Paul VI Catholic High School

1. Paul VI Catholic High School Grow in Grace and Wisdom College Admissions Visits: What We Learned Mrs. Lonnell Battle College and Career Specialist Mrs. Eileen Hanley Assistant Principal/Admissions and Student Life Mr. Thomas Opfer Assistant Principal/Dean of Faculty 703-352-0925 ehanley@paulvi.net

2. Purpose • To learn how PVI can better prepare its students for both admission and matriculation at competitive colleges and universities to which many of our students apply • To better acquaint admission directors and admission committee members with Paul VI • To develop one-on-one relationships

3. Visits to Date •  University of Virginia • College of William and Mary • James Madison University • Villanova University • St. Joseph’s University • Georgetown University • Virginia Tech • George Mason University

4. RIGOR + GPA The Top Consideration • Defined as the difficulty of the courses taken combined with the grades received. • At the more selective schools, it is not enough to only have one or the other.

5. Virginia Tech • Honors, AP and dual enrollment courses are advisable. • For engineering and architecture, students need to take the most challenging math and science courses their high school offers. • Finishing pre-calculus in the junior year makes an applicant more competitive. • “The 4.0 at (nearby FCPS high school) may not get into VA Tech.” • GPA is not recalculated. • A GPA below 3.0 at PVI will not gain admission.

6. University of Virginia • Difficulty of courses is just as important as GPA, especially in the junior and senior years. • UVA ignores non-core classes. • Core: math, English, science, social studies, world language • Honors is not helpful if AP is offered. • AP courses are important in the core areas. • Language in the senior year matters.

7. College of William & Mary • Looking for “academic stretch” – students taking the most challenging level of courses • Wants to see academic electives • Wants to see 4 years of world language • The most competitive candidates will have taken biology, chemistry, physics and math through calculus. • SAT is important, but not as important as the combination of courses and grades.

8. Georgetown University • 80 percent of the applicants fit the university’s profile, but only 17 percent are accepted. • Georgetown is looking for a well rounded curriculum. • 57 percent of applicants with perfect SAT scores were turned down last year – the process is holistic and Georgetown seeks students with a strong work ethic. • 4 years of world language is smiled upon. • 4 years of math is expected. • What is better, an A in an honors or CP class, or a B in an AP class. Answer: An A in an AP class!

9. Georgetown University • Academic challenge is important, rigor is key, but balance is acceptable. • Each undergrad school has its own admissions committee. • GPA is not recalculated. • SAT: “not as important as the student thinks, but they are more important than students want them to be.” • Recommends 3 SAT II tests.

10. James Madison • All AP’s are helpful. • It is harmful to drop pre-calculus senior year. • Wants to see biology, chemistry and physics (especially for science majors) • Wants to see 3-5 years of world language • Uses a rubric and scoring scale to compute a score based on courses and grades • Electives are factored out. • 3 main factors: courses, grades, SAT (ACT) • 4 years of math ending with pre-calculus is fine in most cases but some majors need calculus as well.

11. St. Joseph’s University • 80 percent acceptance rate • 3.0 + 1100 SAT: merit scholarship funds • GPA and course selection – top factor, followed by SAT/ACT score and then letters of recommendation • AP not a must • 3 years science • 2 years world language • 4 years math • Provides support for students with Learning Disabilities • Honors College: SAT of 1350 and GPA of 3.75 may apply

12. Villanova University • Course selection and GPA are the top factors. • GPA is not recalculated. • Wants to see physics • Must take the most challenging courses the high school offers • AP’s are a must “for a student to confidently prove to an admission committee that they can do the work at an academically competitive college or university.” • Villanova rates the student’s combination of courses and grades. • Four years of math ending in pre-calculus is all right, but they like to see calculus for the STEM programs.

13. George Mason University • Wants to see a challenging curriculum that is balanced to allow the student to also be successful • Do not take AP’s if you are not prepared to take them.

14. The Application Essay It matters! Admissions representatives read them! It’s an opportunity to share with the school who you are beyond the statistics and facts in the application.

15. The Application Essay VA Tech • It can be helpful or hurtful. • The best essays are genuine and heartfelt. • Pet peeves – typos and misspelled words • Be careful to put the name of the school you are addressing!!! • UVa: • A bad essay can keep a student out, but a good one is not enough alone; a good one might tip the decision to acceptance in a borderline case. • William and Mary: • It is very important. • It should tell a story and strike a chord with the reader • A dark essay is a red flag. • It has to illustrate the student’s voice • One recent year, W&M flagged the top 5 percent of student essays. Of this group, 73% gained admission even though over half of them were below the average SAT score for that year. • Georgetown: • It is very important. • Get any facts you use in the essay correct. • It plays many roles: shows your writing skills; shows your ability to follow directions; allows the committee members to imagine how you would act in class; allows you to talk to the committee. • It needs an authentic voice and tone • The effort exhibited on the essay show how much the student wants to attend the school • Too brief (one paragraph) – it’s over • Make it specific to the school. • James Madison: • It is optional. • If you do it, do it well.

16. The Application Essay Villanova University • “They are a very important part of our admission review. A window into the student’s personality as we call it.” • It needs to illustrate the student’s voice. • It can make the difference for a student “on the fence.” University of Virginia • A bad essay can keep a student out, but a good one is not enough alone; a good one might tip the decision to acceptance in a borderline case.

17. The Application Essay College of William & Mary • Very important • It should tell a story and strike a chord with the reader • A dark essay is a red flag. • It has to illustrate the student’s voice • One recent year, W&M flagged the top 5 percent of student essays. Of this group, 73% gained admission even though over half of them were below the average SAT score for that year.

18. The Application Essay Georgetown University • It is very important. • Get any facts you use in the essay correct. • It plays many roles: shows your writing skills; shows your ability to follow directions; allows you to talk to the committee; gives insight to student in classroom. • It needs an authentic voice and tone. • The effort exhibited on the essay shows how much the student wants to attend the school. • Too brief (one paragraph) – it’s over • Make it specific to the school.

19. The Application Essay James Madison • Optional; if you do it, do it well. • If you have applied for a scholarship, it may be used by that committee. St. Joseph’s University • It can be a tipping factor either way. George Mason University • First to partner with YouTube for video essay

20. Extracurricular Activities Schools look for long-term involvement and leadership. Villanova University • Very service oriented • Wants “to see that a students has a dimension outside the classroom” Virginia Tech • Likes to see leadership, service, summer studies, exposure to field of study

21. Extracurricular Activities College of William and Mary • Activities that demonstrate the student’s passion Georgetown University • The list of activities should be echoed in the letters of recommendation and the essay. • Jobs as well as taking care of siblings or elderly relatives are extracurricular activities!

22. Extracurricular Activities James Madison University • Extracurricular activities figure into scholarship considerations. St. Joseph’s University • Service is highly encouraged.

23. Letter of Recommendation • Counselor’s letter – “floodlight”; very important • Teacher’s letter – “spotlight”; highlights academic abilities in that particular class • More is not better • Letters may be passed onto the other committees for scholarship consideration.

24. Upcoming Dates • College Visits to PVI – PVI Grab Bag, Naviance, Announcements, Monitors • Saturday – College Application Essay Workshop • Parents Naviance Night – September 27 (limited) • Trip to Wheeling Jesuit University, October 9-10

25. Parting Thought • Michael Walsh, Director of Admissions at JMU, wants students, parents and high schools to focus on how to better prepare students for college rather than to focus on how to get students into college. He states this will be more beneficial.