Westminster School College Counseling Handbook

College Office Quick Facts & Contacts

Westminster School CEEB CODE 070680

Westminster School Phone & Fax (860) 408-3000 fax: (860) 408-3001

Westminster School College Office Phone & Fax (860) 408-3070 fax: (860) 408-6503

Westminster School Address 995 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury, CT 06070

NAVIANCE

https://student.naviance.com/westminster

Gregory Williams Director of College Counseling, gwilliams@westminster-school.org

Lydia Caputi Associate Director of College Counseling lcaputi@westminster-school.org

Shana Russell Associate Director of College Counseling srussell@westminster-school.org

Tenniel Hacker

College Counseling Coordinator & Director of Testing thacker@westminster-school.org

Introduction

The college application process represents a significant aspect of your education at Westminster. All that you have learned about the world and about yourself, both in and out of the classroom, informs your decisions throughout the process. You and your family may be overwhelmed by the enormity of the task and anxious about the outcome. While it is a process somewhat similar to the one you experienced when you applied to Westminster, you will find that it is really a totally new adventure - one that can be the most exciting and rewarding adventure of your life! Our goal is to provide you with the advice, support and information necessary to make the college process a positive part of your Sixth Form year — not the only part.

As your college advisors, our role is multifaceted. Not only are we a resource for information and advice, we also serve as a link to the college admissions offices, interpreting your experience and accomplishments, through the school letter of recommendation and conversations with college admissions directors, within the context of the demanding life at Westminster. We provide as much positive communication as possible to enable the colleges to reach an informed decision about each Westminster applicant by gathering information from our observations and information from you, your teachers, your corridor supervisor, your advisor, your parents, and others. We invite parents to participate actively in the process, recognizing that family perceptions and aspirations play a large role in defining college choices. However, the task of searching for, applying to, and choosing a college remains with you.

There have been many changes in the college admission process in the past ten years. Increased numbers of applications at the selective colleges and the colleges’ interest in a multidimensional student body have heightened the selectivity of admission for all students. The best way for you to enhance your chances of admission is to take advantage of the many opportunities you have in the Westminster community, to be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses, and to be thorough in your search for the right college or university. Together, we will work toward the same goal - to have the strongest possible choices from which to select the school that is the right fit for you.

The following pages aim to clarify the procedures and explain the policies of both the Westminster College Office and college admissions offices. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the contents. We look forward to working with you!

The Westminster College Office

College Admissions Calendar

Fifth Form Year

October PSAT - Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test Fifth Form Parents’ College Day

January Fifth Form students are assigned college counselors and individual conferences begin to discuss goals and develop initial college list

February Individual conferences with college counselors with Fifth Formers continue ACT - at Westminster students register at www.actstudent.org

Use test center code 000320

March

SAT - offered at some locations during spring break, register at www.collegeboard.org

Spring break is an excellent time to visit college campuses — but not necessarily to interview. See campuses, buildings, local environments. Visit a large university, a small campus, a rural school or a city school. Use this time to make a general determination of the type of school in which you might be interested.

April ACT - at Westminster students register at www.actstudent.org

Use test center code 000320

HAISSCCA (Hartford Area Independent Secondary School College Counselors Association) College Fair

Students interested in applying to Service Academies (West Point, Air Force, Naval) should file a preliminary application

May SAT - at Westminster students register at www.collegeboard.org

Advanced Placement exams

Phone or email colleges for visit/interview information

Fifth Formers interested in playing Division I or Division II college athletics should register online with the NCAA Eligibility Center at www.eligibilitycenter.org

June SAT - register at www.collegeboard.org choosing a test center close to home ACT - register at www.actstudent.org choosing a test center close to home

Summer College visits: Westminster strongly encourages students to visit campuses during the summer months! Although students can secure permission during the academic year to interview, we discourage missing classes to do so.

College Admissions Calendar

Sixth

Form Year

Summer Work on college essay

July/August

September

October

November

ACT offered at some locations in July, register at www.actstudent.org

SAT offered at some locations in August, register at www.collegeboard.org

Common Application available online

General Sixth Form meeting

ACT - at Westminster students register at www.actstudent.org

Using test center code 000320

Individual conferences with college counselors

College essay due

SAT - at Westminster students register at www.collegeboard.org

ACT - at Westminster students register at www.actstudent.org

FAFSA /PROFILE available. Both the FAFSA and the PROFILE provide electronic registration (see FAFSA, PROFILE)

SAT - at Westminster students register at www.collegeboard.org Deadlines for most Early Decision or Early Action applications

December Request to have your official SAT /ACT score report sent to colleges

NOTE: Most colleges require scores to be sent directly from the respective testing agency, some allow students to self report

SAT - at Westminster students register at www.collegeboard.org

Candidates who applied under Early Decision or Early Action will be notified of the college’s decision. Those admitted under Early Decision programs must withdraw all other applications.

January Deadlines for filing most applications and financial aid forms

March Final deadlines for filing applications

April Candidate notification deadline

May

National candidate reply date. All candidates must reply to their offers of admission by submitting a tuition deposit or a withdrawal notice. Students may only deposit at one institution.

Advanced Placement exams

Commencement

Factors to Consider When Selecting Colleges

The criteria you can use in evaluating a college are myriad, but first and foremost, they must be your criteria. Everyone has particular questions and issues of personal interest, but to get you started we offer the following list of general questions. Use them to help you assess a college or to suggest the type of questions you can ask an admissions officer in an interview.

Location

Geographic location: You have more freedom now than you ever will have at any time in your life. Consider the opportunity of living in another part of the country. There are colleges of excellent caliber everywhere. Most colleges are “regional” in their population, so attending a college in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, South or on the West Coast will allow you to live with and come to understand a culture different from yours. Also, since many colleges are interested in maintaining geographic diversity, you may have an edge at colleges farther away from home. You may find Maine or Pennsylvania as different as Colorado or Georgia. You will probably return home fewer times from Minnesota than from Massachusetts, but the tuition is usually lower in the Midwest, which will probably offset air fares.

City vs. suburb vs. country: How much do you make use of a city? Do you spend your free time walking in the woods? Do you want to try for both? Will you be happy in a small town? Will the noise and excitement of a city be wonderful or wearing?

College Character

Here are some questions to help you determine if the college is the right “fit” for you.

• How old is the college? What is its history, and how does that history affect its purposes today?

• What does the college look like? What does it “feel” like? Can you see yourself in these surroundings for four years?

• What is the campus atmosphere? Intellectual? Collegiate? “Preppy”? Non-conformist? Socially

concerned? Experimental? Artistic?

• How big is it? Small (fewer than 2,500 students), medium (2,500 - 6,000), large (more than 6,000 students)? Coed? Religious or nonsectarian?

• What are the library facilities like? Is the main library used for study or socializing? How many books? What are the hours? Are there special collections? Do academic departments maintain their own reference libraries?

• What are the types and availability of residence facilities? What percentage of students live in dormitories? Off-campus? Are first-year students housed together or in mixed-class dorms? Are all the dorms coed? By entry, floor or room? How big are the dorms? What do they look like?

• What are the dining facilities like? Dining plans? Accommodation for special diets, especially vegetarian? Is there a college nutritionist?

• What are the health facilities on campus? Medical or dental plans for students?

• Is there a career guidance center? How active is it?

• Are the students satisfied with the way things are run? What are the “hot” campus issues?

• What kinds of entertainment are available on/ off campus? Movies? Plays? Concerts? Exhibits? Lectures? Clubs? At what cost?

• What does the college do to orient its new students? Is there a Big Sister/Big Brother program? What sort of guidance is available to new students?

• How safe is the campus? Is there an escort service? Is it used?

Admissions

• What criteria are used for admission? Does the college require SAT, ACT, SAT Subject Tests? Superscoring? If Subject Tests are required, which ones? How significant are extracurricular activities, strength of academic program and essays?

• Does the college admit by major? How does the admissions competition differ among specific programs, majors?

• Does the college meet the total financial need of all accepted students? What is the standard grant/loan/ work balance? Are merit scholarships available? Are student jobs available only to financial aid students or to anyone? What is the pay scale?

Academic Programs

• What is the grading system? What are the graduation requirements in terms of number of courses and specific required courses?

• What degrees are offered? Does every department offer a major? Liberal arts or professional technical degree programs?

• If it is a university, what colleges does it contain? Can a student change from one program to another? Are there special academic programs? Junior year abroad? Exchange programs? Interim intensive courses? If the school offers a joint program, is there inter-campus transportation available so that you can take the courses you want on another campus?

• Is the college calendar run by semester? Trimester? Quarter? Interim term? When do vacations fall?

