Letter of Recommendation Requests

Today, Juniors are getting a form where they will indicate who will be writing their letters of recommendation (due next Fall with their applications to many colleges around the country). Students should ask one or two ElRo teachers if they would be willing to write their recommendation letters. If they agree to write, the teacher signs their name on the form and the completed form is then returned to me. Then, in the Fall, students will get the sheet back and be asked to re-confirm with each teacher.

The form is due back next Wednesday so I can enter the recommenders into Naviance and speedy teachers can get to work uploading their letters over the summer.

Who to choose? Think about a teacher that knows you well. Think about someone that can speak to your level of involvement in class and your ability to think critically. What classes have really given you the opportunity to shine? Some students also have teachers that they know both inside and outside of the classroom. While this is primarily an academic letter of reference, a teacher that also serves as a coach or club adviser can perhaps share how they have seen you in a leadership role or how your character comes through in your extracurricular activities.

I'm asking for TWO names. More than that gets pretty repetitive most of the time. And trust me, the teachers put in a lot of work doing these letters. You won't offend them by not asking them. If you really want that third person's opinion included, have them send me an email with 2-3 sentences that they would have put in the letter. I can then quote them in MY guidance letter. Now everyone is happy ;)

If you end up losing your paper that you get today, you can download the 'Recommendation Confirmation from Teachers' form from the Junior section of the College Office ElRo website.

**For all of you students out there, the picture above consists of all the parts of something called a typewriter. In ancient times people used these to type letters. On paper. Image

Thanks Colleges That Change Lives!

Thanks to Marty O'Connell and all of the representatives present this morning for the Colleges That Change Lives Counselor Breakfast. This group of schools is something I mention in almost every Junior Meeting and it was so wonderful to be able to speak with the representatives without feeling like you are taking them away from speaking with students and families. Today's breakfast and fair were a great way to connect with the schools and learn a little more about a few of the campuses.

The reason I'm such a staunch advocate for these schools is they help us redefine schools that are 'best.' It is exciting to find schools that produce intelligent and successful graduates without requiring every person to be in the 99th percentile. These are schools full of high quality research, interesting faculty, and classrooms full of learning (and I'm not talking about learning how to copy notes from a lecture).  Contrary to popular belief, these schools are not 'easy' and the work students are expected to do is in some ways more challenging and in-depth than the work at some more selective institutions. The difference is the spirit of these schools focuses on the undergraduate. They focus on helping meet students where they are and raise them higher. I've only had the pleasure of seeing a few of these campuses first hand (places like Lawrence, Beloit, and Hope) but I'm eager to visit more. From what I've seen, Mr. Pope's assessment is correct. These are fantastic schools.

Tonight is the second installment of their College Fair for students and families (7:00 pm at the Hotel Pennsylvania). No reservations are required. I dare you to go and not find at least one school that can offer what you are looking for.

Thanks Duke, Penn, Stanford, Harvard and Georgetown!

This morning I attended the 'Exploring College Options' counselor breakfast and got to hear from representatives from Duke, Penn, Stanford, Harvard and Georgetown. These kind of events are useful both to hear directly from the schools about their offerings and most recent admission cycle and to connect with other college counselors in the area.

Topics covered included:
-Harvard's return after three years to Early with the option for Restricted Early Action for the applicants next fall. This means that students can submit a non-binding Early Action application to Harvard so long as they do not file Early Action or Early Decision applications at any other schools.
 - The repeated theme of extensive resumes being unnecessary.
-The common thread for all five schools of very strong need based financial aid, particularly for families with household income below $60,000 per year (with significant aid available for those at or around the $100,000 mark).
- The school specific mini-essays are important. To be given one of the coveted spots at these schools they are looking for candidates that have meaningful connections with their campus. Wanting to go to Penn because you want a 'good school on the East Coast that is strong in Business' isn't going to cut it.

It goes without saying that these 5 schools have exceptionally low admission rates. This means they are looking for exceptional candidates. Every applicant in their pool is presumed denied until proven admissible. That isn't a bad thing, but applicants have to know going in just how steep a climb they have ahead of them. Don't be overwhelmed though - tomorrow I attend the breakfast for Colleges That Change Lives - schools that are equally as exceptional but that don't have such daunting admission statistics. Regardless of if whether you are talking about Reaches or Likelys a good college list should have a little bit of both.

