Volume 7, Issue 1
MIT
Bucknell
Yale
Middlebury Villanova
Lehigh
UPenn Franklin & Marshall
NYU
In side Come Early. Stay Late. The Value of Relationships The Ranney Difference Ranney Statistics 21st Century College Student
Dean’s Corner For our seniors, this is an especially exciting—and busy—time!. September through November not only means the start of a new school year, it marks the beginning of a transition from high school to college that, for parents and students, will come all too fast. “What schools should I apply to? When can I take the SAT again? Should I take the SAT again, or the ACT? Am I making the right decisions? Who can help me answer all of these questions?” As adults, our professional and personal experiences tell us that all of these things will be known, in the fullness of time. We share the wisdom and faith, that a year from now, our students will almost certainly be happily situated and thriving in the right college environment, and they will look back on this time as a positive experience. Joseph M. Tweed Assistant Head of Upper School and Dean of College Guidance
It is at these times that Ranney’s College Guidance Office is at its finest. The personalized nature of our program informs and empowers each family as they contemplate each decision, navigate each deadline and answer every question. Our students have learned over their years at Ranney how to be self-advocates and how to take ownership of their learning. Most recently, seniors were carefully guided through the essay writing process and took part in countless college interviews.
Below: Members of the Class of 2012 attend an information session during a recent school trip to Villanova University.
To aid in this process, over 80 college representatives visit Ranney each fall to recruit our students. At a time when college admission offices are cutting back on the number of high schools they can afford to visit, the number of colleges that visit Ranney continues to grow. This is a sure sign that America’s top colleges recognize that Ranney students are well-prepared to thrive in all aspects of college life. College admissions officers regularly share with us the success of our graduates, and this is confirmed when we speak to former students who return throughout the year to share their happiness in having found the right match. We are pleased to report that by November 15th, over 85% of the class had already applied to at least one college. Ranney’s Upper School focuses on educating the whole child. Combine this with a dedicated faculty, in-depth college preparatory curriculum and a wide array of co-curricular activities, and it is no surprise that colleges see Ranney students as 21st century learners who are prepared to tackle the rigors of a selective college program and take advantage of every opportunity.
The modern world, filled with unprecedented opportunities and challenges, has turned the search for college into one of extreme concern for parents and students alike. At Ranney School, our College Guidance team educates, counsels and encourages our students as they reach for and take hold of their dreams. Working together, we remind our students that college is a match to be made, not a prize to be won. Yes, the stress will remain until decision letters are in hand, at which time the anxiety and emotion felt by our students will shift from choosing the “right” school to deciding how they will spend their final days at Ranney. As always, we are honored to be partners in supporting and guiding our students through this life-changing milestone.
Come Ea rl y. Stay Late. By Joseph M. Tweed
Spend more than ten years at Ranney School and you affectionately earn the title of Lifer. These students have a unique connection that stems from the relationships they have built over time with their peers, their teachers and their love for a place they have come to every day for over ten years. At Ranney, each Lifer discovers his or her passions, develops strengths and matures into a well-rounded young adult. During this monumental and invaluable span of intellectual and personal growth, we witness and share in a “lifetime� of successes and academic achievements with all our students.We often joke in the College Office that we know our students better than they know themselves, but the Lifers share something unique and all their own.These students are confident, self-assured and ready for life beyond Ranney School.
“The College Guidance O ffice helped me to stay organized and on top of my deadlines. They took any confusion out of the application process and were always available.” – Annie Kineavy ’11
This Ranney “X” factor is a simple mission-promise that begins when a family first visits our admissions team … and never stops, not even after they graduate! At Ranney, our students are known and valued, and because of this, students discover and cultivate their passions far sooner in their educational journey. This deeper understanding by our students leads to fully engaged and inquisitive learners who flourish in an environment consisting of talented and dedicated faculty who believe in educating the whole child. Our three divisions work together to build relationships with students and make connections that help students see “the Lifer Plan.” What can I achieve? Who will help me? What will I become? Who do I want to be? What do I care about? This “Lifer Plan” begins with a Lower School focused on providing an interactive and personalized curriculum that engages and supports students in the learning experience. The curriculum is student and teacher driven: students are exposed to a myriad of academic and extra-curricular experiences that help them begin to discover areas of strength, passion and interest in the world around them.
