Graduation Plans
Classical & Foundational Graduation Plans, or Part-Time status.
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Academics
Upper School
From Knowledge to Wisdom to Faithfulness
In the Upper School, students learn to examine ideas and how to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. They are encouraged to make wise choices and live faithfully.
Engaging Minds ∗ Pursuing Christ ∗ Discovering Greatness
The Classical Stages
MCA’s teaching methods implement “the Trivium.” The Trivium consists of the three liberal arts of Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric, which guide students through the learning process of gaining knowledge, reasoning carefully, and communicating their understanding well. The Trivium teaches students how to learn.
Grammar Stage
Grammar is the art of gaining the foundational knowledge of a subject: its facts, vocabulary, forms, and basic rules. Students learn to observe carefully, remember faithfully, and build the knowledge necessary for deeper understanding. Grammar is the art of accurately defining things.
Logic Stage
Logic is the art of reasoning well from what one knows. Logic builds from Grammar. Students learn to recognize relationships between two or more ideas, ask sound questions, evaluate claims and evidence, and discern truth from error. Logic is the art of making sense.
Rhetoric Stage
Rhetoric is the art of communicating what one has learned and understood clearly, persuasively, and beautifully. Rhetoric builds on Grammar and Logic. Students learn to speak, write, and present ideas in ways that are truthful, thoughtful, and fitted to their audience. Rhetoric is the art of building community around what is Good, True, and Beautiful.
At MCA, we put the Trivium to work in every subject: students first learn what is there, then wrestle honestly with what it means, and finally learn to communicate their understanding with clarity and conviction. This is old-fashioned, hard-working education where students learn how to seek truth, make sense of it, and share it well.
The Curriculum
Core Academic Areas
Great Books
Students participate in the Great Conversation of ideas as they learn to read foundational works carefully, wrestle through big questions, and discuss them thoughtfully, and how to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Students also learn to articulate their own ideas clearly and persuasively in writing.
Mathematics
Courses emphasize logical structure, precision, and disciplined problem-solving. Students learn to work carefully through difficult problems, recognize patterns and relationships, and see how mathematical order reflects the coherence of God’s created world.
History
Students study the flow of events and cultures in Western Civilization in order to understand how the past has shaped the present. They consider the choices, ideas, and consequences of history so they can live wisely and pleasing to God in their own time.
Science
Students explore the created order through laboratory work, research, and analysis, learning to approach science with both rigor and humility. They learn to observe carefully, test ideas honestly, and pursue a deeper understanding of the beauty and mystery of God’s creation.
Biblical truth is integrated throughout every subject.
Mastery of Subject Material
Most schools require 70% or more to pass a course. MCA does not follow these typical pass/fail models. MCA adheres to what is best described as a Mastery/Non-Mastery model. To attain Mastery a student must achieve no less than an 85% overall grade for each class. This seems like a high standard because it is. We expect our students to not merely get by in a subject, but to understand it. Given a fair opportunity and accountability, students generally rise or sag to the level of expectations. We desire greatness for our students.
Because some of the best learning happens by correcting mistakes, students may revise most project grades to recover points and deepen understanding. Students who go further can earn Mastery with Honor — an honors designation earned through an independent project that serves the school or community.
More than a diploma
Grades < Knowledge < Skills < Virtue < Christ-like Character
MCA recognizes that Grades matter because they provide a useful measure of a student’s academic performance, but they are not the most important aspect of education. Knowledge is more important than grades because it is what a student actually possesses and carries beyond the classroom. Skills or practical wisdom are more important still because they enable students to apply what they know.
Virtue is more important than all these things because virtue directs a student’s achievements, knowledge, and skills toward what is good. It is impossible to live the Good Life without virtue.
Christlike character is the highest aim of all because it forms the whole person to love God and serve others faithfully. Christlikeness is the standard God uses to evaluate the measure of our lives (2 Peter 1:5–8).
Dual Credit
Earn college credit through our Christian Hall International partnership.
Explore dual credit ›STEM Endorsement
Go deep in science, math, or robotics for a transcript endorsement.
See the tracks ›Senior Thesis & Orals
The public capstone of an MCA education.
Learn about the thesis ›“By the time my boys were freshmen, they were better equipped at managing themselves and their time than I was as a junior in college.”
— MCA Upper School Parent
Academic Expectations
Upper School students are expected to:
Complete independent readingEngage thoughtfully in discussionWrite with precision and depthTake increasing ownership of their workDemonstrate personal responsibility
Parental partnership remains essential. While students grow in independence, communication between tutors and parents ensures accountability and support.
Ready to learn more?
See how a student joins the Upper School, or come experience a day on campus.