After seven months of information, reflection, and review, we’re excited to send out admissions notifications to the Gatton Academy’s Class of 2012. The students invited to join the Class of 2012 consist of 61 male and 61 female students. These individuals represent 38 counties across the Commonwealth. We’re particularly excited to share the inclusion of 8 new counties with the Class of 2012. To date, the Gatton Academy has served the needs of students from 95 of Kentucky’s 120 counties.
You’ll see Corey show the map in the video. This represents the initial offers of admission. The map, which is featured below, may change based on any declinations of our offers of admission.
The geographic distribution for the Gatton Academy's Class of 2012.
Interview Day is one of the coolest days of the year at the Gatton Academy. It’s the time when the past, present, and the future come together in a really special event. What makes the day so great is that our current students take such an interest in their incoming classmates that they spend an entire Saturday getting to know our prospective candidates. In our latest video blog, three students are glad the day is here. They’re even more glad that they’re not the ones who are being interviewed. Well, interviewed for admissions, at least.
With the February 15 application deadline passed and the March 20 Interview Day looming, the Gatton Academy’s Class of 2012 is quickly beginning to take shape.
275 students began the admissions process this cycle seeking admission for the Class of 2012. In all, 125 applicants completed met all requirements at the deadline to receive consideration for selection.
Corey Alderdice, assistant director for admissions and public relations, explained that even though the pool of applicants was smaller this year, there was a substantial increase in the quality of those students completing applications.
“We have high expectations for Gatton Academy students,” Alderdice said. “Based on our experience over the last few years, we made the decision to raise the minimum ACT math score from 22 to 24. For high school sophomores, that can be a big leap. That decision was not to limit our pool but to ensure those students who applied have the tools necessary to be successful as Academy students.”
Applicants seeking interviews were reviewed based on ACT or SAT scores, responses to essay questions, grades from ninth and tenth grade, and a resume of awards and activities. 85 dynamic candidates emerged from the pool of applicants.
Students proceeding to the second phase of admission will attend Interview Weekend on Saturday, March 20, 2010. The day will include interviews, a chemistry placement exam, course scheduling, a discussion of research opportunities, and sessions for parents.
“Interview Weekend is the final opportunity for a student to convince our admissions team that the Academy is the place they should spend their final two years of high school,” Alderdice said. “It can be stressful, but if students are passionate about STEM subjects, then the interview is simply talking about the things they love the most.”
Applicants will receive final notifications regarding selection no later than April 1, 2010.
For more information, contact Corey Alderdice at (270) 745-2971.
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.
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.
I’d like to begin with a word of thanks to our applicants on two items: 1) a special thank you for your patience as we transition to the use of a new online system this year; and 2) a thank you to the individuals who provided feedback on the pieces of the application process that needed clarification. At any point, do not hesitate to send us your thoughts and ideas.
We have created a video walkthrough of the Admissions Page of the website, its associated pages, and using the Family Connection system for completing your online application for the Class of 2012. The video outlines the requirements for admission to the Gatton Academy, the materials necessary to complete the application, and the screens in Family Connection you will need to access.
As a reminder, all materials for Class of 2012 applicants are due to the Gatton Academy by February 15, 2010. Students applying for Second Semester Admission for the Class of 2011 must submit all materials no later than Monday, December 7, 2009.
Finally, we wish to invite you to attend our final Preview Weekend of the current admissions cycle on Saturday, January 30, 2010. We apologize that this is also the date for several district Governor’s Cup tournaments. No weekend is perfect for everyone. We do plan to pay particular attention to KAAC events next year in hopes of maximizing opportunities for students to visit a Preview Weekend.
As of yesterday, 200 names of students have been added to our system as current applicants. While only time will tell if each of the students meets the requirements and completes the full application, we expect there to be a great depth to our pool of applicants and a wealth of talent available from which to choose. Days like these remind us of the infinite possibilities ahead.
Best,
Corey Alderdice
Assistant Director, Admissions and Public Relations
To view the video in full-screen mode, click the expansion icon at far right on the bottom timeline.
A step-by-step review of admissions requirements, the admissions process, and accessing the Naviance Family Connection system for uploading admissions materials.
On September 26, 2009, families from across the state came to visit Gatton Academy for the first of three scheduled Preview Weekends this year. Sophomores and other students from around Kentucky who are interested in the Academy’s atypical approach to high school experienced a day that would give them more information about the Academy than a brochure could give. Students were welcomed by the staff as they learned about the program in greater detail. Next, these students and parents were able to tour Schneider Hall, students home-away-from-home at Western Kentucky University. Ending the day, current seniors and parents of students in the academy welcomed questions during the question and answer panel.
One of the major concerns for students and their parents was the issue of personal safety. Academy staff members responded that the security of students is a top priority—both physically and emotionally. As these families noted, the amount of effort taken to keep students safe is worth every bit of it. Having to scan in and out of the dorm (since the doors are locked to all unless they have a card) and special precautions if signing off campus are just a few of the safety measures here. This was one of the many perks that parents felt comfortable with, allowing their children to attend the Academy; without seeing it first hand, many parents had been skeptical.
During the question and answer panel, prospect students and parents were able to ask about other issues that affect current students and may affect them. Often times these questions deal with the distance from home, courses, the overall high school experience, and how difficult it was to adjust. The insight given from this panel helps all with decisions about the Academy.
For families who haven’t had a chance to come to a Preview Weekend, these sessions are great ways to find out if the Academy may be the right place to finish high school based on their student’s needs. For some students, this place isn’t where they are supposed to be. They may already get the chance to be challenged, or seeing what the Academy is in person may cause them to realize it isn’t the place for them. That is why it is strongly encouraged of prospect students to visit Gatton Academy, so that they can get a sense of what it is like to be here. Just like a college visit should make a student feel that you are at the right place, so should the Academy.
Academy director Tim Gott expressed the preparation students need before coming to the Academy and the adventure that is ahead during the closing of the day: “Parents, do your students have enough roots, is it time for them to fly? Students, are you ready to fly?” Yet, how do you know where to fly if you’ve not seen it yet?
Additional Preview Weekends have been scheduled for November 14, 2009, and January 30, 2010. you will be extremely welcomed. If these days do not fit into your schedules, check www.wku.edu/academy for dates of information sessions closer to students’ hometowns.
by Elaine Flynn, Academy Avatar