Seton Hall Preparatory School, generally called Seton Hall Prep, SHP, or "The Prep", is a Roman Catholic all boys' high school located in the suburban community of West Orange in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, operating under the supervision of the Archdiocese of Newark.Essex County Catholic High Schools, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. Accessed January 8, 2024. Founded in 1856 with an original enrollment of five boys, Seton Hall Prep was originally located on the campus of Seton Hall University, where it became commonly known as "The Prep" as a way to distinguish it from "The University." In 1985, the school moved to its present location which was, at the time, West Orange High School. Seton Hall is the oldest Catholic college preparatory school in New Jersey.Our History, Seton Hall Preparatory School. Accessed June 10, 2019.
As of the 2023–24 school year, the school had an enrollment of 981 students and 78.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.5:1.School data for Seton Hall Preparatory School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed September 1, 2025.
Seton Hall students follow a college preparatory program, with four-year requirements in the English language, mathematics, and theology. After completing a traditional core program during the first two years, students may establish a curriculum geared to their college and career plans from a wide selection of courses in science, history, language, fine arts, English and physical education. Seton Hall plans to offer college-level Advanced Placement (AP) courses in 26 areas during the 2019–20 school year.Seton Hall Preparatory School Course Catalog 2019-2020, Seton Hall Preparatory School. Accessed June 10, 2019.
"The Prep" is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary SchoolsSeton Hall Preparatory School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed February 6, 2022. and is a member of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools.Member School Directories , New Jersey Association of Independent Schools. Accessed January 8, 2024.
History Founded in 1856, Seton Hall Preparatory School is the oldest Catholic college preparatory school in New Jersey.
Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley, first Bishop of Newark and nephew of Elizabeth Ann Seton, purchased an estate in Madison, New Jersey using money donated by Catholic charities that would become the site of Seton Hall Prep. Five priests and eight laymen formed a Board of Directors to establish a Catholic preparatory school, college, and seminary. The inaugural class of five students first met on December 1, 1856.
Seton Hall President Rt. Rev. Bernard McQuaid purchased an estate in South Orange in 1857, to which the school moved in 1860 to accommodate a larger student body. The Prep would spend the next 125 years on the institution's South Orange campus.
Until 1928, the President of Seton Hall College was also the head of the Preparatory Division. At that time, Rev. D.A. Mulcahy became the high school's first director. The following year, Rev. William Bradley was named director, then principal, and ultimately the school's first headmaster in 1938.
The prep school's population grew further over the next decades, with peaks in enrollment during World War II and in the mid 1970s. The school occupied three main buildings on the university campus: Mooney Hall, Duffy Hall, and Stafford Hall. A significant portion of the student body lived on campus until the last of the boarding students graduated in the mid-1950s.
In the early and mid twentieth century Prep drew its students principally from Essex and Union counties, but as the state's transportation system expanded in the 1960s and 1970s, the school began to draw students from Morris, Bergen, Hudson, Passaic and Middlesex counties. This led to growth in the number of students attending the school — in 1975, enrollment surpassed 1,100.
In 1980, Rev. Michael E. Kelly became the first alumnus headmaster. Five years later, the Prep acquired an campus of its own in nearby West Orange.
Expansion continued to be a priority for the Prep as the 21st century arrived. In 1993, the school purchased a tract of land on nearby Prospect Avenue, overlooking the New York City skyline. Seton Hall Prep broke ground for construction of the Edward D. and Helen M. Kelly Athletic Complex (KAC) on this site in 1999. The project would span several years; the final phase of construction would not begin until 2014. In 2013, the John J. Murphy '52 Science Center was opened, adding a new wing of classrooms and science labs to the school.
In 2014, Rev. Kelly became the school's first president. Rev. Msgr. Robert Harahan was appointed headmaster in his place. In 2015, as the now-open KAC was being completed, the school celebrated its 160th anniversary.
In 2019, alum Michael Gallo, class of 1979, was appointed as the first lay headmaster.Michael Gallo '79 Begins as Headmaster, Seton Hall Preparatory School, October 17, 2019. Accessed January 9, 2023.
Prep life The Prep offers a co-curricular activities program, with numerous academic, service, performance, cultural, publication, and recreation clubs and activities. Additionally, the Prep offers 16 varsity sports, most with accompanying sub-varsity level teams. The school reports that around 70% of its students participate in athletics at some point during their time at The Prep.Teams, Seton Hall Preparatory School. Accessed June 10, 2019. The main campus, accessible to Interstate 280 and several bus and train routes, is augmented by a nearby site, the Kelly Athletic Complex (KAC), providing auxiliary athletic facilities, including a 400m all-weather track, a game field for lacrosse and soccer, and practice fields.
