An Introduction to the College Counseling Process and the College Counseling Handbook

To the class of 2012: Welcome to the beginning of the college search process. The College Counseling Office is looking forward to guiding you through this exciting journey. We encourage you to embrace this opportunity to explore your values, make important adult decisions, and become more independent. You are bound to learn a lot about yourself, and you will discover that there are a wide range of options available to you after Thayer. But you won’t take these steps alone. This is a partnership with your parents and with Thayer. We are here to advise and support you, to help you make sense of the process while keeping you on task. We have designed this College Counseling Handbook to assist you in the college search and application process. It covers everything from developing a college list to completing an application to applying for financial aid. It includes important dates to remember, sample forms, various worksheets, as well as countless tips and insights. For each step of the process, there will be parts of this book that you will find useful. We hope you will share it with your parents, bring it to meetings with your college counselor, and refer to it when necessary as you make your way through the year. Of course, the Handbook is only a resource guide, and often you cannot navigate your way through the options and the contingencies and the strategies without talking through the issues with someone who has experience with this process. That is why we expect you and your parents to be active participants, and we hope to sustain steady contact with you through email, phone, and visits. In our experience, consistent communication is essential to making this process positive and productive. Please contact us whenever you have questions or need assistance. We look forward to working with you! Christine Woods Thad Robey cwoods@thayer.org trobey@thayer.org 781-664-2218 781-664-2222

Overview of the College Counseling Handbook

We invite you to use this book in the manner that best suits your needs. Please read the following descriptions of each section to determine the ones which will be useful for you at each stage of the college search and application process. I. Master Schedule This section gives you a month-by-month outline of where you should be in the college application process. Check it regularly to make sure you’re on track with working on your applications, asking for recommendations, applying for financial aid, etc. It also contains the dates for standardized testing, college counseling meetings, and other important events. A new calendar for your senior year will be mailed to you over the summer.

II. The College Search This section walks you through the criteria necessary to consider when identifying the best colleges for you. It provides information to guide your search as well as tips on college visits and interviews. Use the worksheets provided to compare colleges and to organize your applications.

III. Applying to College This section discusses how colleges make decisions and walks you through the variety of admission options available (Early Decision, Early Action, Rolling, etc.). We strongly encourage you to read the detailed overview of the Common Application, which will help you answer each question and fill in each field of data. There is also significant time devoted to the Personal Statement, offering advice about choosing a topic, approaches to avoid, and writing do’s and don’ts.

IV. Samples This section provides a variety of documents related to the college application process and the college counseling process. Please refer to the introduction of this section for more information on what is included.

V. Standardized Testing This section introduces you to the range of standardized testing that may play a role in your college applications. The section covers the SAT, Subject Test, ACT, Advanced Placement program, and the Test of English as a Foreign Language. It also offers advice on test preparation.

VI. Extra Information for Special Categories This section is designed for students who may have special considerations when researching and applying to college. If you have interest in pursuing athletics, performing arts, visual arts, or music, we recommend you read the parts that pertain to your pursuit. This section also addresses students with learning disabilities who wish to apply to colleges that will accommodate their needs.

VII. Financial Aid This section addresses the basics of financial aid. It explains the differences between need-based and merit-based financial aid; it guides you through the basic steps in applying for financial assistance; and it offers a financial aid checklist to keep you on top of the paperwork and ahead of the deadlines.

VIII. Tips from the Experts In this last section, we have gathered helpful suggestions from students who have already gone through the college application process, and we have added our own words of wisdom on how to make this experience as positive and productive as possible.