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Where the Wild Things Are: Navigating the College Process College Night Class of 2014 January 22, 2013
Where the Wild Things Are:
Navigating the College Process
College Night Class of 2014
January 22, 2013
Where the Wild Things Are:Navigating the College Process
The year Max was a junior. . .
He set off through night and day and in and out of weeksand almost over a year
in search of colleges in the world all round.
And he came to where the wild things are.
Some were his inner wild things:
Procrastination. . .Fear. . .
Doubt. . .
*
And some were wildthings all around him.
Distractions. . .Peer Pressure. . .
Helicopter parents. . .
But Max said, “BE STILL !”
and ruledALL
the wild things.
*
Finally, Max sailed back over a yearand in and out of weeksand through a day and
into his very own room, where he found a
letter waiting for him.“And now,” he said, “let the wild rumpus
start !”
Wisdom from the Class of 2013
on ruling the Wild Things
PanelistsNick FavaloroKevin ChenEzra Frankel
Keelan Smithers
THE NEXT
FIFTEEN
MONTHS
MEETINGSWITH
COUNSELORS
Meeting 1
February/MarchStudent & counselor
Who am I?What do I want?
Follow-up: ideas for colleges to visit
Optonal Meeting for Parents
Once a student hasmet at least once with
his counselor,parents are welcome to come in for a conference.
Meeting 2
April / May Student & counselor
Workshop with the list(preliminary list in Naviance by June)
Final rec decisionsTesting update
Essay brainstorming
Summer
Complete anentire
Common Application !(more about this in a minute)
Meeting 3
September of senior year
Student & counselor
Update and list-tweaking
The evil empire. . .
Standardized Testing
Between now and June:• SAT x 1 or 2
• SAT Subject Tests x 1 or 2
• ACT if desired x 1 or 2
• (AP tests if appropriate)
Standardized testing, continued
Next fall:• SAT again if you need it• ACT again if you need it
Which colleges require 3 SAT Subject Tests?
NONE ! 3 SAT Subject Tests recommended
for Class of 2013 (this could change):
GeorgetownHarvard
Johns HopkinsNorthwestern
At many colleges, the ACT substitutes. A few colleges accept 3 S.T. instead of SAT.
FIVE NON-NEGOTIABLE DEADLINES
I. January 31, 2013 WFPZ (worry-free parent zone)
Questionnaire & Résumé due in Naviance
This extensive questionnaire can be the basis for conversation, letter, short answers and long essays in applications.
Weak, shallow, or too-brief questionnaires will be returned and re-assigned.
NND II: May 3, 2013
Last day to request a rec from each of two teachers. WFPZ
Teacher recs will be submitted electronically, and the process has been streamlined. Recs will be finished by early October.
No more envelopes, no more stamps.
NND III: First full day of school
Summer assignmentdue:
Common Application&
Updated résumé
Though it must be your son’s work,
schedule summer time for this!
NND IV:October TBD, 2013
Students finalize their college list in the Naviance software by this date.
Tweaking can continue until. . .
NND V:December TBD, 2013
Last day to make changes in your college list.
It’s all over but supplemental essays,but they can be time-consuming.
FIVE NNDs 1. Jan. 31: WFPZ Questionnaire & résumé
2. May 3: Teacher recs form due. WFPZ
3. First full day of school: Common Application &
updated résumé
4. Oct. tbd: College list
5. Dec. tbd : Last changes in list
Beyond the NNDsWhat else?
College visitsEssaysInterviewsSending test scores to collegesSupplemental essaysMonitoring colleges’ receipt of materialsAthletic issuesArt portfoliosFollow-up lettersThe unexpected. . .
How can parents help?
Let it be HIS process.
Don’t obsess. The Michael Thompson “college diet.”
Read the signals.
How can parents help?
Adjust your attitude: It’s 2013: college admissions are about
statistics and hooks.
Update yourself on the colleges:look beyond the Ivy League
Be inventive about family relationships.
How can parents help?
Make trip arrangements.
Create organized space.
Register him for tests, and send scores to colleges.
How can parents help?
Keep a sense of humor.
When panic sets in,call your son’s college counselor before losing your cool!
Coming soon. . .
March or April meeting witha college admissions person
Date and time TBA
How to find us:
Ms. Ann Tift
617-993-5266 [email protected]
Dr. Catherine Stearns Mrs. Bunny Melvoin
617-993-5288 617-993-5265
Check in on our blog !
Access the Belmont Hill
College Counseling Blog
on the school website
(www.belmonthill.org),
then “Academics” drop-down menu.
College Counseling Resource Page
To find links and downloads
and lists and more,
go to www.belmonthill.org,
then “Academics,” then
“College Counseling” on the drop-down menu, then “Resource Page.”
Thanks for coming!
We’ll see you online
and
in person. . .
