Sunday, July 18, 2010

Using Mobile Technologies During the College Tour

During our August college tour, we will leverage the power of mobile technologies in order to stay in constant communication and share impressions of colleges and tour highlights. We will be employing SMS technology, more commonly referred to as to texting for a good deal of our communication on the bus. It is far safer and more convenient for you to text questions or comments rather than trying to walk aisle ways while the bus travels at 70 mph on highways. We will also be able to reach consensus on rest breaks and use our Internet enabled phones to weigh alternatives (e.g Wendy's at this stop versus Subway two exits down)

Mobile technologies will also be invaluable during our Museum of Modern Art and Boston Public Library visits. I encourage you to follow both institutions on Twitter and to sync your phones to your Twitter account in order to receive updates as texts. I have also created a micro-blogging site for our group at http://collegetour.status.net. On the MOMA site in particular you will be able to sync your phone to value-added online updates directly related to the Matisse: Radical Invention exhibit (much of these materials were developed through a collaboration between the Art Institute of Chicago and the MOMA)

Friday, July 16, 2010

August 20 Service project

Wildlife Refuge provides sanctuary to birds on their way to the Gulf

Monday, July 12, 2010

Tentative itinerary for the California college tour

Fly to Los Angeles March 1 (depart DTW 7:30pm?)

Travel to Thomas Aquinas College
Orientation/Campus tour/attend classes on March 2
Stay overnight at Thomas Aquinas
Motor coach picks us up at Thomas Aquinas
Visit Sespe Condor Sanctuary in Los Padres National Forest (Ojai District) on March 3 http://www.lpfw.org/about/critters/californiacondor.htm
Motor Coach driving tour of Malibu, Beverly Hills, Hollywood
Motor coach drops us off at LAX
Depart LAX for DTW 11:00pm (return to Detroit on March 4)

Estimated cost for transportation and lodging: $700

More information will follow once we complete our Pittsburgh-New York- Boston tour

Sunday, July 11, 2010

How the world sees us

Take a look at our school website and try to imagine how college admissions officers (AO) see us. During our visit, what impressions/misimpressions will you attempt to correct? What traditions will you celebrate? How will you articulate the Divine Child school spirit? How are we different from all the other Catholic college preparatory schools that visit these colleges and universities? How will you celebrate your individuality and give AO a sense of the unique gifts and talents that you offer? How will you find a school that fits? How will you articulate the fit between your secondary schooling and your expected higher education? How have these first twelve years of Catholic education prepared you for the vocation you will pursue? How will your life testify to the investment that has been made in you, the good work that has been started in you?

1) Share your thoughts with the other students who will be traveling
2) Begin to imagine yourself in these settings
3) Read and consider this article on Catholic identity by Boston College professor Peter Kreeft (maybe we will try and meet with him during our visit if the article sparks an interesting conversation)

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Selected Tour Highlights

8/3
Reading Phillies double-header

8/4
Lunch at Hard Rock Cafe Times Square
Museum of Modern Art
Matisse exhibit at MOMA
Saint Patrick's Cathedral
Hennes et Mauritz (H&M)
Restaurant Thalia
Fela Broadway musical

8/5
Saint Catherine of Siena service project
Bishop Feehan High School cookout

8/6
High tea in the Italianate Courtyard Boston Public Library

Additional cost per student or parent: $200
Additional cost per faculty member: $250

College Profiles

Carnegie Mellon University (accepts Common App)

Total costs (2010-2011): $55,286
Requirements for Carnegie Scholarship
Undergraduate Admission website
Virtual Campus tour
Average HS GPA 3.62 (out of 4)
70% of applicants have ACT>30
$70 application fee
Essay, HS transcript, 1 letter of recommendation

Alvernia University (accepts CLEP)

Total costs (2010-2011): $34,780
Presidential, Trustees', Veronica Founder Scholarships
Undergraduate Admission site
Holleran Center for Community Engagement
Average HS GPA 3.1 (out of 4)
3% of applicants have ACT> 30
14% of applicants have ACT> 24
$25 application fee
Essay, HS transcript, 2 letters of recommendation, interview of some applicants

Saint Peter's College ( accepts Common App)

Total Costs: $42,232
Scholarships at SPC
Presidential Academic Scholarship: Annual Award: Full Tuition.
Typical Student Profile: 4.0 Grade Point Average and SAT score of 1350 or higher or ACT score 31 or greater. This scholarship recognizes a student's superior academic achievement. This award covers full tuition, valued at more than $100,000 over 4 years.

