October 2019 // Volume 1, Issue 1
THE BLUE SHEET News from the Nobles College Office
THE DIRECTOR’S DESK Happy fall and welcome back! The college office was humming for much of the summer, and we loved connecting with many of you during a time of year that affords a more relaxed pace. Welcome, too, to your new resource for all things college counseling. What you’re about to read here is the result of a thoughtful, year-long vetting of our communications practices. We understand that families get bombarded with information about the college process (or have to log into the Veracross portal to see much of it), so we’re hoping to streamline the delivery for you. The Blue Sheet will arrive quarterly via email, and will help you understand the pace and timeline of the process, offer “pro tips” for navigating its nuances and share our thoughts — both philosophical and practical. What is a blue sheet, you ask? Before the days of Naviance and electronic application management, the college office kept track of students’ evolving college lists by asking them to sign a blue slip of paper that confirmed their most up-to-date list at the end of each meeting. While we no longer employ a “blue sheet” to manage applications, the title of this publication pays homage to this system that enabled counselors, students, and parents and guardians to stay on top of the most current information in the college application process. We hope this publication functions the same way. We also want to remind you that you do have useful resources available in your Veracross account including a grade-specific timeline, suggested standardized testing timelines and considerations and copies of all of our presentations for the year. Be sure to check the Upper School Notices email each week from registrar Heather Folgert. Happy reading,
IMPORTANT LINKS The Common Application: www.commonapp.org College Board: www.collegeboard.org ACT: www.act.org Naviance Student: student.naviance.com/nobles Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa CSS/Profile: cssprofile.collegeboard.org Test-Optional and Test-Flexible Schools: www.fairtest.org Self-Reported Scores: www.compassprep.com/self-reporting-test-scores/ Who Superscores?: www.compassprep.com/superscore-and-score-choice/ NCAA Eligibility Center: eligibilitycenter.org
In this issue... 2...Step Into Our Office 3...Standardized Testing 101 4...College Deans Visiting Nobles 4 D emystifying Financial Aid 5...On Our Bookshelves & In Our Inboxes 6...Advanced Placement (AP) Exam Alert 6 The Early Edition 8...College Spotlight 4 S eptember Wellness Check 9...Mark Your Calendar 5 Upcoming Test Dates and Deadlines
1
STEP INTO OUR OFFICE
KATE BOYLE RAMSDELL DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING
Kate, who has been director of the team since 2013, joined the Nobles community in 1998. A graduate of Williams College, she also earned a master’s from Tufts University. An avid road-tripper, Kate aims to tour all 50 flagship state universities; so far, she has visited almost two dozen.
KIMYA CHARLES COLLEGE COUNSELOR AND PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Kimya joined Nobles in 2010. A graduate of Amherst College, she earned an Ed.M. in human development and psychology from Harvard University and an Ed.M. in school counseling from Boston University. She enjoys kickboxing, Bikram yoga and completing New York Times c rosswords.
MEGHAN HAMILTON ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING
Meghan Hamilton joined the Nobles college counseling team in 2005. She earned a bachelor’s from Williams College and an Ed.M. from Boston College’s Lynch School of Education. A two-sport collegiate athlete, Meg now enjoys running after her young children and spending time on beaches in Cape Cod and Maine.
JENNIE KIM ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING
Prior to her arrival at Nobles in 2017, Jennie worked in college counseling at the ‘Iolani School in Hawaii and in South Korea. She earned a bachelor’s degree from New York University and an M.S.Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania. Jennie spends her free time doing yoga at home, baking and traveling.
TOM RESOR COLLEGE COUNSELOR
Since 1986, Tom has guided students and families through the college process. He has also coached girls varsity hockey since 2000; his teams have won nearly 30 titles and, as a coach, he has surpassed 700 wins. An enthusiastic traveler, Tom has visited 49 countries. He is a graduate of Williams College.
