Prospective students must have achieved a minimum of 75% in all grade 9 core subjects including English Language Arts, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, and Religion.

Once students have completed one year of studies, they may choose to continue in one of three programs offered in grades 11 and 12: Academic, Honours, and International Baccalaureate (IB).

[2] In addition, prospective high school students must also complete a personal reflection as a part of their application.

The school is named after John Hugh MacDonald, who was appointed Archbishop of Edmonton, Alberta in 1938.

[4] According to the school website, Archbishop MacDonald was "a visionary for social justice," who was known for his work in "eliminating discrimination" through his leadership and activism.