• What is the standard academic load? What are the maximum and minimum loads?

• How does the college support students with learning disabilities? Is peer tutoring available? Writing or math labs? A study skills center? Special facilities for students with disabilities?

• Are honorary and professional societies sponsored? Phi Beta Kappa?

• How large are classes? How many are in the introductory biology class? Introductory psychology?

• What does the college consider to be its strengths? What does the college consider to be its weaknesses?

Student Body

• Where does the student body come from? Is there racial, cultural and socio-economic diversity? Is there genuine institutional support for a diverse student body?

• What is the ratio of men to women?

• What percentage actually graduate in four years? Five years? Eventually?

• What percentage of seniors go on to graduate school? Medical school? Law school? MBA programs? How are graduates employed?

Faculty

• What is the faculty-student ratio? What are considered outstanding department by students? Who will be teaching the courses you want to take? Is there a published student evaluation of courses and professors?

• Are there advisors and professional counselors available? Are they used?

• Are the professors accessible? Do they post office hours?

• What is the percentage of women professors? Tenured women professors?

• Is the faculty racially and culturally diverse?

Extracurricular

• What courses are open to freshmen? What courses are required? Which are electives? When can you take a seminar? Is it easy to get into the courses you want?

• What percentage of the student body is engaged in volunteer work? Is the student body considered to be socially/environmentally/politically conscious? What organizations are the most active?

• How important are fraternities and sororities? What percentage of the student body joins? What is social life like for those who do not join?

• Are there adequate athletic facilities? Intramural sports? Intercollegiate teams? What percentage of students play intramural sports?

• What role do the arts play in campus life? What sort of activities are available outside the classroom? How are the facilities? Are studios/ practice rooms/video labs, etc., open to everyone or just to students enrolled in specific courses? Is there any friction between artists and jocks?

• What role do the arts play in campus life? What sort of activities are available outside the classroom? How are the facilities? Are studios/ practice rooms/ labs, etc., open to everyone or just to students enrolled in specific courses? Is there any friction between artists and athletes?

• What percentage of students can be found on campus on a typical weekend?

Building Your College List

After you have identified your priorities for selecting a college or university and have found schools that meet your criteria, you need to think carefully and strategically about your final list. First, how many schools should you apply to and second, what range of schools should be included with regard to admissions competition? With the help of your college counselor, you may put the schools on your preliminary list into one of four categories:

• FAR REACH: Those colleges and universities where we believe the student has a very slim chance of gaining admission. These schools appear on a college list often because a student has explained that he or she would always wonder “what if” if he/she didn’t apply, or, in some cases, because a family connection or special talent hook is extremely strong. We do not discourage these applications, but we try to be very clear with students about their chances for admission.

• REACH: Those colleges and universities which we feel are a “reach” for you, and ones where admitted

candidates have a significantly stronger academic profile than you present or colleges that utilize more of a selection process because of high number of qualified applications.

• TARGET/POSSIBLE: Those colleges and universities where we believe your chance for admission will be approximately 50-50.

• PROBABLE: Those colleges that we believe offer you a better than 50-50 chance of receiving an offer of admission.

Colleges and universities placed in these categories are determined by your academic profile to date and our experience with these colleges and past Westminster applicants. Keep in mind that scores/ grades may or will change in coming months, and throughout the college application cycle we will strive as warranted to inform you of these adjustments. You should spend equal time researching, evaluating and visiting colleges on our list across the four categories.

In evaluating colleges, remember that greater selectivity does not necessarily mean better. Oftentimes geography, gender and popularity have an effect on selectivity. Many schools, for a variety of reasons, may be in your “possible” range from an admission perspective yet offer programs equal in quality to your “reach” choices.

Stay open-minded, cast your net widely and have fun!

The College Admission Process

What do competitive colleges and universities seek from their applicants? As might be expected, the answer to that question varies from one school to another. Because more than half of all applicants to competitive colleges meet the academic standards, these colleges often look beyond the objective information (strong grades and scores) of qualified candidates to select the student who will contribute in a significant way to the campus community. One school may place special emphasis on your teacher’s recommendation, another may stress your commitments and contributions outside the classroom. Each school’s objective criteria may change slightly year to year, depending on the needs and priorities of the college in a given year. Despite the differences among the colleges, most admissions officers would echo the same advice to students. Some of the most important factors are included below:

Secondary School Record

Your transcript (your academic history) remains the most important document you will submit. Colleges are interested in your academic experience and your academic potential. In evaluating performance, admissions officers focus not only on raw grades and averages, but also on the direction and trend of achievement. They will review the transcript carefully to determine not only how you have performed in the courses you have selected, but how challenging the courses have been, as well. Colleges are anxious to see that you have challenged yourself in a course when appropriate, rather than taking the easier course for the higher grade. Admissions committees look at the number of subjects and years of progression in the five core disciplines (English, language, math, science, history) and they will look for work that surpasses graduation requirements.

Colleges look carefully to see that you have enrolled in a challenging selection of classes through your sixth form year. Most admission committees will not review a candidate fully until the first-term sixth form grades are received. All offers of admission are contingent upon the successful completion of senior year. In June we send your final transcript to the college at which you enroll.

Rank in Class

After carefully looking at the effects of ranking on Westminster graduates, Westminster felt that ranking did not take into consideration the competitive nature of our school, of our academic programs

and the particular programs elected by our students. Therefore, as a school policy, Westminster does not rank beyond the top ten students based on fifth and sixth form grades. Along with your application, we send our profile, which contains a grade distribution (from fifth form year), so that colleges can compare you to your classmates within the specific core courses you have taken.

Grade Point Average

Westminster calculates a cumulative unweighted grade point average based on the student’s fifth and sixth form grades. Our cumulative average is based on a 100 point scale.

SAT Reasoning Test and Subject Test Scores

Most colleges continue to require the SAT or ACT. While required, they are not the most important criteria in the selection process. The SAT Test is designed to test your critical thinking skills in critical reading, writing and quantitative areas. Many able students do not test to their true capability. However, high scores and a weak academic record often indicate a student who may be perceived by the admission committee as a greater risk. In an increasingly competitive landscape, the SAT offers colleges a way to make distinctions within a strong applicant pool.

We encourage all Fifth Form students to take the SAT and ACT test at least once. We then recommend that students take the test they prefer at least twice and usually three times: twice in the Fifth Form year and

again in the Sixth Form year. Most colleges will select the best scores regardless of administration date, while a few will select your best ‘composite’ from a single sitting. The college office will work with your teachers and advisor to assist you in making decisions about which tests to take.

English Language Proficiency—TOEDL and TOEFL IBT Test

Colleges will require the TOEFL, the Test of English as a Foreign Language, for all students whose native language is not English. The TOEFL is a Computer Based Test (CBT)with limited availability in the USA. We strongly encourage international students to take the TOEFL in their home country during the summer. Those students who are unable to test at home should register for the TOEFL through the college office! We can assist each student in making an appointment and coordinating transportation if necessary.

The Application

The way you present yourself through the application is very important and very much within your control. A carefully prepared application, complete and easy to read, shows a level of seriousness on your part. The majority of colleges now prefer that you apply electronically. The Common Application (www. commonapp.org) is accepted by more than 750 colleges, but may require supplementary information. By whichever method you choose to apply, the application is the primary information document for you and begins your file for your candidacy.

The application is the opportunity to distinguish yourself within the applicant pool. This is especially relevant if you plan to apply to a highly selective school, since those applications are generally more thorough and demand more personal responses.

It is your responsibility to submit your portion of the application to the colleges by the deadline stated in their materials. Submitting the application, reporting your standardized test scores, writing essays, and meeting deadlines are also indications of a student’s readiness to deal with the independence offered at the college level. The college office will be happy to help you get you organized, assist with particularly

difficult questions, and review your final application. The responsibility of getting your application to the colleges in time rests with you!

The College Essay

A well-constructed, carefully composed and concise essay indicates your desire to be reviewed as a serious candidate. It is important to read and understand the question and be sure that you are answering the question asked, not submitting an essay that you hope will work. Essays written in English class are great starting points, but submitting unedited versions of these essays is unwise. Your writing should be current, personal, honest, and a means through which the admission committee can come to know more about you as a person. This is the best opportunity for your voice to be heard! Clarity counts! The essays do get read thoroughly. We require that all Fifth Formers write a draft of their college essay over the summer. The college counselors and other members of the faculty are prepared to review your essay drafts with you. We expect students to have us look at your essay(s). We ask that you please give us a draft a couple of days prior to a scheduled meeting to talk about your essays.

