Mondays with Mike: Calling, College Decisions, and Faithful Next Steps
A Conversation with Director of Calling, College, and Careers, Nate Hasty.
Dear PCA Community,
As college decisions begin to arrive for the Class of 2026, I want to share a recent Mondays with Mike conversation with our Director of Calling, College, and Careers, Nate Hasty.
This episode is not only for families with seniors. It is for all PCA families—those in Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School—because it speaks to how we think about formation, readiness, calling, and next steps over time.
We address a question many parents carry quietly: Are our children being prepared well—and do the outcomes of a PCA education stand up to real scrutiny? We speak honestly about what we track, what we see, and why calling—not prestige—guides our work.
This is a new topic for our school podcast. My hope is that this conversation reassures you: PCA takes preparation seriously, speaks honestly with students and families, and remains grounded in calling rather than comparison.
If you have questions about your child’s next steps—now or in the years ahead—we are grateful to walk alongside you.
Together with you in Christ,
Mike Runey
Head of School
Portsmouth Christian Academy
Key Takeaways
- Calling comes first. Our guidance process centers on discerning who a student is becoming and where God may be calling them next—not simply where they can gain admission.
- Outcomes matter—and we track them carefully. 90% of recent graduates (classes of 2023-2025) enrolled in two- or four-year programs, across a wide range of institutions. When studied over time, acceptances slightly outperform what we would expect based on academic readiness alone.
- Readiness and fit guide wise next steps. For some students, that means selective colleges; for others, different pathways that better align with growth, cost, faith, or timing. All are called to go as Christ-centered graduates and impact the world for good.
- Younger years matter deeply. In Lower and Middle School, the focus is not on college preparation but on forming habits of effort, curiosity, responsibility, and faithfulness that make later discernment possible.
- Challenge is real and intentional. When students demonstrate readiness, we stretch them through honors, advanced coursework, and individualized planning—while keeping them grounded in their class community. And they rise to the challenge!
Episode Timestamps
0:00–2:00 — Framing the conversation: calling over outcomes
2:00–5:00 — How PCA approaches guidance and discernment
5:00–8:30 — Standards, readiness, and honest conversations
8:30–10:30 — What outcomes tell us (and what they do not)
10:30–13:00 — Alumni insight and preparation for next steps
13:00–15:30 — Younger students, formation, and habits that matter
15:30–18:00 — Stretch, opportunity, and a faithful closing prayer
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