Dean’s Academic Scholarship: Annual Award: $16,000.
Typical Student Profile: 3.2 or higher Grade Point Average and SAT score of 1100 or higher or ACT score 27 or higher. This award amount is $64,000 over four years.

Ignatian Academic Scholarship: Annual Award: $12,500.
Typical Student Profile: 3.0 or higher Grade Point Average and SAT score of 1000 or higher or ACT score 21 or higher. The award amount is $50,000 over four years.

Arrupe Award: Annual Award: $ 6,000.
Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J., former Superior General of the Jesuits, authored the concept of "men and women for others" and inspired greater awareness of social justice issues. At Saint Peter's, we strive to be fully engaged in our community. This award is given in recognition of a student's potential to develop in the Ignatian tradition as a person for others. The award amount is $24,000 over 4 years.
Undergraduate Admissions site
Honors Program
Average HS GPA 3.15 (out of 4)
1% of applicants ACT >30
25% of applicants ACT>24
No application fee
Essay, HS transcript, 2 letters of recommendation, interview of some

The Julliard School

Total costs: $51,720
Financial Aid at Julliard
Entrance Audition Requirements
Virtual Tour
7% acceptance rate
$100 application fee
Essay, HS transcript, audition

Sacred Heart University (accepts CLEP and Common App)

Total costs: $31,498
SHU Scholarships
Undergraduate Admissions viewbooks
Virtual Tour
Average HS GPA 3.3 (out of 4)
Test Optional Policy
14% SAT Critical Reading >600
20% SAT Critical Math >600
$50 application fee
Essay, HS Transcript, 1 letter of recommendation, interview required for early decision candidates

Providence College (accepts Common App)

Total costs: $38,610
Institutional Merit-Based Scholarships
Requirements and timelines for Undergraduate Admissions
Virtual Tour
Average HS GPA 3.49 (out of 4)
Providence Test Optional Policy
13% of applicants have ACT >30
71% of applicants have ACT>24
$55 application fee
Essay, HS transcript, 2 letters of recommendation

Harvard University (accepts Common App)

Total costs:$56,750
Harvard Financial Aid Initiative
Undergraduate Admissions site
Freshman application process
Living at Harvard
7% acceptance rate
More than 90% ACT>30
$75 application fee
Essay, HS transcript, 2 letters of recommendation, interview

Boston College (accepts Common App)

Total costs: $52,700
Applying for Aid Regular Decision Freshmen
The Admission Process
Video Tour
Honors Program
30% acceptance rate
68% of applicants ACT>30
$70 application fee
Essay, HS transcript, 2 letters of recommendation

Common App online goes live 8/1 (www.commonapp.org)

Common App Essay topics
1) Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you

2)Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.

3) Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you and describe that influence

4) Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure or a creative work that has had an influence on you and explain that influence

5) A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Give your personal background . Describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Itinerary as of 7/4

August 3

Depart 4:00am
Arrive Carnegie Mellon University 9:00am (confirmed)
Tour and information session
Depart CMU 10:30 am
Lunch at 17th St Cafe
Arrive Alvernia University 3:00pm (confirmed)[Presentation of 12' Thank you banner]
Tour and information session
Reading Phillies baseball game (confirmed)
Arrive Hotel in the Meadowlands 11:30pm

August 4
Breakfast at hotel 8am
Arrive St Peter's College 9:15am (confirmed)
Depart St Peter's 10:30 am
Lunch Hard Rock Cafe Times Square 11am (confirmed)
MOMA 12:30pm (confirmed)
Shopping H & M (640 E 5th Ave)
Saint Patrick's Cathedral 2:00pm(confirmed)
The Julliard School 3:00pm (confirmed)
Dinner Thalia Restaurant 6pm (confirmed)
Broadway musical "Fela!" 8pm (Eugene O'Neill Theatre)with Katherine Ruth Holloway and NY Alumni (confirmed)
Return to hotel 10:30pm

August 5
Depart hotel 6 am
Breakfast at Saint Catherine of Siena ay 7:30am (confirmed)
Service project at St Catherine of Siena 8:00-11:30am (confirmed)
Lunch at Giove's Pizza Kitchen
Arrive Sacred Heart University noon (confirmed)
Depart SHU at 1:00pm
Arive Yale University 2:00pm
Camps tour 2:30
Depart Yale 3:15pm
Arrive Providence College 4pm (confirmed)
Depart Providence 5:30
Cookout at Bishop Feehan 6:00pm (confirmed)
Arrive hotel 9pm

