Mt. St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg, MD is an excellent school. In fact, their former Dean was a classmate of mine. He was an excellent theologian.
As to whether one can go to the seminary of his choice, that’s another topic altogether.
Generally the rule is simple. If you are going to be a secular priest (also known as Diocesan) your Bishop has contracts with specific seminaries, especially if his diocese does not have a seminary or he may have a contract with a specific Catholic univesity and maintain a residence for his seminarians within a reasonable distance of such a univesity. You rarely get to pick the seminary. You can pick the diocese that you want to join.
If you want to be a religious and a priest, also called religious priests, the rules are slightly different. Some religious communities are clerical institutes. This means that they are communities of priests, such as Vincentians. It is generally understood that those religious will eventually be ordained once they have completed their studies and receive permission from their superiors.
But if you select a community whose focus is on its charism: Capuchins, Trappists, Marianists or any of the three branches of the Franciscans, and several other orders, there is no guarrantee that you will be allowed to be a priest. The first five to eight years of formation focuss on becoming a religious. During this time, the young religioius who apply for the priesthood must first prove that they are qualified to be religious. Until they make final vows they may not be ordained. Even after they make final vows, the major superior with his council may deny ordination on any number of grounds. In which case, you are a vowed member of the community for life, but not a priest. You are bound by canon law and the Constitutions of the community to live and work where the community assigns you.
In any case, religious orders and congregations select the colleges and universities where they train their priests. The religious must attend those seminaries approved by the major religious superior and his council.
As you can see, if you’re going to be a priest, you have to decide whether you want to be a secular priest or religious. Then you go where the Bishop or your major superior sends you.
You should first select a diocese or religious community. They will tell you where you can study. You can request a specific seminary, but there is no guarantee that you’ll get your request. In fact, religious communities insist that you live in a religious house of their own. You can only attend a seminary that is accessible to the religious house.
