PROFILE
2013—2014
The Willows Academy
1015 Rose Avenue – Des Plaines, IL 60016 – 847-824-6900 – Fax: 847-824-7089
www.willowsacademy.org – CEEB code: 142074
School Background
The Willows Academy, founded in 1974, is an independent, college preparatory school serving 225 young women from 6th through
12th grade. The Willows Academy offers an academic program of the highest caliber, a moral atmosphere and character
education to instill lifelong values, with religious formation that is inspired by the teachings of the Catholic Church. The spirit of
service is an integral element of The Willows experience. A low faculty/student ratio fosters growth in character and encourages
students to rise to the challenges of academic excellence.
Academic Summary
The Willows offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum. All classes are taught at the Honors, Accelerated or AP level. The
Willows Academy does not rank due to small class sizes. GPAs are PARTIALLY weighted. Honors classes are assigned NO extra
weight. Accelerated classes are assigned a weight multiplier of 1.05, and AP classes are assigned a weight multiplier of 1.10. The
transcript will reflect a partially weighted GPA. Individual course grades are not weighted. The Willows does NOT include
standardized test scores on the transcript. Test scores will be sent directly from the testing agency.
Character Education & Service Learning
A formal character education program provides opportunities for students to learn about and to practice human virtues. In
addition, Willows students are called to commit themselves to community service. Each student is expected to perform 40 hours of
service per year.
Advising Program
Each student is provided with an in-school adult mentor who acts as a role model and advocate for the student. The advisor is the
adult in the building who knows the student well and is able to guide the student through academic struggles and successes, study
habits, friendship, personal improvement, and other issues relating to the student’s growth and development.
International Program
The Willows international program provides its students with the opportunity to broaden their cultural awareness. Our international
students participate in a full English language immersion program. The international program offers Willows students the forum to
learn from and to forge strong friendships with girls who attend our sister schools throughout the world.
Honor Societies
The Willows sponsors chapters of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Tri-M Music Honor Society, Société Honoraire de
Français, and Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica. Members of these societies serve in the school’s peer tutoring program.
Athletics
A member of the Illinois High School Association, The Willows fields teams in volleyball, cross country, basketball, softball, and
soccer. In addition, students have competed for The Willows in swimming, tennis, and golf. While, emphasis is placed on
sportsmanship and commitment, teams from The Willows have won numerous Regional Championships and have competed at
the state level in soccer and golf.
Drama
Outside of the fine arts curriculum, students have the opportunity to participate in a Fall Play and a Spring Musical.
Extracurricular Organizations & Clubs
To foster interest in areas outside of the classroom, The Willows sponsors numerous extracurricular activities including:
Art Club, Photography Club, School Newspaper, Ecology Club, International Club, Respect Life Club, Student Athletic Council,
Student Council, Poms Squad, and Yearbook.
Advanced Placement Testing
AP European History
AP English Language
AP US History
AP English Literature and
Composition
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Jeanne Petros
petros@willowsacademy.org
ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL
DEAN OF THE HIGH SCHOOL
Cameron Czarnik
cczarnik@willowsacademy.org
AP French Language and
Culture
AP Spanish Language and
Culture
DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING
Sean M. Brown
brown@willowsacademy.org
AP Calculus AB
AP Chemistry
REGISTRAR
Lisa McMahon
lmcmahon@willowsacademy.org
High School Course Offerings & Graduation Requirements
English: 4 Credits
Science: 4 Credits
Honors Introduction to Literary Studies & Writing
Honors World Literature & Writing
Accelerated English Language and Composition or
American Studies – English
Honors British Literature & Writing or
AP English Literature and Composition
History: 4 Credits
Honors Biology
Honors Chemistry or Accelerated Chemistry
Honors Physics or Accelerated Physics
AP Chemistry or Honors Anatomy / Physiology
Mathematics: 4 Credits
Honors Ancient and Medieval History
Honors Modern World History
AP U.S. History or American Studies – History
AP European History or Honors European History
Honors Geometry or Honors Algebra I
Honors Algebra II or Honors Geometry
Honors Pre-Calculus or Honors Algebra II
AP Calculus AB, Honors Pre-Calculus, or Honors Statistics
Foreign Language: 4 Credits
Fine Arts or Technology Electives: 2 Credits
Honors French I, II, III, & IV
or AP French Language and Culture
Honors Spanish I, II, III, & IV
or AP Spanish Language and Culture
Theology: 4 Credits
Sacred Scripture
Life of Christ
The History of the Church
Moral Theology and Social Doctrine of the Church
or Philosophy/Ethics
Class of 2012 Academic Statistics
Art I, II, III, & IV, Applied Art, Advanced Art,
Introduction to Computer Graphics, C++ Programming,
Choir, Chamber Choir, Glee Club, Handbell Choir,
Instrumental Ensemble, Music Theory, History of Opera,
Voice
Physical Education/Health: 2 Credits
Technology – Computer Applications: 1 Credit
Summer Reading: 4 Units
Community Service Hours: 40 hours/year
Class of 2013 Academic Statistics
Number in Class: 35
Percentage College Bound: 100 percent