“I feel fortunate to have the help of our College Guidance O ffice. A t Ranney, we have an entire team of supporters.” – Grace Farren ’11
As these students “cross the lawn” to Middle School, this nurturing environment continues. Here students are fully engaged, learning to advocate for their needs and desires, all while immersing themselves in curricular and extra-curricular programs. As they mature and feel comfortable taking risks, dedicated faculty, through a missionbased advisory program, offers new challenges with guidance and support. Finally, the concluding leg of the journey: Upper School. It is in this transition that being a Lifer feels truly empowering. By now, they have mastered the academic rigors of Ranney, but possess something even more valuable: ownership of their school. They refer to Ranney as a “second home.” They are ready to be enveloped by educational experts who are determined to fill each student’s cavernous mind with a wealth of knowledge and push them to achieve at their greatest potential. The “Lifer Plan” culminates with the college process and is truly evident in the counselor and teacher recommendations that speak to the lifetime of educational work completed. College recommendation letters hold tremendous value when they accurately portray the whole student, and this is Ranney’s “X” factor. We know our students and being a Lifer means that we know them even better! While our Lower School Head Patricia Marshall does not speak about college in the admission process for Beginners (age three), she does see a vision for each child, a vision that Ranney School helps cultivate with Knowledge and Honor during these precious yet fleeting school years.
“Saying I was completely clueless about the college process was an understatement. Now, thanks to the College Guidance O ffice, I am much more informed and ready to apply successfully to colleges.” – Salomon Cojab ’11
The Value o f Rela tio nships: Counselor Connections By Adam Materasso, Associate Director of College Guidance
The college process is about making connections and “finding the right fit.” This fall, from September through November, over 80 college admissions representatives from across the nation took time from their busy travel schedules to visit Ranney School. Representatives from schools as far away as the University of Southern California, as well as those nearby like Rider University, visited us (Please visit our website for a list of visiting schools).Typically, these individuals serve as territory managers, responsible for evaluating applications from their Ranney School College Fair 2010
region and serving as advocates for students they meet while on the road.
The main purpose of the high school visit is two-fold. First, the admissions counselors want to meet our students and learn more about their strengths and interests. Since the applicant pools at several schools are too large to offer interviews as part of the process, the high school visit serves as an effective alternative. During these one-hour visits that take place in the Price Conference Room, an admissions representative gives a brief introduction to their school and allows plenty of time for questions and meaningful dialogue with the students. Students have the opportunity to introduce themselves and fill out an information card that is then entered into the database at the respective institution’s admissions office. One of the college counselors sits in on each visit and takes notes about the college that include the most current admissions statistics and information about each institution.
chart, and a college matriculation list that spans four years. The document allows them to review our applicants within the context of our school only. If time permits, one of the college counselors gives each new representative a brief campus tour while introducing him or her to various administrators and teachers.
