Reading Room Reflections

READING ROOM REFLECTIONS A College Counseling Newsletter Fifth Form

Spring 2015

FUTURE DATES OF INTEREST

March 30 and April 6 Small-group meetings with fifth formers April – May Individual meetings with fifth formers April 18 ACT (Orange High School) April 22 College Fair at Woodberry May 2 SAT at Woodberry May 4-15 AP exams May 29 Underformers depart June 6 SAT (at home) June 13 ACT (at home) July 1 Most online college applications become available August 1 Common App online goes live

OUR OFFICE

Director Hunt Heffner

Associate Director Indira Cope Testing Coordinator Renee Sullivan

T 540-672-6050 F 540-661-4150 www.woodberry.org

SAT vs. ACT – Which Test is Right for Your Son? Most students have taken one standardized test by the spring of their junior year. There’s a good chance this test was the SAT, leaving many students and parents to wonder if the ACT might be a good option to try as well. There are differences you should be aware of, but both tests are given equal weight by admission offices and can be used interchangeably at most universities. So now that your son has two viable options for completing the standardized testing requirement for his applications, what’s the difference between the tests and which one should he take?

Currently, the SAT comprises ten sections that bounce back and forth between the three content areas of critical reading, math, and writing. On the ACT, there are only four sections — English, math, reading, and science — and students answer all questions on the same content area before moving to the next section. Most test-takers feel like the ACT questions are more straightforward than those on the SAT, but there is less time to answer those questions, making speed a major factor in doing well on the ACT. The SAT verbal sections emphasize vocabulary when compared to the ACT. The math sections of both tests cover basic arithmetic, algebra, and geometry, but the ACT also includes questions on trigonometry. The ACT offers an optional writing section, while writing is a required component of the SAT. Finally, the ACT includes a science section that is more about reasoning skills than specific science knowledge; the SAT offers no comparable section.

Most colleges officially use the overall composite ACT score (the average of the four section sub-scores) when evaluating an applicant, whereas most schools typically look equally at the individual section scores and the total combined score when considering SAT results. It’s also worth noting that fewer colleges “superscore” the ACT, meaning that they only look at an individual test date rather than combining high section scores from multiple test dates to provide a recalculated, higher composite score. “Superscoring” is the standard practice with the SAT. Woodberry does not endorse one test over the other, and we have seen boys do equally well on both. Our online test prep resources through Naviance offer preparation for both tests.

The SAT is offered at Woodberry five times a year. Currently we are not a test location for the ACT, and boys interested in taking it must travel to other high schools to do so. We organize transportation for students who take the ACT during the school year. You can find more information at the tests’ respective websites: sat.collegeboard.org and actstudent.org.

Fifth Form

Selecting Classes: Underformers Look Ahead Your son’s academic record over his four years of high school is the most important factor in the college admissions process. Colleges recognize that Woodberry is a demanding school and want to see how your son has performed in this environment. The most selective colleges are interested in strong grades as well as a constant and challenging course load. They want students who have performed well in the most difficult classes they are qualified to take. Some Woodberry students find regular classes challenging and do not take any Honors-level classes. Others are ready and able to push themselves with Woodberry’s more advanced classes.

A student typically needs a teacher’s recommendation to enroll in most Honors-level classes. Just because a student is recommended for an Honors class, however, does not mean he has to enroll in that class. Balance is important. Conversations with your son and his adviser are key to achieving this balance.

Your son and his adviser will meet this spring to discuss his schedule for next year. When necessary, your son can make changes over the summer and during the fall trimester drop-add period.

College Fair Representatives from more than forty colleges and universities will be on campus this spring for our annual college fair. The fair will be held Wednesday, April 22, 2015, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. The event is open to all students and is required for fourth and fifth formers.

College visits Many Woodberry families take advantage of the summer holiday to visit college campuses. Colleges are ready for you!

Plan ahead: Colleges usually host only two or three tours and information sessions per day. Some schools want you to register ahead of time, while others are happy to have you drop in. Go to each college’s website for information about arranging a campus visit.

