2020–2021 COLLEGE PROFILE 966 W. Paces Ferry Road NW ABOUT PACE Atlanta, Georgia 30327 Pace Academy was established in 1958 as an independent college-preparatory coeducational day school. Pace is located on 35 wooded acres within the city of Atlanta. Pace has an enrollment of 1,105 students Telephone: 404-262-1345 in Pre-First through 12th grade. The Upper School (ninth through 12th grades) has 475 students, and Facsimile: 404-264-9376 the Class of 2021 totals 110 students. Pace is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and www.paceacademy.org Schools (SACS) and the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and holds membership in the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the Cum Laude Society, the College Board, the SCHOOL CODE: Educational Records Bureau and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). 110-217 Pace Academy was one of 40 schools in the nation invited to be a Founding School Member of the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS). JONATHAN FERRELL MISSION Director of To create prepared, confident citizens of the world who honor the values and legacy of Pace Academy. College Counseling [email protected] CORE VALUES • We create success through partnership with parents, students and faculty. 404-266-4424 • We are dedicated to developing the whole child. • We have respect for others and their unique ideas and beliefs. PAM AMBLER • We have pride in our accomplishments and our heritage. Associate Director of College Counseling [email protected] HONOR CODE Personal honor and integrity are the Pace community’s most valued principles, and academic honesty 404-240-9111 is governed by a code of honor. Students pledge to observe the Honor Code on all tests, examinations and graded assignments. If a student is alleged to have violated the Honor Code, the matter is brought BEN WESCOTT before the Honor Council, composed of students and faculty. Pace Academy reports all suspensions. Associate Director of College Counseling [email protected] OUR COMMITMENT TO RACIAL EQUITY Our Action Plan for Racial Equity reflects our commitment now and, in the future, to look critically 404-240-9110 at our institutional practices, policies and procedures, and to implement meaningful changes in an effort to establish true racial equity, embedding antiracism in all that we do. To view the full plan, visit SHAKILA WILLIAMS https://www.paceacademy.org/about/diversity-inclusion/action-plan-for-racial-equity. Administrative Assistant [email protected] GLOBAL LEADERSHIP 404-240-9123 At the heart of our mission is a commitment to create prepared, confident citizens of the world. The Isdell Center for Global Leadership (ICGL) spearheads this educational endeavor by providing students FRED ASSAF from Pre-First through 12th grade with wide-ranging curricular and co-curricular opportunities to Head of School explore, understand and engage in our globalized world. In addition to global study tours, available [email protected] to students in all three divisions, every student explores an annual global theme—Climate, Conserva- 404-240-9102 tion, Energy, etc.—through multiple disciplinary lenses: Science & Technology, Arts & Culture, Service & Sustainability, Business & Social Entrepreneurship and Public Policy & International Relations. This MIKE GANNON theme-based approach gives students the opportunity to tackle real-world issues while developing Head of Upper School global-mindedness, cultural competence, international expertise and leadership skills—all essential [email protected] components of global citizenship. Our students graduate with the ability to address national and 404-240-9104 international issues critically, as well as with a sense of visionary purpose to make a positive difference in our interdependent world. Given COVID-19, our Study Tour offerings will look different this school year. We are planning Study Tours to various national locations in the Spring for our Junior and Senior classes, as well as additional Study Tours for Middle and Upper School students in the summer if condi- tions permit. Our philosophy has always been that the “where” of travels matters less than the “how” and all of our Study Tours will remain focused on topics central to global competency. Tours will tackle subjects such as immigration, sustainability, social justice, innovation, and the arts. PACE ACADEMY COLLEGE PROFILE | 2020– 2021 PACE DURING COVID-19 NATIONAL SCHOLARS As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pace Academy transitioned to The Class of 2020 included eight National Merit Semifinalists and four distance learning in March of 2020, and teaching remained virtual until National Merit Finalists. the end of the 2019-2020 school year. During that time, our students engaged in both synchronous and asynchronous