Morgan Park Academy is an independent, coeducational, non-sectarian college preparatory school located on the far South Side of Chicago in the Morgan Park neighborhood near Beverly.Founded in 1873, the school enrolls 430 students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12, including 160 students in the upper school. The student body reflects the ethnic and socioeconomic diversity of the Chicago area, with students from more than 70 zip codes throughout Chicago, the surrounding suburbs, and northwest Indiana, as well as approximately 25 international students.

Rooted in small class sizes and strong teacher-student relationships, the MPA program invites students to develop a world view rooted in their own culture while broadening and deepening their thinking beyond the boundaries of campus, city, and country. Beginning with exposure to diverse cultures and traditions for its youngest students, this global focus carries through the middle and upper schools with opportunities for further study, international travel, and service learning.

Graduates emerge as confident young adults, original thinkers, and creative problem solvers. They progress into the next stages of their lives well-prepared for advanced college coursework and poised to meet and exceed the high expectations they refined at MPA.

UPPER S CHOOL PROF I LE , 2014 -2015Our MissionMorgan Park Academy engages the whole child, inspires the independent learner, and prepares the global leader of tomorrow to make a positive difference in the world.

Faculty

Morgan Park Academy’s upper school faculty comprises approximately 20 dedicated members, of whom 75% have earned master’s degrees or higher and more than 50% have lived, worked, or extensively traveled abroad.

Admissions & Financial Aid

Admission to the upper school is on the basis of entrance examinations or satisfactory performance in our middle school. Approximately 50% of students receive grants under our financial assistance and merit scholarship program. This year, Morgan Park Academy will award more than $1.8 million in aid.

Activities

Students participate in more than 30 clubs and organizations, including 10 interscholastic sports teams. Students annually stage several theatrical performances, including a fall play, a spring musical, and a charity dance performance to support HIV/AIDS education and research. Teams such as Model UN and Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering regularly challenge for awards at the regional and state level, with the WYSE team winning a state championship in 2012.

Service Learning

Morgan Park Academy students are required to perform at least 80 hours of service work before graduation, including approximately 40 hours of self-directed service work outside of school.

Graduation Requirements

Students must accrue a minimum of 24 credits, including these core requirements:

• English – 4 credits• Mathematics – 3.5 credits• History, Social Sciences, Global Studies – 4 credits*• Science and Technology – 3.5 credits• World Languages – 3 credits• Fine Arts – 2 credits• Physical Education and Health – 1.5 credits• College and Career Studies – 0.5 credits• Additional electives – 2 credits

* Must include at least 1 credit of Global Studies.

Honors and AP Courses

All regular academic courses at Morgan Park Academy should be considered equivalent to an honors-level course in a public school system.

Honors courses include: Algebra 2, Biology, Chemistry, English 2, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, Physics, and World Language 4-5.

AP Courses include: Biology, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Comparative Politics, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, French Language, Physics B, Spanish Language, Spanish Literature, Statistics and Probability, Studio Art, and U.S. History.

Students are required to take exams if enrolled in an AP course. Depending on student demand, some courses are not taught every year.

75% AP students who earned a score of 3 or better in 2014

Standardized Testing Data

26.7 ACT Composite Score for the Class of 2014

Morgan Park Academy2153 W. 111th StreetChicago, IL 60643

phone 773-881-6700fax 773-881-8409

CEEB/ACT Code # 141040

Theresa WrightCollege Counselortwright@morganparkacademy.orgp. 773-881-6703f. 773-445-5687

AdministratorsMercedes Z. SheppardHead of School

Monica PickettDean of Academics

Tom DrahozalUpper School Principal

Morgan Park Academy is a member of the College Board and the National Association of College Admission Counselors. The Academy is accredited by the Illinois State Board of Education and the Independent School Association of the Central States, and is a member in good standing of the National Association of Independent Schools.

Senior Capstone

In keeping with our focus on engaging students in educational experiences beyond the classroom, all seniors, starting in 2015, complete a capstone project in the spring before graduation, working closely with faculty to choose a topic of study.

Project Week

During March, all upper school students travel around the globe, around Chicago, or throughout the U.S. to enjoy hands-on learning beyond the classroom. Trips scheduled for 2015 include explorations of culture, history, science, religion, and service to others in India, Peru, Vietnam, Hawaii, and the American Southwest.

Grading Policy

Morgan Park Academy does not rank students beyond the recognition of a valedictorian and salutatorian.

Beginning in 2014-2015, the school uses a 4.0 scale for unweighted GPA, while also weighting grades for honors and AP courses. The weighted GPA includes an additional 0.5 for each honors course and an additional 1.0 for each AP course, provided the student receives a final grade of at least an 80.

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COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES , 2009 -2014100 percent of Morgan Park Academy students are admitted to and choose to attend four-year colleges and universities. Some students choose to defer to explore non-academic opportunities.