The Mount Carmel Marketing and Enrollment Office works year-round preparing for the annual placement test for 8th graders. Under the direction of Mrs. Tessa Burke, the enrollment team sponsored eight neighborhood open houses, visited over 125 grammar schools, and welcomed over 300 shadows since the start of the school year. In addition, the school also hosted three open houses that brought in more than 300 prospective students.  The Enrollment Office’s hard work was rewarded when 216 students arrived early on Saturday morning for, January 10, for this year’s test.

Commenting on the massive effort, Mr. Bill Nolan, Director of Enrollment, was quick to pass along credit to others. “Everybody markets our school, not just this office.” Nolan pointed out that all faculty and staff participate in the two general open house events, extend hospitality to shadows, and make phone calls to the hundreds of students who have expressed interest in Mount Carmel.

Nolan did, however, detail a few individuals who had an elevated role in the recruiting process, including Mr. Antonio Godinez, who focuses specifically on prospective students in the Latino community, and Mount Carmel’s president and principal, Fr. Tony Mazurkiewicz and Mr.John Stimler, who spearhead the neighborhood open house gatherings.

This kind of widespread support was apparent on the Saturday morning of the test, as many Mount Carmel staff were present to lend a helping hand. Many teachers were on hand proctor the test, while other faculty greeted students, shepherded groups to classrooms, and interacted with parents.

The support extended to the broader school community, as the Mount Carmel Mother’s Club provided pastries, milk and juice to the test-takers, and National Honor Society students assisted test proctors in the classrooms.

Following the test, each classroom of future men of Carmel was addressed by Mr. Phil Segroves, Associate Director of Enrollment, and Mr. Stimler.  Segroves congratulated the students for making the “great choice” of taking the entrance exam at MC, and reminded them that, “You represent Mount Carmel now, and you need to act like men when you’re wearing Mount Carmel clothes out in the neighborhood.”

Among the Catholic grammar schools well represented at the placement test were St. John the Baptist (Indiana), Christ the King (Beverly), and St. John Fisher (Beverly). As always, Mount Carmel pulled in students from a wide geographical region, including schools on the north side like St. Andrew and in the western suburbs, like St. Issac Jogues in Hinsdale.

For those 8th graders taking the test, there’s an unavoidable sense of anxiety.  Carlos Patino, who attends Tarkington School, observed, “You never really know what kind of questions you’re going to see, and some of them caught me off guard.” When asked about why he choose MC; Patino explained that his relatives who preceded him at MC played a large role in his decision.

Another future man of Carmel, Matthew Young from Henry Clay School, also spoke abut how he was nervous before the test.  But he pointed to MC’s reputation in athletics as playing a part in his decision.  “I attended Mount Carmel football and baseball games and I got the opportunity to see what Mount Carmel was all about.”

For those 8th graders who did not test at any Catholic High School on January 10, a make-up test date has been set for Saturday, January 17, at 8 AM.  Students should bring two #2 pencils and the $25 test fee.