The second part of the visit pertains to learning about Ranney School and its students. The college counselor provides the admissions representative with some personal highlights about each of the students with whom they will meet or had met during the high school visit. Each representative is presented a copy of our school profile, a document that highlights our course offerings, testing data specific to the graduating class, a grade distribution
Due to the large volume of staff turnover in the field of college admissions and the number of schools where Ranney School is popping up on their radar for the first time, about 50% of the admissions representatives who visited this year had never visited us previously. While their colleagues typically leave them a file of notes about our school, visiting and meeting with students and the College Guidance staff is something that they enjoy doing. For example, why wouldn’t a school like N ewYork University want to visit, given that sixteen students have matriculated there in the past five years and are doing very well? We have also noted that admissions officers tend to job hop and leave one college to go work for another while maintaining the same travel territory. Therefore, the learning curve for those individuals is nonexistent. The only difference is that they are now representing a different institution. For those repeat visitors who have been visiting Ranney School for five years or
more (like Danielle Toglia from The George Washington University and Alison Hildenbrand from Fairfield University), their purpose is to meet with our current seniors and juniors and provide us with any updates about their institution. We get to know these counselors on a personal level and look forward to our yearly reunions. Our colleagues on the “other side of the desk” look forward to their annual visit to our beautiful campus and appreciate our hospitality; they often comment on how impressed they are with our students, particularly with the high caliber of questions they ask that demonstrate their knowledge about each school and quickly notice the personalized attention that Ranney offers. Even the more popular schools that visit never have more than 20 visitors – making for a very personalized experience for both the admissions representative and our students. It’s a win–win situation for both parties. Tracking demonstrated interest – the quantity and type of contacts that a prospective student has with an admissions office – is something that many schools do and take into consideration when reviewing an application. In an effort to find out if you would be a good fit for their school, most admissions officers want to know that you are serious about their school and that you have visited their
campus and/or communicated with the assigned territory manager throughout the application process at such venues as a college fair, or at your high school. With over 3,500 colleges and universities in the United States alone, colleges are businesses too. Meeting with the person who will serve as your advocate during the review process is most definitely a worthwhile experience. Given limited budgets and schedules, some college admissions officers do less travel than others. Our Spring College Fair is another opportunity for Ranney Upper School students to meet with admissions representatives. Last year, over 55 colleges were represented at our fair in Panther Hall and the gallery area. We anticipate an even larger turnout at this year’s fair that will take place on April 4, 2011. Having access to over 60 college admissions representatives on our campus is truly an advantage to attending Ranney School. I would suggest bringing some pre-printed address labels that you can affix to the information request cards to save time! Similar to how college admissions offices host various Open Houses to welcome prospective students and families to their campus, visitation programs for college guidance counselors also exist. During these visits, college guidance counselors are given an “inside look” of college campuses and participate in a full day’s worth of programming. The day includes an in-depth campus tour, meetings with the college president and admissions staff, interactive student and faculty panels, and opportunities to observe classes, and experience the food in their dining hall. Each counselor is presented with updated
literature specific to the college as well as some type of giveaway, like a college pennant, that they hope we will display in our office. All three of us have participated in these counselor programs at schools as far north as Colby College in Maine and as far west as Occidental College in California. These comprehensive visits make our jobs as college counselors easier; we are now able to recommend schools to our students based on what we experience first-hand, not just on what we read online or in a guidebook. College fairs for college guidance counselors are held each year at the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s conference; over 300 college admissions professionals representing institutions from around the world were present this year at the conference that took place in St. Louis, Missouri. This one-stop shopping event makes it convenient for us to learn more about schools and for the admissions representatives to learn more about Ranney School. Building external relationships is something that we do regularly by attending local and regional conferences hosted by such organizations as the College Board, the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS), and the New Jersey Association
for College Admission Counseling. In addition to serving as conference attendees, we have presented at these conferences, helped to plan them, and served as chairs of various subcommittees. Ultimately, all of this involvement has brought national recognition to our topnotch college guidance program. The journey to college is a highly personalized experience here at Ranney School. College admissions professionals return each year for one reason: our students. Diverse, talented, creative, scholarly, analytical and reflective, Ranney’s students stand out! Admissions counselors are amazed by our students. It is rare today that you can find a student who has immersed himself in the most rigorous curriculum, traveled overseas for a marathon, wrote and presented a comprehensive research project in Capstone, was President of the National Art Honor Society, completed a summer internship in medicine, played on a state qualifying soccer team, and found time to build lasting friendships with teachers and classmates. Yes, at Ranney School this is a snapshot of what one student can do. The sky is the limit for Ranney graduates and colleges know it.
The Ranney Difference ...in three parts By Joseph M. Tweed
Ready to start the college process? If you are like virtually all of the students who have gone before you, the very question puts butterflies in your stomach. At Ranney School, we walk you through your college search from start to finish, take the mystery out of the process, and you say goodbye to the butterflies‌ part one of the Ranney Difference. Through school-family partnerships, small class sizes, dedicated and talented faculty, enriching educational and extra-curricular programs, 21st century curricular plans, and state-of-the art facilities, part two of the Ranney Difference is a collaboration that makes each student’s experience individualized and special.
piece. Whether through the testimonials of our families or the comparison of our college acceptance rates to that of the national averages at fifty-five of our students’ top choices, part three of the Ranney Difference is clear: being a Ranney graduate matters.