Westminster School Recommendation Letter

Your college counselor writes your School Letter of Recommendation. It is a compilation of information gleaned from you, your teachers, your parents, your academic record, etc., which presents you in the context of your experience here at Westminster. In it, we try to highlight the significant facts about you, explain what appears on your transcript, and when necessary, introduce extenuating circumstances that might enable an admissions committee to view an applicant in a greater light. It is an honest and accurate assessment that emphasizes your achievements and strengths.

Teacher Recommendations

Each college has its own requirement for teacher recommendations. Some schools will specify a particular subject teacher (English/science). Unless otherwise noted, we would encourage you to choose two teachers from the fifth form (or sixth form) year

who know you and know your performance within the context of the classroom. It is not necessary that the teacher know you in other areas. The school letter of recommendation will touch upon issues of character, extracurricular activities, and special talents. In some cases, you may wish to have a coach or advisor submit an additional letter, but as a rule of thumb, we suggest two teacher recommendations for every school (even those who do not specifically require one). Think about the teachers you might ask in your fifth form year! In deciding on the teachers who will submit a recommendation for you, think about your performance in each class, your level of challenge, struggle, mastery in that class, and which teachers really know you as a student. You need not have received an “A” in the class to have a teacher write on your behalf. Keep in mind that many teachers are inundated with requests; you must give them adequate notice (at least 4 weeks) if you wish them to write on your behalf. We ask that students approach this asking process in May of their fifth form year. We are fortunate that the faculty at Westminster know their students well and take the responsibility of writing recommendations very seriously. Keep them updated on your progress and remember to thank each teacher who writes for you!

Extracurricular Activities and Work Experience

While the academic record remains the most important information you will submit, how you choose to spend your time outside the classroom and how you commit yourself will be of special interest to the admission committee. Most colleges and universities are interested in certain students who can bring a special ability or experience to the collegiate community. If you have a special skill, you should include it with your application. Some students may be tempted to think that “more = better” in terms of activities, but a long list of clubs and groups has less meaning than your commitment and how your contribution has made a difference to a club or activity. Talk with your coaches, advisors, and your college counselors about how you might best present yourself relative to your contributions. You will want to think about how you would talk about your involvement, rather than simply chronicling it in a list

or resume. Colleges are interested in your activities both on and off campus. If you have been particularly involved in an exciting opportunity off campus, write about it!

The common misconception that colleges are looking for the mythical “well-rounded” student may be more appropriately understood as colleges looking to build a “well-rounded” class. There are pockets on every campus for the scholar, the soccer goalie, the saxophone player, the alumni child, etc. Presenting yourself honestly and thoughtfully with an eye toward what makes you “you” is most important!

College Visits and Visitors

Although visiting a college campus can never tell you what it’s like to attend the school for four years, it will give you a sense of the atmosphere of the school, something you can’t get from a school’s catalog or website. (You’ve never seen a photo of a rainy day in a catalog or website.) Every guide book and computer search program may tell you that a certain college is right for you, but if that school doesn’t feel like it’s right for you, it probably isn’t. Visiting several college campuses will also help you focus your search on what’s important to you. When you see what you like and dislike about one school, it will remind you to look for or avoid those things at other schools.

At some schools the only options available will be a General Information Session. This session gives the college an opportunity to give you a great deal of information and allows you an opportunity to ask questions. Because many colleges view the campus visit as an important part of their admission decision, be sure the college has a written record of your visit!

Plan Ahead

The key to having a successful tour of colleges is in early planning - the earlier the better. Depending on a college’s policies and on your timing, your visit may include a tour, sitting in on a class, an informational session and/or an interview. Determine, as soon as possible, what your spring/summer schedule will be and set aside specific dates for seeing schools. During the months of March and June, public schools are still in session, so you will have the advantage of being one of a small number of visitors. June visits will generally afford you more attention from the admissions officers. Later in the summer you may find yourself on group tours or having a shortened interview due to the time constraints of an admissions office schedule.

Looking ahead to next year, consider the Fall Long Weekend, Thanksgiving break, and Winter Break as good times to visit colleges without sacrificing class time. Your grades are the most important aspect of your profile and you will be “robbing Peter to pay Paul” if you miss class days to interview at colleges.

Call Ahead

Get specific information about tour and interview times. Ask whether you will be having an individual or a group tour, an individual or group interview session. Ask the admissions office for information about places to stay, time required to get to the school and time required to get from that school to the next school on your travel schedule. Very often, the admissions personnel at one school will have the best directions to get you to the next school on your list.

Schedule Wisely

Avoid seeing more than two colleges on a given day. Plan to travel at the end of the day so that you are already in the next town in the morning, rather than worrying about an early departure and an arrival with only minutes to spare. Allow plenty of time to get from one college to another. Should you find yourself running late, stop and call the admissions office to let them know when you expect to arrive. If they know you are going to be late, they can often reschedule you for a later interview.

Prepare for Traveling

Dress in “nice casual” clothes which are neat and comfortable. You don’t have to wear a dress or blazer, but don’t wear torn jeans either. Have a

change of clothes handy in the car if you are seeing two schools in a day. You may not need them, but a change of shirt/blouse can make all the difference in feeling less hot and humid in the middle of July -- if you feel refreshed, you’ll feel more comfortable and relaxed in your interview. Be sure to bring a notebook and a pen or pencil for recording information and reactions to schools. Make sure you are well rested and relaxed.

Prepare for the Visit

Review your grades, SAT scores, etc., in case you are asked about them. You may want to request a copy of your transcript at the end of your fifth form year so that you will be able to discuss your grades accurately. Do not, however, share your transcript with the admissions officer. During an interview, admissions officers do not have the time to study the Westminster transcript and understand our grading scale.

Review the written literature or websites of the colleges you will be visiting and prepare some questions to ask. Don’t ask questions that can be answered in the literature, unless you are looking for some clarification.

The Tour

Listen carefully to your tour guide, but remember she/he is giving you one person’s (usually a student) perspective mixed in with the admissions office’s party line. Some tour guides are excellent; others are not. Don’t blame a school for an inexperienced tour guide and don’t be sold on a school just by the skills and personality of a great tour guide.

Ask questions, pay attention to the answers, and don’t forget to listen to the questions from others on the tour. Suggested questions to ask of a student tour guide: What did you do last weekend? How well do you know your favorite professor? What would you change if you were president of the college? Look closely at the facilities. Are they well maintained? Is the campus “wired?” Are there enough computers in labs and libraries? Are there places to run around or relax outside?

What are the dorm rooms like? How far will you have to go for meals? Where will your classes take place? Are shopping, restaurants, museums easily accessible? Can you imagine yourself attending and living at that school for four years?

Class Visits

Most schools and professors welcome visitors, but check first before wandering into a class that isn’t appropriate for visitors. If time permits, try to visit a small seminar-style class and a larger lecture.

The College Interview

Interviews may be required, optional or unavailable, and they may take place on campus with a member of the admissions staff or they may be conducted by an alumni/ae representative in our area. The importance of the interview to the admissions process varies considerably from school to school, but it’s a good idea to be well prepared and to take every interview seriously. Be prepared to talk about yourself and to ask questions about the school in an enjoyable conversation. The days of confrontational and trick questions are over, but keeping a recently read piece of literature in mind might be a good idea.

• Be prepared to answer questions about your academic record and interests. Although the interviewer may ask about your grades, she/he is likely to be more interested in hearing about what you’ve learned and why.

• The interviewer will also ask about your extracurricular activities, both during the school year and over the summer. Be willing to discuss your interests and experiences in more detail than will fit on your application.

• Don’t try to “sell” yourself, but don’t hesitate to bring up accomplishments of which you are proud.

• Don’t be afraid to reflect briefly on a weakness or a mistake, especially if you can also describe a positive outcome to your experience.

College Interview Questions

Westminster students responded to the questions listed below in past summers during their visits to college campuses. While you may not encounter exactly the same questions, you should use these examples to prepare for your own interviews.

• Which one of your activities has given you the most satisfaction?

• If you could change one thing about Westminster, what would it be?

• If you could re-experience your time at Westminster, what would you do differently?

• If I visited Westminster for a few days, what would I find is your role in the school community?

• What is something about you, that you would like colleges to know that they would not find through your application?

• How would you describe Westminster, and how would you change it?

• Tell me something you have really wanted which you had to go after on your own.

• What books or articles have made a lasting impression on our way of thinking? Have you read deeply into any one author or subject? What book is by your bedside table?

• Why did you go to Westminster and what made you stay?

• If you could take one year off from school regardless of funds etc., what would you do?