Location, location, location: How many college campuses can you visit in one day? One to two colleges per day is a good rule of thumb. Sometimes a third can be squeezed in, depending on how many visit options the colleges offer and their proximity to each other.

Take notes, take pictures: Do something to help you remember the campus. Taking notes or snapping a photo or two may help you recall details later. If you are willing to share a couple of campus photos and impressions with us, we will post them on our college counseling Facebook page for other Woodberry families to see.

To interview or not to interview: Not all colleges grant interviews, but rising seniors should find out whether interview opportunities are available. Woodberry students generally do very well in interviews because they know how to present themselves appropriately and are comfortable talking to adults. Questions your son can expect include: Why are you interested in this school? What do you love to do? What is your greatest success/failure?

Appointments are generally required and classroom attire is appropriate.

April Showers Bring May APs Woodberry offers a wide range of advanced classes including a number of Honors classes that serve as our AP-equivalent. Some of the Honors courses – Biology, Physics 1 and 2, Calculus A and B, and Statistics – require a student to take the associated AP exam. Other honors courses make taking the AP exam optional. In such cases, the student may need to review extra material before the exam and will need to communicate his desire to take the exam to his teacher in order for the appropriate test to be ordered.

Most colleges list information about their AP policy, including what scores they accept and the credit/placement earned for those scores, on their website. When they register for AP tests in the spring, seniors can request that AP results be sent to the college where they plan to enroll. There is no extra charge for this service, and results from previous years will be sent with their senior-year scores.

Spring 2015

Fill Your Summer The summer should be a time to relax, travel, and enjoy family and friends. It’s also a chance to volunteer, visit colleges, work, prep for standardized tests, take a class, try something new, explore a passion, and have an impact.

Stages of a College Application We will send a spreadsheet home over the summer to help your son set due dates and, hopefully, a plan of action. Once the application process begins, we will help students with applications, but help us remind the students that colleges communicate with them, not you or the college counseling office. At the end of the day, this is truly your son’s process to own.

Applications fundamentally go through two stages – preparation and review. Our focus in the fall is helping seniors prepare the best applications possible. We encourage students to begin the process by setting up accounts with the Common Application and individual colleges over the summer. Starting early gives students a chance to put together thoughtful applications and essays, and allows us time to review their work and make recommendations on any improvements or changes they should make to highlight all of their strengths as a candidate.

We also support students by submitting transcripts and recommendation letters on their behalf. There is an internal process for requesting these documents, and we try to remind students of as many application deadlines as possible.

Once an application is submitted, admissions officers start the review process. Most colleges look closely at grades, courses, standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, essays, and recommendations, but they may assign greater weight to certain areas. Applications are often read multiple times and may also go before an admissions committee for a final decision. Students can be admitted, denied, deferred from an early application to the regular review, or waitlisted. We will talk more about what these decisions mean in a future newsletter.

Summer Checklist for Rising 6th Formers

______Visit colleges

______Narrow your college list

______Learn about merit scholarship opportunities

______Refine the résumé you use for interviews and applications

______Be involved in activities that reflect your interests

______Register for fall SAT or ACT, if needed

______Start your college applications in July or August

Did You Know?

College-bound student-athletes entering an NCAA Division I college on or after August 1, 2015, will need to meet new academic rules. Full information regarding the changes can be found on their website.

Woodberry Forest School Office of College Counseling 148 Woodberry Station Woodberry Forest, VA 22989

Spring Meetings During the spring months, the college counseling office is busy meeting with students from all forms.

The fifth form will meet in both small groups and individual meetings with our office. During small-group meetings, students will work on activity lists and take a tour of the Common Application so they go into the summer with an idea of what a college application looks like. During the individual meetings, each student will determine next steps with his college counselor.

Our hope is that each student goes home with a clear idea of what is expected of him as the year comes to a close and as he looks forward to a fun and productive summer. We will continue to send emails to parents highlighting any key ideas discussed during our meetings.

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