Why OC?

Oakland Catholic High School offers a rigorous academic program that incorporates critical thinking skills across the humanities, arts, and sciences via three levels of courses--college-preparatory, college-equivalency and advanced placement.

At Oakland Catholic, every leadership position, every valedictorian, every captain of every sports team, every project leader, and every student who feels a call to leadership, is a young woman. This fundamental message that leadership is not reserved for a select group, and that each student is expected to lead, builds confidence and pushes students to develop the competence and skill required to become strong, globally-minded, and compassionate leaders.

Spirituality, Scholarship, and Service serve as the foundation of the competencies developed, and the ultimate outcome of the educational experience provided to students. A sense of inclusiveness and compassion permeates the school culture with these three pillars interwoven into each lesson learned inside and outside the classroom.

Oakland Catholic High School has developed programs and lessons that go beyond global awareness with the objective of developing global competence in all students. Global consciousness is paired with meaningful engagement with the broader community through cross-curricular educational experiences, guest speakers, university and city resources near our campus, and GCI, the Global Competence Initiative certificate program that is open to ALL students. Students from different regions and different parts of the world come together at Oakland Catholic High School to share perspectives, increase knowledge, and become friends.

Oakland Catholic encourages students to join one of 16 different sports teams. Participating in sports not only provides a way to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle, but also provides benefits to the individual's emotional well-being by building self-esteem, confidence, and closer connections with classmates and the school community. Oakland Catholic serves up an impressive variety of sports that balance competition, skill-building, and teamwork.

At Oakland Catholic High School, creative expression complements academic rigor. One is not exclusive of the other. Through visual arts or musical performance, students actively engage in the process of critical thinking, personal interaction, and confidence-building activities while honing their creative skills and abilities.

Located in the cultural, educational, technological, and medical hub of the city, Oakland Catholic High School is proud to call the dynamic urban landscape of the Oakland neighborhood its campus and its home. Students are within walking distance of attending lectures on Carnegie Mellon University's campus, studying with classmates at the main branch of the Carnegie Library, or attending a chemistry lab on the University of Pittsburgh's campus.

An all girls' educational environment isn't about the absence of boys, but rather the presence and value of girls, and the importance of their development at this crucial age when they discover their gifts, talents, and aspirations. At Oakland Catholic High School, we believe that the best way to fully develop academic excellence, leadership potential, ethical decision-making, and spiritual growth in young women is to create an atmosphere that caters to their specific goals, needs, and learning styles. A member school of the National Coalition of Girls' Schools, Oakland Catholic draws on the extensive body of research and resources available that supports the value of single-gender education at the high school level.

Oakland Catholic High School provides students with numerous opportunities to support and broaden their educational process, as well as their individual interests and goals. With over 40 clubs, activities, and programs, in addition to the various athletic teams, there is truly something for everyone!