Students engage in a four-year plan in the Upper School that culminates with 80% of our students earning acceptance at their 1st or 2nd college choices. Again, the final destination is a match to be made, not a prize to be won. With thoughtful college counseling, Ranney students experience a seamless college process that leads to positive results. Beyond all of the features listed earlier, being a Ranney graduate is the final
Ranney seniors are gaining admittance to selective four-year colleges at a 2:1 and 3:1 rate above the national average at those same schools. Our seniors achieve at a high level during their Ranney career, and make positive college choices based on fit and counsel. Simply put, our graduates are succeeding and making a difference.
Current 5 Year Acceptance Acceptance Rate for Rate for Students College N ame Ranney Students N ationwide Amherst College Babson College Barnard College Boston College Boston University Bowdoin College Brandeis University Brown University Bryn Mawr College Bucknell University California Institute ofTechnology University of Chicago Colgate University Columbia University Cornell University Dartmouth College Dickinson College Duke University Emory University Fairfield University Franklin & Marshall College The George Washington University Georgetown University Gettysburg College Hamilton College – NY Hobart and William Smith Colleges Johns Hopkins University Lafayette College Lehigh University Loyola University Maryland Marist College Massachusetts Institute of Technology University of Michigan Middlebury College Monmouth University Muhlenberg College New York University The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Northwestern University University of Notre Dame University of Pennsylvania Pitzer College Princeton University Rhode Island School of Design Stanford University Tufts University Tulane University Union College United States Naval Academy Vassar College Wake Forest University Washington University in St. Louis Wellesley College The College of William and Mary Williams College
33% 100% 53% 30% 63% 33% 67% 25% 80% 52% 100% 50% 50% 11% 42% 21% 69% 50% 42% 78% 88% 41% 27% 64% 67% 83% 42% 59% 51% 69% 50% 29% 63% 50% 85% 56% 60% 57% 53% 50% 38% 50% 33% 50% 38% 30% 60% 83% 100% 53% 50% 59% 75% 60% 33%
15% 40% 31% 30% 54% 19% 32% 9% 48% 30% 15% 27% 33% 9% 18% 11% 48% 22% 27% 59% 48% 37% 18% 45% 30% 56% 20% 42% 32% 65% 36% 10% 50% 20% 61% 45% 38% 34% 26% 29% 14% 20% 14% 34% 8% 26% 26% 41% 10% 25% 37% 22% 35% 33% 20%
RA N N EY
STATS
The Ranney Athlete
National Merit Scholarship Program
Athletics are a major part of the Ranney experience and a significant factor in the college search process. Upon graduation, Ranney students were recruited to play at the following schools:
Class 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007
Boys’ Lacrosse: Hofstra University (Div. I), Marist College (Div. I) Boys’ Fencing: University of Pennsylvania (Div. I) Boys’ Baseball: Adelphi University (Div. II) Boys’ Soccer: United States Naval Academy Boys’ Swimming: Franklin & Marshall (Div. III), Vassar College (Div. III), Loyola University, MD (Div. I) Boys’ Track: Rollins College (Div. III) Girls’ Lacrosse: Muhlenberg College (Div. III) Girls’ Track: University of Delaware (Div. I) Girls’ Field Hockey: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Div. III) Girls’ Crew: Lehigh University (Div. I), Duke University (Div. I), and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Div. I) Girls’ Softball: Georgetown University (Div. I) Girls’ Soccer: Susquehanna College (Div. III) Girls’ Swimming: Fordham University (Div. I)
Semi-finalist 1 1 1 0 3
Commended 5 4 2 3 3
Scholarships: 38 Scholarships totaling
$2,500,000 over 4 years.
