Gatton Academy to Host Final Preview Weekend for Class of 2012 on Saturday, January 30

The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky will host a Preview Weekend at Western Kentucky University on Saturday, January 30, 2010, for prospective students, their parents, and educators.

Events will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (CDT) at Schneider Hall on the WKU campus. Families will meet in the lobby of Grise Hall beginning at 9:30 a.m.  Sessions will begin at 10 a.m. Activities for the day will also include campus and hall tours as well as parent and students question-and-answer panels.

Preview Weekends present a unique opportunity for prospective applicants and their families to meet with current Academy students and their parents, visit Schneider Hall, and gain a better understanding of student life at the Gatton Academy.  Topics will include the role of the ACT and SAT in the admissions process, suggested courses for sophomore year, qualities of a strong applicant, student expectations, and college options upon graduation.

Parking will be available in the lot behind Schneider Hall and Parking Structure 1, which are both accessible from College Heights Blvd. For a WKU campus map, please visit http://www.wku.edu/Tour/campusmap.html.

Students are kindly asked RSVP for the preview event online at http://gattonacademy.eventbrite.com no later than Thursday before the event.

The Gatton Academy, a residential program for 120 high school juniors and seniors from Kentucky who have demonstrated talent and interest in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, is in its third year of operation. To date, students from 87 counties across the Commonwealth have been selected to attend the prestigious program. Students apply during their sophomore year through a competitive admissions process.

In 2009, Newsweek magazine named the Gatton Academy as one of 16 “Public Elite” American high schools.

The goal of the Gatton Academy is to enable Kentucky’s exceptional young scientists and mathematicians to learn in an environment which offers advanced educational opportunities, preparing them for leadership roles in Kentucky that will lead to economic growth. Instead of spending their junior and senior years in traditional high schools, Gatton Academy students take courses offered by WKU. At the end of two years, student earn over 60 hours of college credit in addition to completing high school.

Students live and learn with peers who share their enthusiasm and interest in learning. Room, board and tuition are funded by the Commonwealth. Kentucky is the 14th state to offer a residential program with a focus on math and science supported by the state.

Additional information is available online at www.wku.edu/academy.  For more information, contact Corey Alderdice at (270) 745-2971.

Admissions, Class of 2012, January 2010, preview weekend