College Counseling September 2008
Posted by usnl in : College Counseling, September 2008Greetings from the College Counseling Office!
We hope that your summer was relaxing and you are now ready for a busy fall trimester. Members of the College Counseling Office spent the summer visiting campuses in Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Washington D.C., attending professional conferences, and writing letters of recommendation. The summer was also an opportunity to analyze our efforts and determine areas for improvement. With this in mind, we have begun to explore the possibility of submitting transcripts, letters of recommendation, and supporting forms to colleges electronically. There are many reasons and incentives to move away from paper application materials: filing forms electronically allows college admissions offices to instantly upload documents into an applicant’s file; it reduces the volume of snail mail that an admissions office has to collate by hand; it is environmentally friendly; it is secure; it saves PC money by reducing postage; and it’s fast (application materials can go from Penn Charter to an admissions office within minutes rather than days). We look forward to continued investigation in this area and ultimately sharing the benefits with our students and families.
If you have picked up a newspaper or magazine over the past 12 months, you no doubt read that the world of college admissions has undergone much change (college admissions is now front page, above the fold news). It seems that not a week will go by without receiving an article that was clipped by a well intentioned colleague, relative or PC family (usually with a Post-it note on top stating “Dan, Can you believe how crazy things have gotten? Enjoy!”) that describes the increased competition surrounding college admissions. To make matters worse, headlines like “Colleges Receive Record Number of Applications” or “Top Students with Perfect Scores Get Rejected” typically introduce the article du jour. Even though I have been in this industry for 19 years, I’ll admit that I find these headlines intimidating. Despite this competitive climate, my colleagues and I continue to be encouraged with the results for Penn Charter students. Last year, nearly 120 colleges sent an admissions representative to PC to “recruit” our students; 60 percent of the 626 applications submitted for the Class of 2008 resulted in acceptances; and, even more impressive, is the fact that 94 percent of the Class of 2008 reported that they would be attending one of their top-choice colleges. We consider these strong statistics to be evidence that PC families are giving this important process the time and thought that it deserves while also welcoming support, advice and honest feedback from our office. If you are curious about where our students have enrolled, matriculation lists (along with a lot of other helpful information) can be viewed on the College Counseling portion of the school’s website.
http://www.penncharter.com/Content/academics/us/collegecounseling.asp
Seniors: Whether your summer plans involved work, athletic tournaments, educational programs, travel or community service, I hope your activities were fulfilling. Of course, I also hope you have been staying on schedule with your college search and visiting campuses, collecting applications, and thinking about (better yet – writing) your college essay(s). (Note: A “Summer Check List for the College Process” can be viewed on your Family Connection accounts.) As was explained to you last spring, the College Counseling Office will expect your list of colleges to be fine-tuned by September and finalized by November. Senior Seminar, which meets weekly throughout the fall trimester, will help you stay on track and meet various deadlines. Planning a college visit? Please remember that you have a total of five days of excused absences for visiting colleges. If you are visiting a college, you must complete a student absence form and bring in a parent note regarding the missed days of school before the visit for the absence can be excused.
Juniors and Sophomores: All juniors and sophomores are required to take the PSAT on Saturday, October 18, 2008. The test will be given at Penn Charter in the Richard B. Fisher Middle School. Students should report to the Balderston Commons by 7:45 a.m. Students are pre-registered for the test and the cost will be billed to their school account. The test begins promptly at 8:00 a.m. and should be over by 11:00 a.m. The test and answer sheets will be returned to students in early December along with an explanation of the results.
Juniors: Juniors who do extremely well on the PSAT, and score in the top 4 percent nationally, will receive recognition in the spring and enter the scholarship programs of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Sophomores: Even though Penn Charter requires you to take the PSAT, please keep in mind that colleges never see the results. Because the test is designed for the junior year, there will be some math on the test that you have not yet covered. As a result, do not worry if your score is not as high as you were hoping it would be. Please remember that this is practice and it should be viewed as a learning experience that will prepare you for next year when the test does count as a qualifier for National Merit recognition. Having said this, it is still important to do your best since the PSAT results are used by some of Penn Charter’s academic departments, along with grades, for course placement.
