may june 2016 newsletter 001

MOUN OLIVE HIGH SCHOOL Guidance Newsletter V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 5 M A Y - J U N E 2 0 1 6 INSIDE THIS ISSUE:...

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MOUN OLIVE HIGH SCHOOL

Guidance Newsletter V O L U M E

2 ,

I S S U E

5

M A Y - J U N E

2 0 1 6

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: College Visits

2

6 Paths to 3 Better College Essays Conversations to Have with your Student Before Graduation

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Let’s Make Sure You Graduate From College!

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To Do List for Rising High School Juniors and Parents

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To Do List continued

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Suggested 7 Reading for Parents of College Bound Seniors

Why do things end? Just when you start getting comfortable, it ends. Like when you try something new, at the start you feel that weird sensation in your stomach but after a few minutes, you start enjoying it, and before you know it your time is up! Endings are, in a sense, inevitable. But they are also the indication of a new beginning, just as every chapter has to end for a new one to begin. Nonetheless, endings can be sad and scary. Sad because it’s over, like that feeling you get at the end of a good book or movie. Scary because sometimes you will not want to enter a new chapter and leave something familiar for something unpredictable. We don’t want to leave our comfort zone

and let our life change. But we forget that change is the only thing that remains constant in this world. Just like the weather, our life is changing every moment in everyday and to keep up with it we also need to change. So don’t be afraid of change, as endings are beginnings in disguise, the beginning of something good , something better. As we enter May and June, we start thinking about new beginnings and endings. Our seniors are becoming eager to graduate and start their journey to college, and our juniors will be getting ready to start the college application process in the fall. With that in mind, we are focusing on the transition from high school to college for both

students AND parents, as well as give a jump start to juniors and their parents for what they should know when visiting colleges during the summer and more, including tips for writing a great college essay. Freshmen and sophomores and their parents should remember that it is never too early to start researching colleges and building a high school resume. Summer is a great time to at least do some “drive-by” visits of schools either in the area or when you’re on vacation! Will you do anything unique this summer that you can use for a future college essay? This newsletter may have a larger focus for our juniors and seniors, but it applies to everyone! Start learning everything you can for future success!

Important Dates! Mark Your Calendar! 5/2-5/13 - AP Testing

6/7 - Senior Awards Night 7 p.m. PAC

5/7 - SAT (see CollegeBoard website)

6/11 - ACT (see www.act.org)

5/18 - Mid-Point of 4th Marking Period

6/10 - Senior Picnic

5/25-26 - State Biology Testing

6/10-15 - Final Exams

6/1-2 - State Biology Testing Makeups

6/16 - Final Exam Make-Ups

6/2 - Renaissance Awards 6:30 p.m. PAC

6/17 - Last Day of School 6/17 - Graduation

PAGE 2 Juniors! Planning College Visits Over the Summer? Here are Good Questions to Ask:

• Has the college lived up to your expectations? • Has anything been a major disappointment? • What are the strengths of the college? The weaknesses? • What should I know about the college that isn’t mentioned in the brochures or on the website? • Are there any particular tensions or issues on campus? • Is there anything special we should see while we are here? • What is the housing like? Are there lots of options? • Is it quiet enough for kids study in the dorms? If not, where do they study? • How good is the food? Are there options for dining? • Which dorms are the best to live in?

How do you get into those? • What are some of the social or academic issues that students are concerned about? • How does the administration respond to student concerns? • Is safety an issue on campus? • Are classes taught by professors or teaching assistants? If TAs are commonplace, do they also grade your tests and papers? • What is the typical class size? For freshmen? For upperclassmen? • Do students have good relationships with faculty? Are faculty members available to students for help? • How many hours a day/week do students typically study? • How easy (or hard) is it to get into the

classes you want? • What are the most outstanding majors? Are there requirements to get into certain majors? • Is the student body politically active? Or apathetic? • How difficult is it to participate in __________ activity? Or to make the ___________team? • How does a student get into the newspaper? The orchestra? The drama group? Name your interest. • How good is the career counseling office? • What does the college do to help graduates find jobs? • If you had to make the choice all over again, would you still choose this school?