October 2019 // 2
STANDARDIZED TESTING 101
We subscribe to a “stay in your own lane” philosophy when we counsel students regarding standardized testing. Though there are appropriate moments for each student to consider various tests, there is not a “one size fits all” plan. So, we encourage you to ask questions of our office as you have them. Here are a set of considerations to weigh as your child prepares to test: Do I need to take standardized tests? Though most colleges will require that you have an SAT or ACT to submit, and some will also require or recommend subject tests, FairTest shares a list of colleges and universities where standardized testing is an optional part of the process. You can actually pursue a domestic college process without taking any standardized tests! If you plan to apply to college internationally, however, it is likely that, in addition to an SAT or ACT, you will also need Subject Test and/or AP Exam scores of a certain level to be qualified as an applicant. If you are a student who plans to take Subject Tests, you will register through College Board. When should I start testing? Students enrolled in Biology-Honors during the Class IV year may discuss with their teacher and a college counselor the possibility of taking the Biology subject test in June following that course. If a Class III student is taking Chemistry-Honors, Algebra II-Honors or Honors Precalculus with Differential Calculus, or is an enthusiastic student of U.S. History, they should consult with their teacher and a college counselor to decide a corresponding subject test will be appropriate following those courses. Students in Class II and I will be prepared to take a variety of tests, and you should talk to your child’s college counselor about the most appropriate plan. For some recruited student-athletes, particularly those seeking recruitment at the Division I level, there may be a reason to take the SAT or ACT during the sophomore year. Please check in with the college office if your child’s college aspirations may place them in this bucket. Can the college office help me map out a plan? Yes! Please call our office with questions at any time. When students meet with their college counselor in the winter of the Class III year, they can begin to map out a standardized testing plan for the Class III, Class II and Class I years. If you are curious about the various tests and their content, we recommend The Compass Guide to College Admission Testing and Summit Educational Group’s College Admission Testing Guide. We recommend that all students take a free Diagnostic SAT and/or a Diagnostic ACT before they begin the Class II year. If summer plans prohibit this, early fall in the Class II year is fine, too. The benefit of a summer diagnostic is that it allows a student to utilize the fall test dates if we feel you will be well prepared to do so. Many students will begin testing during their Class II winter. A number of test prep companies including Summit Educational Group, Ben Sexton Tutoring and Inspirica offer a comprehensive, free diagnostic test. The testing plan will evolve as we have a sense of your diagnostic results on the SAT and ACT and/or on your PSAT in October of your Class II year should you choose to take it. October 2019 // 3
COLLEGE DEANS VISITING NOBLES Each fall, Nobles hosts about 100 representatives from national and international colleges/universities here on campus during the school day. These visits serve several purposes for admissions deans, college counselors and students. Firstly, getting on the road and visiting high schools are great opportunities for college deans — many of whom are the regional application readers — to learn more about the schools and Class I students they will read about later in the fall and winter. Some deans are very familiar with Nobles and make sure they stop by to see us each fall to keep the relationship strong. Others may be new to this territory or to college admissions as a whole and are less familiar with Nobles. They schedule visits to learn more about our students and how Nobles students might be a good fit for their institutions. College counselors also enjoy hosting college representatives on campus. We each take one day of the week to clear our schedules to be available to receive our guests! Nothing quite compares to showing college representatives Nobles in action, so you will often see us walking around campus with visitors, exploring Foster Gallery or our new library, or grabbing lunch in the Castle. Meeting with college reps gives us a chance to learn about new programs and admission processes at the colleges. If Class I students are free while a college of interest is visiting, they are encouraged to stop by the college office to meet with and ask questions of the representative. Students also have the opportunity to greet a college representative at the front desk and escort them to the college office. These visits are not formal interviews. If students are in class when a college of interest visits, they should coordinate with their college counselor to come up with an appropriate plan. Kimya will email students the weekly schedule each Sunday, and the list of visitors will be posted on the bulletin board outside of the college office. You also can find the full and most up-to-date schedule in the My Resources section of the Parent/Guardian and Student portals of the website.
