that awards AP credit and college credit.
- The Melchizedek Project and broader seminary program provide structured vocation discernment to the priesthood woven directly into the school day.
- A partnership with St. John’s University lets students earn up to 21 college credits before graduating, a meaningful head start on a bachelor’s degree.
- With 151 students and a 10:1 student-teacher ratio, teachers know students by name and the brotherhood culture has room to actually take root.
- A Biliteracy Program supports Spanish-English fluency, reflecting the demographics of both the school and the surrounding neighborhood.
Things to consider
- The seminary/vocation program is central to the school’s identity — families who do not want priestly discernment as a stated part of the curriculum should look elsewhere.
- All-boys only; this will not fit families seeking coeducation or a smoother coed social transition to college.
- Very small enrollment (151) means fewer elective options and athletic teams than larger Catholic or independent schools.
- Located in Queens on the M/R line — commutable from across Queens and Manhattan, but a long haul from Staten Island or the far Bronx.
- The faith framework is specifically Roman Catholic; families of other Christian traditions or no faith background should weigh the fit carefully.
Identity
An all-boys Roman Catholic secondary school whose mission combines rigorous college preparation with deliberate priestly vocation discernment, including a dedicated seminary program (the Melchizedek Project). The school was founded to form young men in faith, character, and intellect through study, prayer, and shared activities. Because it functions as both a college prep and a seminary, faith formation is not an elective here — it is the spine of the school.
Community
The student body is roughly evenly split between Hispanic (44%) and White (46%) students, with smaller Asian and Black populations around 5% each. Boys come from across the diocese and beyond, drawn by both the affordability and the school’s reputation for brotherhood. As an all-boys Catholic environment, the community skews traditional in structure but draws from a meaningfully diverse mix of families.
Neighborhood
Elmhurst is one of Queens’s most densely settled residential neighborhoods, with median household income around $68,000 and a roughly 11% poverty rate. About 30% of neighborhood adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, suggesting a mixed working- and middle-class community with strong immigrant roots. The school sits among the modest streets just off Queens Boulevard, surrounded by the small shops and restaurants the area is known for.
Three subway stops are within easy reach: Woodhaven Blvd (M, R) about 4 minutes on foot, Grand Av-Newtown (M, R) about 9 minutes, and 63 Dr-Rego Park (M, R) about 12 minutes.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Positive parent reviews highlight a close-knit community, supportive teachers, strong brotherhood, and a transformative experience; rated 3.9 out of 5 across 21 parent reviews and 4.4 out of 5 across 53 parent reviews.
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is CATHEDRAL PREP SCHOOL-SEMINARY a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for CATHEDRAL PREP SCHOOL-SEMINARY yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades 9 to 12 in Elmhurst.
- What grades does CATHEDRAL PREP SCHOOL-SEMINARY serve?
- CATHEDRAL PREP SCHOOL-SEMINARY serves grades 9 to 12.
- How do students get into CATHEDRAL PREP SCHOOL-SEMINARY?
- CATHEDRAL PREP SCHOOL-SEMINARY runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is CATHEDRAL PREP SCHOOL-SEMINARY public, charter, or private?
- CATHEDRAL PREP SCHOOL-SEMINARY is a private school.
- What neighborhood is CATHEDRAL PREP SCHOOL-SEMINARY in?
- CATHEDRAL PREP SCHOOL-SEMINARY is in Elmhurst, Queens.