The Top Things for Parents NOT to Do During a College Tour/Interview/Visit  Don't use the royal "we." Don't say, "We want to attend your university next year," or other similar comments. Ideally, the student should be the one asking the questions and initiating the conversations as well, although it is understandable that more introverted students often find this to be challenging. But that "we" pronoun is a pretty clear indicator that the student isn't really the one running the search!  Don't take calls or use your smartphones, etc. Don't take a phone call during an information session and/or campus tour and don't sit in an information session and do business on your smartphone.  Don't speak for your student; especially while the child stands mutely aside. Do not sign in for your student in the Admissions Office, they should do it. Let your child be themselves. Parents should remember that, while they do need to gather some information, ownership of the process should belong to their children…therefore the impetus for asking questions and the responsibility for being themselves should fall on the students.  Don't come to the visit or even schedule a visit with a list of demands. It's okay to request to see a coach, faculty member, etc…most schools will do their best to accommodate, but please understand that faculty and coaches are typically busy teaching and coaching and may not be available (or even allowed - NCAA regulations) when you are on campus.  Don't monopolize the conversation/tour/discussion session. Although it is clear that parents are invested in the child's future…it's their child's future. Being interested in and asking a few questions is great, but if a parent takes over a group tour with questions that are specific to only their child, the whole tour will take forever. Those kinds of questions should be asked of a counselor at a later date.  Don't go into an interview with your student to the Admissions Counselor/Officer/Coach unless you are invited in or unless you just plan to listen. Do not assume that they'll be part of an on-campus interview. Every school does it differently.  Don't whine, complain or be negative in public. Wait until you're in the car. Caution: Parents should be cautious about what they say about a college visit. If a parent speaks negatively about a school, a student might dig their heels and in say they are interested in the college, even if they initially were not interested or the opposite may occur.  Don't plan to do the application process for your child. Don't tell the Admissions Office that you are doing the application process for your child and do not turn in your own letter of recommendation!

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Violins, Trash and Calculus: 6 Paths to Better College Essays What delights college admissions officers as they read high-school students’ application essays? What’s a total turn-off? Six experts weighed in on the subject last fall at the annual convention of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. The most memorable insights touched on everything from violins to trash. College admissions teams often “are not getting what they asked for, and are unimpressed by many of the essays that come across their desks,” one panel moderator observed. Colleges consistently say they want reflective stories in an authentic voice, but that turns out to be surprisingly elusive for many candidates. What’s the remedy? Here are six ideas that emerged from the discussion, couched in the form of warnings, tips and inspiring examples. Go easy on buzzwords like “passion,” “leadership” or “initiative,” said Shawn Felton, director of undergraduate admissions at Cornell. Essay prompts may ask for illustrations of these concepts in students’ lives. But constant invocation of the same abstract word leaves the reader with nothing but reiteration. “You don’t get a story that way,” Felton said. Don’t try to recycle other people’s winning essays from previous years, some of which now are in the public domain via books or websites. “I’ve read those books, too,” said Amy Jarich, Berkeley’s director of undergraduate admission. “I know what you’re copying.” Do make rough drafts, and then set out to improve them, round after round. “It’s an iteration process,” said Ed Schoenberg, college counselor at Bellarmine College Prep in San Jose, Calif. “Students need to run drafts by the people who can help them: English teachers, college counselors, and so on.” Relax. Students can tie themselves up in knots if they try to explain everything about themselves in one essay. “I just want to know what you care about,” said Berkeley’s Jarich. “ What would you tell me in an elevator? Let me know that you’re active and alive in the world you live in.” Find a safe way to share something personal. Olga Morales-Anaya, who has overseen college counseling for San Jose’s unified school district, says some students are reluctant to talk publicly about an essay prompt they’ve picked, especially if they’re using it to discuss family struggles with poverty or other woes. But she says even the everyday routines of strivers can make for very powerful essays. Something as simple as caring for younger siblings because both parents work evenings can be a winning essay, she said. Or the account of a student who struggled with calculus but formed a study group with other at-risk classmates that helped them all prevail. Celebrate leadership in the most unlikely places. “You don’t have to be elected to anything,” Bellarmine’s Schoenberg said. “You don’t have to be the captain of a sports team.” He cited one standout essay by the son of a janitor, who noticed that his high school classmates were leaving the cafeteria in a mess after lunch. The student organized a group of a half-dozen classmates who picked up trash, so that the school’s cleaning staff wouldn’t be overburdened. Another Schoenberg favorite: a student who came in, dispirited one afternoon, to say that he didn’t think his life showed any aspects of initiative. “He told me: ‘I’ve got nothing,’” Schoenberg recalled. “I looked at his file and saw that he played the violin, and that he worked in a senior-citizens home. I asked him about those. He told me: ‘Yeah, and I teach the seniors how to play the violin.” “You do!?” Schoenberg recalled asking. Suddenly, the student’s essay topic was right there, in plain sight. Adapted from FORBES October 1, 2015

Conversations to Have with Your Senior Before Graduation Student Safety This information as well as the following tips can help keep your child from becoming a victim: 1. Your child should always travel in groups or use a campus escort service after dark or early in the morning. He or she should never take short-cuts, jog or walk alone at night. 2. Encourage your child to share his or her class schedule and phone list with you and other friends. 3. Help your child study the area around the campus and the college neighborhood. Identify potentially dangerous areas and where the campus emergency phones are located.

