Prep Blog Taking a Break...But First, Some Summer Reminders!

Summer break is right around the corner, and just as students and teachers are taking some much needed rest, Prep’s College Knowledge Blog will be doing the same. As this is the first year of the blog, I am sure there are improvements that can be made. I know this information has been helpful to a multitude of parents and students, and I want to continue its success for many years to come. So to make this blog as helpful as it can be, please feel free to email Mr. Joseph Korfmacher at korfmacherj@spprep.org with any suggestions for future posts and any other comments you may have. I will be sure to post periodically throughout the summer with important announcements and helpful tips for the upcoming college application season, but posts will be less frequent.

For rising juniors and seniors, here are some final reminders of what to do during the summer in regards to the college process…

·         Visit colleges

·         Research schools and their programs/majors

·         Work on your college essay

·         Begin to develop your college list (6-8 schools)

·         Begin to search for scholarships

·         Start saving money

·         Stay active and involved (summer job, club, travel, research, etc.)

·         Starting in August-Create a CommonApplication account and start working on it

·         Continue to prepare for the SATs, ACTs, and SAT Subject Tests

·         Take some time to relax! Once September hits, the college craziness will ensue!

Thank you again so much for visiting Prep’s first ever college information blog! I hope to make the blog better and better, and I truly do appreciate all of your support!! Have a great summer and the blog will be back fulltime in August!

Joseph D. Korfmacher, MA

Transition from Home to College...Just Give it Time!

John was 18 and at the college he always dreamed of…a relatively small college in Pennsylvania. John could not wait until he graduated high school and would be able to start the next phase of his life. He anticipated making new friends and trying new activities. He was so excited the night before move-in-day, he could hardly fall asleep. As his parents helped him move everything into his dorm room, it was a bit emotional for everyone, as John was their first child leaving home for college. John’s college was only two-hours away from home, but this might as well been halfway around the world for his parents, as John never spent more than a week away from their home. Nevertheless, John and his parents said good-bye and his parents drove away, leaving John on his own. As John’s parents’ car disappeared from sight, a sinking feeling set in and that initial excitement turned into fear and anxiety. In a moment John’s confidence turned into doubt and this was a very scary feeling. He wasn’t sure what to do, so he went to his room, watched TV and played on the computer.

Over the next few days John went from class to his dorm and called his parents a few times a day. John was sad, uncomfortable, and to him, all the other freshmen had made friends besides himself. A week into his first semester at college, John called home and told his parents he wanted to go home and transfer to the local state college. Although his mom and dad felt terrible for John and of course did not want him to be upset, they told him 5 simple words…”Just give it one semester”. Although frustrated with their response, John obliged.

A week later, a dorm mate of John’s asked him to go to the local Sports Authority with him. Although John had nothing to buy there, he was so eager for some type of companionship he jumped at the opportunity. Through this trip, John discovered that he had a lot in common with the guy living down his hall, and he was able to introduce John to the group of his friends at the school. John finally became more comfortable at college and his entire outlook was changed. John ended up loving his four years at school and regards it as the best time of his life.

This is a true story of a colleague of mine and her first child to go off to college. For the parents out there who will be sending their first child off to college in the coming months, it will surely be an emotional time for everyone involved. Feelings of doubt, fear, uneasiness, and an increased level of stress are all VERY common for parents and teenagers during the transition from home to college. It is only natural that a big change like this will induce these uncomfortable feelings.

However, for almost everyone, these feelings will go away, as teenagers just need to give it time! I think it is very important for freshmen to stick it out at least one semester. Too often, students will give-up after only a few weeks, never really giving it a chance. It is also essential that parents are there to support their children, communicate with them during the process, and also push them to keep trying at their school. Students put a lot of work into the college search process, and they chose their school because something felt right. Whatever they felt did not abandon them, students just need to keep a positive outlook!

So parents and students, please click on the link below from the NYU Child Study website that lists numerous tips for parents and teenagers dealing with the transition from being at home to living at college. Enjoy the reading and I hope it helps: NYU website.