• If your friend was asked to describe you, what would he/she say?

Questions to Ask College Admissions Officers

Every interviewer will ask if you have any questions about the college. Make sure you do, to show that you’re interested in the college and that you’ve done your homework. Start with the questions that matter most to you. Have those questions written down in your notes to refer to.

When you are introduced to the admissions officer who will be interviewing you, be sure to get his/her name. This will help you to call him by name both during the interview and to write directly to him after you get home. Make a positive first impression. Give a firm handshake, look him/her directly in the eye and introduce yourself clearly. If your parents are with you, be sure to introduce them as well (especially important if your parents’ last name is different from yours).

Remember to be sure not to ask basic questions whose answers are easily obtained in the catalog or on the school’s website. View the catalog/website carefully before the interview. Pay attention, and if appropriate, respond to the interviewer’s answers.

Questions to Consider

• What are the most important issues on campus?

• What is the strongest program at the college?

• What is the most popular department/course on campus?

• How is the college working to improve itself?

• How big a role do graduate assistants play in the teaching?

• How diverse is the student body?

• What is the most important aspect of a student’s application?

• Does applying for financial aid or needing financial aid affect one’s chances for admission?

PLEASE NOTE: If you cannot arrange to visit a college, you should contact the college to set up an interview in the Hartford area with an alumna/us

of that college. Each college has different policies and arrangements for these interviews, but most encourage you to show this level of interest during the application process. Make these arrangements as early in the school year as possible.

College Visitors at Westminster

Each fall, admissions officers from over 100 colleges and universities visit Westminster’s College Office. These college representatives come to share information, answer questions, and help Westminster students make a connection to their college. We encourage Sixth Form students to meet with the visitors from any colleges to which they are considering applying. Students should make a special effort to meet with representatives from colleges they were unable to visit.

Sixth Formers may be excused from school commitments for these meetings provided they have secured permission from the responsible Westminster faculty member (teacher, coach, club advisor). College meetings usually last at least one half hour and sometimes as long an hour; students may come and go depending on their individual schedules. The schedule of college visits is posted outside the College Resource Room and on NAVIANCE (https://student. naviance.com/westminster).

Procedure: Interested Sixth Formers are required to sign up on NAVIANCE in advance of the visit. It is your responsibility to arrange for permission from your teacher/coach. A college visit is considered a school appointment and absences will be reported to the Dean’s office.

Early Decision/Early Action Information

Early Admission programs allow students the opportunity to begin, and possibly complete, the college admission process early in their Sixth Form year. Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA) are similar, but decidedly different options offered by colleges. ED is a binding process that students should consider if and only if there is one clear first choice college. EA is generally a more open option because there is no obligation to attend if accepted. Students should make certain to examine carefully the language of each particular college’s early admission program. Because of heavy media coverage of an “early advantage” some students have been given the idea that an early application can mask all the gaps in their records.

Candidates for financial aid must consider the ramifications an early application may have on their financial aid package. Many financial aid applicants benefit from receiving more than one financial aid offer from which to choose (or among which to negotiate). For obvious reasons, students who are accepted early don’t have this opportunity. Still, some colleges make an effort to offer particularly attractive financial aid packages to their early admitted applicants because they know the students have given up the opportunity to negotiate and because, early in the process, their financial aid budgets aren’t close to being used up.

Advantages to Applying ED/EA

• Students who apply Early Decision and are accepted only have to apply to one school and are finished with the college application process early in the Sixth Form year.

• A student who is deferred or denied admission in the early round has the advantage of getting that information early in the process and therefore has the opportunity to fine-tune the rest of his/her list.

• Many selective colleges have many more admissible applicants than they’re able to accept, and they must deny admission to some of them. In the ED/ EA round, long before they have filled their class, a college might not have to deny as many admissible candidates as they do in the regular round.

• Colleges are as concerned about enrolling a full

class as students are about getting into the college of their choice. Demonstrating your strong interest in a college by applying early will likely be viewed favorably.

• Note: Any advantage in the admission process to applying early is only a small advantage; a “reach” school will still be a “reach” no matter when you apply. ED/EA candidates who apply to a school in their mid-range are the most likely to benefit from any early advantage.

Disadvantages to Applying ED/EA

• Early Decision is binding; many students change their opinions about colleges over the course of a year.

• Early Action is non-binding, so often colleges that offer EA will only accept the top students in the Early Action pool.

• The college may not see first trimester grades, so more emphasis will be put on earlier grades, test scores, etc. Those who wait and apply Regular Decision can show first trimester term grades and possibly second trimester term grades -fall and winter- of Sixth Form work.

• The student has fewer opportunities to take the SAT Reasoning Test and SAT Subject tests.

Other Thoughts to Consider

• Each student can file only one ED application at

a time. Some schools have two early rounds, so it is possible to apply to one school in its first early round, and if deferred, apply to another school in its second early round.

• ED/EA plans vary considerably from college to college. Each school’s ED/EA policies and requirements can be found in their application materials and on their websites. Please read them carefully and make sure you understand them and can abide by them before submitting the application.

• Be careful of the expression “I know I want to apply early, I just don’t know where.” This is a strong indication that an early plan may not be the best idea for you.

College Application Procedures

The personal application and essay is your part of the application, and you will want to be proud of what you submit. Allow plenty of time to do your best. There are two basic kinds of college application forms. The first is the college’s own form, which contains questions generated specifically for use at that college. It may range from a computer form to a very complex form in which short answer questions are included. The second is the Common Application, designed to simplify the application process and allow students to do a quality job on one application. There are more than 750 colleges participating in the Common Application program. A student fills out the form, reviews and submits it to participating schools to which he/she will apply. All participating colleges agree to accept the Common Application and confirm that no distinction will be made between the college’s own application and the Common Application. If you choose to take advantage of the Common Application you are advised to research any supplemental items/forms required by the specific colleges to which you will apply.

Personal Application and Essay Checklist

l Review each application carefully before beginning. Be sure to note specific instructions.

l Review individual college admission websites for specific application questions.

l Seek an objective opinion of your essay responses. Teachers, advisors, or peers can help. You are expected to submit a draft of your essay to the college counselors for a college admissions perspective.

l If possible, electronically save each completed form before you send it; occasionally things do get accidentally deleted.

Teacher Recommendations

Most colleges require one or more recommendations from teachers who have had you in class. The College Office asks that you formally ask (face to face) and provide teachers with a teacher recommendation request form for this purpose. This is a three part form. One form will be handed to the teacher, one to the college office and one is kept for the student’s record. Even if a college does not require teacher recommendations, we advise and expect that you send at least one.

Read the instructions carefully; some colleges are very specific about which teachers they wish to hear from. If you have some latitude about whom to choose, think about the decision carefully. The teacher who

gave you the best grade may not necessarily be the best recommender. Try to use the same teachers for all your recommendations as this helps to conserve their efforts and yours.

Procedure Checklist

l Request teacher recommendations in the spring of your fifth form year. This allows teachers to plan ahead. Do not wait until the last minute. Your teachers may deny your request if they feel that they have not been given enough notice. We will discuss the recommendation request process at length with Fifth Formers this spring.

Secondary School Report Forms (The “Blue Sheet”)

Virtually every college requires a transcript and a school recommendation as part of the application process. Some colleges provide links to these forms with which they request this information. Westminster School requires an official form from students releasing their school documents to colleges. This is called the “Blue Sheet.”

Procedure Checklist

l Fill out the FERPA authorization on your Common Application. This waiver must be filled out before the College Office can send any of your school materials to colleges. We advise students to WAIVE their rights to see submitted school materials. This provides the college with the

knowledge that the student is confident that their school materials are accurate and truthful. To complete the process, login to your NAVIANCE account. Match your Common Application under the “COLLEGES” tab on your homepage. Then click “colleges I’m applying to.” Follow the prompts to match your common application providing your common application username and date of birth. This allows NAVIANCE to link the proper school materials to the correct application.