Demographics The students attending Seton Hall Prep hail from several New Jersey counties, and some have even lived in Staten Island and New York City during their time at the school. The Prep draws its student population from points as far as Jamesburg and Edison, to Chester and Denville, to Lyndhurst and Montville, to Pompton Plains and Kinnelon as well as Paterson and Hoboken. At the same time more than 80 students come from West Orange itself, 75 from neighboring South Orange/Maplewood and East Orange, and large contingents from close by Bloomfield, Cedar Grove, The Caldwells, Verona, Morristown, Florham Park, East Hanover, Summit, Livingston and Morris Plains.
Extracurricular activities The Prep offers many activities. Most students are involved in some after-school program. Some of these clubs are as follows. Performing Arts — Band, Brass/Wind Ensemble, C Tonians A Cappella Group, Chamber Music Club, Fall Drama, Jazz Band, Music Ministry, Spring Musical. Interscholastic Competition Clubs — Chess Club, Forensics/Debate, Math Team, Mock Trial, Model UN Team, Quiz Bowl, Robotics Team, Stock Market Club. Student Organizations — Ambassadors, Gregory Elementary School/Hazel Avenue Elementary School Tutoring Program, Kairos, Math Honor Society, National Honor Society, Peer Leadership, Chinese National Honor Society, Italian Honor Society, National Latin Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Student Council. Publishing — Pirate (School Newspaper), Spectrum (Literary Publication), Tower (Yearbook). Recreational Activity Clubs — Aerospace Club, Aquarium Society, Car Club, Cinema Club, Fishing Club, Guitar Club, Martial Arts Club, Museums Club, Ping Pong Club, SHP Eagles Club, Ski/Snowboard Club, Sports Analytics Club, Video Game Club. Science Clubs — Engineering Club, Environmental Club. Culture Clubs — Chinese Club, Gaelic Society, Italian Club, Japanese Club, Spanish Club, West Indian Organization. Service Organizations — Autism Big Brothers, Knights of Setonia, Operation Smile, Service Club, Wounded Warrior Project. Career Clubs — Future Business Leaders of America, Future Lawyers Club, Future Medical Leaders. Political Organizations — Conservative Society, Democratic Society, Free Thinkers Society. Athletic Organizations — Pirate Nation, Seton Hall Prep Network (SHPN).
In 1958–59, 1964–66, and again in 1968, the school's chess team was the New Jersey high school team champion, winning the Father Casimir J. Finley Trophy.N. J. High School Team Champions 1956 – Present, New Jersey State Chess Federation. Accessed August 13, 2013.
Several of the school's clubs are run almost entirely by students. A notable example is SHPN, a sports news and information network dedicated to the coverage of Prep athletics. Founded by four seniors in 2016,Seton Hall Prep Network, Seton Hall Preparatory School. Accessed June 10, 2019. The students involved with the club have produced highlight videos and even full-length documentary vlogs chronicling the successes and failures of the school's athletic program.
Athletics The Seton Hall Prep PiratesSeton Hall Preparatory School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 2020. compete in the Super Essex Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in the county and was established following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020. Prior to the NJSIAA's 2010 realignment, the school had competed as part of the Iron Hills Conference, which included public and private high schools in Essex, Morris and Union counties.Home Page, Iron Hills Conference, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 2, 2011. Accessed December 3, 2014. With 1,454 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Non-Public A for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 381 to 1,454 students in that grade range (equivalent to Group II for public schools).NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020. The football team competes in the Patriot Blue division of the North Jersey Super Football Conference, which includes 112 schools competing in 20 divisions, making it the nation's biggest football-only high school sports league.Cooper, Darren. "Here's what we know about the new Super Football Conference 2020 schedule", The Record, July 23, 2020. Accessed March 22, 2021. "The Super Football Conference (SFC) is a 112-team group, the largest high school football-only conference in America, and is comprised of teams from five different counties."Cooper, Darren. "NJ football: Super Football Conference revised schedules for 2020 regular season", The Record, July 23, 2020. Accessed March 22, 2021. "The Super Football Conference has 112 teams that will play across 20 divisions." The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Non-Public Group A (equivalent to Group III/IV/V for public schools) for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 738 to 1,404 students.NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
Football Seton Hall Prep's football program was its first sport that was run without influence from the university. After gaining independence following the 1907 season, the team, often referred to as "The Olympians," was disbanded and replaced by a rugby team. Football returned to the Prep in 1912 and has remained in place ever since.Football Tradition, Seton Hall Preparatory School Athletics. Accessed June 19, 2019.