Dear Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors:

Here are some more summer programs, academies and courses.

Questions? Be sure to see Mrs. Morissette, M310

Harvard Summer School – www.summer.harvard.edu/ssp

Summer Discovery and Internships – www.summerdiscovery.com

Millersville University Department of Music – www.millersville.edu/music

Berkeley College – workshops in business leadership, fashion, healthcare, interior design, criminal justice and legal studies – www.berkeleycollege.edu/summerworkshop

Maryland Institute College of Art – www.mica.edu/precollege

NJIT – www.njit.edu/precollege/studentsprograms/summer_programs_apps.php

George Washington University Pre-College Program – www.pre-college.gwu.edu

W.E.B. Scholars Institute, Inc. – Princeton, NJ – www.duboisscholars.org

BU Summer Investigative Journalism Workshop - http://necir.org/training/hs-journalism-workshop/

Virginia Commonwealth U Schools of the Arts - http://arts.vcu.edu/summerintensive/?utm_source=streamsend&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20400329&utm_campaign=Have%2520your%2520students%2520apply%2520now%2521

Keep checking in for new and exciting opportunities,

Your College Counseling Team

The Waiting Game - College Decisions

Check out this great blog post originally featured last year called The Waiting Game. The college counseling team loves these quick tips and insights! 

The Waiting Game

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Susanna

By: Mia Myklebust

     Many high school Seniors have completed their college applications (don’t stress if you haven’t there’s still time!) and are now playing what we like to call “The Waiting Game.” This is the time period between when students apply to and hear from colleges. At first it can be a relief to finish all your applications, but soon waiting to hear back can become nerve wracking. Many high school Seniors have found themselves waiting for the mailman every afternoon hoping that the fat envelope will come. Our best advice: don’t be that kid. If you’re stressed out try to focus on other things to get you through.
     Stay busy- If you keep yourself occupied you won’t have time to worry about whether or not your letter has come yet. If you play a sport or are in a club give it your full attention. If you don’t, come up with an out of school activity to occupy your time. This could be a great time to do some Independent Research or Volunteer. Which brings us to our second point.
     Update colleges on your accomplishments- If you have had any notable achievement since you submitted your applications, make sure to let your colleges know. Any new awards or honors can help your apps stand out, plus contacting admissions officers will keep your name fresh in their minds. Make sure you are only reporting new awards, don’t repeat anything that you have already included on your applications. Email or call the admissions rep designated to your area to inform them of your recent accomplishments. 
     Keep your grades high- This is an often overlooked, but critical part of your applications. If a college is on the fence about you, they may ask for your first semester grades to help them decide whether to admit you. You want to be able to hand over a stellar report card, not the evidence of your Senioritis. It is even possible for a college to rescind an acceptance if your Senior year grades aren’t up to par, so, study on!
     If you’re really feeling the pressure while waiting to hear back from your colleges, try some of our Stress Busting Tips. Also, don’t forget to record the status of each of your applications as you receive them on the Applications page of CollegeMapper. On this page you can mark whether you were accepted, deferred or declined and how much financial aid support you got from each of your schools. Good luck and yay, college!

Mrs. Sarah Morissette, M. Ed.

Winter Blues? Let’s Talk Summer Plans…

Dear Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors:

Check out these summer programs, academies and courses.

Questions? Be sure to see Mrs. Morissette, M310

HOBY Advanced Leadership Academy – http://www.hoby.org/#

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Summer Scholars Academy – http://rwjms.rutgers.edu/osap/s3a.html

Marlboro College, VT Pre-College Programs – marlboro.edu/summer

University of Notre Dame  Summer Scholars Courses and Leadership Seminars –precollege.nd.edu

Carnegie Mellon Summer Pre-College Programs (featuring Fine arts, architecture, drama and music) – admission.enrollment.cmu.edu/pages/pre-college

More to come….

Your College Counseling Team

So You’ve Been Deferred…

The admissions process can be tough. Once you finally narrow down your list, submit all of the paperwork, and make it through the whirlwind of campus visits and tours (not to mention all those crazy tests!) you think, “OK. Now I just wait to see what happens.”

Then … It happens. That top choice school you had your eyes on, the cream of the crop, make your friends and family so proud of you for getting in school sends you a letter that goes something like this:

“Dear Samantha,

Thank you for your interest in the greatest school ever that we know you would attend if you got in. Unfortunately, due to a huge volume of other applicants that love us just as much, your application has been deferred …”

Tip 1: Relax!

Just remember, there are thousands of colleges and universities out there.  Just because you didn’t get in early to this one does not mean that A) You won’t get in later, or B) You won’t find a surprise school that you hadn’t considered.  What was the point of applying to so many schools if you were guaranteed to get in, anyway?

Tip 2: Keep your parents under control

Remember; the admissions office reviewed your application.  They took a look at your academics and extracurricular activities.  They deferred you, not them.  Take it from a former admissions officer, the last thing that will help you get off the wait list is your parent talking to us sternly (to put it nicely) on the phone.  That’s what brings us to tip #3.

Tip 3: Take Control

Chances are the college outlined a few steps you can consider taking in the deferral/waitlist letter they sent you.  So … Do what they say.  Read the entire letter and highlight specific steps you can take.  This may include:

o    Scheduling an interview with the admissions office.  While this may not be specifically mentioned in the letter it doesn’t hurt to ask.  Pick up the phone and call the admissions office to inquire about interviews for deferred applicants.  They might just appreciate your initiative.

o    Get a better sense of the chances of admission.  Before you go running off and signing up for another ACT or SAT test, or have every teacher and coach send additional letters of recommendation, it’s a good idea to talk to your admission counselor (calmly!) about anything specific they can share that may enhance your chances of moving from WaitlistVille to AcceptedTown. (P.S. Do NOT use the terms “Waitlistville” or “Acceptedtown” when speaking to your admissions officer!)

If, after you speak with the admissions office, you realize that increasing a score, sending your most recent marking period’s grades, or additional letters of recommendation will help go ahead and pursue that.  The admissions office will look favorably on the extra effort and see that as an indicator of your genuine interest in attending the school.

Tip 4: Be Prepared to Explore Other Options

Sadly, even if you do all of the things we lay out in tips 1-3, there is still a real possibility that the college may not change their mind and ultimately not admit you to their class.  Remember that this is OK, and that you should be proud of all of the work that you have done.

It’s a good idea to continue to keep the lines of communication open if you have your heart set on this school, but also remember there are tons of options for college … and who knows, maybe the one you had on your “safety list” will actually turn out to be the best fit.

Today’s post was written by Chegg’s Director of Marketing & Outreach, and former Associate Director of Admissions at University of New Haven, Gil Rogers.