Joseph D. Korfmacher, MA

Summer Checklist for Rising Seniors

Although the 2011-2012 school year has been long, leading students to be tired and looking forward to summer break…rising seniors will be in a very important time of their college search process. For rising seniors, summer is not a time to just sit on your couch, watching ESPN and forgetting everything from a few months ago, which includes information from junior group guidance! The free time students have in the summer is a great opportunity to prepare for the application process and to present yourself in the best way possible to prospective colleges and universities. I can promise you that the first semester of senior year will be a very busy one with coursework, sports, clubs, and the application process. Time will fly-by and it would benefit all students to get a majority of the college work done in advance. Take a moment to look over a few of the areas in which you can work on during the summer time to give you advantage once autumn arrives:

·         Prepare for Testing/Review Testing Requirements- Many students will be happy with their SAT/ACT test scores from junior year and will not take these tests in the fall. However, a good amount of students may still need to increase their scores. So use the summer time to enroll in SAT or ACT prep classes or study on your own. Also, if students plan on applying to highly competitive colleges, make sure you are on top of all testing requirements. If a school requires SAT subject tests, make sure you register for one of the testing dates in the fall.

·          Continue to Visit Campuses- Although it usually is more beneficial to visit colleges while they are in session, this cannot always be done during the school-year. It is much better to visit a college during the summer than to never see the school. A BIG factor to deciding on which college to attend should be the overall fit and gut feeling you get while on the school’s campus. Students can get a ton of information online about schools, but there is no substitute for visiting schools to gain that invaluable “feel” for the campus.

·         Build up Your Resume- High testing scores and a high cumulative GPA are great and will be very helpful when applying to schools. However, for many schools this will not be enough. Schools want students who are well-rounded and more than just academics. They want students that are involved in other activities, sports, clubs, jobs, or do something to set themselves apart. It will be important to manage your time and responsibility in college, and admissions counselors want to see that you already have experience with this. If you do not have much to show to colleges, use the summer as a time to get involved with other opportunities other than high school classes. Some summer opportunities you may want to think about are: jobs, summer enrichment programs, pre-college summer programs, volunteering, or even some type of research! There are a multitude of ways you can benefit yourself and society, which may also improve your chances of getting accepted into school.

·         Think about Your Future- This can be a very scary thought for high school students. I often will get blank stares or confused looks when I ask my students to think about a career they could see themselves in, or where they see themselves in six years. Although this may be hard, it is important! Start researching jobs online, talking to friends and family, or try some old fashioned personal reflection and introspection. Whatever works best for you, just do something and think about what you could see yourself doing for a career and which college majors may be a good fit for you.

·         Work on Your Essay- The college essay is an integral piece to the college application process. This is not something students want to leave to the last minute to complete. Students should take time to reflect, compose, and review their college essay. This is a great opportunity for students to show who they truly are and why they belong in a school’s community. The essay often will be the deciding factor for a student being accepted or denied. Although college applications cannot be completed yet, the CommonApplication can be viewed online, by clicking on the link. Students can review the essay topics for next year and start working on them. Please, do not rush the essay, and use your free time in the summer to make the essay as good as it can be!

Joseph D. Korfmacher, MA

College Tour Recap!

As the 2^nd annual college tour came to an end last night when the bus of 40 juniors pulled back to 144 Grand Street, students were able to carry with them a great amount of knowledge and an overall fantastic experience from the five colleges and universities they visited in the Boston area. Please take a minute to look over a few of the pieces of information we gained from inside each of the schools we visited, as you may discover some things that will intrigue you!

Emerson College

·         Marketing is very big, with about 25% of students majoring in this. Many more minor in marketing.

·         Biggest concentrations are communications, journalism, visual and performing arts, and English.

·         State-of-the-art TV and production equipment available to students as early as freshmen year.

·         Graduates have great success rates in sports and entertainment fields such as ESPN, NFL, and the NHL.

