College Advising News

Sophomore Families Benefit from Insiders’ View of College Admissions

2/11/2020

Have you ever wondered what criteria college admissions representatives really consider when reading college applications? Nearly 40 Wesleyan sophomores and 50 parents were able to demystify the application reading process during the Atlanta Invitational Case Studies (AICS) program this past Sunday, February 9. Prior to the event, families were provided with fictitious case study files of applicants to a sample university, which they read and evaluated. During Sunday’s event, attendees were broken into small groups and guided by a college admission professional to make admission decisions (admit, waitlist, deny) for those applicants. Decisions often seemed easy - or impossible - based on numbers alone, but attendees learned that factors such as major, geography, leadership, special talents, and rigor all play a key role in helping colleges make admission decisions and shape a class. With a better understanding of how applications are reviewed, students will now be able to meaningfully think about their own academics, activities, and involvement.

Andrew Yang Honored as Wesleyan STAR Student and Names Abby Holmes as STAR Teacher

1/27/2020

The Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce has honored Andrew (Andy) Yang as Wesleyan School’s STAR student for the 2019-2020 school year. In turn, Andy was able to select the teacher who has had the greatest influence on his academic life to be named Wesleyan’s STAR teacher, and he selected Mrs. Abby Holmes.

Beyond his outstanding academic record and membership in numerous honor societies, Andy is president of the Wesleyan Honor Council, captain of the math and science bowl teams, and a four-year member of the cross-country and soccer teams. Andy is also Wesleyan’s nominee for the prestigious Jefferson Scholarship at the University of Virginia. Outside of Wesleyan, Andy was named to the American Math Competition’s Distinguished Honor Roll, and he helped lead his Georgia chapter of the American Regions Mathematics League to a Division B victory in 2019.

When asked why he selected Abby Holmes as his STAR teacher, Andy said, “Mrs. Holmes’ class was always fun, engaging, and full of positive energy. Her encouragement gave me confidence when I needed it and spurred intellectual growth in me. I continue to benefit from the problem-solving skills that Mrs. Holmes taught me through Latin translations.”

Wesleyan Names Lauren Hill as Belk Scholarship Nominee

11/11/2019

The College Advising Office is pleased to announce that Lauren Hill is Wesleyan’s nominee for the Belk Scholars competition at Davidson College. Belk Scholars nominees “must demonstrate academic excellence and purposeful engagement in the classroom, with student and civic organizations, on the athletic field, or in the arts. While academic achievement is paramount, Belk Scholars also exhibit intellectual curiosity and a commitment to both their local and global communities.”

In addition to her strong academic record and membership in numerous honor societies, Hill is deeply involved in the community. She is a marketing manager with Sewanee Youth Leadership, an Executive Board Parliamentarian for Atlanta’s chapter of Jack and Jill, where she organizes multiple service projects over the year, and a youth basketball coach in the community. At Wesleyan, Hill is vice president of affairs for student government, an ambassador for new students, a SALSA (Students Advocating Life without Substance Abuse) representative for lower- and middle-school students, and a four-year member of the track team.

If awarded, the Belk Scholarship covers the full cost of attendance for four years as well as stipends for summer programs. Congratulations to the Hill family for this tremendous honor and best wishes to Lauren in her quest to become a finalist!

News Update: Over 200 Parents and Students Attend “The Truth About College Admission” Presentation and Book Signing

11/7/2019

The Wesleyan college advising office hosted “The Truth About College Admission” on campus Wednesday night and over 200 parents and students from through the north Atlanta area were in attendance.

Fall Brings More than Sixty College Representatives to Wesleyan’s Campus

10/21/2019

Wesleyan’s college rep visit season is in full swing. Since late August, Wesleyan has welcomed nearly 60 college admissions representatives to campus with more to visit over the next month. These visits provide a unique opportunity for students to learn about schools in a more intimate setting than college fairs and develop a one-on-one relationship with the representatives who often play a role in reviewing application files. During most sessions, the representative will share prepared remarks on topics such as academic programs, campus life, scholarships, and financial aid, and then open the floor to students for questions. Representatives are also able to continue building relationships with the college advisors and share important updates if there have been notable changes to their admissions processes.

Wesleyan Names Mains and Rappe as Morehead-Cain Scholarship Nominees

10/13/2019

The College Advising Office is pleased to announce that both Lindsey Mains and Lindsay Rappe have been nominated by a faculty committee as Wesleyan’s nominees for the Morehead-Cain Scholarship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Morehead-Cain Foundation seeks competitive applicants, who demonstrate moral force of character, academic scholarship, physical vigor, and leadership. The scholarship process is extremely selective; only three percent of nominees are awarded the scholarship each year.

National Merit Scholarship Corporation Honors Nine Wesleyan Seniors and Names Three Semifinalists

10/7/2019

The College Advising Office is pleased to announce that the National Merit Scholarship Corporation has recognized nine Wesleyan seniors. Meredith Mangum, Braden Thorne, and Andy Yang were named National Merit Semifinalists, an honor that only 1% of seniors (approximately 16,000 total) nationwide receive based on their PSAT scores. These students will now submit essays in the hopes of becoming finalists and earning scholarship money. Finalists will be announced in February 2020.

