Class of 2014, Happy (almost) New Year = Time for FAFSA!

                The holidays are here! The first of the month is approaching  which can mean a few things, a new year to celebrate, making (and breaking) those New Year’s Resolutions, and FAFSA time! The 201342015 FAFSA, Free Application for Federal Student Aid, becomes available on January 1^st, 2014. All seniors should be in the process of exploring, reviewing and completing his FAFSA. In order to begin your application in the New Year you must have an identification PIN - which you must apply for. You can apply today for this PIN (which we recommend as it can take up to 2 week to receive your PIN). Each student and his parent need a PIN. Apply for a PIN at https://pin.ed.gov/PINWebApp/pinindex.jsp. Deadlines to complete the FAFAS vary by state, for New Jersey the deadline is June. However the sooner you complete the FAFSA, the sooner you can receive your maximum financial aid package from each college you have been accepted to.  There are many helpful resources to support the student and his family through this process – two of my favorites being http://studentaid.ed.gov/ and http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/index.htm. Be sure when filing your FAFSA to use the .gov website and not an imposture!

Happy Holidays and Happy Filings! Mrs. Sarah Morissette, M. Ed.

Parents and Seniors,

We hope you found the information presented this past Monday, 12/9/13, by Mr. Orantes helpful. The entire presentation has been added to the document folder in Naviance for your reference.

In January, we will host another evening opportunity this time for families who would like assistance completing the FAFSA. Stay tuned for that date!

In the interim, don't forget to utilize the following resources for scholarships and learning more about the financial aid process:

• Naviance Scholarship Page: Updated regularly by a member of our team

• Finaid.org: A comprehensive site

• Fastweb.com: HUGE scholarship database

• Employers: Parents, check with the Human Resources manager for any available scholarships

• Local Government: If we are alerted we will post these opportunities on Naviance, but check out the post office or civic organizations in your town

• Net Price Calculator: although it is mandated by the federal government, not every one is accurate, but it is a good place to start for each college/university.

• CSS Profile(profileonline.collegeboard.com): This is an additional form that is required by some, not all colleges.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to your primary counselor with questions and/or concerns.

Your College Counseling Team

Juniors, Your time is coming up as well - so let's take the spotlight off of the seniors for a moment and checkout the to-do list below. Are you on track?

December College Checklist for Juniors

By JEFFREY NEILL

With Thanksgiving behind us and our next vacation just weeks away, it is easy to let the college process slip our minds temporarily. However, there is plenty that can be done now, particularly planning. Taking advantage of these winter months can make an enormous difference come summer and next fall.

Be Committed to the Process

The college application process, from research through to submission, takes about 40 hours of work by the student. You do not need to wait until the summer or the fall of your senior year to do much of this work. Just 15 minutes per day — a study break, really — will have you through 40 hours by the middle of August, happy and satisfied with the knowledge that you are well-situated for the senior fall. Be diligent and committed, and the process will take care of itself.

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Communicate With Your Parents

This is your process, but you should make sure that your parents are informed and contributing to your college search. Take time to talk with your parents about the ways in which you want to involve them. Have this conversation early and often, even weekly.

Set up a schedule for visits, even though you may not yet have a list. Follow up with your parents after meetings with your college or guidance counselor. Work to understand your family’s financial situation. Explore costs as well as financial aid and loans. These all are essential conversations; now is the time to set up a plan for how you will communicate.

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Plan Your Summer Now

December is the ideal time to make plans for the summer so that you don’t scramble at the last minute to pull something together. Have you considered an academic program to pursue advanced work in a field of interest, to bolster or supplement shaky areas of your transcript, or to explore new disciplines not available during the regular academic year?

What about a job? Can you make and save money for college? Have you considered an internship? Community service or volunteer work? Travel? Are there sports or arts camps that would assist in your plans? Discuss with your parents and college or guidance counselor a plan for the summer. Be deliberate and intentional in your planning, and reserve some down time, too.

