College Preparation & Placement

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College preparation at Morgan Park Academy begins prior to the freshman year, when students meet with academic advisors to plan a course of study for their Upper School career. This preparation is central to each student’s readiness to pursue studies beyond the Academy.

Beginning in freshman year, students and parents interact closely with our Director of College Preparation and Placement, who coordinates college preparation programming and the senior student application process.

Several pre-college entrance exams are given to students. Freshman take the EXPLORE exam in preparation for the PLAN assessment, which is given sophomore year. These exams prepare students for the ACT. Sophomore and junior students take the PSAT in preparation for the SAT and for entry in the National Merit Scholarship Competition. These nationally-normed assessments help prepare our students to be successful on college entrance exams, the ACT and SAT.

College advising becomes more focused in the students’ junior year. All juniors participate in a required College 101 course, in which students learn about the college application process. Admission selectivity factors, resume preparation, and college essay writing are several of the topics covered.

Students begin using a web-based tool called Naviance. This program provides students with a wealth of information on more than 3,500 colleges and universities. In addition, students create a personal account in Naviance through which all applications are channeled. The academy conducts workshops for parents of juniors to acclimate them to using Naviance.

Visit http://connection.naviance.com/morganparkacad to access Morgan Park Academy’s section of the Naviance site.

At the conclusion of College 101, students have completed a portfolio that includes their personal statement and resume, and a solid game plan for beginning the college application process in their senior year.

Senior students have regular individual and group meetings with the Director. Dozens of colleges and universities visit our campus to recruit our students. A Senior Parent Information Meeting is held to outline the application process. A special Financial Aid night provides additional information on aid packaging and managing the cost of college. A May 1 celebration marks the day students commit to a college of their choice.

Our 2011 graduates matriculated to 25 different colleges and universities, including Stanford University, Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, the George Washington University, Indiana University, the University of Michigan, Tulane University, Wellesley College, Howard University, the University of Illinois and the University of Iowa.