Tips for Students Living in Dorm Rooms 1. Dormitories should use "key cards" rather than the standard metal lock and key system. This makes it much easier to make a lock change when a key card is lost or a roommate moves out. 2. All dorms should have good window and door locks. Entry doors should have "peep holes." Remind your child that he or she should always lock doors and windows at night. 3. Remind your child not to leave valuables such as wallets, laptops or ATM cards in plain sight. 4. Your student should program his/her cell phone with emergency phone numbers (police, fire, family and friends). Encourage your child to get to know his or her neighbors, and not to be shy about reporting strangers who are loitering and/or engaged in illegal activities.

Healthy Advice for College Students 1. Make sure your child knows his or her medical history. Make a written list that includes inoculations, hospitalizations, allergies and diseases. Make a list of your child's existing medications and medication schedule. Get extra prescriptions and identify a pharmacy near the school for refills. 2. Make sure your student has health insurance. He or she should have an insurance card and understand when to use it. This insurance should be over and above what's covered by the student health service. 3. Encourage your child to visit the school's health facilities whenever he or she feels sick, physically or emotionally. Discuss the importance of preventative care and counseling services. 4. If your student has a chronic illness, find a local specialist before classes begin in case of an emergency. 5. Send a small medical kit with your child to college that includes band-aids, gauze tape, thermometer, aspirin and/ or ibuprofen, antacid and anything else that specially applies to his or her medical needs. 6. Discuss the symptoms of the common cold and flu and how to treat them. Stress that if your child has a temperature of more than 101 degrees for more than a day, he or she needs to go to the student health center. 7. Stress that many illnesses in college are directly related to lack of sleep. Pulling "all-nighters" and not getting enough sleep aren't helpful to good health or good grades. Headaches are often a signal of too much stress. 8. Give your child correct information about nutrition so that he or she can avoid the fad diets. Vitamins are a supplement to good nutrition, not a substitute. Talk to your child about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as AIDS, herpes, chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhea, and hepatitis. Students who practice unsafe sex stand a good chance of contracting one (or more) of these diseases.

Student Finances Stress the importance of maintaining a budget. Help your child create a plan to handle everyday expenses: 1. Develop a budget prior to the beginning of school. 2. Determine who will supply the spending money and how frequently it will be sent. Discuss what will happen if your child runs short of money. 3. Establish a bank account in the town where your child will be studying. Find one that has a good relationship with the school and with students. If your student has a checking account for the first time, teach him or her how to set up and maintain a checkbook. 4. Remind your child to keep the checkbook and the ATM card in a safe place.

Students and Credit Cards If you allow your student to have and use a credit card, keep these thoughts in mind: 1. Make sure your child understands how to use the credit card in relation to his or her budget. 2. Emphasize that proper use of a credit card can help your child establish a good credit history. Remind your child that over-charges and late or missed payments can cause severe damage to your child's credit rating.

Heading to College? Let’s Make Sure You Graduate! Adapted from Huffington Post by Angel B. Perez, PhD, VP-Enrollment/Student Success, Trinity College (Aug. 2015)