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Research, Research, Research

Begin to construct that college list. There is no substitute for visiting a college for a tour and interview or information session, but there is much to be said about getting online and exploring. Individual college Web sites can be enormously helpful in providing a sense of what your experience could be. What courses could you take? What courses must you take? How difficult is it to double-major or to switch majors? If you are undecided on a major, how might the college’s curriculum assist you in selecting one? What drives social life? How many students live on campus? What are the application requirements? Are SAT Subject Tests required? Keep note of these items that you deem to be important. The more of this information you can obtain and process, the more informed your search will be.

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Make a Standardized Testing and Test Prep Plan

Many juniors will receive PSAT results shortly. Take time to review them (and/or any other results that you have, including actual SAT and ACT results or any state exams) and put together a plan for future tests.

You should also carefully consider if and how you will go about preparing for those tests. Results from previous tests should figure prominently into any plan. To prepare, some students will opt to take courses or to work with tutors. You may also self-study by using free resources from the College Board or ACT Web sites. Regardless, now is the time to plan.

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Be Genuine and Explore

This time of year, you will hear much about “what colleges want to see.” Of course, the danger here is in pursuing any end exclusively because colleges want to see it.

Be genuine. If you are going to commit your time to anything, be sure that you are doing so because it is of significance to you. Ultimately, this is what colleges want to see, and they are exceptionally talented at sniffing out students who do things exclusively because they are trying to impress.

Keep in mind that we are all lumps of clay, still being formed. Remain committed to those things that are important to you, exploring positions and experiences of leadership, but do not close the door on new opportunities that might help you learn more about that unknowable enigma: you.

November 2013 Senior Update

Class of 2014, many of you will be getting your decisions in the upcoming weeks if you haven’t already. Congratulations on acceptances thus far! Please continue to keep your counselor updated.

DO NOW: Call, email or check your application status online of all the schools to which you are applying. Please let your counselor know if there are pieces missing. 1^stquarter grades: Please see your counselor.

- Remember that if you receive a deferral, your midyear grades will be sent to the college that has offered the deferral option. It's a great oppportunity to remind them why you'd be a great candidate.

- If you are dissatisfied with your current SAT scores, you do have an opportunity with the January test (1/25). For some of you who were deferred, this may be the one factor that pushes you into the accept category. Talk it over with your counselor.

- If you were denied admission, remember you can always consider reapplying after spending a year at another institution.

- Upcoming deadlines: Dec. 1, 15, Jan 1 and 15. Plan to have all applications done by Christmas

- Update Naviance status of applications before you leave for Thanksgiving break.

A reminder about your competition:

- Colleges continue to review a number of applications, which was complicated by the new Common Application implementation.

- Personal statements make a difference. As we have said, this is your chance to let your characeter come to the forefront. This is the time to communicate your personality and special characteristics that makes you uniquely you. Many of you were able to do a great job at this; others decided that it was not important. It matters, so be authentic! Average statistics can come alive with a well written personal statement.

- For the most part, admission committees feel just as overwhelmed as you. They have the pressure of sometimes denying students they LOVE, who they think will be great students.

The moral of the story…

• Maintain your focus! You only have a few weeks left of classes before the end of the first semester.
• Maintain perspective. If you were not admitted to a school of your choice, remember you have other options that you love.

What's next?

• Scholarship monies are going unclaimed. Check the Scholarship page in Naviance as it is maintained and updated regularly. If you have questions, please see your counselor or Ms. Morissette who monitors the scholarships sent to us. For those of you applying for regular decision deadlines, most colleges will notify you in April.
• Schools who review applications on a ROLLING basis tend to notify 2-8weeks after your application is completed.
• Regardless of when you receive a decision from the college, you do NOT have to make a final decision until MAY 1, 2013.
• REMINDER: You need to request your official scores from either College Board (SAT) or ACT administration.
• FAFSA: request a PIN immediately at fafsa.ed.gov. Always complete even it you believe your family does not qualify.

 

Your College Counseling Team

In the world of social media, tweets, Facebook, Vine... it’s easy to forget that colleges often keep track of their schools’ social media mentions. Check out this interesting article, posted by the New York Times regarding your college applications...

Your College Counseling Team

 

They Loved Your G.P.A. Then They Saw Your Tweets.

