Where the Wild Things Are:

Navigating the College Process

College Night Class of 2014

January 22, 2013

Where the Wild Things Are:Navigating the College Process

The year Max was a junior. . .

He set off through night and day and in and out of weeksand almost over a year

in search of colleges in the world all round.

And he came to where the wild things are.

Some were his inner wild things:

Procrastination. . .Fear. . .

Doubt. . .

*

And some were wildthings all around him.

Distractions. . .Peer Pressure. . .

Helicopter parents. . .

But Max said, “BE STILL !”

and ruledALL

the wild things.

*

Finally, Max sailed back over a yearand in and out of weeksand through a day and

into his very own room, where he found a

letter waiting for him.“And now,” he said, “let the wild rumpus

start !”

Wisdom from the Class of 2013

on ruling the Wild Things

PanelistsNick FavaloroKevin ChenEzra Frankel

Keelan Smithers

THE NEXT

FIFTEEN

MONTHS

MEETINGSWITH

COUNSELORS

Meeting 1

February/MarchStudent & counselor

Who am I?What do I want?

Follow-up: ideas for colleges to visit

Optonal Meeting for Parents

Once a student hasmet at least once with

his counselor,parents are welcome to come in for a conference.

Meeting 2

April / May Student & counselor

Workshop with the list(preliminary list in Naviance by June)

Final rec decisionsTesting update

Essay brainstorming

Summer

Complete anentire

Common Application !(more about this in a minute)

Meeting 3

September of senior year

Student & counselor

Update and list-tweaking

The evil empire. . .

Standardized Testing

Between now and June:• SAT x 1 or 2

• SAT Subject Tests x 1 or 2

• ACT if desired x 1 or 2

• (AP tests if appropriate)

Standardized testing, continued

Next fall:• SAT again if you need it• ACT again if you need it

Which colleges require 3 SAT Subject Tests?

NONE ! 3 SAT Subject Tests recommended

for Class of 2013 (this could change):

GeorgetownHarvard

Johns HopkinsNorthwestern

At many colleges, the ACT substitutes. A few colleges accept 3 S.T. instead of SAT.

FIVE NON-NEGOTIABLE DEADLINES

I. January 31, 2013 WFPZ (worry-free parent zone)

Questionnaire & Résumé due in Naviance

This extensive questionnaire can be the basis for conversation, letter, short answers and long essays in applications.

Weak, shallow, or too-brief questionnaires will be returned and re-assigned.

NND II: May 3, 2013

Last day to request a rec from each of two teachers. WFPZ

Teacher recs will be submitted electronically, and the process has been streamlined. Recs will be finished by early October.

No more envelopes, no more stamps.

NND III: First full day of school

Summer assignmentdue:

Common Application&

Updated résumé

Though it must be your son’s work,

schedule summer time for this!

NND IV:October TBD, 2013

Students finalize their college list in the Naviance software by this date.

Tweaking can continue until. . .

NND V:December TBD, 2013

Last day to make changes in your college list.

It’s all over but supplemental essays,but they can be time-consuming.

FIVE NNDs 1. Jan. 31: WFPZ Questionnaire & résumé

2. May 3: Teacher recs form due. WFPZ

3. First full day of school: Common Application &

updated résumé

4. Oct. tbd: College list

5. Dec. tbd : Last changes in list

Beyond the NNDsWhat else?

College visitsEssaysInterviewsSending test scores to collegesSupplemental essaysMonitoring colleges’ receipt of materialsAthletic issuesArt portfoliosFollow-up lettersThe unexpected. . .

How can parents help?

Let it be HIS process.

Don’t obsess. The Michael Thompson “college diet.”

Read the signals.

How can parents help?

Adjust your attitude: It’s 2013: college admissions are about

statistics and hooks.

Update yourself on the colleges:look beyond the Ivy League

Be inventive about family relationships.

How can parents help?

Make trip arrangements.

Create organized space.

Register him for tests, and send scores to colleges.

How can parents help?

Keep a sense of humor.

When panic sets in,call your son’s college counselor before losing your cool!

Coming soon. . .

March or April meeting witha college admissions person

Date and time TBA

How to find us:

Ms. Ann Tift

617-993-5266 Tift@belmonthill.org

Dr. Catherine Stearns Mrs. Bunny Melvoin

617-993-5288 617-993-5265

Stearns@belmonthill.org melvoinb@belmonthill.org

Check in on our blog !

Access the Belmont Hill

College Counseling Blog

on the school website

(www.belmonthill.org),

then “Academics” drop-down menu.

College Counseling Resource Page

To find links and downloads

and lists and more,

go to www.belmonthill.org,

then “Academics,” then

“College Counseling” on the drop-down menu, then “Resource Page.”

Thanks for coming!

We’ll see you online

and

in person. . .