COLLEGE OFFICE

CLASS OF 2008 NEWSLETTER #13

∙ December 4, 2007∙

 

UPCOMING COLLEGE OFFICE HOURS:

 

Wednesday, 12/12:  Drop-ins from 8:00 – 3:00 p.m. (Office closed after school for mailing)

Thursday, 12/13:  Drop-ins from 8:00 – 11:00 a.m.  (Winter break begins at 12:00 p.m.)
Friday, 12/14:  Drop-ins from 9:00 – 1:00 p.m. (Office closed after 1:00 p.m. for mailing)

Monday, 12/17:  By appointment only from 9:00 – 12:00 p.m.

Tuesday, 12/18:  By appointment only from 9:00 – 12:00 p.m.

Wednesday, 12/19 – 1/2:  The College Office will be closed

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

 

u      All SSRs should be in to the College Office by now. If you have not turned in your forms, you need to speak with one of the college counselors or Mrs. Lombard ASAP. The SSR is the signal to us that you are applying to that school.

 

      - If you have applied Early Action or Early Decision, you still need to turn in SSRs for regular decision. We plan to mail all materials to colleges before we leave for vacation and we will not know the outcome of early applications before the mailing.

 

     - If you are still deciding whether or not to apply to a particular school, please bring in the SSR regardless. You can always let us know later if you decide not to apply.

 

u      If you applied Early Action or Early Decision:

 

- Please have a conversation with the teacher(s) writing a recommendation for you to create a plan for your Regular Decision forms.  As with the College Office and SSRs, teachers may be unavailable over the winter break and therefore may need to mail your materials before you have heard from your early schools.

 

- When you receive a decision from a college, please tell us! You can call, drop by the office or email.

 

- If you receive postcards or emails 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.

 

u      If you have not had a meeting with a counselor to discuss your final college list, please sign up ASAP! You need to have a final list meeting before school lets out for winter break.

 

u      If you submitted an essay for review by the December 3 deadline, counselors will try to review your essay by the end of this week. Completed essays are in Mrs. Lombard’s office so stop by toward the end of the week to see if your essay is ready.

 

 

u      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.    Distribute teacher recommendation forms with clearly noted deadlines and  stamped, addressed envelopes before departing for break (do not slip forms into their mailboxes the day we leave for vacation). Envelopes should be standard business size, 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.

 

3.    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.

 

4.    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.

 

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

 

6.    Check your application deadlines carefully!

 

7.    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.

 

8.    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.

 

9.    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. A print-out of the FAFSA form will be available in the College Office after January 1.

 

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

 

11.                   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. Give colleges at least two weeks after the deadline to get materials filed.

 

 

OTHER INFORMATION

 

u      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.

 

u      The ACT is offered on February 9th this winter.

 

u      We have extra applications for some schools in our office.  See Mrs. Lombard if you are looking for a particular app.  Also, feel free to bring us extra copies of applications you do not use.

 

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 most ED II deadlines are the same as those for the Regular Decision process.

 

Pomona College: Application deadlines for Pomona are received by deadlines, not postmark deadlines, so all application materials must be in Pomona’s admissions office by the appropriate deadline (December 28 for ED II and January 2 for regular decision).

 

University of Southern California: If you are applying for a merit-based scholarship, the freshman application is due December 10. For more information, visit: http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/sg/entering_undergrad_meritbased/.

 

Milton Academy’s CEEB code number is 221430

College Office phone number is 617-898-2310

College Office fax number is 617-898-1717