Freshmen: The College Counseling office is pleased to announce its annual Coffee with the College Counselors program for the parents of 9th graders. The program will take place during the week of Jan. 26, 2009 (8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.) in the Overseers Room. These informal coffee hours will introduce the parents of the Class of 2012 to the college counseling team, give an overview of the Penn Charter college counseling philosophy, reduce anxiety (we hope), while also providing an opportunity for your questions to be answered about this very important process. More information will be mailed to 9th grade parents in January.
Important Dates:
Thursday, Oct. 2 (7:00 p.m.) – Seniors and Parents College Night This event will be a wonderful opportunity for students and parents to learn first-hand how admissions offices evaluate applications (the role of the transcript, how standardized testing is considered, the importance of your essay, etc.). We will be led through a mock admissions selection committee by experienced admissions officers and we will review and decision real, but anonymous, applications. The program will take place in the Meeting Room.
Saturday, Oct. 4 – National SAT Reasoning Test & SAT Subject Test Test Date The registration deadline for this test is Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008. Students should register online at www.collegeboard.com.
Saturday, Oct. 18 (8:00 a.m.) – National PSAT Test Date All sophomores and juniors should report to the Balderston Commons in the Richard B. Fisher Middle School building at 7:45 a.m.
Saturday, Oct. 25 – National ACT Test Date The registration deadline for this test is Friday, Sept. 19, 2008. Students should register on line at www.act.org.
Thursday, Nov. 20 (7:00 p.m.) - Members of the College Counseling Office, in cooperation with the Athletic Department, are hosting a workshop focusing on student-athletes and the college recruiting process. More information will be mailed to 9th and 11th grade families in November.
Welcome back!
Daniel F. Evans, Director of College Counseling
Erin P. Hughes, Assistant Director of College Counseling
Diona Nicolucci, Coordinator of College Counseling
College Counseling April 2008
Posted by usnl in : College Counseling, April 2008 EditionSuggested Readings
The college section of your local bookstore is now large enough to cover an entire wall. In an effort to help families distinguish some of the helpful books from the glut available, the College Counseling Office has assembled the following reading list:
- Letting Go: A Parents’ Guide to Understanding the College Years,
Karen Coburn & Madge Treeger
- Colleges That Change Lives, Loren Pope
- The Fiske Guide to Colleges, Edward Fiske (OPC’55)
- Less Stress, More Success: A New Approach to Guiding Your
Teen Through College Admissions and Beyond, Marilee Jones
& Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg
- Taking Time Off, Colin Hall & Ron Lieber
Seniors
The Class of 2008 submitted more than 700 applications to more than 200 colleges, but the long wait has ended and seniors have their college acceptances in hand. Well done! Now comes the next big decision: where will your child enroll? For many, this decision can’t be made until the colleges send out their financial aid packages. All information regarding admissions and financial aid should be known in April. If you have applied for financial aid or scholarships and you have not heard anything, we recommend contacting the college(s). The College Counseling Office can assist in this process.
If your child is debating between several colleges, he/she may want to visit each of them again in April, spending the night on campus, attending classes, and getting a “gut feel” for whether or not he/she would like to spend four years at the college.
All students must select one college and have their enrollment deposit postmarked by May 1, 2008, which is the National Candidate Reply Date as established by the National Association of College Admissions Counseling (NACAC). You may not send a deposit to more than one college or university for any reason. The practice of double-depositing is considered highly unethical in the world of college admissions, and colleges have been known to rescind an offer of admission if they learn of such behavior. How will colleges find out? Many colleges exchange matriculation lists with one another after May 1. Furthermore, most colleges send matriculation lists to the College Counseling Office. Because we cannot jeopardize our relationships with admissions offices, we reserve the right to notify colleges that a student double-deposited, if it comes to our attention.