A note about waivers: Many colleges give you the option to sign a line on your secondary school report form indicating that you waive your right to see the school report if you eventually enroll in the college. We recommend that you do sign these waivers so that the college can be confident that our recommendations are accurate and truthful.

l Pick up a Westminster School Secondary Report Request Form (Blue Sheet). Fill in the top section of the “Blue Sheet” with your name, and all other information requested. Sign the sheet. List all the colleges and universities to which you are applying on the “Blue Sheet” and their respective due dates. Hand in the “Blue Sheet” to the college office. The college office must have a signed release in order to send supporting documents to each college on your list. The college office will send an official sedondary school transcipt, the current school profile, a counselor recommendtion and the required teacher recommendations to each school on the students signed Blue Sheet.

l If you have decided to apply to a college through an EARLY DECISION program, you must use the “Pink Sheet” specifically created for ED. Make sure you sign and identify the deadline for the application. This is extremely important in helping us to meet the colleges’ deadlines.

l Bring the “Blue Sheet” and or “Pink Sheet” to the College Office at least three to four weeks before your first college due date. If we do not receive your forms at least three weeks before your first deadline, we cannot ensure that they will reach your colleges on time.

l The College Office automatically sends 1st Trimester grades, Mid-Year School Report Forms and 2nd Trimester grades to colleges. There is no special process for this. Midterm grades are interim grades and are not sent to colleges officially. A final transcript will automatically be sent from the college office to the college in which you plan to enroll directly following graduation.

Standardized Testing Information

The SAT test of the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) will be given at Westminster in May, June, October, November, December. Students will register for the SAT test online choosing Westminster School as their test site. This year the SAT will also be offered at some locations in August. The ACT is in February, April, September and October. Students register online choosing Westminster as their test center. This year the ACT will be offered at some location in July.

Fifth and Sixth Formers for whom English is a second language should take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Information concerning the TOEFL which is required by some colleges is available in the College Office. Registration for this test is done through the College Office!

Most Fifth Form students will take an SAT or ACT by June of their Fifth Form year.

Early Decision/Early Action applicants with deadlines of November 15 or earlier may need to take the SAT (or as many as the college requires) by the end of the Fifth Form year, and they may take the SAT or ACT test again in summer following their Fifth Form year and early fall of the Sixth Form year.

Don’t hesitate to stop while you’re ahead. While many students will take the SAT and ACT two or three times, some students will take one or both tests only once. Consult with your college counselor to determine your ideal testing schedule.

SAT Procedure

• Check carefully to see what tests are required by the colleges you are considering.

• Note the registration deadlines and test dates, most of which are listed on the Westminster Calendar. Students are responsible for registering for

standardized tests online at the appropriate testing websites.

• Registration for the SAT, ACT is available online. Students are instructed when and how to register for each upcoming test date during our college meetings. Students will sit for SAT tests at Westminster School. TOEFL registration is done through the college office. We encourage students to visit us with any testing questions.

Sending Scores to Colleges

It is the student’s responsibility to send a complete and official score report to the colleges to which they are applying. All SAT or ACT scores make up your cumulative testing record. In order for your colleges to receive your testing record, you must indicate their 4-digit code numbers, found online at the corresponding testing agency website.

To Send SAT Score Reports use the following methods:

• www.collegeboard.com

– Log onto your account page and follow the prompts for SCORE SENDING.

– You will need to have a credit card to complete the order.

• at the time of SAT registration

– You receive four free score reports every time you register for the SAT

• the SAT Admission Ticket has instructions as to how to send scores.

• or you can call (866) 756-7346

– Note: there is an additional fee for phone call.

To Send ACT Score Reports:

• www.actstudent.org

– Log onto your account page and follow the prompts for SCORE SENDING.

– You will need to have a credit card to complete the order.

• or you can call (319) 337-1270

Four free SAT SCORE REPORTS are included with each SAT registration fee. Scores posted to your testing record after you send your scores to colleges must be sent separately. For example, a college listed on your October registration form will not receive your November scores, unless you so request on your November registration or at a later time.

Other Testing Information

Check each college for specific testing requirements. Not all colleges require submission of standardized tests; more and more colleges are becoming “score optional”. The Westminster transcript, which will be sent to all colleges to which you apply, does not list any standardized test scores. Students for whom English is a second language should send their highest TOEFL score directly from TOEFL/ETS to each college to which they apply.

Athletics and College Admissions

There is no doubt that athletics is a big part of many college communities and a student who will bring significant athletic talent to the college admission process will be of interest to college coaches. Furthermore, athletics may have a favorable impact on your chances of gaining admission. It is important for you to talk with your Westminster coach to determine what kind of an impact you might make on a college team (NCAA Division I, II, or III) and whether you are interested in making the commitment to college athletics.

If you plan to play a sport in college and feel that you want to communicate that to the college athletic department, we encourage you to do the following:

• If any of your colleges are Division I or II, you must register with the NCAA. Registration is available on the web at www.eligibilitycenter.org. If you plan to visit these colleges and speak to coaches over the summer, you should register before the end of your fifth form year.

• Get information from your Westminster coach about the different colleges’ programs by the spring of your fifth form year.

• Inform the college coaches of any camps you plan to attend in the upcoming summer. Ask your Westminster coach for recommendations as to camps where there is high visibility amongst college coaches.

• Prepare an athletic resumé and cover letter including athletic background, honor/awards received, out-of-season participation, and times/ stats which support your athletic competence. You may also want to include academic statistics such as GPA, standardized test scores, honors and awards.

• Work with your Westminster coach and your college counselor to form a list of colleges in which you may have interest and craft an email to the coach of the program in which you are interested

• Send your resumé to the particular coaches at the colleges of interest and follow up with a phone call or a visit when you are on campus.

• Give your Westminster coach and your college counselor a copy of the resumé and keep them informed of additional communication and correspondence.

• Ask your coach to follow up by telephone or email with the college coach.

What is the NCAA?

The National Collegiate Athletic Association is the organization through which the nation’s colleges and universities speak and act on athletic matters at the national level. It is a voluntary association of approximately 1,200 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals devoted to the sound administration of intercollegiate athletics.

What

is the difference between Divisions I, II, and III?

Division I

Division I member institutions have to sponsor at least seven sports for men and seven for women (or six for men and eight for women) with two team sports for each gender. Each playing season has to be represented by each gender as well. There are contest and participant minimums for each sport, as well as scheduling criteria. For sports other than football and basketball, Division I schools must play 100 percent of the minimum number of contests against Division I opponents -- anything over the minimum number of games has to be 50 percent Division I. Men’s and women’s basketball teams have to play all but two games against Division I teams; for men, they must play one-third of all their contests in the home arena. Schools that have football are classified as Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I- A) or NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA). Football Bowl Subdivision schools are usually fairly elaborate programs. Football Bowl Subdivision teams have to meet minimum attendance requirements (average 15,000 people in actual or paid attendance per home game), which must be met once in a rolling two-year period. NCAA Football Championship Subdivision teams do not need to meet minimum attendance requirements. Division I schools must meet minimum financial aid awards for their athletics program, and there are maximum financial aid awards for each sport that a Division I school cannot exceed.

Division II

Division II institutions have to sponsor at least five sports for men and five for women, (or four for men and six for women), with two team sports for each

gender, and each playing season represented by each gender. There are contest and participant minimums for each sport, as well as scheduling criteria -football and men’s and women’s basketball teams must play at least 50 percent of their games against Division II or Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) or Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) opponents. For sports other than football and basketball there are no scheduling requirements. There are not attendance requirements for football, or arena game requirements for basketball. There are maximum financial aid awards for each sport that a Division II school must not exceed. Division II teams usually feature a number of local or in-state student-athletes. Many Division II student-athletes pay for school through a combination of scholarship money, grants, student loans and employment earnings. Division II athletics programs are financed in the institution’s budget like other academic departments on campus. Traditional rivalries with regional institutions dominate schedules of many Division II athletics programs.

Division III

Division III institutions have to sponsor at least five sports for men and five for women, with two team sports for each gender, and each playing season represented by each gender. There are minimum contest and participant minimums for each sport. Division III athletics features student-athletes who receive no financial aid related to their athletic ability and athletic departments are staffed and funded like any other department in the university. Division III athletics departments place special importance on the impact of athletics on the participants rather than on the spectators. The student-athlete’s experience is of para- mount concern. Division III athletics encourages participation by maximizing the number and variety of athletics opportunities available to students, placing primary emphasis on regional inseason and conference competition.

www.ncaa.org

Interim Year

You probably entered Westminster thinking you would attend college immediately after graduation. In most cases that is what Westminster students do. However, it is not uncommon for students to have doubts about why they are going to college and questions about what they might pursue while they are there. For those students, considering taking “time out” may be worthwhile. There are many internship opportunities in the arts, environmental conservation, education, and community service as well as exchange opportunities that allow students to take a “thirteenth year” in another school setting. Some educators have made it their profession to guide students through a planned year of travel, work, and education while living with families in other regions and around the world. Below are several resources that you might find helpful in exploring this possibility. We also keep a file on select programs in our resource room.

If you are considering taking a year to explore your interests before college, we strongly recommend that you go through the college admissions process, wait for admission offers, and defer your entrance to the college of your choice for a year. Colleges are happy to support students making this choice and are happy to welcome students into their community who have had a rich and varied year-off experience.

