paul vi catholic high school grow in grace and wisdom 11/8/2013 pantherspanthers paul vi catholic...

PAUL VI CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

Grow in Grace and Wisdom

04/10/23http://www.paulvi.net

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Paul VI Catholic High School

Mrs. Lonnell BattleCollege and Career Specialist

Mrs. Eileen HanleyAssistant Principal/Admissions and Student Life

Mr. Thomas OpferAssistant Principal/Dean of Faculty


College Admissions Visits:

What We Learned

[email protected]




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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

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Visits to Date

University of VirginiaCollege of William and MaryJames Madison UniversityVillanova UniversitySt. Joseph’s University Georgetown UniversityVirginia TechGeorge Mason University

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RIGOR + GPA

The Top ConsiderationDefined 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.9




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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.10




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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The Application EssayVA Tech

It can be helpful or hurtful.The best essays are genuine and heartfelt.Pet peeves – typos and misspelled wordsBe 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 readerA dark essay is a red flag.It has to illustrate the student’s voiceOne 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 toneThe effort exhibited on the essay show how much the student wants to attend the schoolToo brief (one paragraph) – it’s overMake it specific to the school. James Madison:It is optional.If you do it, do it well.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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James MadisonOptional; if you do it, do it well.If you have applied for a scholarship, it may

be used by that committee.

St. Joseph’s UniversityIt can be a tipping factor either way.

George Mason UniversityFirst to partner with YouTube for video essay

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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

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College of William and Mary Activities that demonstrate the student’s passion

Georgetown UniversityThe 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!

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James Madison University Extracurricular activities figure into

scholarship considerations.

St. Joseph’s UniversityService is highly encouraged.

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Letter of Recommendation Counselor’s letter – “floodlight”; very

importantTeacher’s letter – “spotlight”; highlights

academic abilities in that particular classMore is not betterLetters may be passed onto the other

committees for scholarship consideration.

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Upcoming Dates College Visits to PVI – PVI Grab Bag,

Naviance, Announcements, MonitorsSaturday – College Application Essay

WorkshopParents Naviance Night – September 27

(limited)Trip to Wheeling Jesuit University, October 9-

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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.

paul vi catholic high school grow in grace and wisdom 11/8/2013 pantherspanthers paul vi catholic...

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