John-Patrick Thomas

By NATASHA SINGER

Published: November 9, 2013

At Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Me., admissions officers are still talking about the high school senior who attended a campus information session last year for prospective students. Throughout the presentation, she apparently posted disparaging comments on Twitter about her fellow attendees, repeatedly using a common expletive.

Perhaps she hadn’t realized that colleges keep track of their social media mentions. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/business/they-loved-your-gpa-then-they-saw-your-tweets.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

Dear Seniors – Your November To-Do List

• Register for the December SAT or ACT if appropriate. Deadline is this Friday, November 8^th!
• Have test scores sent by College Board or ACT to the colleges to which you are sending applications.
• Don't let your grades slide. It's easy to be distracted from school work when working on applications. Senior slump can be disastrous for your admissions chances. Remembering that many colleges pay close attention to first semester, sometimes even quarter grades, keep your grades as high as you can.
• Make sure you've submitted all components of your applications if you are applying to colleges with November deadlines for early decision or preferred application.
• Put the final touches on your application essays, and get feedback on your essays from counselors and/or teachers.
• Continue to research scholarships.
• Keep track of all application components and deadlines: applications, test scores, letters of recommendation, and financial aid materials. An incomplete application will ruin your chances for admission.
• Continue to keep close contact with your counselor’s – especially if questions or concerns arise.

~ Your College Counseling Team

 

Chec out this Vintage Article regarding November 1st from 2010! Happy November 1st!!

                                                              ~ Your College Counseling Team

 

 

 

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November 1, 2010, 7:30 am

Early Applications Are Due Today

By SUE BIEMERET

Reflections on a busy month on the admissions calendar, by Sue Biemeret, counselor at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Ill.

 

All across the country today, thousands of earnest and very tense seniors will be hitting the “send” button so that their early application gets to their dream school. They have fallen under the trance of The Early Plan.
And, my goodness, there are plenty of Early Plans out there. There’s the original binding Early Decision (at some schools today, there are actually two rounds of E.D.) and its less restrictive sidekick, Early Action. But don’t forget about those hybrid Single Choice Early Action plans, or Restrictive Early Action, which shouldn’t be confused with Early Notification, Priority Admission or Equal Consideration Deadlines.
How does a student navigate this sea of seemingly urgent choices? Do all students really have to apply early to have any chance to get into their dream school? It feels like early is the new black — the one admission essential everyone needs in their arsenal in order to gain acceptance to college.
Is that true?

I think the answer is yes and no.

Most students in this country matriculate at large public universities. State schools are still the backbone of the educational experience for many families, and most State U’s don’t engage in Early Decision. However, many public universities have a November application guideline or priority deadline in order to manage the sheer number of applications they receive. Many public institutions operate on a rolling admission calendar, so in order to keep some sanity in their admission offices, they strongly encourage students to apply earlier in the fall.

All applications received by Nov. 1 or 15 will receive equal consideration for admission, so it’s always in a student’s best interest to apply to State U by mid-November.

That’s an early plan that makes sense to me. I’ve always encouraged students to complete all their public university applications, which tend to be less intricate, by late October so that they can concentrate on their more involved private school apps in November and early December.
I think it’s healthy for seniors to have one application in the hopper in the fall so that they are involved in the admission process, and not sitting on the sidelines fretting about that looming January deadline.

However, I just don’t buy the idea that applying under an early plan is mandatory for every single senior. Applying Early Decision isn’t a trump card that the strategic senior plays in order to win the hand. If students have researched colleges carefully and exhaustively during junior year and found one school that they want to propose to — so much so that they’re willing to forsake admission to all other colleges for that one “yes” — then by all means, apply E.D.

But applying ED. — or E.A. or R.E.A. or S.C.E.A. or whatever other alphabetical spin an admissions office puts on it — isn’t for everyone. It’s really O.K. to apply to a college regular decision.
It’s application season and students do need to apply in order to be admitted, of course. But they don’t need to use a designer plan to get the job done.

What are your thoughts on Early Admission? Are you, or is your child, applying early this year? Why, or why not? Let us know using the comment box below.
Sue Biemeret is a post-secondary counselor at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Ill., and executive director of The Academy for College Admission Counseling, a nonprofit organization that provides graduate-level education on college counseling for counselors.