On average, Ranney graduates in the Class of 2010 earned $53,000 in scholarships. Of these awards, 7 were Presidential Scholarships and 1 Coca Cola Regional Scholar.
RANNEY STUDENTS SCORE OVER 300 POINTS HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE ON THE SAT.
SPECIALIZED SCHOOLS/PROGRAMS Students in the Class of 2010 earned acceptance to the following schools: Art Schools: Art Institute of Chicago, The Cooper Union, School of Visual Arts, San Francisco Art Institute, Maryland Institute College of Art, Otis College of Art, Pratt Institute, School Museum of Fine Arts, University of the Arts Business Schools: Bentley University, Babson College, Bryant University, Penn State University, New York University-Stern School of Business, Rutgers University Ivy League: Columbia University (2), Dartmouth College (2), Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania (4) Engineering Schools: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2), University of Michigan, Stevens Institute of Technology (2), Carnegie Mellon University (3), Boston University, Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (2), California Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Stanford University Nursing/Management: University of Pennsylvania Service Academies: United States Naval Academy
AP Scholar Awards Class 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007
Scholar 8 16 7 11 4
Scholar Scholar w/honor w/distinction 4 6 3 14 2 10 4 15 3 14
students earn 80% of Ranney graduates earn
National Scholar 0 4 4 2 8
acceptance at their
1ST OR 2ND COLLEGE CHOICE.
RANNEY WAS RECENTLY NAMED A “TOP TEN SCHOOL” FOR THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY IN THE PRESTIGIOUS 2009 JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR TALENTED YOUTH (CTY).
The sta te o f College admissions By Myronee Simpson, Director of College Guidance
Each year the end of September brings many things: the official end of summer, the end of the first month of school and the start of the Major League Baseball playoffs, just to name a few. In the world of college admissions, the end of September marks the opening day of the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s Annual Conference! The (NACAC) hosted its 66th national conference, an annual gathering of post-secondary and secondary school admissions professionals.This year’s conference in St. Louis, Missouri, attracted approximately 5,000 attendees from across the country and around the world for three days of educational sessions, visits to nearby colleges and universities, networking opportunities with colleagues and dialogue about college admissions topics at the national level. Throughout the year, Ranney’s college guidance counselors attend various workshops and conferences to keep abreast of changes and current issues affecting the college admissions landscape. I began the conference by participating in a counselor visitation program offered by nearby Washington University of St. Louis. During this program, I attended an information session with counselors, went on the campus tour where I met up with Catie Gainor ’08 , and had the opportunity to meet with members of Washington University’s admissions staff. The conference began the following day, and it offered workshops on a wide range of topics, including ways to counsel and support students applying for music and theater programs, disciplinary reporting practices and philosophies at secondary schools, entrance requirements and admissions policies for business programs, using social networking sites in college admissions and updates on the Common Application. In addition to these workshops, the conference offers general sessions and breakout meetings where hot topics in the college admissions landscape are discussed such as: the role of standardized testing in the college process, early application deadlines and college access for undocumented students. For the last two years, I have served on NACAC’s Admissions Practices Committee, and I had the opportunity to co-present a session titled, “It’s a Tough Job: Ethical Dilemmas in College Admission.” The session provided case studies and scenarios about ethical violations of NACAC’s Statement of Principles of Good Practice (SPGP), the ethical code for all NACAC members. This session was one of several conference sessions highlighted by author David Marcus who covered the NACAC Conference on The NY Times blog The Choice, http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/. Following the national conference, NACAC released the 2010 edition of the State of College Admission report, an annual publication that highlights counseling and admissions trends
and relevant educational data to college admissions. In a recent NACAC webinar on the 2010 State of College Admission report, some of the topics that were discussed at length included: • Number of high school graduates peaked at 3.33 million during the 2008-2009 year • Projected increases in college enrollment through the year 2018 • Racial/Ethnic Imbalance in College Enrollment Regarding college admissions strategies, 65% of institutions reported increases in the number of their Early Decision admittances, 74% of colleges reported increases in the number of Early Action applicants and 73% reported increases in the number of Early Action admittances. Other notable trends showed that the ratio of applications per student continues to rise, while the national acceptance rate remains steady. In addition, post secondary institutions that accept less than 50% of their applicants represent 17.8% of the national share of college applications, while institutions admitting greater than 50% of their applicants represent 82% of applications nationwide. This data is extremely helpful to us because some of these recent trends, particularly the rise in early applications, are ones that we have observed within our own school community. As counselors, NACAC and its programs keep us informed about trends and data relevant to college admissions on the national scene, and this, in turn, helps us to guide our students as they navigate through the college selection process.