Resources and Reference Guide

• AmeriCorps, (800) 942-2677

– www.americorps.org

• Audubon Expedition Institute, Belfast, ME

– Focus on environmental issues.

– Interdisciplinary while camping out and traveling in a bus classroom.

– College credit available. (207) 338-5859

– www.lesley.edu/gsass/audubon

• Center for Interim Programs, Cambridge, MA (617) 547-0980

– www.interimprograms.com

• The English Speaking Union, 16 East 69th Street, New York, NY 10021

– www.esu.org - a thirteenth year educational exchange with boarding schools in Great Britain and Argentina. See the college office for more information.

• City Year, 285 Columbus Avenue, Boston, MA 02116

– Programs in Boston, Chicago, San José, Providence, Columbus Ohio, Columbia SC, and San Antonio.

– A national service organization uniting young adults for community service, leadership development and civic engagement.

– www.city-year.org

• Directory of Interim Programs, online through Fastweb.

– www.fastweb.com

• Dynamy, a yearlong program of internship. They work with you to figure out what would be interesting to you. You live in apartments owned by the program with a roommate.

– www.dynamy.org

• English Speaking Union The ESU Secondary School Exchange is a merit-based scholarship providing tuition, room and board for scholars to spend a year between high school and college at a British boarding school.

– www.esuus.org/esu/programs/secondary_school_ exchange/

• Earthwatch, scientific expeditions.

– www.earthwatch.org

• Habitat for Humanity – www.habitat.org

• Taking a Break from School to Travel, Work and Study in the U.S. and Abroad, Robert Gilpin, Time Out Associates, P.O. Box 503, Milton, MA 02186. (617) 698-8977.

– www.timeoutassociates.com

• National Outdoor Leadership School – www.nols.edu

• Outward Bound – www.outwardbound.org

• The Student Conservation Association, Inc., P.O. Box 550, Charlestown, NH 03603 (603) 543-1700.

– www.thesca.org

• Where There Be Dragons, trips to Asia, (303) 413-0822

– www.wheretherebedragons.com

• World Learning, a college semester abroad.

– www.worldlearning.org/csa.html

• Time Out: Taking a Break from School to Travel, Work and Study in the U.S. and Abroad,

– Time Out Associates, P.O. Box 503, Milton, MA 02186, (617) 698-8977

– www.timeoutassociates.com

• Up with People

– www.upwithpeople.org

• The Directory of Undergraduate Internships, – National Center for Public Service Internship Programs

– 1735 Eye Street, NW, Suite 601, Washington, DC 20006.

• Work Your Way Around the World, Writer’s Digest Books, Cincinnati, OH.

• International Directory of Youth Internships, Learning Resources in International Studies, 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017.

Suggesting Readings

• Transition Abroad: Working Your Way Around the World by Susan Griffith

• Taking Time Off by Colin Hall and Ron Lieber

• Time Out by Robert Gilpin and Caroline Fitzgibbons

• Time Out or Burn Out for the Next Generation by William Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Harvard College; Marlyn McGrath Lewis, Director of Admissions, Harvard College; Charles Ducey, Director of the Bureau of Study Counsel, Harvard University

Financial Aid Information

In the current academic year, students will receive over $150 billion in financial aid. The biggest source of aid ($131 billion) is from the U.S. Government and most of this money is reserved for students with financial need. There are three things you should understand about “need”. First, need is a relative term. If the cost of college exceeds your estimated family contribution (as determined when you apply for financial aid), you have “need” and qualify for need-based aid. You can have a lot of need at an expensive private college and qualify for nothing at a large public college. Second, getting turned down for need-based federal aid can open the door for receiving financial aid from other sources. No one is going to give you any of their limited funds until they are absolutely certain you don’t qualify for a piece of federal aid. Thirdly, the FAFSA program determines eligibility for aid based on Adjusted Gross Income (AGI), an amount which is usually less than total income. The amount of financial aid you will actually receive can vary from college to college. Not all colleges have enough resources to meet all the money students need.

Need-Based Financial Aid

Need-based financial aid exists to provide access to higher education for qualified students regardless of their financial circumstances. Awarded based on demonstrated financial need, need-based financial aid is used to make up the difference between what a family can pay and the total cost of education (tuition, fees, room and board, books, supplies, transportation, and some personal expenses). In determining what a family can afford, the need-analysis systems work under the principle that students and their parents bear the primary responsibility for financing education costs to the full extent they are able; families are expected to make sacrifices in order to pay for college.

There are two primary formulas used to determine a student’s eligibility for need-based financial aid. The Federal Methodology is used to determine eligibility for all federal grants and loans as well as most state

aid. The Institutional Methodology, used by many colleges and universities to award their own funds, considers some financial information not taken into account by the Federal Methodology. The College Scholarship Service (CSS) Financial Aid PROFILE is used by many schools to collect the data needed to employ the Institutional Methodology.

The single most important factor in determining aid eligibility for most families is parental income. Other factors include non-discretionary expenses (such as taxes, medical expenses, and basic living expenses), parental assets (usually 12%), the student’s assets (50% each year), and the number of children attending college.

Application Materials

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Used for U.S. Government grants and loans, federal work-study, many state grants, and, for some schools, institutional financial aid, this form must be completed by every financial aid applicant. studentaid.gov

College Scholarship Service Financial Aid PROFILE

Used by some schools to award institutional aid (grants and loans from individual colleges/ universities), this form should be completed only if the college/university to which you are applying requires it. This form is now only available online at www.collegeboard.com.

INSTITUTIONAL FORMS

Some colleges/universities use their own form(s) in addition to or instead of the PROFILE. Institutional Forms will vary considerably, with some covering only basic biographical information and others asking for detailed financial information.

STATE FORMS

Most states award their grants solely on the basis of the information included on the FAFSA, though some states do require additional form(s). The Connecticut form (for Connecticut residents only) is available in the College Counseling Office. Residents of other states can pick up state application forms at their local high school. State agency telephone numbers are available at 800-433-3243.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Most colleges/universities require other documentation or information from financial aid applicants, including federal tax forms (for the student and the parent(s)), W-2 forms, Divorced/ Separated Parents’ Statement (see below for more information), and the Business/Farm Supplement (see below). Be sure to send copies of any of these documents directly to the schools that require them; do not include them with the FAFSA or the PROFILE.

DIVORCED AND SEPARATED PARENTS

Many colleges and universities will also require information from the non-custodial parent, with the expectation that s/he will contribute to college expenses to the extent s/he is able. Most of these colleges use the College Board’s Divorced/Separated Parents’ Statement which is available from the schools’ financial aid offices and may be included in your PROFILE packet.

BUSINESS AND FARM OWNERS

Parents who own a business or a farm, or who are otherwise self-employed, may be required to complete a Business/Farm Supplement in addition to the PROFILE. The form is available from the financial aid offices of the colleges/universities that require the form and may be included in your PROFILE packet.

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

Many schools do not offer funding to international students, and as a result, the financial assistance programs for the international student at those schools that do are usually highly competitive. These aid programs are rarely need-blind; academic credentials and geographic diversity are primary considerations in the process. The FAFSA and the PROFILE are not used for awarding aid to international students. The International Student Certificate of Finances form is required by colleges for all International students. Be sure to find out early in the process whether the schools on your list offer aid to international students, and, if so, how to apply.

EARLY DECISION CANDIDATES

It is critical that ED candidates communicate directly with the college financial aid office. In most cases, you will be required to complete the PROFILE in November, and you may also need to complete other institutional forms. The college will give you an estimate of your financial aid package at the time of acceptance. Your aid award will not become official until after you have filed a FAFSA in order to become eligible for the federal and any state programs already estimated in your financial aid package.

QUESTIONS

If you are unsure about any aspect of the financial aid application process, be sure to seek help immediately. Contact the financial aid offices of the colleges to which you are applying. Each financial aid officer knows his/her own school’s particular policies and procedures better than anyone else and is, therefore, in the best position to answer your questions. Don’t be shy!

AWARD PACKAGES

Once the admissions office has decided to admit a student and the financial aid office has determined that the student qualifies for financial aid, the financial aid office will put together a financial aid package — a combination of several different types of financial assistance:

GRANTS

Federal, state, and institutional grants are financial aid awards that do not have to be repaid.

LOANS

Frequently interest-free during enrollment, student loans must be repaid, with interest, over several years following graduation. Subsidized Stafford Loans and Perkins Loans are need-based loans on which the federal government pays the interest while the student is enrolled in college and for six months after graduation.