Dealing with the Stress of College Applications
Stressed about choosing the right college and getting in? You're not alone. Anyone who's been through this process knows how much stress and anxiety comes with it.

What stresses me most about college is the decision. I want to apply to so many schools-I'm really undecided.
--Senior
Monticello High School

This process is inherently stressful and you probably won't be able to avoid all of it, but here are a few tips to help you get through it as smoothly as possible:

·         Become a maniac for organization. It sounds like an overused clich�, but if you're organized about what you have to do, when you have to do it, and what you need to do to get it done, you're halfway to success.

·         Trust your gut. Advice from your parents. Suggestions from books. Your friends' opinions. The amount of information you absorb while choosing and applying to college is overwhelming and sometimes conflicting. Keep an open mind, listen to feedback, but remember to trust your own gut feelings and reactions to everything from where you should apply to what you write your essays about.

·         Be flexible. Rarely do things turn out exactly as you planned, and if you're unprepared for change you'll be more stressed than if you expect some of it from the start. Your first choice school may turn out not to have a great major in a field that's caught your interest halfway through the application process and you might need to find another number-one choice. Don't beat yourself up for being "wrong." Instead, give yourself credit for learning more about your interests.

·         Take breaks. Day after day of college stuff can get overbearing. Give yourself a break once in a while, do something you really enjoy and that has nothing to do with college, and air out your mind. You'll feel better and work more effectively afterwards.

·         Know when to stop. You should do your best on everything from researching schools to working on your essays, but there is such a thing as doing too much. If you're researching the hundredth school or working on your fiftieth draft of revisions, stop and think about whether you're going too far and whether what you have isn't good enough already.

Read more on FamilyEducation: http://school.familyeducation.com/college-prep/stress/39320.html#ixzz2j8lstWhu

The Importance of College Visits!

The Importance of College Visits!

Visiting colleges and universities is one of the most important parts of the college search process. Obviously academics, majors selection, internship opportunities, and reputation are important factors to selecting the right school, but the overall “feel” one gets at a college should be near the top of the list of deciding factors. With advances in technology, most colleges have elaborate websites where there are hundreds of pictures of the school and even virtual tours one can take. Although this is better than nothing, it does not have the same effect as actually walking the campus, watching students interact, sitting in on a class, talking with school faculty, and just listening to your gut reaction to the overall collegiate environment. Every school will be a little different, and the absolute best way to truly know if you will be happy at a certain college is by physically being there and soaking everything in. Also, although it is not always possible, try and visit the school while the college is in session full-time. For most colleges this will be from late August to early May. While visiting a college, you can only gain a true gut feeling and perspective of the school life when students are there and the campus is vibrant with the personality of its students.

The following list contains a few helpful hints and strategies when planning on visiting different colleges on your list:

 

--As mentioned earlier, try to visit college when school is in session, as that is when you will get the true feeling of the environment.

--Call the undergraduate admissions office at the college you will be visiting to set up a guided tour. This way you will have someone with extended knowledge of the college explain the school’s layout and will be able to answer any questions you may have about the school.

--Think of questions to ask while visiting the college! You will most likely be living at the college you choose for 4-5 years, so it makes sense to do your research on everything about the school and its surroundings. Questions ranging from activities available for students, housing availability, food services, the amount of students that stick around on the weekend, internship opportunities, service opportunities, intramurals, community surroundings, and much more should all be on your list to ask admission representatives at each school.

--If you are traveling far to visit a college, plan ahead and see if there are any other schools that you may be interested in and can stop at on the way. You won’t have that many opportunities to visit colleges, so make the most out of each trip!

--Try to schedule a time to sit in on a college class, and if you know what you want to major in, try to sit in on a class in that field.

--Again, if you know your major, try to schedule a meeting with a professor in that field. This will give you a better idea of what to expect in that major and overall field.

--Take pictures and notes! Hopefully, you will be visiting multiple college campuses. In order to avoid getting schools mixed up, snap some photos and jot down a few notes to keep everything fresh in your mind!