21st Century College Student By Joseph M. Tweed
“There is no single type of student today,” said Don Heller, professor in the College of Education and director of the Pennsylvania State University’s Center for the Study of Higher Education. “Twenty-first century undergraduates are very diverse in many ways.” As I read Heller’s comments, I was immediately struck by their simplicity and validity. So much of secondary school educational discussions center around the skills students need to be successful in college—after all, we are a college preparatory school. However, the reality is that the 21st century undergrad looks very different and as a result, colleges and secondary schools must create academic environments that meet the needs of all of their constituents. At Ranney School, we know that our students are entering college prepared to tackle the rigors of higher education. Polished writers, technologically savvy, ethically principled, critical thinkers, analytical mathematicians and selfadvocates, they are entering post-secondary educational environments with many of the skills necessary for success. When you picture a traditional college student today, you probably think of someone 18 to 23 years of age, going away to college after their senior year of high school, who plans on completing a degree in four years.You think of any one of our 57 Ranney seniors. In 2010, however, this description is hardly the norm. Of the 20 million undergraduates in the United States, one-third are over the age of 25, 37% are part-time students, and 42% are enrolled in community college.1 Furthermore, 57% of undergraduates are women, and women are also more likely to complete their bachelor’s degree than men. Regardless of the composition, these 21st century learners, those in the “Millennial Generation”—defined as those born since 1982—have certain attributes that make them vastly different than prior
generations. Today’s college bound teens, our soon-to-be graduates, are multi-taskers, technology-savvy, rapid communicators, and more challenging of authority, they tend to know what they want and how to acquire it. As a result, universities have had to learn to cope with some of these characteristics. Millions of technological dollars are spent yearly on college campuses—laptops and wireless networks—specifically. Here at Ranney School, we too have made adaptations and have infused our Upper School with new programs and courses. Twenty-first century students want experiential learning opportunities and our new Internship Programs in Medicine, Business, Government, Entrepreneurship and Finance provides this; moreover, our Ethics Symposium prepares Ranney graduates for the ethical dilemmas that they may face
in college and in life. And finally, Robotics brings theory and practice together, helping students combine science with technology. This is the 21st century student and Ranney School is prepared. Ranney graduates are entering postsecondary educational environments that must not only meet their needs but also meet the needs of all students. Are Ranney students prepared? Have we given them what colleges say they need? If what Heller says is true of the 21st century student, then the answer is an emphatic “yes.” And if the results we hear from our graduates can serve as evidence, then we know that Ranney School is a college preparatory school that is making this a reality in the new millenium. 1
Pennsylvania State University Study, 2010
Upcoming Events FEBRUARY 1, 2011 – 11TH GRADE COLLEGE NIGHT PROGRAM This evening formally commences the college process for juniors. Everything that you need to know about the college process will be discussed including: a timeline, admissions “lingo,” helpful hints and insights from students and parents who just went through the process. FEBRUARY 8, 2011 – 9TH AND 10TH GRADE PRE-COLLEGE INFORMATION NIGHT If you are asking yourself the question, “What should my son or daughter be doing now in 9th or 10th grade in preparation for the college process?” then you should join us for this information evening. Questions about scheduling, summer programs, academic honor society qualification and criteria and standardized testing preparation will be answered during this interactive program. FEBRUARY 6 & 23, 2011 – COLLEGE OFFICE PARENT BREAKFASTS Do you want to learn how to use TCCi Naviance? Are you interested in exploring college options overseas? Is your son or daughter interested in participating in
collegiate athletics? Is your son or daughter interested in attending a Visual Arts or Performing Arts school? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, please come have breakfast with us! MARCH 17-19, 2011 – SPRING COLLEGE TRIP Juniors are invited to travel to a major metropolitan area with their college counselors to visit several different college campuses. Final details and locations will be announced in January, 2011.