WORK

The vast majority of financial aid recipients will be expected to hold part-time (usually around 10 hours per week) campus jobs in areas such as the library, academic departments, food services, administrative offices, etc. Many financial aid packages combine loans and work-study under the heading “Self-Help,” and some schools allow students some discretion as to the ratio of loan to work. In comparing financial aid awards from different schools, it is important to look not only at the total family contribution but also to compare the types of aid offered; the ratio of grants to self-help (loans and work) may vary significantly.

Note: Not all schools guarantee that they will meet the full need of every admitted applicant. Most schools that are unable to fund everyone practice “gapping,” meeting less than the full need of some or all applicants. A very small number of schools employ a financial aid waiting list where some admitted applicants are offered no aid unless more funds become available later in the process. Other schools that are unable to offer aid to some applicants choose to deny admission instead.

MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS

College-sponsored merit scholarships are awarded to students based on academic achievement (in general or in a specific discipline); geographic, ethnic, or racial diversity; a particular talent (artistic, athletic, etc.); extracurricular involvement (community service, for example), scholarship examinations, etc. They are not based on demonstrated financial need, though, in some cases, financial need is a consideration. Schools differ widely in the number and size of scholarships offered. Merit scholarships are also available from a wide variety of non-school groups or organizations (for example, churches, corporation, foundations). Information on many such scholarships is available in the College Resource Room and NAVIANCE. You are also encouraged to explore other scholarship opportunities via the internet, the public library, etc. For recipients of need-based financial aid, merit scholarships will be incorporated into the aid package. Each institution will adjust aid packages according to its own policies, but, legally, schools are unable to use the scholarship to reduce the federallydetermined family contribution. Most schools will take one or more of the following approaches:

• If the need-based financial aid package does not meet the full need of the student, the scholarship can be used to fill the “gap.”

• The scholarship may replace self-help (loans and work-study) funds.

• The scholarship may be used to reduce the institutional grant.

If you receive notification of an outside scholarship after you have received your financial aid award, you must inform the financial aid office of your scholarship. The school will then prepare a revised financial aid award which takes into account the additional scholarship funds.

A note about private scholarship search services: Many promise to locate scholarships for which you are eligible, for a fee, sometimes a very large fee. In most cases , the same information can be gathered for free from Westminster, colleges, the internet, or your local public library.

ADDITIONAL FINANCING OPTIONS

Many colleges offer individual payment plans allowing monthly payments of the annual fees. There are also a variety of loans available to assist in the financing of educational expenses. Individual financial aid offices are typically the best source of information about these programs. Many families who have equity in their homes find that a home equity loan offers the most favorable terms because of the tax advantages. Students are encouraged to be assertive in exploring with their financial aid administrator all possible financing options.

TAXPAYER RELIEF ACT

Education tax credits and interest deductions are now available for some students. Families are advised to consult with a tax professional to determine whether they can benefit. Information is also available on the Department of Education web site (www.ed.gov).

RENEWAL OF AID

Most colleges guarantee four years of financial aid to all students who initially enroll with financial aid, as long as they file the required application forms and continue to demonstrate financial need. Some schools may alter the make-up of the package as the student gets older (for example, reducing grant aid and increasing self-help), and some schools have academic and discipline-related standards attached to their financial aid awards. If the student’s GPA falls below a certain level, for example, his/her financial

aid would be reduced or eliminated. Make sure that you understand a college’s policies on renewal of aid before accepting an initial award.

Resources

• Federal Student Financial Aid Information Center: 800-433-3243

• Connecticut Department of Higher Education: 860-566-2618

• Other state agency telephone numbers are available at www.ed.gov/Programs/bastmp/SHEA.htm#C

• The College Board, College Costs and Financial Aid Handbook

• Fiske, The Best Buys in College Education

• Kaplan, Scholarships: The Essential Guide

• Krefetz, Paying for College

• Peterson’s Guides, The College Money Handbook

• www.collegeboard.com (Profile online)

• www.finaid.org

• studentaid.gov

• www.fastweb.com

• www.salliemae.com

• www.studentaid.ed.gov

Westminster College Office Resource Guides

General Guidebooks

• Barron’s: Profiles of American Colleges

• The College Board: The College Handbook

• Peterson’s: Guide to Four Year Colleges

• Fiske: The Fiske Guide to the Colleges

• U.S. News and World Report: Annual Guide to America’s Best Colleges

• The Princeton Review: The Best 375 Colleges

Recommended Reading for Parents

• Mayher: The College Admissions Mystique

• McGowan and McGinty: 50 College Admissions Directors Speak to Parents

• Steve Goodman: College Admissions Together

• The College Board: The College Guide for Parents

• Fiske & Hammond: The Fiske Guide to Getting into the Right College

• Hayden: Handbook for College Admissions - a Family Guide

• Loren Pope: Colleges that Change Lives

• Loren Pope: Looking Beyond The Ivy League

• Coburn & Treeger: Letting Go, A Parents’ Guide to the College Years

• Johnson & Schelhas-Miller: Don’t Tell Me What To Do, Just Send Money

Special Interest

• Isaac Black: African American Student’s College Guide

• Mitchell: The Multicultural Student’s Guide to Colleges

• The Princeton Review: Student Athlete’s Guide to Colleges

• Summer Opportunities for Kids and Teenagers, Peterson’s Guides, Princeton, NJ

• The Teenager’s Guide to Study, Travel and Adventure Abroad, St. Martin’s Press, Council on International Educational Exchange, 205 East 42nd Street, Dept. 16, New York, NY 10017

• Tyler: Been There Should’ve Done That (student guide)

• Jill Charles: Directory of Theatre Training Programs

Majors

• The College Board: Index of Majors

• Ruggs: Recommendations on the Colleges Websites

• https://student.naviance.com/westminster

• www.collegeboard.com

• www.act.org

• www.fastweb.com (Scholarship and college search site)

• www.collegenet.com (Online applications, complete college search process)

• www.petersons.com ( College search resource)

• www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/corank.htm (College rankings)

• www.commonapp.org (the common application online)

• www.ed.gov/topics/topics.jsp?&top=Financial+Aid (Financial Aid )

• www.college-scholarships.com/ (College guide, scholarships and financial aid)

• www.review.com (the Princeton Review)

College Admissions Vocabulary

AMERICAN COLLEGE TESTING (ACT)

Accepted by all colleges. We strongly encourage Westminster students to consider and sit for the ACT. Westminster is not an ACT test site, but we do have registration information for the test at a nearby test site with quidance from the college office.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT TEST (AP)

Given in May to students who have completed an AP level course. Colleges award credit for sufficiently high scores on the test and may use test results for placement in college courses.

BACHELOR OF ARTS (BA or AB)

Degree awarded which indicates the student has studied one or more subjects in depth (including the sciences) and has also taken a wide distribution of courses in the humanities, social sciences, foreign languages and behavioral sciences. Often the only degree awarded by a liberal arts college.

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BS)

Degree awarded which indicates the student has studied one or more subjects in depth (typically in the sciences, engineering, business, computers, etc.) but has not been required to take as many courses outside the field of concentration. Typically awarded by universities and some colleges.

BUCKLEY AMENDMENT: FERPA

Under the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Buckley Amendment) you have the right to review your educational records if you enroll at a given college or university. Therefore, on both teacher recommendation forms and on secondary school report forms you will see a section stating your rights under the Buckley Amendment. We suggest that you waive your rights of access to your recommendations. This will tell our teachers and counselors that you

trust them to write a truthful recommendation on your behalf. By signing the waiver you waive your right of access to those recommendations, not to the rest of your file at the college.

CANDIDATE NOTIFICATION DATE

The date by which a college notifies applicants of their admission decision.

CANDIDATE REPLY DATE

The date by which admitted students must notify colleges of their enrollment intentions. Variable for Early Decision. May 1 for regular admission.

CLASS RANK

Students are not ranked at Westminster School beyond the top ten.

COLLEGE BOARD

A membership organization of colleges and secondary schools which sponsors programs such as the ETS and the College Scholarship Service.

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP SERVICE (CSS Profile)

An organization which processes information provided by financial aid applicants and distributes the information to the colleges where students are applying.

COMMON APPLICATION

A single application (available in hard copy, or via the Internet) which is accepted by over 750 selective colleges. After completing the original application form, the student electronically submits it to his/ her college choices which are members the Common Application.

EARLY ACTION (EA)

Early Action is used primarily by highly selective colleges. Early Action follows the same timetable as

Early Decision but allows the accepted candidates until May 1 to accept or decline the offer of admission. Under Early Action programs, it is possible for an applicant to be denied admission outright and not automatically deferred for later consideration.

