COLLEGE OFFICE

CLASS OF 2008 NEWSLETTER #10

· November 13, 2007·

We only have 6 school days between now and Thanksgiving.

We only have 13 school days between Thanksgiving and winter break.

Below is a checklist for what you should be doing between now and winter break:

___ Sign up for a meeting with a counselor to discuss your final college list.

___ Give all SSRs to Mrs. Lombard by Monday, December 3.

o The Secondary School Report (SSR) is a signal to us that you are applying to that school. We need a separate SSR for each school to which you are applying, even when using the Common App. With the Common App SSR, write the name of the college to which you are applying on the top. For example, if you are applying to three schools, you must bring us three SSRs, each with a school name on it.

o Please make sure you provide all information in the student section and that you have signed the form (for the Common App SSR, the signature box is shaded).

o If your SSR does not have a deadline clearly marked, please indicate the deadline for us in the upper right corner of the form.

o We do not need mid-year or end-of-year report forms.

o We do not need or want envelopes or stamps.

___ Distribute teacher recommendation forms with clearly noted deadlines and stamped, addressed envelopes (standard business-sized envelopes, preferably pull-and-stick closure, with the return address of: teacher name, c/o Milton Academy, 170 Centre Street, Milton, MA 02186). Remember, large envelopes require extra postage.

o Make sure you give your teachers ample time to write your recommendations. Do not slip forms into their mailboxes the day we leave for vacation. Have a conversation with the teachers before giving them the forms. If you have not asked your teachers yet, you cannot wait any longer. ASK TODAY!

___ Work on your essays. Counselors will only be able to provide feedback on essay drafts for the Regular Decision deadline if they are submitted by 3:00 p.m. on Monday, December 3. All essay drafts for counselors to review must be submitted hard copy (emailed essays will not be reviewed). There are two files on Mrs. Lombard's desk, one for First Drafts and one for Revised Drafts, and you can drop your essay into the appropriate file. Please make sure your name is on the essay. Essays submitted by that deadline will be reviewed and counselors will let you know when you can pick up your essay from Mrs. Lombard’s office.

___ 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. Visit www.ncaaclearinghouse.net and from the home page choose “Prospective Student-Athletes”, download the Student Release Form, and bring it to Mrs. Lombard.

___ If you are applying for financial aid, file a CSS/Profile online at www.collegeboard.com, a FAFSA online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/, and complete financial aid applications.

OTHER INFORMATION

* If you have applied or will apply under an Early Decision agreement, please be aware that you may need to complete an Early Decision contract, which requires your signature, a parent signature, and a counselor signature.

* 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.

* 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.

* The late registration deadline for the December 8 ACT is November 15.

* A few pieces of information for the application process:

1. You are responsible for sending your scores to the colleges from the College Board. Send your scores online at www.collegeboard.com.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. If you think you qualify for application fee waivers, see Mrs. Lombard.

5. Check your application deadlines carefully!

6. Please remember to photocopy your applications before you send them. Occasionally an application will get lost and you will be asked to produce a copy.

7. Please be sure you provide adequate postage for your application materials before putting them in the mail - this includes your personal materials and the envelopes you provide for teacher recommendations. Larger envelopes require extra postage, but the weight of an envelope also plays into the price of postage. You can calculate postage at www.usps.com or visit the post office.

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

9. 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.

10. 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.

COLLEGE INFO

Bates College: The last date to interview on campus is December 14 and the last date to request an alumni interview off-campus is December 10. Off-campus interviews can be arranged by calling 207-786-6000 (email requests will not be accepted).

Macalester College: A Macalester College representative will be offering interviews in the Boston area from December 14 – December 17. To schedule an appointment, please call 1-800-231-7974.

Middlebury College: For ED II, the supplement is due December 15 and the application itself is due January 1, with an early February notification date. Please note that ED II deadlines are the same as those for the Regular Decision process.

St. John’s University: St. John’s will be holding a reception in the Boston area on November 17 from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. at the Hilton Boston/Dedham. To register, email admhelp@stjohns.edu.

REMEMBER, OUR SCHOOL CODE IS 221430

College Office phone number is 617-898-2310

College Office fax number is 617-898-1717