College: the notion of higher education after high-school when graduated high-school seniors typically move away from home for new life experiences. As it turns out, the process folds into a long effort all while high-school students are focusing on their current lives before moving onto the next chapter of their lives. Or, like a handful of seniors at Cathedral Catholic High School, the process ended when they were accepted early to the nation’s top universities.

For Varsity Football Senior Casey Toohill, the process came down to academic discipline and athletic dedication. Casey was accepted to Stanford University, which averages a 5.1% acceptance rate, through a football commitment process as of last November. Casey committed to the private west coast university before preparing his application, which occurred over the past summer with the help of Varsity Football Defensive Coordinator, Coach Anderson.

His GPA that exceeds the 4.0 mark, along with his love and talent for football helped Casey to “fit the athletic and academic profile of a Stanford student athlete,” Casey said. For Casey, choosing the right university for his college career revolved around “traveling around the country last summer attending various football prospect camps,” he said. Getting a feel for the Stanford coaches, campus, and other players on the team allowed Casey to decide that Stanford was not only the right choice for him, but “is the best combination of athletics and academics in the country,” he said.

Senior Erika Thoeny, who was accepted by the University of Notre Dame, is still keeping her options open as she thinks about her academic future. When Erika discovered she was accepted to the Indiana university that averages a 21.2% acceptance rate, she “was so surprised I literally ran around the house. It felt really good to know that my hard work payed off and that I have the option of attending such a wonderful university,”she said.

Erika best prepared herself for the college application process by starting early, keeping up her 4.0 GPA, participating in activities such as tennis and NHS, and showing her leadership through internships and summer programs. Notre Dame drew Erika in for “their sense of community,” she said. As Erika assess her choices, she ponders her future at college where she wants to focus on “learning academically and growing spiritually, but I want to enjoy my time at college along the way,” said Erika.

Senior Jacob Van de Grift’s freshman year in college will begin in New Haven, Connecticut at Yale University, an Ivy League university with an average 6.3% acceptance rate. For someone who has lettered in a Varsity sport eleven times, landed on Honor Roll seven times, and belongs to both the California Scholarship Federation and National Honor Society, Yale was an attainable dream that Jacob will live out next fall.

Jacob committed himself to his scholastic, faith, and athletic life, earning football titles such as All-League selections, Best Lineman, Most Valuable Athlete, Most Improved Athlete, Coach’s Award, while also completing his Eagle Scout project to earn the rank of Eagle. His family and coaches pushed him towards opportunities where Jacob strived for greatness, where he “seized those moments to get me where I am,” he said.

Jacob was drawn to dynamic of Yale, where he gave his best shot to “be a part of a community that has fostered such great world leaders, incredible talent, and phenomenal renowned educators,” he said. Jacob’s skill in balancing his academic success with his athletic success caught the attention of Yale admission, who “further notes that they do not admit just ‘athletes’ any more than ‘musicians’ or ‘chemists’ or ‘community leaders.’ Yale explains they admit people of great promise,” Jacob said.

And Jacob indeed exhibits himself as a person of great promise, and “what got me into Yale was the long hours I put in when no one else was awake. When no one was looking. The hard times I have had to endure have built my character. Creating myself into someone with an incredible work ethic. I was accepted into Yale University because of the person I am and will be, not only my accomplishments,” he said.

When Jacob closes his chapter at Cathedral and begins to write his next chapter in Connecticut, he wants to make the most of his future, and “not look ahead too far, but to live in the moment. Experience life for what it is. To understand why I am here, to find out the path God wants me to take. I am honored to be a part of a college with such storied tradition,” Jacob said.

As it turns out, our Cathedral Catholic Dons continue to push themselves to achieve greatness, not just leaving San Diego, but also leaving us with their lasting panache, truly living up to Cathedral’s mission of “an innovative community of lifelong learners grounded in the Catholic faith that prepares our graduates to live God’s call and build the Kingdom.”

Whether we’re going to be cheering on Casey at the Stanford football field from our televisions at home, or rooting for Jacob in the Ivy League’s football Game against Harvard, we will always remember where all of our talented students came from– the Home of the Dons.