DePaul College Prep

What DePaul College Prep does

DePaul College Prep is a private, nonprofit Catholic Vincentian high school located on a 17-acre campus at 3300 N. Campbell Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 2014 as a successor to Gordon Tech High School and rooted in the 1898-1968 DePaul Academy tradition, the school serves 1,315 students in the 2025-2026 academic year drawn from 60 Chicago-area zip codes, with 34% identifying as young women and men of color and 71% identifying as Catholic. Its core offering is a college-preparatory curriculum spanning College Prep, Honors, AP, and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, supplemented by dual enrollment at DePaul University across six colleges, college counseling, the EDGE learning support program, and an extensive athletics and co-curricular program (80% of students participate).

The underlying technology stack is composed of standard educational and operational platforms: Schoology for learning management, Jamf for 1:1 iPad management, PowerSchool for admissions, FACTS (Nelnet) for tuition processing, MyMealTime for food services, and MobileServe for service-hour tracking. The school's principal differentiator is its ecosystem — the founding partnership with DePaul University (the nation's largest Catholic university, three miles from campus) and religious sponsorship by the Vincentians (Congregation of the Mission) — which underwrites dual enrollment, library access, faculty professional development, and scholarship pipelines such as the ComEd Scholars STEM program.

The business model is tuition-driven with philanthropic supplementation. Tuition for 2026-2027 is $21,150 per student ($20,600 tuition + $550 registration), with additional fees for IB, graduation, and iPad; annual, semi-annual, quarterly, and monthly payment plans are processed through FACTS with a 2% discount for full annual payment by July 15. Tuition does not cover the full cost of education; the gap is funded through the mandatory Fund for Excellence Annual Appeal, the $65 million 'One Dream, All In' capital campaign ($57 million raised as of November 2025), named endowed scholarships, outside scholarship organizations (Big Shoulders Fund, HighSight, LINK Unlimited, Horizons for Youth, Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund, HFS Chicago Scholars), and corporate/foundation partners such as ComEd. Geographically, the school serves exclusively the Chicago metropolitan area through direct enrollment (online application, entrance exam, shadow days, open houses).

Name

DePaul College Prep

Legal name

DePaul College Prep

Website

https://depaulprep.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

DePaul College Prep is a nonprofit Catholic Vincentian high school in Chicago serving 1,315 students from 60 zip codes via an IB, AP, and dual enrollment curriculum with DePaul University, generating tuition-led revenue supplemented by an active capital campaign and endowment fundraising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Catholic Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ)

Keywords

• Catholic secondary education
• College preparatory curriculum
• International Baccalaureate program
• Private high school education
• Vincentian education

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue stream from tuition charged to students. For 2026-2027, tuition is $20,600 plus a $550 registration fee, totaling $21,150 per student. Additional fees include IB program fees, graduation fees, and iPad fees. Payment plans are managed through FACTS Tuition Payment System with options for annual, semi-annual, quarterly, or monthly payments.
2. Fund for Excellence Annual Appeal: Annual fundraising campaign where all families are required to contribute to the Fund for Excellence Annual Appeal and at least one other fundraiser. This supports the gap between tuition charged and actual cost of educating each student.
3. Outside Scholarships Administered: The school facilitates outside scholarships from organizations including Big Shoulders Fund, HighSight, LINK Unlimited, Horizons for Youth, Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund, and HFS Chicago Scholars, which flow to students but pass through the school's billing system.
4. ComEd Scholars Program: ComEd funds the ComEd Scholars program for rising juniors interested in STEM, with scholarships applied to tuition at DePaul Prep and DePaul University. Currently eight DePaul Prep alumni ComEd Scholars attend DePaul University.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

DePaul College Prep is a private Catholic Vincentian high school that delivers college preparatory education to approximately 1,315 students in grades 9-12 in Chicago, Illinois. The school offers a rigorous academic curriculum spanning College Prep, Honors, AP, and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, along with dual enrollment classes at DePaul University, college planning services, athletics, performing arts, faith formation, and experiential service learning. Tuition for 2026-2027 is $21,150 per student, with scholarship and financial aid programs available.

Product overview

DePaul College Prep offers a comprehensive college preparatory educational program delivered through multiple integrated components: a rigorous academic curriculum spanning College Prep, Honors, AP, and International Baccalaureate (IB) classes; dual enrollment opportunities through a partnership with DePaul University; summer enrichment programs; specialized learning support through the EDGE Program; college planning and counseling services; and diverse co-curricular offerings including athletics and clubs. The school operates as a unified educational platform combining classroom instruction with experiential learning, faith formation, and community service, all supported by modern facilities including maker spaces, science labs, and athletic complexes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Baccalaureate (IB) Full Diploma Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% IB diploma pass rate for Class of 2026 candidates
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and minor.

• Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019The Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) are the religious sponsors of DePaul College Prep, transferring sponsorship in September 2019 from the Resurrectionists. The Vincentians also sponsor DePaul University. Students learn and serve following St. Vincent de Paul's question 'What must be done?' and engage in thousands of hours of service annually at non-profit organizations.
• DePaul UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014DePaul University is DePaul College Prep's primary academic partner - the nation's largest Catholic university located just three miles from campus. Benefits include dual enrollment classes across multiple colleges (College of Science and Health, Driehaus College of Business, College of Communication, College of Education, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, College of Computing and Digital Media), library access, faculty professional development, college readiness support, summer enrichment scholarships, and The Theatre School/School of Music ticket access. DePaul Prep was founded in 2014 with University trustees and administrators.
• Congregation of the Mission Western ProvinceflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014The Vincentians made a historic $1 million gift to DePaul College Prep's endowment in October 2025. This transformative donation supports the school's endowment and mission of providing Catholic Vincentian education.
• Quest Food ServicesminorOthersQuest Food Services provides food services and dining hall operations for DePaul College Prep. Students can add funds to their lunch accounts online through MyMealTime. Quest offers allergen information, food philosophy documentation, and local farmers and producers information.
• FACTS (Nelnet Solutions)minorOthersFACTS manages tuition payment processing and incidental billing for DePaul College Prep. All families are required to have a valid FACTS account for tuition payments. FACTS processes payments including annual, semi-annual, quarterly, and monthly options with a $30 returned payment fee.
• IHSA (Illinois High School Association)minorOthersDePaul College Prep competes in IHSA athletics. The school does not offer athletic scholarships per IHSA policies. Boys basketball won IHSA Class 4A state championships (three-peat) and finished 3rd in 2026.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• St. Ignatius College Prep: Chicago Jesuit Catholic college preparatory high school located on the Near West Side. Direct peer in geography, mission, and applicant pool — DePaul Prep even launched a 'Sunset Showdown' inaugural athletic event with St. Ignatius, evidencing head-to-head competition.
• Marist High School: Catholic Marist Brother college preparatory high school on Chicago's South Side. Direct peer in Chicago Catholic League competition, Catholic college-prep mission, and Chicago-metro recruitment market.
• Fenwick High School: Catholic Dominican college preparatory high school in Oak Park, Illinois. Direct peer competing for the same Chicago-area Catholic college-prep families, with comparable athletics programs and selective admissions.
• Brother Rice High School: Catholic Christian Brother college preparatory high school on Chicago's South Side. Direct peer in Catholic college-prep market, athletics conference (Chicago Catholic League), and student demographic profile.
• Notre Dame College Prep: Catholic Holy Cross college preparatory high school in Niles, Illinois, just north of Chicago. Direct peer competing for Catholic college-prep families across Chicago's northern suburbs.
• Loyola Academy: Jesuit Catholic college preparatory high school in Wilmette, Illinois, serving Chicago's North Shore. Direct peer in Catholic Vincentian/Jesuit mission, IB-equivalent rigor, college-prep outcomes, and Chicago-metro family market.
• Resurrection High School: Catholic college preparatory high school for young women on Chicago's North Side. Direct peer in geography, Catholic mission, and college-prep focus, with overlap in the female student-athlete pipeline.

Regional players

• Montini Catholic High School: Catholic college preparatory high school in Lombard, Illinois, serving Chicago's western suburbs. Comparable Catholic college-prep model and IB program offering, operating in a different sub-region of the Chicago metro.
• Providence Catholic High School: Catholic college preparatory high school in New Lenox, Illinois, serving Chicago's south and southwest suburbs. Comparable Catholic college-prep model and athletics programs but with limited geographic overlap with DePaul Prep's North Side catchment.

Broad incumbents

• Walter Payton College Prep: Selective-enrollment public magnet high school in downtown Chicago consistently ranked among the top high schools nationally. Competes for the same academically ambitious Chicago families but operates under Chicago Public Schools rather than as a private Catholic institution.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/depaulprep
• Facebookfacebook.com/depaulprep
• Instagraminstagram.com/depaulprep
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/depaul-college-prep

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles29 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DePaul College Prep