WELCOME TO SENIOR PARENT NIGHT

1. WELCOME TO SENIOR PARENT NIGHT Arlington High School 9.22.2004

2. COUNSELOR CASELOADS • Eleanor Molina (A-C) • Danielle Rakowsky (D-H) • Kathy Hirsch (I-M) • Lynna Williams (N-S) • Eleanor Farinato (T-Z) • Ted Dever, Various Letters, Intervention Coordinator

3. S.A.T. Results - CLASS OF 2004Mean Scores MaleFemaleTotal Verbal 525 557 542 Mathematics 537 541 540 Mass TotalNational Total Verbal 518 508 Mathematics 523 518

4. Advanced Placement • 15 Advanced Placement courses offered • 211 tests were administered last school year • Stats. from Class of 2003 - 12 Scholars (grades 3 or higher on 3 or more AP Exams) - 5 Scholars with Honors (grade of 3.25 on all AP Exams and grades 3 or higher on 4 or more Exams) - 11 Scholars with Distinction (grade 3.5 on all AP Exams and 3 or higher on 5 or more Exams)

5. NCAA Clearinghouse • Visit the website: www.ncaaclearinghouse.net • Complete forms ASAP if you have any intention of playing sports in college.

6. College AcceptanceClass of 2004 Boston University Bowdoin College Bradley University Brandeis University Bridgewater State Bryant College Bryman College Bryn Mawr College Bucknell University Bunker Hill Community Carleton College Carnegie Mellon Univ. Champlain College Clark University Coastal Carolina Colby College Colby Sawyer College College of Charleston College of the Holy Cross Concordia College Connecticut College Cornell University Curry College Dalhousie University Dartmouth College Dean College Denison University Denver University Drew University Earlham College Eastern Nazarene College Eckerd College Emerson College Emmanuel College Endicott College Fairfield University Academy of Art College Acadia University Alfred University American International College American University Anna Maria College Arizona State University Art Institute of Boston Assumption College Babson College Bard College Barry University Bates College Bay State College Becker College Bentley College Bishop’s College Boston College

7. Fisher College Fitchburg State Coll. Florida State Coll. Fordham University Framingham State Franklin Pierce Coll. George Washington U. Georgetown U. Gettysburg College Gordon College Goucher College Green Mountain Coll. Guilford College Hamilton College Hampshire College Hartwick College Harvard College Hesser College Hobart & William Smith Coll. Hofstra University Indian River Community Coll. Indiana University Indiana University- Bloomington Iona College Ithaca College John’s Hopkins University Johnson & Wales University Juniata College Keene State College Laboure College Lasell College Lawrence University LeMoyne College Lesley University Loyola College- Maryland Loyola University – Chicago, New Orleans College AcceptanceClass of 2004 Lyndon State College Maine Maritime Academy Manhattan College Maryville College Mass Bay Community Coll. Mass. College of Art Mass. College of Liberal Arts Mass. Maritime Academy McGill University Merrimack College Messiah College Middlesex Community College Milligan College Minnesota State College Mitchell College Montserrat College Mount Holyoke College Mount Ida College Museum School of Fine Arts

8. New England College New England Institute of Art New York University Newbury College Nichols College North Shore Community College Northeastern University Northwestern University Norwich University Ohio University Pace University Penn. State University Philadelphia University Pine Manor College Pittsburg University Plymouth State University Point Park College Pamona College Pratt Institute Providence College Quinnpiac University Regis College Ringling School of Art & Design Rivier College R.I.T. Roger Williams University Rutgers University Sacred Heart University Salem State College Salve Regina College Sarah Lawrence College Scripps College Siena College Simmons College Skidmore College Smith College Snow College College AcceptanceClass of 2004 Southern N.H. University Springfield College Springfield Technical C.C. St. Anselm College St. John’s University St. Joseph’s College, Maine St. Lawrence University St. Leo University St. Mary’s College, Maryland St. Michaels College SUNY Plattsburg SUNY Albany Stonehill College Suffolk University Susquehanna University Syracuse University The Citadel Towson University Trinity College

