Essay Workshop Tips from Ms. Jackie Byrne

Jacqueline Byrne—Jacqui is a graduate of Yale University, where she obtained a degree in English. She has been teaching the SAT for over ten years, and she is one of the founders of Ivy Educational Services (www.ivyeducationalservices.com), a test-prep and college counseling firm that focuses on bringing each of its students to his or her full potential. Jacqui herself has helped teach hundreds of students the reading and writing portions of the SAT; she has also authored a book of word puzzles designed to help students maximize their vocabularies for the SAT. Jacqui's book is SAT Vocabulary Express. Jacqui is also a regular presenter and contributor to professional conferences and publications.  

Ms. Byrne brought a great deal of energy and excitement to the Hammer Heritage Room as she worked with a room of our juniors, reminding them that the essay process is about the journey, not necessarily the end point.

She jumpstarted the conversation by asking our students to answer the following question on paper: What’s in your pocket/ backpack and why is it there? to illustrate that the college essay does that have to be a daunting process.

Reminders:

·    break grammatical rules when it makes sense

·    everything is game, but it has to always come back to you (the student). How did this thing influence you to be/ do

·    Death, divorce, disease- stay away from the pity party. Give the details in a “matter of fact” way, then move on…don’t dwell to illicit pity

·    Be honest, but you don’t’ always have to stick with the positive. Highlight what you’ve gained and lost as the complexity of life demonstrates maturity

·     Tell the story, don’t whitewash it

·    If you are unchanged by a stroke of luck of an event, avoid writing about it. But write about it only if you did something specifically because of it

·    Use your essay space wisely: write WHY you love Biology not what a great Biology student you are. Leave that to your teacher.

“ You never have serendipity if you don’t set your brain free” was the prompt to get the students started on the free writing about “a specific place where you feel the most you.” This was punctuated by numerous examples of how to “show, not tell,” as it is the most important aspect of writing a narrative essay. Ms. Byrne believes that a “good description tells more about the person doing the describing than the thing being described.”

In the question and answer period, the students were struggling to wrap their brains around the informal nature of this style, especially after 3 years of the Prep writing curriculum. You do not need an introduction? NO!

When approaching the WHY X COLLEGE essay, she advised speaking to your academic interest.

·                ·      Make it real or don’t say it.

·                ·      Write about what you know and what you are actually passionate about.

·                ·      Don’t inflate to impress…keep this in your voice and dump the thesaurus.

·                ·      Avoid bragging…arrogance (let your recommenders do that for you)

·                ·      dissing your school, teachers, hometown, etc…is never a good idea.  

For more information on essays, be sure to see your counselor. Thanks to Ms. Byrne for a wonderful workshop!

Your College Counseling Team

Summer Programs – Part VII

UCPREP @ UCONN for students with disabilities – csd.uconn.edu

Summer of Art 2014, Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA – www.otis.edu/soa

Summer Video Institute – Desales U. – www.desales.edu/svi

US Performing Arts Camp – Performing Arts and Media Camps – many locations – usperformingarts.com

MCCC Summer Youth Program – www.hccc.edu/summeryouthprograms/

VCU Arts – Drawing Class for Rising Seniors – Drawing Unplugged arts@vcu.edu

LEDR Leadership program – Boy Scouts of America www.tef-ledr.org

Criminal Justice Summer Camp – Rider University rider.edu/cjcamp

Need a Kickstart to your College Apps?

Summer Enrichment 2014

COLLEGE PREPARATION BOOTCAMP 

Juniors, take some of the stress out of your senior year.

This course is ideal for the student whose fall schedule is activity‐packed or whose plan is to get a serious jump start on the college application. We will work towards completion of the Common Application while fully exploring the admissions process, including the personal statement. We will also have an opportunity to tour local colleges and meet with admissions representatives. This course is designed for members of the class of 2015. Register online at http://www.spprep.org/Summer  Questions? See Mrs. Morissette or Ms. Rubinstein

Register NOW spaces are limited!

Meets Weeks 2‐5, morning or midday session.

Tuition $450

Stevens Institute of Technology is proud to announce financial aid opportunities for applicants of The Stevens Summer, a precollege program for high school students.  As a reminder, the program offerings are the following:

·    Exploring Career Options in Engineering and Science

·    Business

·    Computer Science

·    Multimedia Production

·    Pre-Med

·    Engineering Game Design

·    Innovation & Entrepreneurship

·    Science, Technology & Society

We invite students to apply to the summer program and submit supporting documents by May 1, the final deadline.

