Academic Achievements


Nearly Three Decades of National Merit Excellence

For almost 30 years, Augustine Christian Academy has quietly built a culture of uncommon academic excellence through classical Christian education.

At ACA, students are taught not merely to memorize information, but to think deeply, reason clearly, communicate persuasively, and pursue truth faithfully. The results of that mission can be seen in many ways — including one of the nation’s most prestigious academic distinctions: National Merit Finalist recognition.

 

NMS

A Legacy of Achievement

28 Years of Sustained Excellence

Over the last 28 graduating classes:

  • 321 cumulative graduates
  • 21 National Merit Finalists
  • 6.5% historical finalist rate

That means approximately 1 out of every 15 ACA graduates has achieved National Merit Finalist status.

In comparison:

Entity / Region

National Merit Finalist Rate

National Average

0.43%

Greater Tulsa Area

1.27%

ACA Historical Average

6.50%

What This Means

  • ACA students have historically achieved National Merit Finalist status at:
    • 15 times the national average
    • 5 times the Tulsa-area average

This is not a one-year anomaly.
It is the result of nearly three decades of consistent academic formation.

 

The Extraordinary Class of 2026

While ACA’s long-term track record is remarkable, the Class of 2026 reached an even higher milestone.

Class of 2026 Snapshot

Region / Entity

Graduating Class Size

National Merit Finalists

Percentage of Class

National Pool

~3,500,000

~15,000

~0.43%

Greater Tulsa Area

~7,000

89

~1.27%

ACA

14

2

14.29%

A Statistical Outlier

For the Class of 2026:

  • ACA students achieved National Merit Finalist status at:
    • 33 times the national average
    • 11 times the Tulsa-area average

To graduate 2 National Merit Finalists in a class of 14 students is an elite academic accomplishment rarely seen outside highly selective magnet schools and nationally recognized preparatory academies.

Merit Finalists

Understanding National Merit Finalist Status

Each year:

  • Roughly 1.3 million students take the PSAT/NMSQT.
  • Only a small percentage advance to Semifinalist standing.
  • Approximately 15,000 students nationwide ultimately meet the academic, leadership, and character requirements necessary to become National Merit Finalists.

National Merit Finalist status is not based on classroom grades alone. Students must demonstrate:

  • Exceptional standardized test performance
  • Strong academic consistency
  • Leadership ability
  • Character and integrity
  • Endorsement from school administration

This distinction represents one of the highest levels of academic recognition available to American high school students.

 

Why ACA Performs at This Level

ACA’s success is not accidental.

The school’s classical Christian model emphasizes:

  • Rigorous academics
  • Logic and critical thinking
  • Socratic discussion
  • Advanced reading and writing
  • Deep worldview formation
  • Personal mentorship
  • Character development rooted in Scripture

Students are challenged not only to know information, but to pursue wisdom.

At ACA, intellectual excellence and Christian discipleship are not competing goals — they work together.

 

A Culture, Not a Coincidence

Many schools may experience an exceptional year.
Far fewer sustain elite performance over multiple decades.

ACA’s long-term 6.5% National Merit Finalist rate demonstrates that the school has developed:

  • A stable academic culture
  • Exceptional faculty leadership
  • Consistent preparation for high-level scholarship
  • An environment where students are encouraged to pursue excellence

The data suggests that ACA operates in a statistical tier occupied almost exclusively by:

  • Selective-enrollment public magnet schools
  • Highly competitive preparatory academies
  • Specialized academic institutions

Yet ACA accomplishes this while remaining deeply relational, Christ-centered, and intentionally community-focused.

 

More Than Test Scores

At Augustine Christian Academy, academic success is never viewed as the final goal.

The greater mission is to graduate students who:

  • Love truth
  • Think wisely
  • Lead courageously
  • Serve faithfully
  • Live for Christ

National Merit Finalists are one visible outcome of that mission — but they are not the mission itself.