Many of you are about to head off into a new chapter and begin your college careers. Soon the incessant hugging and tears from parents will end, orientation adventures will come to a close, new friends will be gained, and students will start flowing into classrooms. This is when reality begins. What you don’t realize is that many students who arrive in college won’t finish where they started, and many won’t graduate at all. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, about one-third of U.S. College students transfer to another college, and almost half of those students transfer twice. There are many reasons why students drop out or transfer. Some struggle financially, or academically. Others feel pressure to meet family demands, while some never make the social connections on campus that sustain them. The reality is, some students never learn how to navigate the system. Higher education is not high school. While there is plenty of support for students, there is less hand holding in college. Being prepared with tools that will help you succeed is key. Below are five tips proven to put you on the path to college graduation: Find Your People: Colleges and universities are full of exciting clubs and organizations. Students who find a group they enjoy associating with tend to stay engaged. Vincent Tinto, a professor at Syracuse University, found that the more students engage with their peers and get involved on campus, the higher their chance of graduating. So go ahead, join the band, try out for a sports team, hang out with the Latino Students Association or create your own club. The key is to get involved and find your people. These are the ones you feel most at home with and share your interests. As the semesters progress, you should try to meet as many different people as possible, but start where you feel most comfortable. Once you find a sense of community you will feel more at home. Those who feel at home tend to stay in college. Ask for Help: The most successful students always ask for help. Colleges have built-in systems to provide you with support when you need it - but many students don’t use them. Having a hard time adjusting to college writing? Get your paper reviewed by the writing center. Struggling with adjusting to social life? Talk to your peer mentor, academic advisor, or Dean of Students. Can’t understand what all those strange words on your financial aid package are? Go see your financial aid counselor. Feeling anxious or depressed? Go for a confidential visit to the school’s counseling center. If you experience all or any of these, congratulations! You are officially a college student! Every single student faces these challenges, but the most successful ones seek assistance. Begin with the End in Mind: One of the most powerful ways to get to graduation is to envision yourself walking across the stage. It sounds silly, but it works. Picture yourself at graduation, holding the diploma while your friends and family in the audience cheer you on. Psychologist E. Paul Torrance found that young people who fell in love with a dream were more successful than others. His research proved that those who held on to an image of the future with fervor were more likely to achieve their goals. So go for it! Fall in love with the idea of graduating from college. You have a higher chance of making it. Step into the Career Center: Most students have a difficult time making the connection between what they learn in the classroom and how to use that knowledge in the future. Every campus has a career center that helps place students in jobs, internships, graduate school, etc. However most don’t realize that they should get involved with the center as early as their first year. Charlie Nutt, Executive Director of the National Academic Advising Association states that getting involved with the career center not only increases your chances for job and internship opportunities, but helps you make connections between your academic and career goals. Students who take advantage of these tend to stay in college at higher rates. The career center helps students not only envision a future, but gives them resources to actually create it. Overcome Impostor Syndrome: College is a competitive pressured place and students can feel like everyone around them is smarter. Each year, some students don’t think they are as smart as their peers, or that perhaps admissions made a mistake. They aren’t alone. In a study of students at Yale University, it was found that students have a high tendency to feel like frauds. Research also shows that the more competitive a university is, the more a student feels like an imposter. Here is the truth: if you were admitted to college, you belong there! On the days you doubt yourself and think everyone around you is smarter, remember that most of them are feeling the same way. Those who work in higher education can’t wait to see you succeed, and remember that they are here to help along the way. So take a deep breath, put that graduation cap on, and make the most of this incredible opportunity. It has the potential to fundamentally change your life.

To-Do List for Rising HS Seniors and Parents Most of this work will be done by the student, but parents can encourage, proofread, and help the whole process stay on track.

JUNE: ❑ Junior year is over — you’re a senior now! ❑ Talk with parents/guardians about how college planning will fit into your summer. ❑ Research colleges using online tools like Naviance and bigfuture (by The College Board). ❑ Begin narrowing your list of potential colleges. ❑ Schedule campus visits and interviews. ❑ Create a test prep plan if you will retake the ACT or SAT.

JULY:

❑ Create an online Common Application account. ❑ Look at the Common App essay prompts and write a first draft of your essay. ❑ Make a spreadsheet of target schools with deadlines for Early and Regular Decision. ❑ What standardized tests do the schools require? Register for fall ACT or SAT test dates if needed. ❑ Research scholarships and make a list of some to apply for and what’s required. ❑ Have fun — it’s summer!

AUGUST:

❑ Continue work on the Common App, including the essay plus any supplemental essays required by colleges on your list. ❑ Finish summer reading. ❑ Make sure you will meet all graduation requirements. ❑ Decide which teachers you will ask to write recommendations. ❑ Look at the fall calendar — plan final campus visits/interviews. ❑ Get ready to have an amazing senior year!

SEPTEMBER:

❑ Attend local college fairs and dean visits at your high school. ❑ Research gap year possibilities. ❑ Decide if you will apply Early Decision or Early Action to your top choice school; alert your counselor and recommenders. ❑ Will you include an arts/athletic supplement or resume with your application? Work on this. ❑ Share a final draft of your Common App essay(s) with a trusted reader. ❑ Take a look at your social media presence.

