COLLEGE OFFICE

CLASS OF 2008 NEWSLETTER #8

· October 31, 2007·

* The counselors are available for drop-in questions tomorrow and Thursday.

* If you have not had a second meeting this fall, please stop by to sign up; weekly schedules are posted Thursday morning.

* During this busy period, please check your email a couple of times per day. We will be scheduling on-campus interviews shortly and will need to keep you updated. Also, if you have applied early, colleges may call us if anything is missing in your file, and we will notify you.

* For November 1 early applications, the last date to submit your essay draft(s) for review was October 26. Essays submitted by that deadline are being worked on and counselors will get the draft(s) back to you as soon as they can. The last date to submit your essay draft(s) for the November 15 deadline is Wednesday, November 7 by 3:00 p.m.

* The registration deadline for the December 1 SAT has passed. The late registration deadline is November 8.

o In the past, colleges have received scores from the November test date in time for consideration of early applications. DO NOT RUSH YOUR SCORES unless the college specifically asks you to do so.

* The registration deadline for the December 8 ACT is November 2. If you are driving to an ACT site or need a ride, please make an announcement in assembly or on the Class I conference. (The ACT is not held at Milton.)

* The number of days to miss school for college visits is dwindling, as the window for floating days is Monday, September 17 – Friday, November 9. After November 9, exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis. You will need to pick up a Special Absence form from Mrs. Lombard and have it filled out and signed a week before your chosen day.

* All ED or EA applicants should have submitted SSR(s) to Mrs. Lombard by now. If you are applying early and have not submitted your SSR(s), please come speak with Mrs. Lombard; we cannot guarantee that your materials will reach the schools in time for the stated deadline(s). Besides handing in your SSR(s), the following steps are necessary for applying early:

o Send your test scores officially from the College Board to the college(s) through www.collegeboard.com. The College Office will not send any scores to colleges and scores do NOT appear on your transcript.

o Give Teacher Recommendation forms to teachers with stamped, addressed envelopes. Envelopes should be standard size, preferably pull-and-stick closure, with the return address of teacher name, c/o Milton Academy, 170 Centre Street, Milton, MA 02186. Large envelopes require extra postage.

* You should self-report your AP scores when filling out your applications. You should not pay to have the scores sent officially through AP Services.

* Seniors who are not applying early should be working on their lists and essays, and meeting with us.

* Fee waivers are here for the SAT, Subject Tests, and applications. If you think you qualify, please see Mrs. Lombard.

* If you must answer "yes" to the question about Disciplinary Action on your applications, you need to come by and talk to one of us about your response. You are expected to answer these questions honestly.

* Two quick pieces of advice for those applying under early AND regular deadlines:

1. Please do not call the admissions offices to check on the status of your application. They are inundated with paper this time of year, and your call will only slow them down.

2. Please do not hand deliver or FedEx your applications -- admissions offices do not look favorably on either practice.

* If you receive postcards telling you that something is missing from your application folder, please tell us. Don't get stressed. Don't panic. Just come and see us.

* If you are applying to U. Michigan*, U. Wisconsin, U. Colorado, or any other rolling admission university, please inform us as soon as possible. In most cases, the earlier you apply to these schools, the better. If you apply online, please download and bring the SSR form to the College Office. *See University of Michigan information in the “College Info” section of this newsletter.

* The Buckley Amendment gives the student the right to examine his or her recommendations at the school where he or she finally matriculates. Students have the option to waive this right of access. While this is a choice, we strongly encourage students to waive their right of access. Admission offices will weigh more seriously what writers say if the student has waived his or her rights.

* When approaching a teacher about writing your letters of recommendation, please ask first in person; don't make assumptions and don’t email teachers to ask! You should ask the teacher ASAP for early applications and before Thanksgiving break for regular applications. If the teacher is willing to write, offer to sit down with that teacher and have a conversation about the work you did in the course and about you as a person. Most importantly, you need to discuss whether or not that faculty member feels he/she can write a positive letter for you. For more details, please refer to the Etiquette of the Ask sheet that you received in assembly.

* If you are an athlete who is being recruited or might be recruited by a Division I or Ivy League school, you must file an NCAA Clearinghouse Form before you can have an official visit. Visit the website at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net and from the home page choose “Prospective Student-Athletes.” Please be sure to download and submit the appropriate Student Release Form to Mrs. Lombard.

* For those of you who are applying for financial aid, you need to file a CSS/Profile form; there are forms available in Mrs. Lombard’s office, but we recommend that you instead register online at www.collegeboard.com. They began to accept forms on October 1, 2007.

* The Boston Independent School College Counselors Association (BISCCA) will be hosting a College Financial Aid Information Night on Wednesday, December 12. The seminar will be held at The Cambridge School of Weston’s Kluchman Theatre at 7:30 p.m. and will address topics such as the FAFSA, searching for scholarships, available types of financial aid, and alternative financing options.

* We have Activities Update forms in our office. If you have taken on new activities or have done something interesting over the summer that we should know about, please see Mrs. Lombard for an update form. This is not necessary if you have already discussed any updates and/or your summer activities in a college meeting.

COLLEGE INFO

Grinnell College: A representative from the Admissions Office will be in Straus November 5 at 9:00 a.m.

Harvard University: A program for prospective students will take place November 4 from 1- 2:30 p.m. at the Science Center Lecture Hall B.

University of Michigan: The University of Michigan has implemented an “Early Response” deadline this year. For all students whose completed applications are received by October 31, they will guarantee that a decision will be released by December 21. Students whose applications are completed after the Early Response deadline will receive decisions on a rolling basis, approximately 8-12 weeks after the application is received. No priority in the review process of an application will be given simply because it was submitted Early Response.

REMEMBER, OUR SCHOOL CODE IS 221430

College Office phone number is 617-898-2310

College Office fax number is 617-898-1717