·         City campus

·         D3 sports

·         Nutritionist included with tuition

·         70:30 girls to guys ratio

·         2 years guaranteed housing

·         3,500 undergraduate students

·         48% of applicants accepted

Boston College

·         9,000 undergraduates

·         60% of students major in Arts & Sciences fields

·         No Engineering school

·         Core curriculum of 15 courses in liberal arts as requirement

·         Can use AP scores (4 or 5) to place out of some courses

·         No Greek life

·         50% students are guaranteed housing for 4 years and 50% are guaranteed housing for 3 years

·         Study Abroad very big at BC

·         Most seniors live on campus

·         No early decision available

·         Restrictive Early Action option (cannot apply ED anywhere else, but decision is not binding at BC)

·         Four schools at BC: Arts & Sciences, Management, Education, and Nursing

·         80-90% of students on pre-med track are accepted into medical school each year

·         28% acceptance rate

Northeastern University

·         Co-op education very big here

·         In the city, but a traditional campus feel and atmosphere

·         50% of co-op students are offered jobs from one of the places they worked while at NU

·         Very strong engineering program

·         Apartment style living on campus starting sophomore year

·         16,000 undergraduates/13,000 graduate students

·         Ranked 2^nd among U.S. universities in career services

·         92% of NU graduates either employed or in graduate school nine months after graduation

Boston University

·         Guaranteed housing for 4 years

·         Greek life active

·         Varsity crew

·         Ranked top-10 Bio-engineering program

·         Very big in community service (90,000 hours of community service completed in 2010-2011

·         Gigantic applicant pool (43,000 students applied last year)

·         Demonstrated interested big influence!

·         ROTC available in three divisions

·         Campus is only 1-2 blocks deep, but 1 ¾ miles long

·         18,500 undergraduates

·         45%  acceptance rate

Holy Cross

·         3,000 undergraduates

·         No graduate programs

·         Full-year Study Abroad opportunities are very popular

·         Test-optional school

·         Demonstrated interest very big and interviews are available

·         10:1 student faculty ratio

·         33% acceptance rate

·         Jesuit ideals alive and well at HC

                                                                                                         Joseph Korfmacher, MA

College Tour Departure!

40 Prep juniors will be leaving bright and early tomorrow (4/24) at 6 am to travel to 5 colleges and universities in the Boston area. After a few years of Prep-run college visits not being held, these tours were brought back to life in 2011. Last year was a one-day trip to 3 colleges in the Philadelphia area. With that trip being such a success, the annual college tour was expanded to a two-day, one-night trip to 5 colleges. The schools on the college tour this year are Emerson College, Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University, and the College of the Holy Cross. Students will tour campuses, listen to information sessions, and get a chance to meet the admissions representatives that may be reading their applications a few months from now!

The Prep College Counseling Department plans on continuing these college tours in the coming years, so be on the look-out for future tour dates and registration instructions. The college trips usually fill-up within a few days, so act quick! Also, as there are hundreds and hundreds of colleges and universities in driving distance, if there are any schools you would like to see as a part of a future college tour please e-mail Mr. Joseph Korfmacher at korfmacherj@spprep.org

Once Mr. Korfmacher and the Prep students return, please visit the blog to get insider news on the trip and helpful information about each school we visit!

 Joseph Korfmacher, MA

The Importance of College Visits!

As April seems to be flying by, and May will be here before we know it, that means one thing—most colleges will be ending their scholastic year with students going home for summer. This does not leave too much time for high school students and their parents to visit college campuses, with the student body still there.

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!

                                                                                                                    -Mr. 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

SPP Counseling Team's Review of Recent College Tour

As mentioned in the previous blog, members of the college counseling staff embarked on a college tour in Pennsylvania for four days, visiting nine colleges and universities.  This was a great experience, and we thought it would be helpful to share some information about a few of the schools, including admission trends and overall facts and tidbits on the schools.

