Angelicum in the News!

The Liberal Arts Go Online: The Angelicum Academy brings the study of the Great Books into the 21st century.

Some of the comments from the Article:

Kelsey B: I graduated from the Great Books program two and a half years ago, and now study at a liberal arts university. Although the Great Books program is often extolled (and rightly so) for its ability to prepare students for university studies, its true virtue rests in the fact that it prepares students for more than a few years of academic work. It prepares students for life. The Great Books program finds and develops the love of wisdom in each of us, helping us to love goodness for its own sake and not an arbitrary letter on a transcript. The program ends after four years (much to our chagrin), but students emerge from it as fledgling philosophers, prepared to expand and enlarge this love of wisdom for the rest of our lives.

Scott Lorbeer, Ed.D.: We found Angelicum Academy right before our daughter’s 8th grade year. The Great Books high school program looked amazing, and we enrolled her in the 8th grade Socratic Discussion group to see how it all worked. It exceeded all of our expectations, and 4 years later she will enter her senior year with Great Books this fall. My daughter’s writing is at least as good as my college students’ A papers, and better than their B papers (and she’s only 17). Her ability to think deeply about topics and grasp their historical roots is extraordinary and a joy; it is due mainly to the fruits of this wonderful program.

Kathi B.: We have had one or more of our children enrolled in the Great Books program for the past 6 years. If you were to ask any of our high schoolers what is one of their favorite things about homeschooling, they would tell you the Great Books program. In addition to learning about the good/true/beautiful, there is also a practical aspect. Learning to think deeply and then speak these thoughts articulately & in an engaging manner so others will listen; how to look at something, so to speak, in 3-dimensions, how to truly “read a book”, & how to spot fallacy. Not to be overlooked are also the friendships formed – our eldest, now a few years out, has several good friends that she met through this program.
This program is a gem and I consider it an essential component of our children’s high school education.

A. Davis: As a recent graduate of this admirable institution, I would like express my thanks and admiration for Angelicum Academy. The “Great Books program” is quite simply the ultimate educational experience. Enthusiastic, curious students will excel in this program if offered this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Students gain confidence in communication as they are led by world-class instructors through incredibly memorable discussions over works by Homer, Kant, Shakespeare and more. Throughout middle school/high school it slowly became my favorite class and is by far the one I look back on most fondly as I enter college. I feel so blessed to have been able to participate in the program.

Maggie D.: I have been enrolled in the Great Books program for two years (and am about to begin my third and last year, as I joined late and did not participate in the Greek Year) and I have reaped so many benefits from it. I believe that I am more articulate, a better writer, a better thinker, and, of course, more well-read than I was before the Program. I recommend this program to anyone interested in obtaining a liberal arts education for their high schooler. In addition, I have heard from others that it is also an excellent preparation for going to a traditional liberal arts college.

Christina D.: I was a student in the Great Books academy all throughout high school. I can honestly say not only was it my favorite course throughout all four years, it was the course that cultivated excellence in my liberal education. Thanks to the discussions, texts, and fellow students and professors in this forum, I have been inspired to pursue what is true, good, and beautiful from the classroom to the real world.

Hunter: By reading the Great Books in high school, I was given the invaluable opportunity to whole-heartedly envelope myself in ideas and develop a love of intellectual discovery. The Great Books really allowed me to foster a different kind of knowledge, one that points to wisdom, instead of practical information. Perhaps most valuable are the active reading and analytical skills I have developed. These have enriched every aspect of my life and will continue to do so as I continue through my Senior year and on into college.