“My counselor has been incredibly helpful and attentive throughout my entire college application process, and my list of colleges would not fit my interests as well as it does today without him.” – Olivia Boser ’11
APRIL 4, 2011 – RANNEY SCHOOL COLLEGE FAIR Come and meet with college representatives from over 50 colleges and universities at our Second Annual College Fair. APRIL 5, 2011 – MOCK ADMISSIONS EVENING Become part of a mock admissions committee and learn first-hand how applications are reviewed. An experienced admissions counselor will lead you through the review of three different applications, and it will be your job to decide whether to admit, deny, or waitlist your applicants!
“My counselor made the application process easy.” – Joshua Penn ’11
New York University’s assistant Vice President for undergraduate aDmissions addresses Ranney students and parents On November 16, 2010, as part of a yearly series offered by the College Guidance office, Dr. Shawn Abbott spoke about current trends and future issues in the college admissions landscape. Dr. Abbott shared his Top 10 pieces of advice to our Ranney families as they begin to consider the appropriate college match for their son or daughter. 1. Find at least ten colleges or universities that you would love to attend. 2. Strike the words “safety school” from the process. There are too many variables. 3. V isit as many schools as you can to gain perspective and knowledge. 4. K now that there are many variables in this process that as a student you cannot control. 5. C omplete the process early and completely!
6. T ry not to have too many managers in this process. Rely on your college counselor to be your point person. 7. Do not panic over standardized testing. 8. B race yourself for a little rejection in this process. 9. P arents, try to keep emotions in check throughout the college search. 10. Know that everything is going to be alright, even if you do not get accepted at your first choice.
“A ll of the college visits helped me to finalize my college list and the constant emails helped me to meet the deadlines!” – Mitchell Green ’11
A pplying to the U nited Kingdom: The UCAS ApplicationDefined By Myronee Simpson, Director of College Guidance
For students willing to pursue post-secondary studies in a foreign country, the higher education system in the UK offers a wealth of educational options with more than 150 institutions ranging in size, scope, location and curricular offerings.The UK universities are highly regarded internationally. In the latest World University Rankings, the following institutions were ranked in the top 25: Cambridge, Edinburgh, Imperial College London, Kings College London, Oxford and University College London (UCL), which means that students graduate with degrees from institutions which are recognized globally for their quality. The pathway for application to any college or university in the UK is the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), an organization which manages applications for higher education courses in the UK. Candidates for study in the UK complete and submit one application for a maximum of five academic courses. With the exception of Cambridge and Oxford, which require applicants to apply by October 15th, the deadline for applications to UCAS is January 15th. Once UCAS receives applications, they are then forwarded to the colleges to be reviewed. The major distinction between the higher education system in the UK and applying to schools in the United States is that students apply to a specific course or academic program when they choose to pursue higher education in the UK. In general, when applicants send their materials to colleges in the US, they are reviewed by members of the admissions staff, which reviews applications in a committee. In the UK, the “Admissions Committee” does not exist; instead, applicants are reviewed by faculty of the specific course or program to which they have applied. For example, applicants for the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) course at Oxford University, one of the most selective programs in the UK, are reviewed for admission by Oxford faculty members in each of these respective academic departments. The components of a UCAS application include: 1) Education & Qualifications 2) The Personal Statement and 3) The Referee Statement. In the Education & Qualifications section of the UCAS application, candidates are asked to list all schools where they have attended plus include information on all completed or pending qualifications (High School diploma, SAT Reasoning Test, SAT Subject Tests, Advanced Placement exams). The Personal Statement is perhaps the most important element of the application because candidates must communicate in writing why they have chosen to study a particular course, the skills and experiences which make them a suitable candidate for their