--Soak it all in and have fun! There is no getting around the fact that the college search process in an important part of your life, but most of you will only be doing this once in your life (unless you go to graduate school), so try to live in the moment and enjoy visiting some very beautiful and exciting college campuses, which very well could be your next home!

 

Your College Counseling Team!

There has been some confusion surrounding the Common Application and the ability to submit! Some schools are extending their deadlines.  Check Out These Articles and be sure to see your counselor with any questions. We are here to help!

~ your College Counseling Team

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/10/20/college-applicants-frustrated-by-problems-with-common-app/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/16/college-application-creating-anxiety-for-students/2987823/

Who's reading your essay, and what do they want?

1) Does anyone even read it? The answer is YES. Colleges that require an essay do so for a reason. If they weren't going to read it, they wouldn't bother asking for it.

2) The essay is only one part of the whole application, but it is the most personal part. Courses, grades and test scores are important but lack personality. School recommendations are written by other people. The essay is all about what you choose to convey to the admissions committee about yourself.

3) What do you have to say? Is the essay reflective and personal? Does it get at the heart of what you are trying to convey? A page packed with text doesn't necessarily mean you have more to say than someone of fewer words. Sometimes, less is more. One student might convey why they love music more convincingly in a short essay than the student who writes about it in a long but superficial piece. On the other hand, sometimes you do need more words to tell your story.

4) Does the voice in the essay sound genuine? The best college essays will have the voice of the person who wrote them—usually, a 17(ish)-year-old high school student who comes to life on paper through their words. An essay that has been overly-edited by the adults in your life will lose that voice. (Lesson: write it yourself.)

Adapted from Margit Dahl Yale University

What Schools are Looking for in a College Essay

Tell us what is unique about you.

Why would you stand out among all applicants? Is there something different about your personal experiences? Your response should provide us with an opportunity to get to know you on a more personal level, beyond your GPA, test scores, and curriculum.

Use recent examples.

It's always best to focus on issues that occurred while you were in high school, since we're only reviewing your high school performance when determining if you'll be admitted. If something happened when you were younger that has significantly affected you, talk about it, but then put the focus on how this event has affected you in recent years.

Watch your tone.

There's a big difference in focusing your essay on "Your school needs me as a student because..." versus "please please please admit me!"

Don't make excuses.

If you've had a poor or inconsistent grade performance due to unusual or stressful circumstances, feel free to share that information with us; it can be useful. But don't strain credibility by making up false excuses. Be honest — we'll respect that.

Be truthful, but make sure you're comfortable with your potential audience.

Students often feel compelled to share extremely personal and even traumatic experiences in their responses — health issues, death of a family member, abuse, etc. We will absolutely keep your information confidential; however, if you decide to reveal something deeply personal, be aware that a number of people will potentially be reading your essay.

Tell us why we're great.

Talk about campus programs you've attended. Tell us why you're a great fit for the school.

Remember that athletics or a great business program can be a reason, but should not be the only reason you want to attend!

           

Information adapted from the University of Michigan website

Tips for Writing a Great College Essay

Tips for Writing a Great College Essay

Tip 1. College essays are fourth in importance behind grades, test scores, and the rigor of completed coursework in many admissions office decisions (NACAC, 2012). Don't waste this powerful opportunity to share your voice and express who you really are to colleges. Great life stories make you jump off the page and into your match colleges.

Tip 2. Develop an overall strategic essay writing plan. College essays should work together to help you communicate key qualities and stories not available anywhere else in your application.

Tip 3. Read the prompts all the way through. Each prompt may have different questions or probes. Make sure you are prepared to answer all parts of the prompts. Some answers may be implied, but must be clearly evident to a reader.

Tip 4. Plan to share positive messages and powerful outcomes. You can start with life or family challenges. You can describe obstacles or failures you have overcome. You can reflect on your growth and development, including accomplishments and service. College admissions officers do not read minds, so tell them your powerful life stories and demonstrate the personal qualities you hope to bring to their campus communities.

