Tending to the Final Details

For most seniors, college applications will be complete and in the mail by the end of this month and the long, sometimes arduous, hopefully rewarding process of applying will be finished. Almost. While the lion's share of the work is done, there are still some important details to attend to.

First and foremost, remember that you are not "in" college until you walk through the doors on the first day of school. To make sure that accepted students remain focused on their academics and keep working to their best abilities, college acceptances are made with a contingency - if the student's grades decline appreciably the school reserves the right to rescind their offer of admission.

Colleges also retain the right to rescind admissions offers to students who engage in serious misconduct, either in or out of school. So, while Senior Spring is certainly a hard-earned privilege and a special time for graduating students to savor their last few months of high school, students need to continue to be on their best behavior.

For those seniors who have been placed on wait-lists at their first choice school, this is not a time to be passive and take the "wait and see" approach. Wait-listed students need to be strong advocates for themselves. It is important to be in contact with the admissions office to let them know that their school remains your first pick. Begin by writing a letter explaining why this college is the best match for you. You may want to follow up by making a call to the admissions office to verbally state your case. Guidance counselors can also be solicited for help to make a phone call or write a letter on your behalf.

Finally, you should also send news of any positive changes in your status. If you were just elected captain of the volleyball team, made district chorus or landed an amazing internship, let the admissions office know! The fact that you are still taking on challenges and enjoying new successes will speak strongly of your work ethic.

If you have been accepted early and know what school you want to attend, it is ethically appropriate to call all the other schools to which you have applied to withdraw your application, even if they haven't given you an answer yet. The sooner you let them know of your change in status, the sooner they will be able to give that acceptance to another student.

Finally, there are some administrative details that must be attended to. Be sure that your guidance office has the forms they need to send off your mid-year reports to colleges. For those applying for financial aid, it's time to file taxes and complete FAFSA forms. Be sure that you know your college's financial aid deadlines, and don't miss them.

Congratulations, seniors on the completion of your college process. But remember, there are a few details left to attend to - besides waiting for the mail to arrive!

Holiday Advice to Parents of Students Applying to College

The post to the US News and World Report blog this morning Parents Read This is a must read for parents of seniors applying to college. Lynn Jacobs and Jeremy Hyman provide 8 guiding principles that are practical and essential. The college application process is already fraught with enough stress and anxiety and the holidays can add an extra layer to that. Oftentimes parents who truly want to helpful can unwittingly add to the anxiety of their child. Reading these principles and following their wise advice can reduce some of the stress. Parents should remember that this is their child's process and being supportive means giving over some of the control of the process. Parents can help with being mindful of the deadlines and the requirements, but must be careful not to become so involved that the child doesn't feel ownership. Parents who follow these guiding principles will be glad they did and as a result will have a much happier holiday season.

SAT Score-Use Practices

Beginning with the March administration of the SAT, juniors are now able to choose which scores they will send to selected colleges.   Score Choice allows students greater control over the information about them that is recieved by colleges.  However, schools vary on how they use scores for admission purposes - while some schools will take the highest scores from each section (math, critical reading and writing) across test dates, other colleges will only consider the SAT scores from your single highest test date.  For a listing of the SAT Score-Use Practices for most schools, click on blog title.

Registration Deadline for June 13th ACT

To register, go to www.act.org.

Registration Deadline for June 6th SAT and Subject Tests

To register, go to www.collegeboard.com.

AHP Hosts MetroWest Educational Consultants Group

Chris Hamblin will be speaking to the Metrowest Area Educational Consultants Gruop about the College Pprocess for the recruited athlete.

New Blog on NY Times

The Education Editor of the New York Times, Jacques Steinberg, has started a new blog called The Choice, Demystifying College Admissions and Financial Aid. We have observed some very interesting posts. Some are from Mr. Steinberg: others from seniors in the midst of the process. We suggest you check it out.

