Profile
Mount Saint Joseph Academy
History and Tradition:
Established in Chestnut Hill in 1858 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph, Mount Saint Joseph Academy is a private, selective day school for young women in grades 9 through 12, offering a college preparatory education in the Catholic tradition and context. The Mount is dually accredited by the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS) and Middle States Association of College and Secondary Schools and approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
SAT Results 2014 (Mean)
SAT: MSJA v.s. National and PA Overall
Campus: Mount Saint Joseph Academy is situated on 78 acres in Springfield
2400
Township, Montgomery County. The picturesque campus lies just outside Chestnut Hill, a historic, culturally-rich, urban village within Philadelphia. The location is readily accessible to Center City and the surrounding five counties, as evidenced by our student body who commute daily from 27 school districts in the Delaware Valley.
2000
1500
Admission: Admission is through a competitive examination. Approximately
MSJA National PA
1000
50% of those who apply for Grade 9 are accepted each year. Scholarships for academic achievement, service, and the arts are available. All are based upon merit. Grants are offered to those who qualify for financial aid and meet the requirements of the specific grant. Financial aid is also available for those who qualify.
500
0 MSJA
Critical Reading 609
National PA
Students:
Enrollment for the 2014-2015 academic year is 553 students; the current student-teacher ratio stands at 10 to 1, and the average class size is 20 students.
Faculty: The faculty at the Mount is composed of both Sisters of Saint Joseph
Math
Writing
Total
587
622
1818
497
513
487
1497
497
504
480
1481
and lay teachers. The majority of faculty members (over 84%) hold advanced degrees.
Administration:
President: Principal: Dean of Studies: Dean of Student Affairs:
Guidance:
S. Kathleen Brabson, SSJ, MA Dr. Judith A. Caviston, EdD Mr. William J. Rooney, M.Ed. Mrs. Connie D’Angelo, MA
TOP 25 PERCENT SAT: MSJA v.s. National and PA Overall 2400 2400 2000
Director of Guidance: School Counselor: School Counselor:
Mrs. Amy Balcer, MS Lisa Boyle, MS Marybeth Competelli, MA
National Merit Scholarship Program
1500
500 0
Class of 2015 4 Semi-Finalists (status until Spring 2015) 16 Commended Students Class of 2014 9 Finalists 18 Commended Students
MSJA National PA
1000
MSJA
Critical Reading 670
National PA
Math
Writing
Total
640
680
1990
570
600
560
1730
570
580
550
1700
120 West Wissahickon Avenue, Flourtown, PA 19031 • 215-233-9133 • admiss@msjacad.org • www.msjacad.org
Graduation Requirements English (4 Years) Physical Education (4 Years) Theology (4 Years) Mathematics (3 Credits) Science (3 Lab Sciences) Social Studies (3 Credits) Foreign Language (3 Consecutive Years/ Same Language) Fine Arts (1 Credit) Computer Literacy (.5 Credit) Health Education (.5 Credit)
Advanced Placement Programs
Art History Biology (2 Credits) Calculus AB Calculus BC English Literature & Composition European History French Language Latin Literature Music Theory Physics C: Mechanics Psychology Spanish Language Statistics Studio Art U.S. Government & Politics United States History
Honors Courses Advanced Drawing & Painting Algebra I Algebra II American Literature Biology British Literature Chemistry I, II Colonial History Concepts of Physics Europe: 19th & 20th Centuries Film II: Films of the 50’s & 60’s Geometry Government Policy & Economics Independent Art Introduction to Writing and Literature Language III, IV Multimedia Technology Music Theory Physics Physiology Pre-Calculus U.S. History from 1877 Women as Founders World History
Class Rank
M
ount Saint Joseph Academy does not rank its students. This decision was derived from a philosophy which encourages care for the individual. As the Mount has a selective student body and a rigorous college preparatory program, class rank is not an accurate measurement of individual achievement. Further, class rank can also be misleading in determining a student’s ability to successfully complete college work.
Course Weighting
Courses are weighted according to the degree of challenge presented to students. Major courses are classified as Advanced Placement, Honors/Accelerated, or College Preparatory. An overview of these course types are as follows:
Advanced Placement Courses • AP courses are offered to grades 10, 11, and 12 • AP Test is mandatory • Block Scheduling limits the number of AP courses that each student can take
Honors/Accelerated Courses • Offer more in-depth study of specific subjects • Expanded opportunities for independent work • Freshman students are limited to three honors courses
Advanced Placement Examinations 2014 Total Candidates: 227 Total Exams: 463 Grade of 5: 117 Grade of 4: 133 Grade of 3: 124
College Preparatory Courses
All AP students must take the AP exam. Results, by law, may only be released to colleges and universities by students.
• Provides students with the skills and knowledge imperative for college success • All major courses not otherwise designated are College Preparatory Grade
I
Block Scheduling
n September 1997, Mount Saint Joseph Academy adopted “block,” or intensive, scheduling. The school year is divided into two terms; students take 3 or 4 subjects per term for a total of 7 or 8 credits per school year. Students are assigned their courses each year and may not choose which semester to take certain courses. Most AP courses are held in an intensive block on alternating days for the length of the entire school year.
A AB+ B BC+ C CD+ D F
Quality Point Equivalent 4.0 3.7 3.3 3.0 2.7 2.3 2.0 1.7 1.3 1.0 0.0
QPE Honors
QPE AP
4.3 4.0 3.7 3.3 3.0 2.7 2.3 2.0 1.7 1.3 0.0
4.7 4.3 4.0 3.7 3.3 3.0 2.7 2.3 2.0 1.7 0.0
Numerical Equivalency 100-94 93-91 90-88 87-85 84-82 81-79 78-76 75-74 73-72 71-70 69-
Diocesan Scholars’ Program The Diocesan Scholars’ Program offers eligible seniors the opportunity to take up to two courses per semester on the campus of a participating college or university. Participation in this program is highly selective.
Selected Recent College Acceptances: American University Boston College Boston University Brown University Bryn Mawr College Bucknell University Carnegie Mellon University Catholic University Of America Clemson University Colgate University College of the Holy Cross College of William and Mary Columbia University Cornell University Dartmouth College Drexel University
Duquesne University Fashion Institute of Technology Fordham University Franklin and Marshall College Georgetown University George Washington University Georgia Institute of Technology Harvard University Haverford College Ithaca College James Madison University Lafayette College La Salle University Lehigh University Loyola College In Maryland Massachusetts Institute of Technology
New York University Northeastern University Northwestern University Parsons the New School for Design Penn State University Princeton University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rhode Island School of Design Saint Joseph’s University Sarah Lawrence College School of the Museum of Fine Arts Stanford University Swarthmore College Syracuse University Temple University Tufts University
Tulane University United States Military Academy United States Naval Academy University of Chicago University of Miami University of Notre Dame University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh University of Richmond University of Scranton University of South Carolina Vassar College Villanova University Wake Forest University Yale University