Why Regis High School Endures

Fascinating article! I was unaware of the history behind the school.

Appreciate your posting this article as I am a Regis grad (Class of '63).  (By the way, saying that "several HC alumni" are Regis grads is an understatement.  Over the years, many Regis boys have made their way up Linden Lane to start their college years.  My class sent seven or eight.)

Glad you enjoyed it, Jim. My connection to the school--My late father was class of '39. He used to invite me along to the annual golf outing fundraiser, which was usually held at a nice course (like Sleepy Hollow) in the NY metro area. Those events, along with my occasional look at the alumni magazine that arrived in his mailbox, gave me a bit of sense of the place. I have also encountered a few sharp Regis fellows in the world of finance. My dad left the school a small bequest and I continue to make a gift to the annual fund in his memory.

Speculative Fantasy: I have always thought the Regis Tuition Free model is an ideal which HC should pursue. No tuition fess for any student. Supplemental aid would be available for student housing & expenses depending on the family financials. An HC education would be available to a wider, more diverse variety of students. This would redound to the benefit educationally of all. Maybe, applications would increase and the quality of the student body might improve. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion based on merit & done the right way. I would reduce the overall enrollment accompanied by a reduction in the athletic profile of the school to reduce expenses. Athletics are a loss leader to attract attention and promote alumni giving. Of course a huge increase in the endowment & other funds would be required to successfully pull this off. Alums would need to be as dedicated & proud of a tuition free HC as they are about the school's success in sports. Obviously ain't ever gonna' happen. And, the great Regis High School endures.

Definitely a financial model I can't see being sustainable at the college level. 

Holy Cross obviously has a much larger and more highly paid faculty than Regis, not to mention subsidizing the education of 3,000 students is much more difficult than 600. College professors and admin are more expensive than HS teachers and admin. A Regis education, despite the school being considered one of the most prestigious in the country, lacks a lot of the "frills" that you would see at top private or prep counterparts. Very different from Exeter, Horace Mann or Collegiate in that sense. Not to mention, Regis HS is one building that just has to be maintained. Colleges and universities are constantly breaking ground on new buildings left and right to compete to be the most modern and stay ahead of the times. Holy Cross' groundskeeping budget might be more than Regis' total operating costs for the year. 

We also like having a football team, right? 

Totally unrelated, but Regis is also the only Catholic high school I've ever heard of that requires you to be baptized Catholic at birth to be able to apply. Not sure how they specifically define "at birth". 

A couple of years I would guess.

I think the foundress’ intention was a free education for Catholic boys so that might explain the Regis requirement. Chaminade (LI) gives explicit priority to (baptized) Catholic young men and I don’t think many non-Catholics have attended that school given their application/selection numbers.

Regis has a rather robust fund-raising and endowment effort - necessary to remain tuition-free.

Regis' endowment is apparently $125 million. At an annual distribution of 4.5 percent, this would provide $5.6 million annually for operating the school. 600 students at a nominal tuition and fees of $50,000 = $30,000,000 if students were full pays. Something doesn't quite add up. Ignatian accounting?

Regis has an enviable position among Catholic high schools & colleges. Catholic high schools whether in the Diocese of Brooklyn or the Archdiocese of NY are not in the same league. I gather Boston Latin, the oldest public hs in America rests on the highest level, too.

If the parents paid tuition it would be after-tax money. If tuition is free and parents step up with big donations they can write those donations off as tax deductions--a huge benefit for for anyone.particularly high earners and particularly in NYC

For FY 2023, the Regis annual fund took in $9.6mm, including $1.9mm from current parents, per the 2023 annual report was recently arrived in my inbox. Some 37% of alumni donate to the school.

My Jesuit high school was $400 per year. I aced the placement exam and was one of four scholarship winners-$100 a year in my case!!

Looks like tuition increases at these schools have escalated just a bit faster than inflation….,