EARLY ADMISSION

Many colleges have a program that allows a student to apply for admission during the junior year. The Early Admission program at most colleges is reserved for truly exceptional students whose academic preparation and achievement level are sufficient for early entrance to college.

EARLY DECISION (ED)

Not to be confused with early admission, Early Decision is a plan under which a student applies to the first-choice college early in the fall (usually by November 1st) of the senior year and agrees by contract to enter that college if offered admission. Early decision applicants are judged primarily on the basis of their junior year test scores, and grades.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There are several variations of Early Decision and Early Action at different colleges. Read the literature of each college carefully, and ask questions if you do not understand the program entirely.

ETS (EDUCATIONAL TESTING SERVICE)

A nonprofit agency established by The College Board to produce its tests.

FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT

AID (FAFSA)

Standardized forms required of students who are applying for financial aid. Used to determine eligibility for state and federal grants and scholarships. Available in October online. Must be filed each year aid is sought.

FINANCIAL AID PACKAGE

Typically consists of campus employment, loans and grants. Usually based on need and designed to fill the gap between a family’s ability to pay and the cost of college.

FRESHMAN PROFILE

A college publication that shows statistical information about an entering freshman class. Can be useful in predicting admissions prospects. Available in the College Office.

GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA)

Colleges often compute a high school grade point average based on all grades earned in high school. It is usually on a 4.0 scale.

HIGH SCHOOL CEEB CODE

College Entrance Exam Board identification number assigned to each school by the College Board. The Westminster CEEB code is 070680.

LEGACIES

Sons and daughters of an alumna/alumnus (graduate) of the college to which you are applying. At many colleges, legacies have slight preference in the admissions process. Generally speaking, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles or cousins are not considered legacies.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COLLEGE ADMISSIONS COUNSELORS (NACAC)

An organization of college admission and college counseling individuals which aims to help students make the transition from secondary school to college.

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM and NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM

Designed to recognize and award scholarships to exceptionally talented students. Based on results of the junior PSATs.

NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER

The organization which oversees athletic recruitment and NCAA eligibility. Division I prospects should visit www.eligibilitycenter.org in the spring of their fifth form year or fall of their sixth form year. Registration forms and informational booklets are available online. (see page 23)

PELL GRANTS

Awarded to students with high need by the federal government. The amount for which the student is eligible can be applied to tuition at any college.

PROFILE

College Scholarship Service form required by many colleges as part of their financial aid application.

PSAT/NMSQT

Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship

Qualifying Test. The PSAT/NMSQT is a practice test designed to prepare juniors for the SAT and is used in the awarding of merit scholarships. PSAT scores are not used by colleges as admission criteria.

ROLLING ADMISSIONS

Policy whereby a college announces decisions on applications as each file becomes complete. It is usually advisable to apply early to colleges which have this policy.

SCHOLASTIC ASSESSMENT TEST (SAT)

The SAT measures developed verbal, writing and mathematical reasoning abilities related to successful performance in college. Importance for admissions varies widely from college to college. SAT Subject Tests measure knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge in specific subject areas. Many colleges require two. Plan with your advisor, teachers and college counselor.

SINGLE CHOICE EARLY ACTION

This program is like other non-binding plans in that candidates who are admitted early need not respond to the offer of admission until May 1, and may apply Regular Decision to other schools. Being admitted early would, for example, allow you to compare offers of financial aid in the spring. This early plan is unlike standard Early Action programs in that you may not apply Early Action or Early Decision to any other school. The college office has more information on the specifics of each early program.

STUDENT SEARCH

An optional College Board service to students and colleges. Students may submit information when they register for College Board tests. Colleges receive names of registrants who may be likely admissions candidates and contact those students directly.

TEST OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (TOEFL)

The purpose of this test is to evaluate the English proficiency of people whose native language is not English. If you believe this test would be appropriate for you to take, consult with your college counselor.

WAITING LIST

The waiting list is made up of candidates who are qualified for admission to an institution, but who ranked lower than those accepted. If the college does not fill its freshman class through its regular admissions process, it will turn to the waiting list to fill the remaining spaces.

Financial Aid Vocabulary

DEMONSTRATED NEED

The difference between the total cost of attending college (including tuition, room and board, and other expenses) and the family’s calculated contribution (Estimated Family Contribution (EFC)).

DIFFERENTIAL PACKAGING

Also called “Preferential Packaging,” the practice of awarding more desirable financial aid packages to stronger, more desirable students. For example, the total value of two aid packages might be the same, but the package offered to the stronger student might have more grant funds and lower loans.

FAFSA

Free Application for Federal Student Aid, used to apply for U.S. Government grants and loans, federal work-study, many state grants, and, for some schools, institutional financial aid. Every financial aid applicant must complete this form, available in October online.

FINANCIAL AID PACKAGE

Another term for financial aid award, it typically consists of grant(s), loan(s), and work.

FEDERAL METHODOLOGY

The need-analysis system used by the U.S. Department of Education to determine an applicant’s eligibility for federal financial aid. It is also used by some states and some colleges/universities.

GAPPING

The practice of meeting less than a student’s full need.

INSTITUTIONAL FINANCIAL AID

Financial assistance that comes directly from a college or university rather than the federal or state government or another “outside” organization.

INSTITUTIONAL METHODOLOGY

The need-analysis system used by colleges and universities to determine an applicant’s eligibility for institutional financial aid.

MERIT-BASED AID SCHOLARSHIPS

Grants, or other aid awarded based on academic strength, artistic ability, leadership, or other special talent.

NEED-BASED FINANCIAL AID

Financial aid that is awarded based on demonstrated financial need.

NEED BLIND ADMISSIONS

An admissions policy which does not use financial need as a factor in selecting applicants.

NEED-CONSCIOUS ADMISSIONS

An admissions policy that takes into account students’ financial need before making admissions decisions. Note: A school may be need-blind for one group of applicants and need-conscious for another group.

PREFERENTIAL PACKAGING

See Differential Packaging.

PROFILE

The College Scholarship Service (CSS) application required by many colleges/universities to apply for institutional aid. Complete this form only if the college/university to which you are applying requires it.

SAR

Student Aid Report, the report generated after the FAFSA is processed, showing the data that was entered on the FAFSA and the list of schools to which the data is to be sent.

Westminster School College Search Checklist

Fourth Form Year—Thinking About College!

Fifth Form Year—Get Ready!

l BUILD COLLEGE LIST

l VISIT COLLEGES/SPRING AND/OR SUMMER

l GATHER APPLICATION MATERIALS

l DRAFT COLLEGE ESSAY

September of Sixth Form Year—Get Set!

l RESEARCH AND LIST COLLEGE ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

l RESEARCH SUPPLEMENTS REQUIRED

l FINISH THE COMMON APPLICATION (on-line)

l CREATE PERSONAL RESUME

l FINALIZE PERSONAL/ COLLEGE ESSAY

October, November, December of Sixth Form Year—Go!

l FILL OUT SECONDARY SCHOOL REPORT REQUEST FORM (“Blue EA Sheet” and “Pink ED Sheet”) found in the College Office, due by October 15th )

l DELIVER “BLUE SHEET” TO THE COLLEGE OFFICE (at least 3 weeks before application deadlines for all regular admission deadlines, due December 10th)

l SEND AN OFFICIAL SAT or ACT REPORT TO EACH COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY TO WHICH YOU ARE APPLYING (remember you are responsible for sending your official score report from the testing service - find instructions in the college office)

l FILL OUT APPLICATIONS AND SUPPLEMENTS

l FINE TUNE COLLEGE ESSAY/ PROOF ESSAY AND APPLICATION

l SUBMIT COMPLETED APPLICATIONS BY DUE DATES

Notes

Notes

MISSION

The Westminster community inspires young men and women of promise to cultivate a passion for learning, to explore and develop diverse talents in a balanced program, to reach well beyond the ordinary, to live with intelligence and character, and to commit to a life of service beyond self.

CORE VALUES

Community

Westminster is a small, caring, cohesive, residential community firmly committed to the “common good.”

Character

In addition to prizing intellect, Westminster insists upon and fosters integrity, high ethical standards, leadership, mutual respect, tolerance and teamwork.

Balance

Westminster maintains, through high expectations and a structured environment, a balance among challenging academic, athletic, artistic and extracurricular programs.

Involvement

Westminster believes that students learn best through active participation in all aspects of school life.

Westminster School College Counseling Office

995 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury, CT 06070 | (860) 408-3070 | FAX: (860) 408-6503

Westminster School CEEB CODE: 070680