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Back From the Trenches

I'm not sure the PTA meeting this Thursday should retain its name 'Back From the Trenches' because I'll still be in the trenches until next Monday with AP exams and the Senior Trip. . .

But, I do hope that all 9-11th grade students and families will attend the annual PTA meeting where ElRo alum, current seniors and parents/guardians participate in a panel discussing the college process. It is a perfect chance to hear from students about their individualized experience. The meeting will take place May 19th at 6:00 pm and everyone is invited.

See you there!

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Acceptance By David Marcus

I've just finished another book that should be on the 'must read' list for students and parents/guardians as they begin the college search. In Acceptance, author David Marcus profiles Gwyeth 'Smitty' Smith in his final year before retirement as a guidance counselor in Oyster Bay, New York. The book talks about his philosophy on college admissions and profiles a few of his students as they go through the application process.

As a new counselor to the profession, I was relieved to find that almost all of Smitty's suggestions and opinions are in line with my own. He too worked to increase the visibility of the ACT and recommended all students try both before deciding which one was best for them. He also believes that less is more and that the ideal size for a college list is more like 8, not 18. He encourages students to view the college process as a way to not just pick a school, but to discover themselves. The goal being for students to figure out what things they value most, what the colleges value most, and make decisions based on fit not brand name, rank, or name recognition in your community. The best college counselors don't tell students where to apply, they help them discover it on their own.

A few things in the book did make me sad though. Or maybe sad isn't the right word, jealous is probably better. Smitty had a caseload of about 30 seniors. Next year I will have somewhere around 139. (**In all fairness, he was a guidance counselor not just a college counselor so he also had to divide his time into working with the underclassmen on his caseload. I'm exceedingly lucky to work in a school where I can devote 100% of my time to the college process. I wouldn't want to trade that, even if the senior class was two or three hundred.) Smitty also co-taught an essay writing class elective during the school day. A class like that wouldn't work at ElRo (aside from not having a teaching license, I use many periods a day to have student meetings, if I was also in a classroom my brain would overflow.) but it did illustrate how students can come to love writing if they really are willing to work at it. Though we can't offer a class, I do think students can still utilize the strategies they taught in their own revisions. The last thing I am jealous of is the encyclopedic knowledge Smitty had of so many different schools. But just like in the book, Smitty's response to that would be to point to his greying temples and remind me that he's "old." I'll get there, one counselor tour and NACAC conference at at time.

Long story short, in addition to my previous recommendations here here and here, add Acceptance to your reading list.

In other news, save the date for next week's PTA meeting, Back From The Trenches on Thursday at 6:00 pm.

100!

100s day, a photo by Cowpernicus on Flickr.

Remember in elementary school when on the hundredth day of school you did nothing but celebrate the number 100?

I counted 100 Fruit Loops for a necklace; I counted 100 pennies in a jar; I broke down 100 marbles into piles of ten. My mom put "1 0 0" in stickers on my lunch baggies. Well, the day has come that I am making my 100th blog post! A lot has gone on in the past year and I hope that this blog has been a place for students, parents, guardians and any other visitors have found to be both entertaining and informative.

Thanks for reading!

One Down, Two to Go!

Week 1 of APs are over, two more to go! We made it through and I'm crossing my fingers for lots of 4s and 5s coming our way this summer. A few reminders as we start week two.  No food or drinks are allowed in the exams. It isn't my rule, it is the College Board's. If you need a water bottle or snack you need to leave it at the door of the exam room and have it during the break. There are also no cell phones allowed, even if they are off, in the possession of test takers. Please make things simpler and just leave them at home on the day of the test. Angry Birds will still be there when you get home from school. Last, I want to remind students and parents that AP exams excuse you from class during the exam, but you are still expected to go to your courses the rest of the day. I know it takes stamina to make it through the long test, but sitting through a few more periods of class shouldn't be too difficult, particularly for ElRo students. Mr. Saliani has his 'A.C.E.' acronym for Academics, Community and Ethics. Being in school every day for the entire day is a great way to embody that.

Good luck to AP Music and Bio tomorrow!

Admission Accomplished!

The day is here! All of the hard work of the Class of 2011 was celebrated yesterday at the annual 'Admission Accomplished' ElRo event, where students post their enrollment decisions for the fall on the bulletin board in the lobby. The energy was really great as students wore their college t-shirts and reveled in their accomplishments.

Without further ado, click through to see the full list of admission and enrollment decisions for this year's class.
Image by Lihan Yao '11