chosen course, and for international applicants, why they wish to study in the UK. Finally, each application must include a referee statement or an academic reference in which a referee is asked to discuss an applicant’s academic qualifications and experience and provide reasons why an applicant would be a strong candidate for his/her chosen course of study. Each institution sets its own minimum admissions criteria, also known as entrance requirements. The entrance requirements for UK schools can vary, depending on the institution. For Oxford, one of the most selective institutions in the UK, the entrance requirements for an American high school student are: a score of 2100 and higher on the SAT Reasoning Test with at least a 1400 on the Critical Reading and Math sections or an ACT score of at least 32 out of 36 plus scores of 5 on three or more Advanced Placement exams or three SAT Subject Tests scores of 700 or higher. The following Scottish universities: Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Saint Andrews, commonly referred to as the “Scottish Ivies,” are typically looking for a combination of the following academic qualifications from an American high school student: 1800 and above on the Critical Reading, Math and Writing sections of the SAT Reasoning Test, two or more AP scores of 4 and higher, two or more SAT Subject Tests of 600 or higher and a minimum score of 27 on the ACT. The admissions requirements are higher for extremely competitive programs in the UK such as Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. To be a viable candidate for admission, students who wish to pursue post-secondary options in the UK should begin the process of researching options early on, identifying potential courses of study, preparing the personal statement and selecting institutions to apply. The UCAS website, www.ucas.ac.uk, provides a wealth of resources and information for students and college advisors to prepare for the application process.
DidYou Know?
Top Ten Majors that Get You Hired Have you ever wondered what degrees lead to employment? Certainly in today’s marketplace, students are more keenly aware of the courses they take, the internships they participate in, and what measures they have taken to build an attractive resume. At Ranney School, we want our students to be wellrounded and comfortable building their capacities for higher learning. Colleges want this too, and many do not require students to declare their major of choice until junior year. There is value in every degree and education matters. As one colleague recently said, “Each student looks the same in their cap and gown, but the reality is that their job prospects are entirely different.” #1 – Health Care Degree
#3 – Co mputer Scien ce Degree
#5 – En gin eerin g Degree
Graduates with recession-proof degrees in Health Care will find the most success in 2010. In fact, nurses are receiving the most job offers in this category.
Computers are an indispensable part of the economy, and so are graduates who study computer science, which ranks as the third most valuable degree in today’s job market.
It might surprise you to learn that engineering degrees are ranked fifth in terms of employment, but eight of the top ten best-paid majors are in engineering.
Desirable Degrees: Nursing, Physical Therapy, Pharmacy, and Medical Technician
Desirable Degrees: Computer Science, Technological Support, Information Technology and Systems
Desirable Degrees: Biomedical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering. Mechanical Engineering, Network Engineering, Program and Software Engineering
Average Starting Salaries: Nursing: $47,217 Health & Related Sciences: $30,522 #2 – Busin ess Admin istratio n Degree It’s no coincidence that business is booming for graduates with a business degree... it’s the most popular bachelor’s degree in the country.
Average Starting Salaries: Computer Science: $61,205 Information Sciences & Systems: $54,038 #4 – Acco un tin g/Fin an ce Degree Graduates with this degree can expect their fortunes to improve as the economy improves.
Desirable Degrees: Business and Business Administration
Desirable Degrees: Accounting and Finance
Average Starting Salary: Business Administration: $45,200
Average Starting Salaries: Economics: $52,909 Finance: $49,607 Accounting: $47,982
Average Starting Salaries: Petroleum Engineering: $86,220 Computer Engineering: $60,879 Mechanical Engineering: $58,392 #6 – Marketin g Degree Demand remains strong for marketing graduates in the business world, though a more general degree gets an edge on today’s tight job market because of its broader application. Desirable Degree: Marketing Average Starting Salary: Marketing: $42,499
All salary information from the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ Winter 2010 Salary Survey All other data taken from Challenger Survey
Ranney School
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Ranney School e s t a b l i s h e d
Ranney School 235 Hope Road, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724 Phone: 732-542-4777 • Fax: 732-542-8243 www.ranneyschool.org
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