The College Process for the Recruited Athlete

Chris Hamblin, former Boston College assistant women's soccer coach, will speak about the athletic recruitng process from 5:30 - 7 at our offices.  All are welcome.  To rsvp, please contact Karen at 978-261-1436.

Choosing Senior Year Courses

Over the next several weeks, juniors will be asked to select courses for next year and we encourage you to give careful thought to your class selections. As you become more involved in and more knowledgeable about college admissions, you will come to understand that the most important aspect of your application will be your transcript. The most impressive transcripts show a student who has maintained a strong grade point average while taking appropriately rigorous classes. As such, in choosing your courses for next year it is important to find that right balance.

Most colleges expect their applicants to have taken four years of English, three years of math, (to include Algebra I and II as well as Geometry), two years of social science or history, two years of the same foreign language, and two years of a lab science. Bear in mind that these are minimums and most students easily meet these requirements by the end of junior year. In choosing classes for senior year, a strong transcript shows that the student has continued on to the next appropriate level in these core courses rather than substituting electives.

As you think about what classes you would like to take, be sure to avoid overextending yourself by taking too many challenging courses or too many electives. In addition to college applications, which will take a considerable amount of time in the fall of senior year, high level courses can also be very time intensive. Be sure you've allowed yourself enough time to do your schoolwork well while leaving plenty of time for extracurricular activities. However, don't take the easy way out. If you can ably manage the work load, colleges would much prefer that you take a more challenging course and get a B rather than take a lower-level course and get the easy A.

Similarly, it might be tempting to take interesting electives instead of continuing on in math, science or foreign language. However, admissions committees will want to see that you have challenged yourself and that you have taken the next logical level of rigor over your four years of high school. It is probably a better choice to take a fourth year of a language or and advanced level math class than to pick up ceramics.

The strength of your curriculum and your achievement are the most important elements in college admissions and should be kept in mind as you select your courses for next year. Consult your current teachers for their recommendations as to what the next level of course should be for you. You should also schedule a meeting with your guidance counselor to discuss your course options.

The key is to know your capacity to do work and, within that capacity, to continue to challenge yourself at the next level.

Reprinted with permission from Metrowest Daily News.

Put Tests in Perspective

Which of the following is true: A. College admissions tests are the most important factor in college admissions; B. The SAT is the same as the ACT; C. All colleges require either the SAT or ACT for admission; D. None of the above. If you answered D, congratulations! You are savvy about the myths surrounding these standardized tests. If you answered incorrectly, read on.

While the SAT is the most commonly recognized college admissions test, the ACT is rapidly gaining in popularity, and is accepted in lieu of the SAT at most colleges and universities. Although these entrance exams are treated equally, there are several important differences between them.

The SAT provides scores for Critical Reading, Math and Writing on a scale ranging from 200 to 800, a "perfect" score. The math portion covers material up to ninth grade basic geometry and the reading section emphasizes vocabulary.

A third writing section was added in 2005 but, as of now, most colleges don't consider this in their admissions decisions. In general, the SAT is a test of strategy and testmanship and those who are inherently skilled at multiple choice tests have an advantage.

The ACT is comprised of 4 sections: English, which emphasizes grammar; Math, which covers material through trigonometry; Reading; and Science Reasoning. There is also an optional writing section. Scores between 1 and 36 are given for each section and a composite score is derived using the same scale. Unlike the SAT, the ACT is a test of time management skills and academic achievement or studiousness. In short, ACT is a more curriculum-based test where students demonstrate their mastery of the material while the SAT measures that their inherent aptitude and skillful test-taking strategies can make a difference.

Most college-bound students take these entrance exams more than once in an effort to improve their scores. While the ACT has always offered test takers the opportunity to submit only those scores they wish colleges to see, as of March 2009, the College Board will also be offering Score Choice for the SAT for the Class of 2010. In both cases, scores for every section of the test must be sent for each test administration - students are not allowed to pick and choose their highest scores across test dates. Further, not all colleges will observe the Score Choice option. More information about this new policy is availabl e at http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/sat-reasoning/scores/policy.