DEMYSTIFYING FINANCIAL AID Preparing for college can be fraught with angst, self-reflection, questions, tears and even sleepless nights...and it’s tough for your children as well! Here are some key definitions that will help you start making sense of the financial aid process. For a deeper dive, please check in with a counselor or visit Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (www.MEFA.org) for helpful resources! FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid; form is used by all institutions in determining aid packages. CSS/PROFILE: A College Board platform that is used primarily by private institutions. Net Price Calculator: Online tool on every college’s financial aid website through which you can input basic financial information and receive an instantaneous estimate of what you might be asked to pay each year to attend that institution. Scholarship/Grant: Institutional money offered to students that does not need to be repaid. Merit-based Aid: Institutional money offered to students based on factors such as achievement (broadly defined), group membership, or intended area of study. Need-based Aid: Institutional and federal money offered based solely on applicant’s financial circumstances. William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program: Federal initiative through which students borrow from the U.S. Department of Education. There are two main types of undergraduate loans: ★ Direct Subsidized Loans: for students who demonstrate financial need; USDOE pays the interest while you are enrolled at least half-time and for six months after you complete your studies. ★ Direct Unsubsidized Loans: not based on need; these loans begin accruing interest upon disbursement and the borrower is responsible for all interest and principal. October 2019 // 4
ON OUR BOOKSHELVES AND IN OUR INBOXES KATE From UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Magazine: Science-Based Insights for a Meaningful Life, “How to Talk to Teens about Purpose.” This excerpt jumped out at me given the time we spend in the college office to help Nobles students find and articulate their burgeoning sense of purpose: “You really have to listen to young people [by] getting them to start talking about purpose and meaning… we didn’t just ask questions, we followed up with probes, giving them a chance to really talk and reflect. It’s surprisingly rare for young people to be asked what they think of these things, especially compared to how much time they spend thinking about proximal goals, like getting an A on their test tomorrow.”
TOM Two summers ago, Kathleen Gill, mother of Ollie ’18 and Becca ’20, gave me a copy of Beartown by Fredrik Backman and said that I, as a hockey coach, a father of two daughters, and an English teacher, simply had to read the novel. I started reading it that night and finished in two days. The novel takes place in a small town in Sweden where hockey is king; however, while Beartown has hockey as a central part of the story, the novel is about so much else: overemphasis on sports, good parenting, bad parenting, the dangers of social media, the inclusion and exclusion among teenagers, for example. This past summer I read Beartown a second time in preparation for facilitating one of Nobles’ September book groups. I had planned to read it more slowly in order to take some notes, but once again I could not stop reading until I was finished. Beartown is a captivating story, and I highly recommend it.
JENNIE Over the last few decades, Americans have turned college admissions into a terrifying and occasionally devastating process, preceded by test prep, tutors, all sorts of stratagems, all kinds of rankings, and a conviction among too many young people that their futures will be determined and their worth established by which schools say yes and which say no. This book explains why this mindset is wrong, giving students and their parents or guardians a new perspective on this brutal, deeply flawed competition and a path out of the anxiety that it provokes. What matters, in the end, are students' efforts in and out of the classroom, not the institutional name on their diploma. Where you go isn't who you'll be. KIMYA Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein. From Goodreads: “Plenty of experts argue that anyone who wants to develop a skill, play an instrument, or lead their field should start early, focus intensely, and rack up as many hours of deliberate practice as possible.... But a closer look at research on the world's top performers, from professional athletes to Nobel laureates, shows that early specialization is the exception, not the rule…[In] most fields—especially those that are complex and unpredictable--generalists, not specialists, are primed to excel. Generalists often find their path late, and they juggle many interests rather than focusing on one. They're also more creative, more agile, and able to make connections their more specialized peers can't see.”
MEG Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown. From Goodreads: “Every day we experience the uncertainty, risks, and emotional exposure that define what it means to be vulnerable, or to dare greatly…. [In this book,] Dr. Brown challenges everything we think we know about vulnerability. Based on twelve years of research, she argues that vulnerability is not weakness, but rather our clearest path to courage, engagement, and meaningful connection. The book that Dr. Brown’s many fans have been waiting for, Daring Greatly will spark a new spirit of truth — and trust — in our organizations, families, schools, and communities.”