National Merit Finalists: 1
National Merit Commended: 2
Illinois State Scholars: 8
AP Scholars with Distinction: 3
AP Scholars with Honors: 2
AP Scholars: 3
National Honor Society Members: 15
Mu Alpha Theta Members: 10
Number in Class: 42
Percentage College Bound: 100 percent
National Merit Finalists: 2
National Merit Commended: 2
Illinois State Scholars: 10
AP Scholars with Distinction: 7
AP Scholars with Honors: 5
AP Scholars: 3
National Honor Society Members: 21
Mu Alpha Theta Members: 11
Testing Information
Class Statistics
ACT
Subject
English
Math
Reading
Science
Composite
2011
Mean
29.0
27.0
28.0
25.0
27.0
2012
Mean
26.4
25.6
26.9
24.0
25.6
2011
Mean
617
631
659
2012
Mean
695
658
672
2013
Mean
28.2
27.4
27.2
24.7
26.6
State
Mean 2013
Year
20.2
20.7
20.4
20.5
20.6
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
SAT
Subject
Reading
Math
Writing
2013
Mean
631
635
647
State
Mean 2013
600
617
590
Class
Size
36
29
35
41
28
ACT
Average
26.3
27.0
25.6
26.6
27.0 to date
Merit
Scholarships
$2.3 million
$2.5 million
$3.2 million
$4.6 million
undetermined
Grade Scale
Letter
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
C-
Range
Letter
Range
95-100
D+
75-76
93-94
D
71-74
91-92
D69-70
87-90
F
0-68
85-86
P
Pass
83-84
I
Incomplete
79-82
W
Withdrawal
77-78
Dean’s List: 95 – 100 with no grade below 85
Honor Roll: 85 – 94 with no grade below 77
Grade Point Averages
Partially weighted grade point averages appear on the bottom of our transcript. Honors classes are assigned NO extra
weight. Accelerated classes are assigned a weight multiplier of 1.05, and AP classes are assigned a weight multiplier of
1.10. Individual course grades are reported on a 100-point scale and are not weighted. The credits that appear on the
transcript are graduation credits, not GPA credits. GPA credits are assigned commensurate with the amount of class time
per week. Core academic courses are assigned 1 GPA credit, and non-core courses are typically assigned 0.25 GPA
credits.
Colleges and Universities That Have Accepted Willows Graduates
Ninety-nine percent of the graduates of The Willows Academy are accepted into and attend accredited colleges and
universities across the country and abroad.
ALLEGHENY COLLEGE
AMHERST COLLEGE
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
AUGUSTANA COLLEGE
AVE M ARIA UNIVERSITY
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
BOSTON COLLEGE
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
BRADLEY UNIVERSITY
BUTLER UNIVERSITY
CARNEGIE MELLON
CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY
CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA
CENTRE COLLEGE
COLGATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF THE HOLY CROSS
COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY
COLLEGE OF WOOSTER
CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY
DEP AUL UNIVERSITY
DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
DRAKE UNIVERSITY
DREXEL UNIVERSITY
EMORY UNIVERSITY
FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY
FORDHAM UNIVERSITY
FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY
GONZAGA UNIVERSITY
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
GRINNELL COLLEGE
HAMILTON COLLEGE
HILLSDALE COLLEGE
HOPE COLLEGE
ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
ILLINOIS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
INDIANA UNIVERSITY
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
JOHN C ARROLL UNIVERSITY
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
KENYON COLLEGE
KNOX COLLEGE
L AFAYETTE COLLEGE
L AKE FOREST COLLEGE
L AKELAND COLLEGE
L AWRENCE UNIVERSITY
L’UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE P ARIS
LEHIGH UNIVERSITY
LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO
LYNCHBURG COLLEGE
MACALESTER COLLEGE
MAINE COLLEGE OF ART
MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY
MCDANIEL COLLEGE
MIAMI UNIVERSITY
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
MICHIGAN TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
MOUNT MERCY COLLEGE
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY
NORTHERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
NORWICH UNIVERSITY
OBERLIN COLLEGE
OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
PRATT COLLEGE
PROVIDENCE COLLEGE
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY
RHODES COLLEGE
ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
SAINT AMBROSE UNIVERSITY
SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY
SAINT NORBERT COLLEGE
SAINT JOHN’S UNIVERSITY – NEW YORK
SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE, NOTRE DAME
SIMMONS COLLEGE
SMITH COLLEGE
SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
THOMAS AQUINAS COLLEGE
TUFTS UNIVERSITY
TULANE UNIVERSITY
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY
UNIVERSIDAD DE NAVARRA – SPAIN
UNIVERSIDAD LA AUSTRAL – ARGENTINA
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS
UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON
UNIVERSITY OF DENVER
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII – MANOA
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS – URBANA CHAMPAIGN
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN – ANN ARBOR
UNIVERSITY OF MAINE
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME
UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC
UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN C ALIFORNIA
UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN – MADISON
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN – WHITEWATER
URSINUS COLLEGE
VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY
VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS
WHEATON COLLEGE
XAVIER UNIVERSITY
The Willows Academy
1015 Rose Avenue – Des Plaines, IL 60016 – 847-824-6900 – Fax: 847-824-7089
www.willowsacademy.org – CEEB code: 142074