OCTOBER:

❑ Enjoy your high school classes and extracurricular experiences (still your highest priority). ❑ Retake the SAT or ACT. ❑ Request alumni interviews, if available. ❑ Follow up with recommenders. ❑ Learn about financial aid (merit and need-based) and find the most generous colleges. ❑ ED and EA candidates prepare to submit applications by Nov. 1st or 15th!

NOVEMBER:

❑ Register for the December SAT and ACT tests (if needed). ❑ Keep a calendar of what’s due when. Plan to submit applications before the due dates, preferably before winter vacation! ❑ Take advantage of priority deadlines — get your application considered sooner, increase eligibility for merit aid. ❑ Finalize a list of “good fit” colleges. ❑ Continue working on the Common Application and other applications and supplements. ❑ Attend financial aid and scholarship workshops at the high school.

DECEMBER:

❑ Confirm that counselor and teacher recommendation letters have been uploaded into the Common Application and request transcripts be sent to the schools you’re applying to (there may be a small fee for each transcript). ❑ Note financial aid application deadlines, which may differ from admission application deadlines. Not sure you qualify? Learn more at the Federal Student Aid website. ❑ Continue to “demonstrate interest” in schools — open emails from colleges, call the admission office to request an alumni interview, etc. ❑ Start gathering 2016 financial information and prepare to file taxes early. ❑ Decide which test scores (SAT, ACT) to send and order score reports.

JANUARY: ❑ Submit applications with late due dates (Jan. 15th or after). ❑ Follow up with colleges to make sure all application materials were received. ❑ Check financial aid application deadlines (which vary by school). ❑ Continue gathering 2015 financial information and prepare to file taxes. The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is now available as is the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE (required by many private schools and a few flagship state universities). ❑ Research and apply for scholarships. ❑ Have mid-year grade reports sent to all schools you’ve applied to.

FEBRUARY:

❑ Confirm financial aid deadlines & requirements at the schools you applied to. ❑ File taxes early if possible, but don’t wait to submit the FAFSA — it can be updated later. ❑ Explore gap year possibilities. ❑ Didn’t apply yet or want more options? Look into schools with late deadlines and/or rolling admissions. ❑ Beware of Senioritis…stay on track academically! ❑ Begin planning for summer (work, travel, volunteering, etc.).

MARCH:

❑ Prepare for an emotional month! ❑ Continue to apply for financial aid (deadlines/requirements vary by school) and scholarships. ❑ Decisions arrive in the mail and/or online by end of month, so get ready to handle and share “the news.” ❑ Celebrate! ❑ Compare financial aid awards and evaluate your options. ❑ Need help deciding which school to accept? Consider attending “admitted student” events on campus.

APRIL:

❑ Attend “admitted student” events on campus and compare/contrast other aspects of the schools where you were accepted (including financial aid awards). ❑ If you were wait listed, express interest to the school. Explore late admission possibilities at other colleges. ❑ Send a deposit by May 1st to accept a spot at the college of your choice! ❑ Not going to college right away? Consider other post-grad options and finalize gap year plans. ❑ Continue to make an effort in class so grades don’t “droop” too much. ❑ Start planning the graduation party!

MAY:

❑ Thank everyone who helped you apply to college (teachers, counselors, etc.). ❑ Open and respond promptly to communications from the college — information about housing, orientation, course registration, etc. ❑ Connect with future classmates/find a roommate through the college’s official social media sites. ❑ Study for finals and AP exams — end the year strong.

Suggested Reading for Helping and Dealing With Your College Bound Student   

Almost Grown: Launching Your Child From High School to College by Patricia Pasick Campus Daze by George Gibbs Don't Tell Me What To Do, Just Send Money: The Essential Parenting Guide to the College Years by Helen E. Johnson and Christine Schelhas-Miller  Empty Nest, Full Heart: The Journey from Home to College by Andrea Van Steenhouse. Practical advice from a Mom and Ph.D.  I'll Miss You Too: The Off-to-College Guide for Parents and Students by Margo Woodacre and Steffany Bane  Letting Go: A Parent's Guide to Understanding the College Years by Karen Levin Coburn and Madge Lawrence Treeger  Parents' Guide to College Life by Robin Raskin  The College Guide for Parents by Charles Shield (published by the College Board)  The iConnected Parent: Staying Close to Your Kids in College (and Beyond) While Letting Them Grow