Roles and Responsibilities: Student, Counselor and Parent

Do as well as he or she can in school (which includes staying out of disciplinary trouble)

Engage in the process of self-assessment with an open mind; honestly assess strengths, weaknesses, goals, and expectations, and try not to compare yourself to anyone else

Honest and timely communication with college counselor, ask for help when needed

Take ownership of decision-making

Keep parents, and your college counselor informed throughout process Timely communication of interest in athletics, arts, or service academies within dates outlined in those sections (pg. 47).

Specific Tasks

Application components outlined on pg 29

Use Maia (the platform used at Holderness to organize each student’s college process) including keeping the account up to date through all steps of the college process

Complete all student surveys and Maia assignments including drafting personal statements and completing the Common Application before the start of the senior year

Attend all-class meetings and schedule individual meetings with the college counselor when prompted If you miss a session, follow up with your counselor about what you missed

Research colleges of interest (aiming to be done by September 1st senior year.

Check email and mail regularly

Refine the college list into a reasonable one with an appropriate balance

Prepare for and take necessary standardized tests (SAT/ACT/TOEFL)

Methodize is a tool we support here

Request recommendations from teachers with counselor guidance (and thank them).

Complete applications on time

Send standardized test scores (SAT/ACT/TOEFL) when and where appropriate

Complete ancillary components of the application on time (SRAR, CSS, FAFSA)

Checking application portals once submitted for decisions, and missing materials regularly.

Ensure all social media outlets connected to them are responsible and in good taste

COUNSELOR

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Advising Role

Works to get to know each student well enough to offer advice about colleges and specific programs that would offer good opportunities.

Advise families and students on the college process The college counselor cannot offer placement, promises, or prophecies Advice offered is based on our understanding of each student, our experience with college placement, robust data, and the history Holderness has had with college placement.

Support in building a reasonable, balanced, college list (6-10 schools) in response to the student's expressed goals using national and schoolspecific data This list should include

0 “UNLIKELIES” schools

2 “REACH” schools

3-4 “TARGET” schools

Read more about these designations on page 19

Guidance and support as seniors fill out applications and write essays

Support the development of a standardized testing plan. Host two SAT and two ACTs each year

Keep students informed about national/international standardized testing opportunities (SAT/ACT/TOEFL)

Recommendations and resources for preparation for tests

Hosts programs, panels, and fairs to support students and parents in this process.

Advocacy Role

Advocate for the student in the college process, impartially and fairly represent each counselee positively and objectively

Host college visitors for students.

Keep students and parents informed via meetings, videos, emails, and blogs

Prepare a counselor letter of recommendation for each senior

Send transcripts and other school materials to colleges in a timely fashion (see the complete list on pg. 30)

Communicate with college admission offices as appropriate and following the statement of principles of good practices articulated and published by the National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC)

PARENT

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Help your child in the self-assessment process junior year. Listen, reflect, and offer positive guidance. Be realistic in matching your expectations with your child's. Look for balance.

Help your child plan college visits by making appointments, figuring out the transportation, and doing the driving. Help manage important details and deadlines.

Stay informed in your child's college process. We strongly urge students to communicate with their parents regularly The more frequent and honest the communication, the better Stay current with material sent from the College Counseling Office and complete parent surveys in Maia Also, keep an application deadline schedule so you can monitor that your child is meeting all deadlines

Discuss the cost of college attendance with your child and be very involved with the financial aid process Let your child know if they need to apply for financial aid. Help them contact financial aid offices at each college. Meet all the deadlines for financial aid (most are inflexible deadlines). Please note that all financial aid responsibilities fall on the parents and family, not on Holderness School. Pay the application fees.

Contact the College Counseling Office at any time with questions or concerns.

SOME THOUGHTS ON PARENT

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Many parents struggle with their role in the college process Some want to let their children control the entire thing; some equate primary financial responsibility with primary power in the college process Some want to complete the applications; others want to have their student complete the applications. The family role in this process is very different than your child’s secondary school process.

Questions to ask yourself as your child starts this process include:

What kind of place would best support, nurture, and challenge your child in the future?

Knowing your child, and your child's strengths and weaknesses, what are your hopes for them?

How has the world of college admissions changed since YOU applied to college? (Campus visits will be helpful experiences for you, too!)

What is your child's college admission profile? What do their transcript and scores look like in the college "marketplace"?

How can you best guide your child to find the right match?

In the spirit of helping your child find the best match, the Holderness College Office offers the following suggestions:

Let your child know that you value who they are and what they have accomplished here; no college decision will ever change that. Don't make the mistake of giving an admissions office control of your child's self-esteem or your own.

Resolve early on to not succumb to the hype and hysteria surrounding this process – and stick to it. Resolve to not consult any “guide” that ranks colleges. Don’t take the counsel of non-experts in this area. Avoid succumbing to the myths of college admissions (page 17).

Avoid discussions in social settings - don't compare your child's progress with that of your friends' children.

Keep in mind that the college process has changed since you went through it. Rejection is hard to take, and seniors feel very vulnerable about the college process Know how your child handles disappointment No one wants a student to get clobbered

Avoid the temptation to write your child's application or application essay Part of getting into college is getting through the college application process If you do it for your child, how will they cope with similar situations while in college? As hard as it is to sit by and watch, do so Be a supporter, offer encouragement, proofread