Tip 6. Follow Dr. Joseph's Into, Through, and Beyond approach. Lead the reader INTO your story with a powerful beginning—a story, an experience. Take them THROUGH your story with the context and keys parts of your story. Make sure the reader understands your initiative, leadership, development, and continuity. End with the BEYOND message about how this story has affected who you are now and who you want to be in college and potentially after college. The beyond can be implied in many pieces that are so strong that

moralizing at the end is not necessary.

Tip 7. Use active writing: avoid passive sentences and incorporate power verbs. Show when possible; tell when summarizing.

Tip 8. Most importantly, make yourself come alive throughout this process. Write about yourself as passionately and powerfully as possible. Be proud of your life and accomplishments. Sell yourself!!!

Take from Communicating Your Story:

Writing Powerful College Application Essays

                                                    Rebecca Joseph

 

Our last student installment from Barrington Bennett,managing College Costs and Financial Aid.

        Probably the most important thing in applying to school is MONEY. Unfortunately, many students are accepted to their #1 school but sadly cannot attend because of the school’s expensive tuition. However, there is a lot of free money out there to help lower these high, expensive college costs. The three types of free money are: scholarships, grants, and financial aid. Both scholarships and grants are merit based while financial aid is specifically need based. Most colleges actually have a financial aid calculator on their websites, which allows one to actually see how much financial aid the school would be willing to award them based on their financial situation. The hardest part about applying for grants and scholarships is actually finding them. The easiest tool to use is fastweb.com, which updates everyday and tells you the scholarships which you are eligible to apply for. The best tactic is to apply for as many scholarships as possible and recycle your essays, since most scholarships ask the same or similar essay topics.

            Summer Reflection - Andrew Holowienka

            This past summer I was enrolled in an enrichment course, taught by Ms. Rubinstein and Ms. Morissette, in which we discussed and learned about the college process. Both Ms. Rubinstein and Ms. Morissette would often raise hypothetical questions in order to help us understand the process more clearly. During one class, Ms. Rubinstein spoke about a very interesting circumstance. She told of one of her students who applied to schools of very high caliber despite his low grades and GPA. This concerned her because she knew he would not be accepted to the majority of his choices. “What should I have told him?” she asked. I told her that she should have kindly explained to him that want and ability are two different things. Impressed by my response, she decided to write that statement on the board. Suddenly, my one sentence answer was the class philosophy for the rest of July.

            You may be wondering what exactly I meant by my response. Consider this example: There is a student who has a 2.7 GPA. The student failed Chemistry sophomore year. The student wants to go to Princeton in the hopes of graduating in four years; this student would then like to go to Medical School. In reality, this individual probably lacks the capabilities and skills necessary to succeed in Princeton or Medical School. He is very delusional if he honestly believes he would be accepted into Princeton in the first place. Not only is he wasting his time, money, and energy, but he’s getting his hopes up. As a matter of fact, he is not being reasonable or smart about the college process at all. Although most people wouldn’t want to crush this student’s dreams, something has to be said to the student in order to avoid turmoil. An honest assessment of what our abilities are is necessary in order to ensure we don’t waste time of futile endeavors. We must remember that our desires and abilities must be in line during this process. If we apply to schools in which we know we can succeed, then we will most likely see many acceptance letters in the future.

College Interveiws

Ian Maxwell

             In the interview with a college admissions representative there are some key things you want to do. The first is you must have a good first impression: firm handshake, introduce yourself and always make eye contact. The next important thing to do in an interview is to have good posture. Do not slouch or look too relaxed; also do not have restless leg syndrome. Keep your legs still by bring an index card in to keep your hands busy. The third important thing to remember is to write on that index card what that rep should remember about you. This will help you stay focused.  Consider writing a question that you have on that card, having a question shows that you were involved in the conversation. Remember that this is a conversation not an interrogation session. Also think about your best answer not the ‘right one’. Most importantly be firm, professional but relaxed.

College Visits by Sam Burkhardt

        College visits are a great chance to get to see a school that you are interested in and decide whether the school is a good fit for you. There are two times when visiting a school is a great idea. The first time is before you apply to decide if the school is a good fit and it is what you are looking for in a school, this visit should help you decide whether or not you will be applying there. The second visit is after you have been accepted and are making you final decision, this visit should really help you decide whether or not you can see yourself going here, arranging an interview or a meeting with faculty or other current students  is a great idea as this will give you a more in-depth look at the school.