The form can be distributed to the students and we will be giving full and partial scholarships to those who are in need of assistance. Information can also be found at stevens.edu/summer. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call our office at (201) 216-3353 or email summer@stevens.edu.

Sincerely,

Marsha Melnyk
Director of Summer Programs
Stevens Institute of Technology

Free Test Prep!

Kaplan Test Prep will be hosting Free online SAT Cram Sessions for juniors to help prepare for the upcoming exams. Kaplan will also host a Free PSAT Practice Test for sophomores on May 3, 2014 at St. Peter's University at 10am.  To sign up for an event today, please visit kaptest.com/countdown.

April Checklist for Seniors

April is an important time to focus on your future!

Elizabeth Hoyt

March 25, 2014

It can be difficult to stay on track during the lengthy college application and admissions process.

Now, more than ever, it’s important to focus on your future and think about what you’d like in a college, despite where others would like for you to go. Remember, it’s ultimately your decision and your life!

Here’s a useful college checklist high school seniors can utilize during the month of April.

Schedule Final College Visits

Assuming time and budget allow, visit your top college contenders. While you’re there, sit in on some classes, eat in the dining hall and stay the night in the dorms, if possible.

Meet with the admissions office, financial aid office and a college guidance counselor to clarify any questions you may have regarding what the school offers in terms of financial aid, classes, campus life and other general requirements.

Seriously think about if you can picture yourself living there and studying there on a daily basis for the next four years. While it’s a lot to grasp and ponder, it is the reality of the situation, so try your best to imagine the scenario.

Compare the Costs of Each College

If you haven’t already, speak with your family about your college budget. Understanding budget realities is very important in the decision process and will help avoid unnecessary decision issues in the near future.

List out the total costs for each college you’re seriously considering, taking into account any scholarships and financial aid you’ll be receiving.

Compare the list to the budget decided upon with your family. How do the two compare? What will your debt amount be at graduation? Does it seem as if any of the schools on your list are completely unrealistic? If so, you may want to reconsider those choices.

If you need any clarification on the costs of attendance, call the financial aid offices at the college you have a question about. They are there to assist you in the process.

Choose Your College 
by National Decision Day, May 1

May 1 is the deadline to make your decision and finalize it by sending in your enrollment deposit.

Keep in mind that you can only send in one enrollment deposit and one transcript from your high school – so your decision is, in fact, final.

If you’re on the wait list at a college, however, the process is slightly more flexible. You do have to submit an enrollment deposit by May 1 to a school that has admitted you, but you are able to change your mind and attend a school that originally wait-listed you if they do decide to admit you.

Colleges will not grant any extensions to the May 1 deadline while you wait to hear back from any schools you’ve been wait-listed at, so your best option is to submit your enrollment deposit and switch if you are admitted.

Let Colleges Know If You Decide Not to Attend

Just as with any formal RSVP note, it’s proper etiquette to let colleges know either way: if you are attending or not.

The process of declining may depend on the college, though. Some have a certain protocol, while others will accept a simple letter or email.

In the content, let them know you have decided upon another college and include a thank you. It is your choice whether or not you’d like to reveal which university you will be attending in lieu of theirs.

Write Your Thank You Notes

Remember everyone who helped you throughout your entire admissions process and thank them!

Think about the teachers, coaches and counselors who wrote letter of recommendations for you or guided you along the way.

A thoughtful, hand-written note will show them your appreciation for their efforts. Include your final plans within the content, as well as your gratitude for their help and guidance.

Remember: Your Final Transcripts Matter

Although it sounds funny, senioritis is real! We’ve also written about the fact that colleges can, and will, revoke their admissions offers, if necessary.

They ask for your final transcripts for a reason, so make sure they are up to the same standards as when you applied.

Keep in mind that what you do both inside and outside of school can impact your college career.

Read Any Mail and/or E-Mails Your College Sends

At this point, all correspondence between you and your future school will be important. It’s where you’ll find out about orientations, housing options, class registration, not to mention, many important deadlines!

Make sure you pay attention because, if your school is trying to contact you, there’s probably a good reason.

While this may seem like an information overload, we know you can handle it.

Take the process day by day and enjoy the rest of your high school experience, because college move in day will be here before you know it!