learning five days THE GRADING SYSTEM a week, and students were able to meet with their teachers during The Pace transcript uses an unweighted numeric grading scale for office hours. All sports seasons, art programs, productions, and other academic courses. Grade Point Average is reported on a 100-point extracurricular activities were cancelled. Given our continued commit- scale with a weight of 7 for Advanced Placement courses and post- ment to teaching and assessing our students during distance learning, AP Honors courses, 5 for Honors courses and 2 for all other college- our transcripts will appear identical to pre-COVID transcripts. Our preparatory courses. A year-by-year and a cumulative weighted GPA counselor recommendations and Secondary School Reports will reflect are provided on the transcript for each student. Due to the small size of anything remarkable from the Spring 2020 semester. As of August our senior classes, Pace does not provide a class rank. 12, 2020, Pace Academy is offering in-person and distance learning options. Some students’ schedules were altered due to understand- PHILOSOPHY AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS able shifts in faculty and staff due to the global pandemic. We seek • We provide a comprehensive college counseling program that your understanding for our students whose academic and extracurricu- focuses on finding the right college fit for each student. lar records have been significantly disrupted. Our team will continue • We support early-decision applications once students have carefully to engage with our colleagues on the other side of the desk to provide researched their options. the appropriate context for each individual applicant from Pace. • We advise students of their ethical obligations in the admissions process regarding disciplinary issues, withdrawing applications and ARTS submitting enrollment deposits. Pace offers an extensive program in visual arts, music and theatre. • Pace complies with NACAC’s Code of Ethics and Beginning, intermediate, and advanced classes are offered in draw- Professional Practices. ing, painting, digital illustration, video production, ceramics, pho- tography, sculpture, chorus, band, orchestra, acting and stagecraft. GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS A state-of-the-art Fine Arts Center includes a 600-seat theatre and Pace Academy requires 46 total units of credit for its diploma—42 of Upper School studios. which must be academic, four of which may be satisfied with academic or non-academic electives. In addition, students must satisfy a non-unit ATHLETICS physical education requirement (either by participating in an interscho- Upper School students choose from 32 competitive teams, and more lastic athletic team or in an after-school P.E. class), as well as a non-unit than 80 percent of Pace students play at least one sport. Students service requirement of 40 hours of community service. A normal enjoy outstanding athletic facilities, including the recent addition of schedule consists of six classes per semester. Students receive one unit athletic complexes for lacrosse, football, softball, baseball and soccer. of credit for each semester of study. ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSE REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION Pace Academy offers 25 Honors classes and 24 Advanced Placement ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS (SEMESTER MINIMUM): courses. Students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses must take the AP exam. ENGLISH 8 units MATHEMATICS 8 units ADVANCED PLACEMENT STUDENT SCORES (minimum of algebra II) Eighty-six percent of our students score 3 or above on AP tests. SOCIAL SCIENCE 6 units Sixty-two percent of our students score a 4 or 5. (minimum of two units of U.S. history and a minimum of four units of non-U.S. history) APPLICATION STATISTICS SCIENCE 6 units There were 114 graduates in the Class of 2020: (two units each—physics, chemistry • Thirty-one percent of class received ACT/SAT scores of 34/1500 or and biology) greater; 58 percent of class received scores of 32/1400 or greater; WORLD LANGUAGE 4 units and 70 percent of class received scores of 29/1300 or greater. (minimum through third level) • The class submitted 764 college applications to 206 colleges FINE ARTS 3 units and universities. ACADEMIC ELECTIVES 4 units • The class applied, on average, to six colleges. • The class plans to attend 62 different colleges and universities in 26 states, the District of Columbia, England and Japan. Forty students are the sole matriculates to their college. PACE ACADEMY COLLEGE PROFILE | 2020– 2021 TESTING PROFILE: CLASSES OF 2017–2020 ACT MID 50% ACT MEAN SAT MID 50% SAT MEAN CLASS OF 2020 28–34 30 1210–1460 1320 CLASS OF 2019 27–33 30 1170–1320 1305 CLASS OF 2018