August 6
Breakfast at hotel 8am
Arrive Harvard University 10am (in process)
Information session and tour
High Tea at Boston Public Library with Melissa Studzinski and Boston area alumni (confirmed)
Arrive Boston College 2:15 (confirmed)
Information session and tour
Depart Boston 4:30
Dinner at Spike's Junkyard Dogs

August 7
Arrive Divine Child High School 8:30-9:00am

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Two pricing options

We have two options under consideration

(Air) $639...3 Days (Spirit Air into La Guardia and back + hotel)
(Bus) $489...5 Days (motor coach + hotels)

The payment schedule for either option would be as follows:
Due by March 25: $100
Due every 2 weeks until first week of June: $100(Air) or $50(Bus)

If we travel by motor coach, we will add 2 Pennsylvania school (probably Penn State and Alvernia) to the current list of schools

1. Harvard
2. Holy Cross
3. Boston College
4. Yale
5. Sacred Heart University
6. Columbia
7. St John's
8. Seton Hall
9. Princeton

Both options represent significant investments of money and/or time.

We are hosting an informational meeting Wednesday March 24 at 8pm in the Bernardine Franciscan Learning Center to gauge interest in both options.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

New York/Boston alternative

August 5, 2010
Depart DTW
Arrive LAG
Information session and tour St John's University
Depart St John's
Arrive St Patrick's Cathedral
Depart St Patrick's Cathedral
Arrive Columbia
Information session and tour Columbia
Depart Columbia
Arrive Museum Mile (Metropolitan Museum of art, Guggenheim, MOMA)
Tour + dinner
Cotton Club/Apollo Harlem tour

August 6,2010

Group A
Depart hotel
Travel via NJ Transit
Arrive Princeton
Information session and tour Princeton
Lunch in Princeton
Depart Princeton
Arrive Seton Hall
Information session and tour Seton Hall
Depart Seton Hall
Group A1 Broadway play
Group A2 Yankee/Bosox game
Arrive hotel

Group B
Travel via Metro North
Arrive New Haven
Information session and tour Yale
Lunch in New Haven
Depart New Haven
Arrive Fairfield
Information session and tour Sacred Heart University
Depart SHU
Group B1 Broadway play
Group B2 Yankee/Bosox game

Group C
Depart NY (around 2am)Travel via motorcoach
Arrive Holy Cross (around 7am)
Cafeteria/Gymnasium
Information session and tour Holy Cross
Depart Worcester
Arrive Harvard
Information session and tour Harvard
Lunch in Cambridge
Depart Cambridge
Arrive Boston College
Information session and tour BC
Depart Boston College
Dinner Faneuil Hall
Freedom Trail tour
Arrive Hotel2 Boston (overnight stay)

August 7, 2010

Group A
Depart Hotel
WTC memorial
Wall street tour
Ferry/see Statue of Liberty (Circle Line)
Depart for NY Airport (later flight)

Group B
Depart Hotel
Tour 30 Rock tour
Empire State Building tour
Depart for NY Airport (early flight)

Group C
Depart Hotel2
Early morning hike
Tour of Fenway
Depart for NY Airport (latest flight)

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Preliminary Itinerary

August 5-7 2010

Thursday 8/5
Boston University
Boston College
MIT
Harvard

Friday 8/6
Holy Cross
Yale
Sacred Heart University
Columbia or NYU

Bosox vs Yankees or Broadway play

Saturday 8/7
Freedom Trail or Hiking in mountains

Cost estimate:$500 (by July 1)
Transportation on T: $25
Meals: $75
Baseball tickets or Broadway play: $60


All trip participants take June 12 ACT
Rising seniors complete application to at least one school on itinerary

Interested faculty
D-F + spouse
Hermann
Cornish + spouse
Lupinacci?
Lesnau
Zemba+ spouse
Mooney
Lupinacci-Mooney + baby
Dunn
H-L?
Kraetke+ spouse
Kalinowski?
Foye?
Rivard (Larry + Diane)
Dold + Kyle?
Pritchard + spouse?
Altesleben?
Coyne
Moore?
Giza?
Sovine + spouse

Interested students
Russell
Rauh
Frey
Huth
Szatkowski
Aldridge
Kulongowski?
Constan
Gutierrez
Doran?
Solano-Reed
Alkhalil
Siedlaczek
Zaroff?
Klotz?
Zablocki?
Carrillo?
Bergman?
Taha?
Swider?
Rodriguez?
Gabo?
Camacho?
Rich?
Krasity?
Burns?
Kuschel?
Kinder?
Krater?
Skidmore?
Oparaeke?
Mueller?
Papich?
Musziynski?