April Showers Bring May Flowers… and College Decisions!

Check out these helpful resources regarding managing your college decisions and best understanding being placed on a waitlist. As always, contact your counselors with any questions you may have. As a reminder for waitlisted students, please read the waitlist letter carefully for instructions on how to proceed if you wish to reserve a spot on the waitlist. Again, counselors can help with this. Always make sure to deposit at another school if you are holding out for admission from the waitlist.

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/right-school/timeline/articles/2010/04/09/youve-been-put-on-the-wait-list-for-college-now-what

http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/

          Mrs. Sarah Morissette, M. Ed.

Don't Fall Victim to 'Senior Slack'

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February 6, 2012, 2:58 pm34 Comments

A Dean’s Advice to Seniors: Don’t Slack Off

By MARTHA C. MERRILL

Martha C. Merrill is the dean of admission and financial aid at Connecticut College.

Your college applications are in. Time for the senior slack, right?
Wrong.

Here are a few reasons it is important to stay on track during your last semester of high school:
• Colleges expect you to continue your current course schedule and maintain the level of academic and personal success demonstrated in your application. Colleges look to your application, especially your transcript, to determine if you are an appropriate academic match for the college — and vice versa. We expect the students we admit will continue to demonstrate the traits that distinguished them during the admission process — throughout senior year and during the years spent on our campus. If you can’t maintain that level of success during your senior year, you cast doubt on your ability to succeed in college.
• Colleges require final grades for accepted students. Many students believe that only the first half of senior year “counts.” Not true. At Connecticut College, we carefully review the senior-year progress of admitted students and require midterm and final grades to be sent to the office of admission.
• Senior year should be used to practice good study skills. Your senior year of high school is really the beginning of your transition to college. You should continue to challenge yourself to prepare for the rigor of college academics.
• Those who do slack off may have some explaining to do. While the vast majority of students admitted to Connecticut College continue to excel during senior year, every once in a while, I find myself having to send what I call an “oops” letter. This letter informs the student that we have noted a downward turn in performance and requests a written explanation. That response is included in the student’s permanent record. Students with significantly poor academic performance during senior year need to know their offer of admission can be revoked.
• You may attract attention from the dean — for the wrong reasons. Connecticut College’s admission office notifies the dean of freshmen when an admitted student’s level of performance dips during senior year. The dean will then closely monitor the student’s performance on campus to guarantee the student meets the level of academic success that Connecticut College demands of first-year students.
• Behavior and citizenship are vital. Colleges are typically tight-knit communities that require honesty and mature behavior. While we understand that unavoidable circumstances may arise that can influence a student’s academic performance, poor behavior resulting in disciplinary action by a high school is inexcusable. As dean, I have revoked several offers of admission over the years for unacceptable behavior during a student’s final semester.
With applications in, seniors should take time to savor their final months of high school and enjoy family and friends. But they should also be using this important time in their lives to practice balancing academics with other commitments, and not fall victim to the “senior slack.”

Full Article at http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/06/dont-slack-off/

FREE PSAT testing....

Kaplan is running a free PSAT practice test at St. Peter's University on May 3rd, at 10am. To sign up, please use this link:

http://www.formstack.com/forms/?1717715-DWur9MjZPt

Summer Opportunities Part VI

Miami U in Ohio – Summer Scholars Program – summerscholars@MiamiOH.edu

Washington U in St. Louis – summerexperiences.wustl.edu

Health and Biomedical Sciences Summer Camps – www.lvc.edu/health-bio-summer-camp/

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

Wall Street Summer Program – Drew U. – www.drew.edu/undergraduate/what-you-learn/summer-term/the-wall-street-summer-program

Goucher College – AP Summer Institute – www.goucher.edu/ap

New York Film Academy – Summer Camps – www/nyfa.edu/applications

Myth #9

If I make the wrong college choice, it is irreversible

For most high school students, the college decision is the first major adult decision they'll make. But even though it's important to choose wisely this decision doesn't have to leave you feeling constantly anxious and stressed out. Recognize that while your college choice is a big decision, it's not an irreversible one. Many students transfer to new schools if their needs change—for example, if they become interested in a major their school doesn't offer. Trust yourself and the process you have been a part of for well over a year. Remember, no experience is wasted. They all help you grow. Make the best of any situation and the answer will present itself clearly!

            Mrs. Sarah Morissette, M. Ed.