Regarding the wait list, students should inform their college counselor if they want to remain active on a wait list so their college counselor can contact the college and advocate for the student. Of course, it is also important for the wait-listed student to self-advocate (ie: sending a brief letter to the college that reinforces your interest in attending). Aggressive colleges may decide to move students into their freshman class from the wait list as early as mid-April while others may wait until June or July. Again, the College Counseling Office will help you negotiate this process.
Juniors
In December, the Class of 2009 registered on Family Connection, the application tracking software used by our office. It is extremely important that Class of 2009 parents also register on their students’ accounts. If you do not have your registration code, please contact me directly at devans@penncharter.com.
The Class of 2009 completed its Junior Seminar and was assigned to a college counselor. Initial individual meetings between students and counselors took place in February and March. Following Spring Break, family conferences will take place throughout April and May. Please try to honor the date and time of your scheduled family meeting as it takes a great deal of effort to coordinate schedules for these meetings. Your meeting date and time are determined primarily by your child’s free period.
On Wednesday, April 16 (7:00 p.m.), juniors and their parents are expected to attend the annual College Admissions Workshop. This program is designed to give you first-hand information from Penn Charter seniors as well as experienced admissions officers. We will cover such topics as maximizing campus visits and interviews, preparing the most effective applications, and practical advice from students who have just completed the process. More information on this program will be mailed under separate cover.
Juniors who have not yet taken the SAT should plan to take it Saturday, May 3. All juniors should plan to take SAT Subject Tests on Saturday, June 7. The College Counseling Office recommends that students take at least two SAT Subject Tests of their choosing.
Juniors and Sophomores
Tuesday, April 29, 2008, 6:30 – 9:00 p.m., The Main Line College Fair at Villanova University. This is the region’s premier spring college fair, so plan to arrive early as the program tends to be crowded.
Additional information on regional programs and receptions will be listed on each junior’s Family Connection account as well as posted outside of the College Counseling Office.
Already have plans for the summer? The College Counseling Office receives a tremendous amount of information regarding summer opportunities for high school students. Programs range from academic programs on college campuses to community service opportunities both domestic and abroad, to outdoor adventure programs across the globe. Simply contact the College Counseling Office if you are interested in learning more. Of course, the summer is also a wonderful time to visit colleges.
Freshmen
More than 60 families attended the annual “Coffee with the College Counselors” during the week of January 28, 2008. These informal coffee hours with counselors introduced parents of the Class of 2011 to the College Counseling program at Penn Charter and, hopefully, answered all of the questions that parents have while also reducing anxiety and stress.
We hope this information is helpful. As always, feel free to contact the College Counseling Office with any questions. Please remember that the college search process must begin with a student conducting a thorough self-assessment. Equally important, please recognize that finding the ‘best fit’ college is a team effort that does not have to be stressful.
Daniel F. Evans
Director of College Counseling
College Counseling December 2007
Posted by usnl in : November 2007 Edition, College CounselingSeniors
Application Deadlines: All remaining “Pink Sheets” and accompanying Secondary School Reports were due to the College Counseling Office by Friday, Nov. 30, 2007. This deadline applied to all seniors, whether applying early decision, early action, rolling admission, or regular decision. As you know, the last day of classes before winter break is Friday, Dec. 14, 2007, and the College Counseling Office, along with the rest of the school, will be closed until Jan. 2, 2008. Based on the behavior of previous graduating classes (students applying to between 6 – 9 colleges each), we anticipate mailing more than 650 applications before winter break and this, obviously, requires time.
If your child applied early decision, early action, or rolling admissions and will learn of his/her admissions decision before or during winter break, we strongly recommend having his/her other applications ready to go by the above deadlines as well. If your child learns of his/her acceptance to his/her top-choice college, the other applications do not have to be mailed. However, if your child is not admitted to his/her top choice before or during winter break, we believe that it is best to have the other applications ready to be mailed instead of having to create other applications in mid-December. Please contact the College Counseling Office with any questions about this recommendation.