Despite all the chatter surrounding college admissions tests, it is important to note that nearly 20 percent of all four-year colleges are "test optional" and don't require these tests for admissions. A current list of test optional schools is available at www.FairTest.org.

While standardized tests can play a role in admissions, in most cases it is not the most weighty piece of the application. Their role is to provide an "external reality" to the application by creating a uniform and consistent measure of academic aptitude and ability. While each college and university will determine the extent to which standardized test scores will factor into their admissions decisions, in most cases a student's high school transcript is the most important piece of their application.

So, do prepare for standardized tests, but keep their role in in perspective.

Reprinted with permission from Metrowest Daily News.

Finding the "Right Type" of College

The new year marks new beginnings and January is when the Class of 2010 begins the college process. Although, at this point, it might seem like there is more than enough time to do all that a successful application entails, starting early and in earnest will set the course for a successful and less stressful experience. Here are a few suggestions to get the things started: With 3,000 schools to choose from, the college process can seem overwhelming. To get a sense of what options are available take tours of several local campuses not in an effort to find the "right college," but to find the "right type of college." After a few visits it will be clear that almost all colleges allow students to study abroad, have faculty advisors, offer peer tutoring and have a variety of housing options. Once the common threads are identified, it will be easier to focus on how schools differentiate themselves.

To do that, visit area colleges of several different sizes, types and locations to gain a sense of the variety of options. Few juniors actually know what a school of 7,000 students really feels like when they say they want a medium-sized university. Because of their numbers, large universities and small colleges have different resources and opportunities available to students. The trade off for the vast opportunities at big schools is the intimate setting at small schools and students need to consider where they would thrive.

Also, visit a campus located in the heart of a city as well as one in the suburbs to understand how location might influence the college experience. While opportunities for internships, cultural events and night life abound in the city, for some the opportunities of a smaller college are easier to navigate.

Further, visit several different types of schools: engineering colleges, business schools, liberal arts colleges and public universities. This can help students clarify if they want to live and breathe their major - as they will at pre-professional colleges - or if they want to explore their field of interest in the context of a broader liberal arts curriculum. Being an accounting major at Babson College is not the same thing as majoring in economics at Wheaton College.

It is also important to build a college vocabulary. Tour guides will talk glibly about 4-4-1 versus 4-1-4 calendars, interim programs, and co-op experiences. These are some of the opportunities that vary from college to college and are features that distinguish the academic program at one school from the next. Learning what these programs offer will help to define the criteria for schools that will ultimately be the right fit.

Take advantage of upcoming vacation days to visit a few schools to get a broad understanding of the various options. Don't worry about the particular location, selectivity or "perfectness" of these schools - instead make the point of these visits to get a sense of what feels like the right type of school. The more precisely you can define what it is that you are seeking in a school, the more fruitful your search for the right school will be.

Reprinted with permission from Metrowest Daily News.

Make Your List and Check it Twice

As the holiday season approaches, economic realities are forcing many families to reconsider their holiday gift lists. Similarly, with college costs escalating at more than twice the rate of inflation and families finding their college savings plans hit hard by the recent recession, college-bound seniors are revising their college lists to include schools that will be, for them, "financial safeties" - those schools most likely to meet a student's financial aid needs. However, with students are applying for financial aid in increasing numbers, it is important not to assume the state university system is the best - or the only - option available.

Many schools are offering different types of financial incentives to prospective applicants and a little research can reveal some interesting possibilities. Begin by looking locally as some institutions are offering aid to families who live near by. For example, Fairfield University will award full tuition scholarships to graduates of the high schools in Bridgeport, Conn., whose family incomes are below $50,000. Similarly, beginning next fall Boston University will replace loans with grant money for enrolled students who reside in Boston and who graduated from Boston public schools.