October 2019 // 5
ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) EXAM ALERT You may have heard that College Board, arbiters of the AP Exam program, have made significant changes for the 2019-2020 testing cycle. Here are 10 key points you need to know: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6)
7)
8) 9) 10)
AP Exams run for two weeks, May 4–15, 2020. View the detailed schedule. Students are chitted $94 for each AP Exam they sit for. Assistance is available for those who receive financial aid. AP Exam orders are due by November 15, 2019. Students may add or cancel an AP Exam between November 15 and March 13, but ALL CHANGES INCUR A $40 FEE. The $40 fee also applies to students who register for an AP Exam but fail to show up on test day. Students need to log into their College Board accounts to join class sections for each AP Exam they plan to take. Teachers will walk students through this process throughout October. Class II, Class III and Class IV students enrolled in an AP course are expected to take the AP Exam in May. Class I students in AP courses may opt out of AP Exams. All students should discuss their AP Exam plans with their teacher(s) and college counselor. In addition to the AP Exams that correspond to Nobles’ AP curriculum, we also offer AP English Language and Composition (Classes I and II), AP English Literature and Composition (Classes I and II) and AP US History (Class III). If your child is interested in taking an AP Exam that is not offered at Nobles, you/they are responsible for finding a school that administers the test. You may want to start with your local public high school. The deadline to register for testing accommodations through College Board is January 17, 2020. Please contact Heather O’Neill, director of academic support, if you have questions. Colleges uphold various policies about accepting AP Exam credits. Class I students should discuss an appropriate plan of action with their college counselor.
Do not ever hesitate to reach out to your college counselor or AP Coordinator Kimya Charles if you have questions or concerns about AP Exams!
THE EARLY EDITION When parents and guardians learn that nearly 95% of Nobles students apply to college during an early round, the gasp is audible. Whether we like it or not, the college application process continues to accelerate, but our work in the college office ensures that all Nobles students are well-prepared college applicants. We have a hands-on, individualized process that begins when Class III students are assigned to a college counselor in January. This timing allows for critical self-reflection and thoughtful engagement that helps them to be good consumers and self-knowing applicants by the time they reach Class I. Moreover, Nobles’ college application history tells us that our kids often aspire to attend colleges and universities that routinely accept 40-60% of their classes via their early application round(s). This is a strategic enrollment management tool for college deans so they can connect with eager applicants early and often, carefully disperse their financial aid budgets, protect their yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll) and satisfy institutional priorities. October 2019 // 6
Not all early application plans are created equal, not every school offers every application plan, and not every student should apply in the early rounds. Deciding whether or not to apply early is part of a well-balanced application strategy that every Class I student and their parent(s)/guardian(s) will develop in conjunction with their college counselor. Many factors are taken into consideration, including the students biographical and academic profiles and nearly a decade’s worth of data on how past Nobles students have fared in the application process. Once the counselor, student and family all agree that an early application makes sense, there are a few key distinctions to understand. Rolling Admissions or Early Action (EA) plans are the least restrictive options. With Rolling plans, students can apply whenever their application is complete in the fall, winter or spring. Admission decisions are rolled out as they become available, sometimes four to six weeks after all materials are received and processed by the admission office, and as long as space is available. Early Action applications will have an established deadline (typically November 1 or 15) and applicants will get a response between mid-December and late January. With both of these application plans, financial aid awards may or may not be available at the time of admission. Accepted students have until May 1 to decide about enrollment. Early Decision I (EDI) calls for a fall application submission between October 15 and December 1 (the most common deadline being November 1 or 15) and decisions are delivered between mid-December and late January. Early Decision II (EDII) deadlines occur in early or mid-January, and applicants hear a decision in mid-February. When applying EDI or EDII, applicants, their parent/guardian and college counselor sign an agreement stipulating that if the student is accepted, they commit to enrolling and withdrawing all other pending applications. Therefore, students