At college interviews do not forget to

ü Dress Properly

It is important to dress properly when attending these visits because you never know who you are going to meet and you always want to leave a good impression. In the summer khaki shorts and polo is a great idea, while in the winter khakis with a long collared shirt and tie is more appropriate.

ü Leave a good impression

Good ways to do this are with a firm handshake and direct eye contact whenever you are in a conversation with someone. Ask questions and be attentive during the tour, not paying attention or looking disinterested could be bad because the tour guide may be more than just a student.

ü Create a connection

Talk to the leader of the tour and the director of the information session you may learn more about the school but you may also create a connection, which may help you in the admissions process. If you want to leave a great impression send an email to the tour guide and to the director of the information session, this is a great way to create a connection that may benefit you in

Peter Cruickshank

Overview of College Visits   

 

          One of the most important steps in the college process is finding colleges that best suit you. College enrollment is an individualized process, one that gives you the option of picking the school of your choice (one which you can picture will best fit your needs and interests). While picking a school to study sounds like an easy and simple task at first, things can get very difficult down the line. When narrowing down schools, it can become challenging to pick one school over the other. When in the spring you get accepted to your three favorite schools, how will you be sure which one you will feel most comfortable in? The best way to determine which school is right for you (and which to remove from your list) is to take a college tour. Taking a tour around a campus can give you a good sense whether a college is truly right for you or not. You must always put your best foot forward and attempt to jump at any opportunity for a tour of colleges you love.

         I took a college boot camp class  for the summer and was given the opportunity to visit three different schools. Although I was unfamiliar with some of the schools offering tours, I still chose to attend them to see what the various colleges had to offer its students.  The three schools I visited were St. Peter’s University, Drew, and Sarah Lawrence College. While these colleges may share similar majors and athletics, these schools are far from being the same. On each tour, all of the colleges presented themselves differently. Each college had something special about them, things which made them stand out from each other.

Here are a few things that caught my attention during my various trips:

●       Each of the colleges had very small class sizes

Saint Peters University

●       SPU’s new student center looked amazing. There were six floors each containing something different such as a large exercise area or a floor just for hot meals.

●       Unlike the other 2 schools, SPU is located right into the city, something that may pose an issue to students (who haven’t experienced life in the city) with the desire to live in campus.

Drew

●       One of the largest of the 3 colleges, reaching over 170 acres. Provides to its students many buildings some of which are dedicated to the arts.

Sarah Lawrence

●       Unlike other colleges, Sarah Lawrence has its own special curriculum. Instead of majors, your classes are formed solely on what you are interested in.

●        This college felt to me as a good fit for people who are undecided in their future careers.

            After my experience visiting these various colleges, I’ve learned that colleges truly do not disappoint. All three of these colleges are wonderful schools which can help students excel academically. While these colleges may not be right for you, a tour can really shape what you know about the college you’re applying to. It can even be the deciding factor for any lingering doubts you may have in going to a school. There are thousands of schools out there, each presenting several different opportunities for both you and other students. You must make sure that in your search for colleges you pick the ones which you absolutely love, and simply taking a single tour can really make a difference.

Mario Spiniello '14

The College Essay 

           The college essay is completely different from every English paper you’ve written. You’re not trying to prove your argument; you’re trying to tell a story. However, this doesn’t mean that you can be completely informal in writing the college essay. You still have to showcase your writing ability. Unlike the traditional English paper, you are attempting to show who you are and the values you believe through one of the prompts. This is a personal essay; everyone is not using the same sources for the essay. Therefore, try as best as possible not to sound mostly generic essay in your essay. For example, one of the prompts asks you to write about a place where you are perfectly content. Don’t only talk about the feeling you get while in this place because everyone will have the same essay as you. Instead, elaborate on a specific time you went to this place and how personally this place affected you. In recap, portray yourself positively, personally, and elaborately and you will write a strong college essay.