9. Tufts University Tulane University UMASS Amherst UMASS Boston UMASS Dartmouth UMASS Lowell Universite de Montreal University of Arizona University of California - Berkley University of California - Los Angeles University of California – San Diego University of California – Santa Cruz University of Colorado University of Colorado – Boulder University of Connecticut University of Delaware University of Florida University of Hartford University of Hawaii- Manoa University of Maine University of Maine – Farmington University of Maryland University of Miami University of Nevada – Las Vegas University of New England University of New Hampshire University of New Haven University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill University of North Carolina – Charlotte University of Rhode Island University of Rochester University of Southern Maine University of Tennessee – Knoxville University of the Arts University of Toronto University of Vermont University of Wisconsin – Madison University of Virginia Utica College Vassar College Villanova University Wagner College Wellesley College Wentworth Institute of Technology Wesleyan University Western New England College Westfield State Univ. Wheaton College Wheelock College Wilfred Laurier Univ. Worcester Polytechnical Institute Worcester State College Wyoming Technical Institute College AcceptanceClass of 2004

10. Guidance Services • English Visits • Thursday night appointments • Career Center • Scholarships • College Fair • Financial Aid Workshop • SAT’s • Guidance Bulletin

11. Sources of Information • Guidance Counselors • Internet (www.myroad.com) • College Guidebooks • College Fairs • Open house • College visits and tours • Interviews • Family, friends… • http://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/ahs/guidance/ • http://www.commonapp.org

12. College Application Process KEEP YOUR OPTIONS OPEN • Meet all deadlines • Apply to a range of colleges • Consider cost • Send complete applications

13. Key Issues: Major Location Size Variety of programs Activities Internships Selectivity Resources Cost Facilities Merit scholarships/ financial aid Diversity of student body College Search Find the right fit

14. Application Process • Research application deadlines, options for applying and requirements by school. • Make copies of everything • School specific applications vs. common application • Paper applications vs. online applications

15. Types of Admission • Regular admission – apply by deadline • Rolling Admission - applications accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis up to a later deadline • Early Decision – early application deadline and notification. Early Decision is binding. Student must withdraw all other applications if admitted • Early Action – similar to early decision but non-binding

16. Standardized Tests • SAT I – Measures knowledge gained over time. Most schools require it. • SAT II – Measures knowledge of subject area. Required by some colleges. • ACT – More predominant in the South and the Midwest. Often accepted as an alternative to the SAT.

17. Personal Essay • Essence of the student should come through • Choose a topic that is meaningful to the student • Guidelines given to students during guidance visit to senior English classes

18. Recommendations • Guidance counselor recommendation • Parent response form helpful • Activity summary from student • Students should ask 2 teachers to write a recommendation. Some will ask for addressed, stamped envelopes. Ask early!!! Thank teachers. • Additional Recommendations – character references

19. Transcript Request • Complete transcript request form according to deadlines • Available in the main guidance office • Transcript will be sent with guidance counselor recommendation and school report form • First 3 transcript requests are free, then $2.00 each thereafter.

20. Deadline October 1 October 15 November 1 November 15 Nov 30/ Dec 1 December 15 January 1 January 15 February 1 February 15 March 1 March 15 April 1 April 15 May 1 May 15 June 1 Due to the Guidance Office September 20 October 4 October 15 Novmber 1 Novermber 15 December 2 December 15 January 4 January 14 February 1 February 15 March 1 March 15 April 1 April 15 May 2 May 10 Time Line for Senior Transcripts

21. MEET ALL DEADLINES

22. Criteria Used in College Admissions • Transcript • Level of difficulty • Prefer 5 academic courses each year • Grades/GPA • Class rank – weighted • Trends (improvement/decline) • Umass/State College Standards

23. Criteria Used in College AdmissionsCont… • Entrance Exams (SAT I, SAT II, ACT) • Personal Essay • Recommendations • Extra-Curricular Activities • Interviews/Campus Visits

24. Financial Aid • AHS Financial Aid night with Lisa Wolmsley, Associate Director of Financial Assistance at Bentley College, December 1st , 7-9 P.M. • Research which applications are required by each school • FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Assistance • CSS PROFILE – 2 step process • Institution Specific Applications and Supplements

25. Financial Aid • Apply regardless of received eligibility; some merit scholarships require an aid application • Must file applications prior to having an admission decision • Meet all deadlines

26. Spring 2005 • Compare admission and financial aid offers • Attend spring visitation programs • Choose the school best suited for the students