Some larger universities - such as Princeton, Harvard, Yale and Columbia - have recently reaffirmed their commitment to make college education affordable by committing to meet the financial needs of their students. Smaller private universities, such as Vanderbilt and Amherst, have tried to ease the financial burden on families by replacing need-based loans with institutional grants and scholarships. This relieves students of the weight of having to pay back large student loans upon graduation.

To entice strong applicants, colleges are also continuing to increase the amount of merit aid they are offering over need-based aid. By applying to a school where the student's GPA and SAT score will place him in the top tier of applicants, a student will increase his chances of being awarded merit aid, as well as the amount of that aid. This "differential packaging," or aid offered according to academic abilities, is more frequently used as a tool for admission at private colleges than public universities.

Finally, great bargains can be found in the Midwest, so considering schools from a broader geographic region may well reveal some hidden gems - educationally as well as financially. While Ohio may not offer the same cultural or social opportunities as Boston or New York, there are terrific colleges out there offering top-notch education at lower prices.

Public institutions are seeing dramatic increases in their applications as students seek financial safety schools, but the popularity of state-supported schools is putting tremendous strain on admissions offices who can only admit a limited number of students.

So, make your college list, then check it twice.

If financial aid in some form is needed, improve your chances of being awarded that aid by looking beyond the public universities, researching financial aid packages, applying to schools that need and want you, and casting your net wide. There are several ways to build a college list that will consider both your chances for admissibility as well as for receiving financial aid.

Reprinted with permission from Metrowest Daily News.

Developing the College List

After months and months of research, visiting schools and interviewing, many seniors are faced with a new dilemma: how to narrow what has become an impressively long college list into the manageable list of schools to which he will apply. With more than 3,000 colleges from which to choose, the challenge is to develop a list of schools that both matches the student's abilities, interests and character and also represents an appropriate range of selectivity. Generally, a college list of eight to 10 schools is appropriate for most students. Even though the Common Application facilitates the application process, interviewing, campus visits and completing supplemental materials can take a tremendous amount of time. Working on too many applications can compromise both the caliber of each individual application as well as detract from time and effort better focused on school work and extracurricular activities.

To hone the list, consider carefully why each school was put on the list in the first place. Likely, through the college process, search criteria became increasingly refined and those schools chosen early in the process may no longer be appropriate. Review the list carefully, and keep only those colleges that remain the best matches.

The next step in refining the college list is to check it for balance, making sure that there are "reach," "eye-level" and "likely" schools represented. Typically, the most selective, or reach, schools are the easiest to add. In an effort to increase the chances of being admitted to a reach school, students may be tempted to add a disproportionate number of them to the list. However, because these schools typically have lengthy supplements, applying to many of them can actually backfire as the applicant won't put forth his best effort on each and every application. A better strategy is to submit thoughtful and well-polished applications to the candidate's top two or three reach schools.

At the other end of the spectrum, likely schools play a critical role and should not be just "thrown on" as afterthoughts. Like every other school on the final list, these schools should be places where the student would thrive academically and socially. If a likely school is not a college the applicant would attend, than it shouldn't be on the list at all. These two to three schools are the most difficult to find because they involve a compromise of some kind and they don't have the same cache as the more selective schools.

The middle tier of schools that appear on a balanced college list are the eye-level or moderate schools - those institutions where the applicant stands an even chance of being admitted. These three or four schools are the backbone of the college list and should be chosen with tremendous thought and care. Chances are, it is one of the schools in this category that the student will end up attending.

Developing a balanced list of appropriate schools takes time but should reflect a range of schools at which the applicant will be a happy, successful student. While there can be compelling reasons to have lists that are longer or shorter than the recommended eight to 10 schools, the most important thing is that the list is balanced between reach, eye-level and likely schools, and that the applicant puts his best effort into his applications at each and every school.

Reprinted with permission from Metrowest Daily News.