Lafayette College: Lafayette is a private, small college, in a suburban setting (roughly 2,500 undergraduates) set on a beautiful campus in Easton, Pennsylvania. Lafayette is a liberal arts college, and they stick to a liberal arts education, having all students, regardless of majors, take an array of humanities courses. Lafayette has a very strong engineering program and with the establishment of a new film studio, their arts department is growing and becoming more competitive.  Walking around the campus, students seemed very involved in different activities, and many students were active in the quad throwing the Frisbee and football around. Lafayette is the quintessential college campus, which is not too big or too small, with a lot of green and beautiful facilities. There is a great community feel and a real sense of mindfulness and openness.  Here are some quick facts on the school:

Percent admitted: 40%

Student-to-faculty ratio: 11:1

Middle 50% SATs: Critical Reading: 590-680/ Math: 620-700/ Writing: 580-680 ACT: 26-31

If submitting the ACT, the writing section is required

Tuition plus Room and board plus additional fees per year= $54,720

Percent of need met: 99% with average financial aid package of $37,958

Top 2% in country for endowment per student in nation

Ranked 18^th in country for career services and has great alumni connections

No business school

Lehigh University: Lehigh is a private, smaller mid-sized university is a suburban setting with roughly 4,900 undergraduate students and 2,000 graduate students. The campus is set on rolling hills with historic buildings that are nothing short of breathtaking.  Students are spread out in numerous terrific majors in Arts and Sciences (40% of students), College of Business and economics (30% of students), and the College of Engineering and Applied Science (30% of students). The average class size is 27 students, and regardless of major, all students must have 20% of their courses in the humanities and social sciences. Although it is a university, the only graduate schools available are the graduate school of education and they offer 7-year programs in Medicine, Dentistry, and Optometry. Here are some quick facts on the school:

Percent admitted: 33%

Middle 50%: Critical Reading: 580-680/ Math: 640-720/ ACT: 28-31

If submitting the ACT, the writing section is required.

Tuition plus Room and board plus additional fees per year= $52,800

Percent of need met: 96% with average financial aid package of $34,700

One of only 10 colleges that offer Internships at the United Nations

40% of students are in Greek Life

45% of accepted students are in Early Decision pool

Saint Joseph’s University:  St. Joseph’s University is a Jesuit, private, smaller mid-sized university in a suburban setting, right outside of Philadelphia, with roughly 5,200 undergraduate students and 3,500 graduate students. St. Joe’s has made tremendous strides in the last few years, growing their campus size by 38 acres and developing new buildings all over campus. Being a short cab ride or train ride from Philadelphia makes it an ideal location for those students who enjoy all of the opportunities a big city offers, but would prefer to  not be directly in the heart of a city. St. Joe’s is dedicated to providing all students with an education for the whole person, aligned with the Jesuit philosophy. There is a general education program that sees students taking theology, philosophy, ethics, writing, science, and language courses adding up to 60 credits in Arts & Sciences, in addition to their courses associated with their major. St. Joe’s has increased the amounts of majors and minors, with 34 and 40 respectively. They are now offering a new music major and film studies majors, as well as a sports marketing major and entertainment marketing major.  Unlike many colleges and states, an education degree at St. Joseph’s is reciprocal in every state. Also, the country’s largest food marketing program is at St. Joe’s, as well as the biggest Jesuit business school.  Here are some more additional facts about St. Joseph’s University:

Percent Admitted: 78%

Student-to-faculty ration: 13:1

Middle 50%: Critical Reading: 510-600/ Math: 520-610/ Writing: 520-610 ACT: 22-26

If submitting the ACT, the writing section is optional

Tuition plus Room and board plus additional fees per year= $49,840

62% of accounting graduates have been offered positions at the Big 4 accounting firms

Jesuit Scholarship available for students from Jesuit high schools that have a 3.0 GPA worth $3,500

The Importance of College FIT

‘The importance of fit’, when it comes to choosing a college to attend, is an expression that students and parents will be accustom to hearing during the college search process, especially as students of St. Peter’s Prep. But what does ‘fit’ really mean and why is it so important when choosing a college? As students in the college search process, you all want to find the right college, but this is often harder than it sounds. There are a multitude of elements and factors that should go into choosing a college, but often students and parents will look over some or all of the factors that need to be addressed. Instead, students may choose a college purely based on ranking, how good their sport teams are, if there significant other attends the school, and many other reasons that should not be a part of a very important decision.