Financial Aid: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is encouraging families to apply for financial aid online. The online version is available through the U.S. Department of Education website at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Colleges and universities use the information in the FAFSA to determine whether families are eligible for federal grants, loans or work-study programs. The FAFSA may also allow you to apply for outside scholarships and financial aid through the state. The paper version of the FAFSA is currently available in the College Counseling Office; if you prefer to use the paper version, encourage your child to stop by our office to pick up a copy of the application. The FAFSA cannot be filed until after Jan. 1, 2008, but the general rule of thumb is that the earlier you file the form, the better. If you wait too long, you can jeopardize your chances for receiving financial aid.
The College Scholarship Service Financial Aid Profile (CSS Profile) is required by many colleges along with the FAFSA. The paper version of the CSS Profile is currently available in the College Counseling Office. The form may also be completed online at http://profileonline.collegeboard.com.
Juniors
Junior Seminar: At the start of the winter trimester, juniors will begin meeting weekly with the college counselors for Junior Seminar. This non-credit, non-graded class gives students an overview of the roughly 18-month long college search process. College counselors instruct students in the basics of SAT/ACT, colleges, universities, college guide books, valuable websites, campus visits, interviews, applications and financial aid. Juniors will be assigned to a college counselor in January and can begin meeting with counselors individually at that time. During April and May, the college counselors will schedule family meetings to review college choices and related issues.
College Kick-Off Night: The College Counseling Office will hold its annual College Kick-Off Night for parents on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. College counselors will give an overview of the college search process and timetable as well as an explanation of Penn Charter’s philosophy. Additional information for this program will be mailed in January.
Campus Visits: It is not too early to start visiting college campuses. Begin locally and get a feel for an urban (Drexel) vs. suburban (Villanova) campus, large (Penn) vs. small (Haverford) student body. The Philadelphia region actually has 87 colleges and universities to explore. Once students begin to develop characteristics that they are looking for in colleges, the College Counseling Office can assist them in expanding their lists. Please be aware that Penn Charter allows a total of five excused absences for visiting colleges during the junior and senior years combined. Juniors may begin utilizing this opportunity after Jan. 1, 2008, but must submit the necessary paperwork before they actually visit the campuses.
Juniors and Sophomores
PSAT Results: The results of the PSAT taken by sophomores and juniors will be available in mid-December. These results will be mailed home along with information about interpreting your child’s score. Please keep in mind that colleges never see the results of the PSAT. For sophomores, the PSAT is a good practice tool for taking the PSAT during the junior year when the results may qualify students for National Merit Scholarships. Additionally, some academic departments at Penn Charter do use the PSAT results as part of their selection criteria for Advanced or AP courses.
Sophomores and Freshmen
Academic Performance: The primary focus during the freshman and sophomore year should be strong academic performance. Your child’s performance these years has influence on his/her course selection during 11th and 12th grades. Admissions officers consider rigor of curriculum (for example: the presence of Advanced and AP courses) and academic performance throughout high school to be the most important part of an application packet.
Freshmen
Coffee with the College Counselors: The College Counseling Office is pleased to announce its annual Coffee with the College Counselors program for the parents of ninth graders. The program will take place during the week of Jan. 28, 2008 (8:00 – 9:00 a.m.) in the Overseers Room. These informal coffee hours will introduce the parents of the Class of 2011 to the college counseling team, give an overview of the Penn Charter college counseling philosophy, and reduce anxiety (we hope), while also providing an opportunity for your questions to be answered about this very important process. Additional information for these morning programs will be mailed in January.
An Important Correction
In the News from the College Counseling Office in the fall newsletter, a section of type was inadvertently dropped from a paragraph about college admissions. The omission resulted in an error. The paragraph in the newsletter said: "Last year, 61 percent of the 613 applications submitted for the Class of 2007 reported that they would be attending one of their top-choice colleges." However, the complete and accurate paragraph had said: "Last year, 61 percent of the 613 applications submitted for the Class of 2007 resulted in acceptances. Even more impressive is the fact that 94 percent of the Class of 2007 reported that they would be attending one of their top-choice colleges."
We hope this information is helpful. Please feel free to contact members of the College Counseling Office with any questions. You may also visit our office online at:
http://www.penncharter.com/Content/academics/us/collegecounseling.asp
Daniel F. Evans
Director of College Counseling