Wesleyan Names Andy Yang as Nominee for Jefferson Scholarship

10/7/2019

The College Advising Office is pleased to announce that Andrew (Andy) Yang has been nominated by a faculty committee as Wesleyan’s nominee for the Jefferson Scholarship at the University of Virginia. The Jefferson Foundation seeks high school seniors who possess exceptional ability in leadership and scholarship and who show promise of making a significant contribution to the University of Virginia community as students and to society at large as graduates. In addition to his outstanding academic record and membership in numerous honor societies, Andy is president of the Honor Council, captain of the math and science bowl teams, and a four-year member of the cross-country and soccer teams.

If awarded, the Jefferson scholarship covers the entire four-year cost of attendance at the University of Virginia and provides unique enrichment and travel opportunities. Andy will now complete a rigorous application process including writing essays, securing recommendations, and potentially interviewing with the scholarship selection committee. Please congratulate Andy and his family for this honor and wish him well in his quest to become a Jefferson Scholar.

University of Georgia's Patrick Winter Joins Wesleyan for College Night on October 8th

9/30/2019

Please join the College Advising Office on Tuesday, October 8th at 7 p.m. in Powell Theatre for College Night as Patrick Winter, Associate Vice President for Admissions and Enrollment Management at the University of Georgia, shares his unique perspective on the college application process. Winter will help attendees understand what colleges are looking for, how students can set their best foot forward in a competitive applicant pool, and how parents and students can make the college application process less stressful. While this event is open to the entire Wesleyan community, it is mandatory for juniors and at least one parent to attend. Please note that most information presented will be applicable to all colleges and not solely focused on the University of Georgia.

AP Scholar Awards Announced

8/21/2019

August 21, 2019

The AP Scholar Awards are academic distinctions for students to cite among their credentials on applications and résumés; however, students do not receive any monetary award from the College Board. In addition to the AP Scholar levels, Wesleyan also had 89 percent of the AP Capstone class receive some level of recognition. Annually, around 22 percent earn AP Scholar recognition world-wide. In 2019, Wesleyan is proud to announce that 45 percent of our AP students earned AP Scholar recognition at some level, including 5 who earned National AP Scholar recognition. See below for students who received recognition:

Nolan Receives Georgia Institute of Technology’s Highest Scholarship Honor

4/9/2019

April 9, 2019

The College Advising Office is pleased to announce that Jennifer Nolan has been awarded the prestigious Stamps President’s Scholarship at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Not only does the top-level scholarship cover the full cost of attendance, including tuition, housing, books, and supplies, but it carries additional benefits including priority housing, a stipend toward international academic experiences, and unique mentoring opportunities. Stamps President’s Scholars represent less than one percent of the freshmen applicant pool and are selected via a rigorous interview process. For the 2018-2019 school year, Georgia Tech selected 325 semifinalists from a pool of approximately 20,000 early action applicants and ultimately awarded the scholarship to 40 of those students, including Jennifer.

Already named a National Merit Finalist and Wesleyan’s STAR student this year, Jennifer has made an undeniable impact at Wesleyan. She is a four-year member of Wesleyan’s state-champion softball team, the varsity track team, and Mock Trial. She is also a three-year member of Team Omicron and Wesleyan’s math team, and she serves as a peer leader for freshmen.

Congratulations to Jennifer and her family for this latest honor and much deserved distinction as a Stamps President’s Scholar!

Ben Smoke Awarded "Full-Ride" Chancellor's Scholarship to Texas Christian University

4/1/2019

April 3, 2019

The College Advising Office is pleased to announce that Ben Smoke (’19) has been selected as a Chancellor’s Scholar at Texas Christian University, an honor that provides full tuition for his entire four years of undergraduate study at the university. The Chancellor’s Scholarship is the highest award available at Texas Christian University and carries a value of more than $197,000. In addition to the substantial financial support, Ben will also receive special opportunities to interact with the Chancellor and TCU faculty at various events and will be able to participate in a unique international experience. Beyond his strong academics, Ben has made his mark at Wesleyan as a three-year member of the marching band and track team, by serving on the leadership team for Wesleyan student-led worship, and as regular volunteer with Young Men’s Service League.

Texas Christian University is a private university located in Fort Worth, Texas with an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 10,000. The competitive Chancellor’s Scholarship, which includes multiple rounds of committee review and on-campus interviews, is awarded to approximately 70 incoming freshmen each year.

Congratulations to Ben and his family for this impressive honor!

Mains, Sturtevant, and Yang Selected to Attend the Governor's Honors Program

4/1/2019

April 3, 2019

The College Advising office is pleased to announce that Lindsey Mains (’20), Tyler Sturtevant (’20), and Andy Yang (’20) have been invited to study in the prestigious Georgia Governor’s Honors Program (GHP) at Berry College in Rome this June and July. The Governor’s Honors Program is significantly different from the typical high school program as it provides students with academic, cultural, and social enrichments, which will enable them “to become the next generation of global critical thinkers, innovators, and leaders.” Wesleyan was able to nominate five students to the program, and after a rigorous application and interview process, three of them were ultimately selected. GHP offers twelve majors that are characterized as either academic majors or performing arts majors. This summer, Lindsey will focus her study on communicative arts, Tyler on theatre, and Andy on mathematics.

