All-girl Rosary High School in Aurora rebrands itself Rosary College Prep

Rosary High School in Aurora, long known for its academic rigor in preparing girls for college, has added College Prep to its name as of Tuesday, July 1.

The name change is a reflection of its continuing academic commitment, its intentionality in preparing students for higher education – and the fulfillment of its five-year strategic plan, school officials said.

“Rosary has always been a college-prep school. The name change is simply stating that more clearly,” said Vicki Danklefsen, director of philanthropy and alumni for Rosary.

The Dominican Sisters of Springfield started the school, at 901 N. Edgelawn Drive in 1962.

It had some 215 students in the last school year, Danklefsen said, coming from 32 towns in eight counties - Kane, DuPage, DeKalb, Will, Kendall, Cook, La Salle and McHenry.

Communities that draw students include Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles, Elburn, Sugar Grove, Campton Hills, Plano, Oswego, Yorkville, Plainfield, Bolingbrook and DeKalb.

“People do drive for this unique experience,” Danklefsen said.

She noted that after 93 years as an all-boys school, Marmion Academy, also a Catholic college-prep high school in Aurora, announced last year it would allow boys and girls to attend single-gender classes in the fall of 2026.

“Rosary stands along in offering a model proven to empower young women in their academic, spiritual and personal development,” Head of School Amy McMahon said in an email. “Girls at Rosary are seen, heard and challenged in every space – academic, spiritual and social. ... It’s about clarity, purpose and positioning.”

In Spring 2024, Rosary partnered with Leapfrog Marketing to guide the school through a brand evolution with Rosary stakeholders.

Adding “College Prep” to the name is significant, because it’s “a name that communicates to parents, colleges, and the wider community that Rosary’s goal is not just graduation, but college success,” McMahon wrote. “Rosary stands alone in offering a model proven to empower young women in their academic, spiritual, and personal development.”

Single-sex education allows for curriculums, leadership opportunities and a school culture specifically designed for girls’ learning styles and growth, officials said.

In a coeducational world, a girls-only Catholic environment offers focused spiritual formation in a setting that reinforces confidence, leadership, and moral decision-making.

There is less social pressure and more opportunity for leadership, as girls are more likely to take on leadership roles, speak up in class, and explore nontraditional fields – like Science Technology Engineering known as STEM – in all-girls environments, McMahon said.

Research shows that girls from single-sex schools report higher confidence, more robust critical thinking skills and stronger preparation for college-level academics, according to her email.

The name might be changed, but what will stay the same is the school’s commitment to small class sizes and its mission in Dominican values, officials said. They added that what could change is an expansion of resources and programming for college readiness and possibly a curriculum refresh to reflect college prep more clearly.

Students don’t have to be Catholic to attend, Danklefsen wrote in an email. The name change does not mean tuition will increase, officials said.