1 in 3 students who enroll into college will transfer at some point during their time at college. This is an alarming statistic and although in some cases this cannot be avoided, many times this does not need to occur and would not occur, if the student spent more time researching colleges. Avoiding a transfer to another college will save a student and family time, money, and energy. During their time at Prep, college counselors will assist students in conducting authentic college searches and will give them the tools needed to find the right college fit for each individual. Very early on in the college search process, students need to examine within themselves and start discussing with their parents and counselors about their own personal skills, interests, and values. Understanding what they may be can greatly help students connect to certain schools out there, which match who they are as an individual. Remember, it is not about the best college, but the right college for you!

When discovering who you are as an individual, and finding colleges that meet your needs, you most likely will discover that there are multiple colleges that are right for you. This is a good discovery! When finding these colleges that are a right fit for you, not only will students be happier there, but chances are, they will have a better shot of being accepted! If you follow these five considerations while searching for colleges, you will be in great shape when it comes to making the final decision in spring of senior year!!

1) Academic Rigor- When searching for and applying to schools, students need to explore the classroom and academic environment specific to that college. Students must try to find the colleges that provide a style of instruction that is best matched to the way the student learns. If you are an individual who strives in the most competitive of environments, working on your own at most times, and rise to occasion when working with the toughest of teachers/professors, then look for similar collegiate programs. However, you may be someone who needs a little more guidance and support from professors, and do much better with courses that are not so competitive. You know who you are, and this is perfectly OK, but you want you realize this before attending a school in the fall.

2) Geographic Location - Get to know the campus and surrounding area of possible colleges. Realize that for the most part, this is where you will live for the next 4 years of your life! So it would make sense that you should be happy with the location of where you go to school. Are you happier in the city or in a rural environment? Would you prefer going to a college with 45,000 students or one with 1,500 students? Would you like to be less than 2 hours away from home, so you can come home whenever you like, or are you adventurous and would like to live out on the West Coast for awhile? We all have our preferences on where we are happiest and no one is wrong here! You may find a school that meets all of your other needs, but if you absolutely love the city, a school in the middle of Idaho, most likely will not make you happy! So make sure you are honest and accepting with where you are happiest, and visit the colleges you are most serious about! All schools look warm and welcoming on the internet, but you can only get a real feel by visiting colleges!

3) Major/Program Offerings- It is extremely important to apply and eventually attend a school that offers a program that matches a student’s interests. It is perfectly normal not to know what you want to do for a career in high school, but you can surely breakdown your choices to a few that best interest you. Make sure the college offers numerous majors you may see yourself doing, and this will surely help in the process.

4) Cost of Tuition- Far too often, students will find a college that is really great for them, but find out in March, that they just are not receiving enough financial aid and the college will just cost too much to attend. Taking out loans is definitely an option and may be inevitable, but do yourself a favor, and create a list of schools that have a wide variety of cost of attendance. We urge all students to apply to 6-8 schools, for many reasons, but one reason is that some colleges may help out financially much more than others. So if you research schools diligently and apply to 6-8 colleges that you love, the deciding factor may come down to money. If this is the case, it may make it much easier to choose the school that will not have you in debt until you have grandchildren, because you have done the research and you love the school!

5) Chances of Admission- You must be realistic when it comes to applying to colleges. Students should all be applying to 2-3 safety schools, 2-3 target schools, and 2-3 reach schools. If your list contains all reach schools, you may be in trouble come March. We absolutely think all students should strive for ‘reach’ schools, but there needs to be schools on the list that students are confident they will be accepted into. So you should not only be making sure you apply to the schools that are right for you, but be realistic with your chances of getting in!

So, remember, there are a multitude of factors that need to go into making this life decision. Students and families should not focus solely on any one factor, but the combination of all of them. College is not just about going to the classroom, but is about growing and living in the right environment and community. Please try to remember these basic ideas when searching, applying, and eventually settling on the college that is the right fit for YOU!