 | | How early can I apply to Mercersburg? We start accepting applications on August 1 for the following school year. The application deadline is January 31 of the year of entry.
Please contact the Assistant Head of School for Enrollment, Tommy Adams, at 717-328-6173 to inquire about late applications. |
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| What does Mercersburg look for in applicants? Mercersburg
looks for academic achievement and promise, as shown by a student’s
transcripts, test scores, and teacher recommendations. We also pay
close attention to personal qualities, which we measure through motivation, character, extracurricular interests, and the ability to
adapt to the Mercersburg
community. |
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| Is there a "preferred applicant" group? Mercersburg strives to maintain a diverse campus that includes students
from across the United States and around the world. We seek talented
students from every walk of life. |
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| How competitive is the applicant pool? Each
year, our admission office receives at least 800 applications for
approximately 150 places. Those applicants seeking financial aid should
submit their applications on time for full consideration. |
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| What will my interview be like? An
admission officer will meet separately with you and your parent(s) or
guardian(s). The interview is an evaluative session in which you can
ask questions about Mercersburg while the admission officer gets a
better sense of your academic, athletic, and artistic goals. Each
interview lasts about 30 to 45 minutes. |
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| What is the most important part of my application? While
strong scholastic achievement (as shown by a student’s academic record,
standardized test scores, and teacher recommendations) is important, it
does not guarantee admission. Other important factors include the
applicant’s character, personality, motivation, extracurricular
interests, and ability to live compatibly with
others. |
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| Is there an entrance exam? We
do not have a separate entrance exam. Depending on what grade the
student is entering, we do require SSAT, ISEE, SAT or PSAT scores.
Students whose primary language is not English must demonstrate fluency
by taking
the TOEFL. |
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| What are the SSAT, ISEE, PSAT and TOEFL? The
SSAT, or Secondary School Admission Test, is a standardized test
required for students entering as juniors (grade 9) or lower-middlers
(grade 10).
The ISEE is the Independent School
Entrance Exam.
We will accept scores from this standardized test in addition to SSAT
scores, though they do not replace SSAT scores.
The
PSAT
(Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) or SAT (Scholastic Aptitude
Test) scores are required for students seeking admission at
upper-middler (grade 11) or senior (grade 12) levels.
The
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is a standardized test
for students whose first language is not English. This test makes sure
potential students are proficient in English writing and comprehension.
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| What is the role of the parent or guardian in the interview? The
interview process is an open forum with students, parents or guardians,
and the admission officer. During this process, parents or guardians
have a chance to ask questions about the school, the application
process, and financial aid. However, no specific questions are directed
toward the parents or guardians. |
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| What is "demonstrated need"? The financial aid committee determines your "demonstrated need" by reviewing the PFS and supporting documentation. |
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| How are a student’s assets used in calculating awards? When
considering available resources that can be used to fund a student’s
education, we can take into consideration any of the following: a
student’s savings; investments; trust funds; 529 funds; or any other
assets in the student’s name, held for a student for any reason, or
restricted in any way. The general rule is that a student’s assets are
equally distributed over his or her time at Mercersburg, plus four
years of college/university. Mercersburg does not consider tuition
beyond the undergraduate level when determining eligibility for aid.
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| How does divorce or separation affect the financial aid application process? For
parents who are divorced, separated, or have never been married, we
require each parent or family member to complete a separate
application. Mercersburg expects all parents, guardians, domestic
partners, and/or stepparents to play an appropriate role in financing and
supporting their student’s education. |
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| Why should I make a gift to the Annual Fund if my child is receiving financial aid from Mercersburg? Tuition
constitutes only about 50 percent of the cost of a Mercersburg
education, and many families require assistance to cover the rest of
the costs. Even families that are considered ineligible for financial
assistance receive benefits from the endowment fund and/or the
generous annual gifts from alumni, families, and friends of the school.
Considering the importance of these gifts for so many students, the
financial aid committee urges every family, including those receiving
aid, to participate in the Annual Fund. This helps ensure future
qualified students are able to cover the cost of their education.
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| Does the school have a religious affiliation? While Mercersburg has its spiritual roots in the Reformed
or United Church of Christ tradition, the Academy has no formal
relationship with any faith. We hold voluntary interfaith chapel services every
Sunday morning. All students are welcome, though attendance is not
mandatory. |
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| Do faculty members live on campus? Yes, the vast majority faculty members live in campus housing, while the rest of
the faculty live nearby. All faculty members have
dorm duties in some capacity. |
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| Is the school closed for holidays and breaks? The
school is closed during major school breaks, such as Thanksgiving,
winter break, and spring break. However, during other breaks, such as
long weekends, the school remains open.
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| Why are the endowment and the Annual Fund important? The
endowment and Annual Fund together make it possible to continue
offering the highest quality education for our students. These funds
allow Mercersburg to build and maintain modern facilities, retain
excellent teachers, and help qualified students afford the cost of a
great education. Keeping the endowment and Annual Fund strong ensures
our continued strength in faculty and facilities, as well as ensuring a
place for worthy students in our community.
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| How is Mercersburg accredited? Mercersburg is accredited by the Middle States Association of
Colleges and Schools and approved by the Pennsylvania Department of
Education.
