May 1st Deposits!

April is going fast and May 1^st will be here sooner than you can write a $500 check! Speaking of checks, most colleges have a May 1^st deadline for sending in your deposit (usually about $500). This deposit needs to be in by the deadline to ensure you have a spot in next year’s freshmen class. When doing this, carefully look over and complete any paperwork that needs to be sent in to the colleges with the deposit. DO NOT assume that everything is automatic. If you plan on living in the dorms, make sure you acknowledge that somewhere in the paperwork.

            For students who have been put on the waitlist, also known as purgatory, to one of your top choices, it is understandably a stressful time. Most colleges do not accept students off of the waitlist until well after May 1^st, sometimes deep into the summer. Although it is not a great situation, students want to make sure they have a spot at some college. So even if you are a student who is still holding out for your top school where you were waitlisted, pick your top choice from one of the schools you were accepted into and send your deposit there. Never assume you will be accepted off of the waitlist! As many of you will find out, the deposits for colleges are almost always non-refundable. Meaning, if you do eventually get accepted off of the waitlist after May 1^st, and do choose to attend the school, you will be out of the $500 you sent in to one of your other choices. There is no way around this, and can be a tough decision, but it is better to know this before. Good luck with final decisions, and parents…get used to writing those big checks for the foreseeable future!

Joseph Korfmacher, MA

College Spotlight

Haverford College: Haverford College is your classic, small liberal arts college. Set on a beautiful green campus in suburban Haverford, Pennsylvania, you will see students studying with their feet up in the library, playing cricket, and walking around the large pond avoiding the geese. If you are looking for a large institution, Haverford will not be your place, as there are only 1,200 undergraduate students, with an average class size of under 14. Historically, Haverford is a Quaker institution, and although no longer officially a Quaker school, they still follow much of the Quaker ideals of a community in many different ways. About 50% of the faculty lives on campus, who take seriously the importance of direct engagement with the students, and almost everything is student-centered. If students want something changed, they will take a vote, and the school will work with the students to make the changes a reality. It truly is a community that is consensus driven in all aspects of academics and student-life. There is also a school-wide honor code, which is embedded in the ideals of Trust, Concern, and Respect. The honor code is a part of everything at Haverford, including un-proctored exams, which can be taken at the students’ own time. What is most impressive is the passion from the students and how they all work together to achieve greatness. There is little competition, as students never discuss grades amongst each other. It is also very important to be social at Haverford, with balance of hard work and down-time at the utmost importance. If you are looking for a very small liberal arts college, where you cannot hide, will be forced to push yourself, and will need to work with others, check out Haverford, as it may be the place for you.

Percent admitted: 25% (50% of ED candidates are admitted)

Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1

Required: SAT test and two SAT subject tests, or ACT with writing

Middle 50%: Critical Reading: 650-750/ Math: 650-750/ Writing: 660-760 ACT: 30-33

Tuition plus R&B plus fees per year= $57,050

Percent of need met: 100% with average financial aid package of $38,054

Every senior will complete a thesis, regardless of major

Drexel University: Drexel is a private university that is largely a co-op school. This means that students will go to class full-time one semester, and then work full-time in a job related to their major. These mainly are paid jobs that provide students with excellent hands-on experience. Drexel is located in the heart of Philadelphia with nearly 14,000 undergraduate students. If you are looking for a green campus with lots of trees and ponds, Drexel is not your school, as you will certainly have the fast-paced feeling and busy atmosphere of a city going to school here. Drexel admissions warn that incoming students should be ready to work hard, as tons of information is jammed into tight schedules. Students should be bright and highly motivated to succeed at Drexel in many of their majors from engineering and business to interior design and education.

Percent admitted: 55%

Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1

SAT is required, and if taking ACT, the writing test is optional

Middle 50%: Critical Reading: 540-640/ Math: 570-670/ Writing: 520-630/ ACT: 23-28

Tuition plus R&B plus fees per year= $53,200

Automatic $3,000 scholarship if parent went to Drexel and $3,000 scholarship is sibling has or currently is attended Drexel.

$1,000 scholarship is Drexel alum writes a recommendation for you

Average 6-month co-op salary is $16,000

The Waiting Game...Being Emotionally Prepared to Hear from and Leave for College

Senior year is stressful all around—at the beginning, students scramble to complete their applications while balancing busy extracurricular and academic schedules. They worry about their choice of college essay topic, their list of schools, and whether or not their applications have arrived safely in the admissions offices. As second semester begins, though, most of the applications are out, midterm grades are finalized, and a period of waiting ensues. Many schools will not send out decisions until April, and so students wait, in a state of uncertainty about the vast next step of their lives.

There is so much activity and so many stressors during senior year that we sometimes forget that it is a crucial period of transition, not only for students, but for parents and families as well. As graduation approaches, there are many conflicting emotions at play. For students, it is certainly an exciting time, but also a continuous reminder that they will soon leave behind their high school, their friends, and their families in order to graduate to the next phase of their lives. It is a time filled with uncertainty and ambiguity. Students may not realize that their parents are also experiencing a great deal of conflicting emotions, as they prepare to see their child off into a new environment.  Whether a student is moving away to college or living at home, graduation from high school is a huge symbolic move towards adulthood.

Both students and parents are reminded that it is perfectly normal to see emotional ups and downs during this time. There may be some shifting in the dynamics of the relationship between parent and child, as they both prepare for the student to take on new roles.

In conclusion, some advice: Parents, trust in the work that you have done in raising your child to be an independent, competent decision maker. Be open to dialogue with your child, and don’t hesitate to bring these issues up for discussion. Students, remember that it is totally acceptable to be experiencing a range of different emotions. Graduating from high school is exciting, daunting, joyous, and saddening all at the same time. You are always welcome to contact your counselor for any advice you may need.

Come back to the blog in coming weeks to check out ways to effectively and healthily deal with the stress that ensues during the transition from high school to college for both students and their families!