The Academy Experience

St. Pius X - St. Matthias Academy, by the promise of the name "academy", offers a higher standard of education than your average high school. As an academy, our vision is to deliver a Catholic University experience for teenagers. Our call is to guide every student towards realizing their purpose: where their talents meet the world's needs.

We do this by creating an educational environment where students recognize their significance in our school community, are encouraged and supported to seize opportunities to grow and lead, emerging as empowered, faith inspired and contributing citizens of their community and the world. We are known for visionary leadership; innovative and passionate educators; inspired, tenacious and optimistic students; supportive families and an engaged community.

Students are supported in all aspects of their lives - in their academics, extracurriculars, athletics, and most importantly, in their spiritual life. A PMA Warrior leaves our community with the qualities of Pride, Virtue, and Purpose. Graduates are accepted to, and succeed at schools such as Stanford, Cornell, USC, UCLA, UC Berkeley, Brown, Boston College, and many more.

Early College Program

One of the many ways PMA will create a Catholic University Experience for high school students is by offering the opportunity for students to earn college credits through The Early College Program. This program is a partnership between St. Pius X - St. Matthias Academy and Cerritos Community College. PMA students will have the opportunity to take Cerritos College courses that meet high school graduation requirements and earn college credit at the same time. 

Each year we will accept a cohort of 30 students to participate in this The Early College Program. Students who enroll will be placed in a cohort, meaning a dedicated learning community where participants support one another in achieving academic success. Through this program, students may earn up to 44.5 college units during their four-year high school career and meet the general education requirements to transfer to a four-year university. They'll have the potential to earn up to 60 total units in order to simultaneously be awarded an associates degree upon PMA high school graduation.

Admissions Criteria

Our Early College Program will officially be launching in the Fall of 2022. Each year we will accept a cohort of 30 students to participate in this program. For the 2026 Early College Cohort we are looking for students with:

• History of academic success
• 3.5 GPA
• Standardized testing history of 70 percentile or above
• Strong habits of scholarship, commitment, and citizenship

Benefits of the Early College Program

• University Block Schedule
  • The unique block schedule we will adopt in the 2022-3023 school year will allow for the integration of academics and co-curricular activities. Warriors will have a meaningful learning experience and a manageable balance. A sample schedule is provided on the next page.
• Diverse selection of classes
  • Through partnerships with colleges and universities, college-preparatory electives are accessible, allowing for students to choose a major and career path.
• Cost Savings
  • Dual enrollment allows college credit to be transferred, saving a substantial amount on higher education.

How will Cerritos College courses be different from standard high school courses? 

College courses are more rigorous than high school college prep courses.

College professors have higher expectations for students.

College courses will require more time outside of class to obtain success.

How will students enrolled in the Early College program be supported? 

The cohort will be assigned an academic counselor that will monitor their progress and offer support as needed throughout the program. They will also be provided weekly academic support and time during the school day to dedicate to their studies