The Governor’s Honors Program is fully funded by the state with no cost to attendees beyond travel. Over 3,000 students were nominated to the state level competition and over 1,600 participated in this year’s state interview and/or audition process with approximately 650 ultimately chosen to attend, which represents one-fourth of 1% of eligible sophomores and juniors in the state.

Please join us in congratulating Lindsey, Tyler, Andy, and their families for this outstanding opportunity.

Jennifer Nolan named National Merit Scholarship Finalist

2/25/2019

February 25, 2019

The College Advising Office is pleased to announce that Jennifer Nolan has been named a National Merit Scholarship Finalist, an honor that only 1% of high school seniors nationwide receive. Jennifer now moves to the final round of competition in the hopes of becoming a National Merit Scholar and earning scholarship money. National Merit Scholars are evaluated on a myriad of criteria including the finalist’s academic record, history of activities and leadership, school rigor, test scores, written recommendations, and an essay response.

Jennifer Nolan Named Wesleyan STAR Student

2/5/2019

February 5th, 2019

The Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce has honored Jennifer Nolan as Wesleyan School’s STAR student for the 2018-2019 school year. In turn, Jennifer was able to select the teacher who has had the greatest influence on her academic life to be named Wesleyan’s STAR teacher, and she selected Joseph Cooper.

Beyond stellar academics, Jennifer is a four-year member of Wesleyan’s state-champion softball team, the varsity track team, and Mock Trial. She is also a three-year member of Team Omicron and Wesleyan’s math team and serves as a peer leader for freshmen. Jennifer is Wesleyan’s nominee for the Jefferson Scholarship at the University of Virginia and is currently a semi-finalist for the Stamps President’s Scholarship Program at Georgia Institute of Technology.

Conley Named Wesleyan's First Posse Scholar

1/22/2019

January 22, 2019

The College Advising Office is pleased to announce that Donald Conley III has been selected as a Posse Scholar to the College of Wooster, a private liberal arts college in Ohio. As a Posse Scholar, Donald has been awarded a four-year, full-tuition scholarship. Donald is one of sixty Atlanta Posse Scholars chosen from more than 1,400 applicants, and one of ten students who will attend the College of Wooster from the Atlanta Posse cohort. Donald and his family were honored at a reception earlier this month at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre, which High School Principal Jeff Plunk and Assistant Director of College Advising, Erica Engsberg, were grateful to attend. Congratulations to Donald for this honor and for being Wesleyan School’s first Posse Scholar!

Registration Open: College Roundup in Texas June 2-5, 2019!

11/12/2018

Sophomores and juniors are invited to join the College Advising Office June 2-5, 2019 as we explore colleges in the great state of Texas. Our college roundup will include Rice University, Southern Methodist University, University of Texas at Austin, Baylor University, Trinity University, and Texas Christian University. Whether or not your children are interested in these specific schools, the college tour is an excellent opportunity for them to gain exposure to a variety of campuses, hear what colleges are looking for in students, and better pinpoint what they are seeking in a college. Please see flyer and registration form for details and secure your child’s spot by November 15^th as the tour is limited to the first 36 students. We hope your child can join us as we blaze new college trails in Texas this summer!

The Posse Foundation Names Donald Conley as Scholarship Finalist

11/12/2018

The College Advising Office is pleased to announce that Donald Conley III has been selected as a finalist by The Posse Foundation. A generous grant from The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation helped launch Posse Atlanta, the program’s fourth site in 2007. The Posse program has been recognized as one of the most comprehensive college success and leadership development initiatives in the country. If selected, The Posse Foundation will provide a full-tuition scholarship to a matched academic institution for Donald.

Wesleyan Names Benjamin Smoke as Nominee for Park Scholarship

10/22/2018

Wesleyan is pleased to announce that Benjamin Smoke has been selected by a faculty committee as our nominee for the Park Scholarship at North Carolina State University.

The mission of the Park Scholarships program is to bring exceptional students to NC State University, based on outstanding accomplishments and potential in scholarship, leadership, service, and character. If awarded, the scholarship covers the full cost of attendance and provides unique research and travel opportunities. In 2019, approximately 40 scholarships will be awarded to incoming freshmen.

College Tour 2018 Recap

10/14/2018

Forty-eight students joined the College Advising office over fall break for the annual college tour, where they explored schools of various sizes and settings across North Carolina, Virginia, and Washington D.C. As part of the tour, students visited the campuses of Wake Forest University, Virginia Tech, Roanoke College, James Madison University, George Washington University, and Georgetown University.

Not only did students take a tour of each campus, but they frequently interacted with admission staff, ate in dining halls, and/or had the opportunity to speak with Wesleyan alumni currently attending the colleges.

College Advising News

List of 20 news stories.