In addition, the Academy is a member of
the
National Association of Independent Schools, The Association of
Boarding Schools, the Association of Independent Schools of Greater
Washington, the Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education, the Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools, the
Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools, and the Secondary
School Admission Test Board. |
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| How is the food at the dining hall? Students
regularly rate the food in the dining hall as good to excellent and enjoy the variety. Breakfast and
some dinners are served buffet style. Lunch and some dinners are served
family style. |
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What are weekends like at Mercersburg?Students may be involved with meetings or activities
associated with one of more than 35 clubs and organizations. They may
be competing on one of our 29 interscholastic athletic teams. On-campus
events include movies; dances; athletic events; student performances in
dance, theatre and music; and much more. Off-campus events include
concerts; theatre performances; museum exhibitions; athletic events;
and shopping in nearby Washington, D. C., and Baltimore; as well as
outdoor events, such as skiing, biking, hiking, and kayaking trips,
coordinated by our director of outdoor education.
With written permission, students may spend 10
weekends off campus, including a long weekend each
term. Please see our activities calendar for a complete list of weekend
opportunities. |
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Is transportation provided for students?Yes. Mercersburg will help
arrange transportation
to and from airports as well as Amtrak stations in Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; and Martinsburg, West Virginia. When
available, school drivers may provide necessary transportation, and we
also arrange transportation with local car services.
Students
are responsible for the cost of transportation, which is billed to
their student account. However, students should be prepared with extra
funds should travel delays or cancellations occur. To help cut
transportations costs, students might consider traveling in groups to
and from airports or stations. Mercersburg also
provides transportation for day or weekend
excursions. Email Carol Ecton about arrangements. |
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| What is the weekday evening schedule like for boarders? Students
come together every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evening for
family-style dinners. In addition, students have quiet study hours in
the
dorms from 8 to 10 pm, Sunday through Thursday. Juniors (9th graders)
have supervised study hours from 7:30 - 9:30 pm in Irvine hall for the
fall and winter terms. Depending on their
extracurricular activities, students may have practice, meetings, or
group activities. |
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Where do boarding students live at Mercersburg? Mercersburg has seven dormitories
for our students. Boys are housed Main Hall, Keil Hall, or Fowle Hall.
Girls reside in South Cottage, Tippetts Hall, Swank Hall, or Culbertson
House. All rooms are air conditioned and furnished with voice and data
outlets as well as beds, dressers, and desks. |
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| How are roommates assigned? New
students are assigned to rooms and roommates, though requests made on
individual rooming questionnaires are considered. Returning students
can pick their roommates, and their housing assignment is decided by
lottery.
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What are the student rooms like?Most students live with a roommate in one of our seven modern dormitories.
All dorm rooms are air conditioned and furnished with beds, dressers, and desks, as well as voice and data outlets. Up to 17 faculty members are involved with each dorm, either as a resident, as an adviser, or iby doing weekly duty. Most common rooms are equipped with kitchenettes and televisions. |
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| Can my child bring a computer? Yes,
laptops and desktops are allowed. Both Windows and Mac operating
systems are supported on the campus network and are used in academic
departments. |
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How often can a boarding student go home?In
addition to scheduled vacations—Thanksgiving, winter break, spring
break—students may stay off campus for 10 regular weekends during the
year.
Seniors may be off-campus for 12 weekends each
year.
Students must fill out a weekend
form and submit it to the dean’s office prior to leaving.
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International Student FAQs How many students from my country are at Mercersburg?In the 2010-2011 school year, there are 96 international students enrolled from 34 countries including
Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Germany, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, People’s Republic of China, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Vietnam, United States.
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I do not speak English very well. Will I be able to succeed at Mercersburg?In addition to the required
TOEFL exam, we also offer an intensive ESL+
program
in the summer. This program helps improve English conversation and
writing comprehension while acclimating students to the Mercersburg
community before the school year starts. We often require
international students to enroll in the program before coming to
Mercersburg.
Mercersburg does not offer ESL within the
academic program. Students whose primary language is not English must
arrive fully prepared for the demanding nature of the academic program.
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Can I arrange for an interview in my city?Though we strongly recommend that you visit our campus to get the full sense of what we offer and what our community is like, our admission officers do travel around the world each year and are available to set up appointments with prospective families. Contact our office at admission@mercersburg.edu or by calling 717-328-6173 to inquire about dates and times. |
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| What can you tell me about the ESL+ camp? The ESL+ camp, run by the Office of Summer and Extended Programs, is designed to help students become more comfortable and increase their proficiency with the English language. It lasts for 5 weeks and we offer beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. The camp includes trips around the region (Hershey Park and Washington, D.C.) to offer a taste of American history and culture. |
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FAQs about Visiting & Keeping in Touch Can family visit the school? Yes,
we host family weekends when
families are invited to come and get a taste of Mercersburg life. In
addition to meeting faculty, students, and other parents, we have art
displays, music and drama performances, athletic events, counseling
workshops, and more. Please refer to our school’s events
calendar to plan your
trip. |
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| How do I find out how my child is doing in his or her classes? Parents
receive grade reports with written comments from their child’s adviser
six times a year, or about every five weeks. We urge parents to contact
the adviser by telephone or email at any time to discuss any aspect of
their child’s life at Mercersburg. |
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Other than tuition, what additional fees can we expect? Additional fees can be found on our Tuition page. International
students must pay for the visas and the other applicable expenses as
listed on the tuition page of our website. If you are required or
choose to attend the ESL summer program, the cost for the senior
program (6 weeks) will be $5,900. The cost of the junior program (3
weeks) is $3,600. For more information, please see the Summer & Extended Programs portion of our website.
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| | Revisit day for accepted students for 2012-2013
3/19/2012
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