As far as Catholic colleges are concerned, education is something they take seriously. In fact, education has been at the core of the Catholic Church’s mission since time immemorial. And when you look around you, you’ll find that many of the well-established universities and colleges around the country were founded by the Church. And the common goal that unites all these education facilities is the combining an illustrious academic system with personal spiritual growth. But among those colleges, there are several differences. Hence the importance of finding the right college for your academic advancement and your career opportunities.

Georgetown University

As the oldest Catholic university in the country, Georgetown University was built in Washington D.C. by the first Catholic Bishop, John Carroll in 1789. It’s a private university with an international presence in Italy and Turkey. Almost immediately after its inception, the university became affiliated with the Society of Jesus. Despite that, the administration in the university is an independent body. It is considered the 4th best university for veterans, and it is also ranked 4th among international business schools. It is well known for its medical and law schools as well as 50 majors in different academic fields.

University of Notre Dame

Not as old as Georgetown University but still has a long history behind it. Founded in 1842 in Notre Dame, Indiana, it is affiliated with the Congregation of Holy Cross and has the Virgin Mary as its patron saint. The school identifies well with the Catholic Church with many priests from the Holy Cross working there. It also has a high number of its students identifying as Catholic which says a lot about its education and mission. Nationally speaking it ranks 26 among other schools and is the 6th best in accounting. As a Catholic, you’d be happy to know that Catholic Mass is held more than 100 times every week and you’ll have plenty of religious clubs to join there. That said, the school is not limited to Catholics with members of others faiths having a presence there.

Boston College

The Catholic Church has a long and rich history in the state of Massachusetts and Boston College reflects that tradition. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1863 and still has Jesuit affiliations to this day. It is most notable for its Finance education where it ranks 11th. With 112 Jesuits on campus involved in the day-to-day running of the university, Boston College has one of the largest Jesuit communities in the world.

Villanova University

Located in Villanova, Pennsylvania, it was built as a private university in 1842 by the Order of Saint Augustine. As such, the university is affiliated with Saint Augustine’s Academy. It prides itself on its Special Olympics programs it runs and has over one thousand athletes who compete in different competitions on the state level. In fact the student life there is much to the liking of the students that the university boasts one of the highest freshmen retention rates in the country at 95%. Both Catholic education and services are offered to the students on campus, and there’s a special program to promote the Augustinian ideals.

Santa Clara University

Established in 1851 in Santa Clara, California as a private Jesuit university, it has the distinction of being the oldest such school in California that is still open. Perhaps because of that, it is ranked second among regional schools in the West. It has many programs dedicated to understanding the role of social justice and environmental responsibility in our lives.

Choosing the right Catholic college for you can help you not just get the best education and advance your understanding of the faith, but also improve your career opportunities.