are only allowed to apply to one institution ED, and this institution should be their clear first choice. Financial aid awards are made available at the same time as offers of admission, and accepted students usually have until mid-January to submit the enrollment deposit. Restrictive Early Action (REA) or Single Choice Early Action (SCEA) plans are non-binding (admitted students are not required to enroll, and they have until May 1 to deposit) but they place some restrictions on what other applications you may submit during the early rounds. The most common stipulations prevent Early Decision applications or applications to private colleges and universities. Applicants will receive one of three decisions after submitting an early application: admit, deny, or defer. Admit and deny are self explanatory, while a deferral means the admission office needs more information before they render a decision. That information might be an additional round of standardized testing, a report of grades earned at the end of the first semester, or a complete look at their regular decision applicant pool. While admission offices will not tell you exactly what they need, students work closely with their college counselor to determine what additional information might be most useful. The final decision is rendered along with regular decision news in mid- to late March. Early applications are right for those students who have a clear first choice school, whose academic record through the end of the Class II year is consistent and representative of their abilities, and for those who want to have college decision news (ideally good!) before the winter break and before regular applications are due in January. Each year, several students fall in the opposite camp; they want a full semester of Class I grades to support their upward grade trajectory, or they have not found the school that they feel they are ready to commit to. THIS IS COMPLETELY OKAY! One of our favorite phrases in the college office is “stay in your lane,” and this is one of the many situations in which it may feel like you are late or missing the boat by not applying early. Trust that your college counselor is guiding your child and you along the path that is most appropriate for where your child is academically, emotionally, and mentally and that, in the end, your child will be admitted to a school that is the best fit for them!
October 2019 // 7
COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT - PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS - AMHERST
COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
LOCATION
Large suburb
Small suburb
Large city
ENROLLMENT
30,000 (23,000 UG)
8,800 (2,400 UG)
44,000 (37,000 UG)
SOME POPULAR MAJORS
❖ Psychology ❖ Multi-/Interdisciplin-ar y Studies ❖ Public Health ❖ Computer Science ❖ Communication
❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖
Business Administration Political Science Biology Economics Health/Physical Education
❖ Biology ❖ Economics ❖ Computer/ Information Science ❖ Speech Communication and Rhetoric ❖ Psychology
OVERALL ADMIT RATE
60%
37%
52%
SIX-YEAR GRADUATION RATE
80%
91%
87%
Early Action (11/5) Regular Decision (1/15)
Early Decision I (11/1) Early Decision II (1/1) Regular Decision (1/1)
Early Action (11/1) Regular Decision (2/1)
ADMISSION PLANS
Data courtesy of College Navigator, Common Data Set and individual school websites.
FALL WELLNESS CHECK The college research and application process can become stressful. Here are just a few things you and your child can do to take a break from the daily grind:
SPEND AN HOUR together looking through an old photo album or watching videos from kindergarten or elementary school. GO OUT for a manicure or pedicure (YES, this is for everyone!) and talk about anything BUT Nobles/college applications. VOLUNTEER together at a local food bank or elder-care facility.
And now...a quick diversion! Can you solve these rebus puzzles?
October 2019 // 8
MARK YOUR CALENDAR Tuesday, October 1: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and CSS/Profile open for the 2020-21 academic year applications. Saturday, October 19: Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) offered to Class II students. This test is optional. Contact Kimya Charles for more information. Tuesday, November 12: Workshop on the College Process for Class II Parents/Guardians: Understanding the Landscape and Managing the Research and Application Process, 6:30 p.m. in Towles Auditorium.
STANDARDIZED TEST DATES AND DEADLINES SAT
ACT
Registration Deadline (Late Deadline)
Date
Date
Registration Deadline (Late Deadline)
November 2
October 3 (October 22)
October 26
September 20 (October 4)
December 7
November 8 (November 26)
December 14
November 8 (November 22)
March 14
February 14 (March 3)
February 8
January 10 (January 17)
May 2
April 3 (April 21)
April 4
February 28 (March 13)
June 6
May 8 (May 27)
June 13
May 8 (May 22)
July 18
June 19 (June 26)
(no Subject Tests)
Noble and Greenough School is a nonsectarian, coed day and 5-day boarding school for grades 7–12. 10 Campus Drive, Dedham, MA 02026 781.326.3700 | www.nobles.edu
Follow us on Twitter: @Nobles_CC Questions or comments? Email Kimya Charles October 2019 // 9