Class of 2019 Updates

Parents of the Class of 2019

On February 7, 2018 during Advisory, the Guidance Department will be presenting "Life After WA" to the students, which describes the entire college research and admissions process.

Parents, you are invited to hear the same presentation at our Junior Parent Seminar on Tuesday, Feburary 13, 2018 at 6:30pm in the PAC.

After February vacation, Guidance Counselors will begin to meet with students and their parents/guardians regarding individual post-secondary plans. There will be specific tasks for the student to complete in Naviance before this meeting can be scheduled.

SAT
March 10 Test Date - Registration deadline February 9 (at WA)
May 5 Test Date - Registration deadline April 6

ACT
April 14 Test Date - Registration deadline March 9
June 9 Test Date - Registration deadline May 4

SPRING OPEN HOUSES

Beacon College Spring Open Houses
February 17, March 24, April 14, and May 19
http://www.beaconcollege.edu/visit-beacon/

George Mason University Volgenau School of Engineering Visit Days
These special engineering open house events are reserved for high school juniors, and feature a complimentary luncheon, admissions and academic information session, a tour of campus, and an opportunity to meet with faculty members from our academic programs.
Please have your students RSVP individually for one of the two sessions:
Monday, March 5, 2018
9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
or
Monday, March 19, 2018
9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

UMass Lowell Junior Preview Day
Saturday, April 28, 2018 from 8:30 a.m. – noon.
Juniors in high school will get a chance to:
Hear from Admissions
Learn about our programs of study
See our campus
Gain valuable information about preparing an application for admission 
Review the financial aid process
Registration is now live - www.uml.edu

Lynn University Saturday Preview Days
February 17, March 24 or April 28
Register today at lynn.edu/visit

Nichols College Special Visit Days
February 19th, Presidents Day Information Session
February 20th, Psychology Shadow Day
February 21st, Communications & Marketing Shadow Day
February 22nd, Accounting, Finance, & Economics Shadow Day or Criminal Justice Shadow Day
February 23rd, Sport Management Shadow Day
A full list of tour times and upcoming events can be found at www.nichols.edu or call 800-470-3379 for more information. 

Rutgers Engineering Knight for a Day
Fridays: February 9, February 16, and April 20
Department options include one of the following:
Biomedical & Chemical/Biochemical
Civil/Environmental & Materials Science
Electrical/Computer & Industrial Systems
Mechanical/Aerospace & Applied Science/Packaging
Families can register for these tours while space is available. To learn more about the engineering tours, please visit soe.rutgers.edu/tours







SUMMER PROGRAMS

Adelphi University’s Summer Pre-College program is an exciting way for high school students to get a taste of college life while earning college credit. But, more importantly, it can be an unforgettable experience that leads to a fulfilling, lifelong career.

Open to students entering their sophomore, junior or senior year of high school, Adelphi’s pre-college experience brings together diverse students from all over the world to live, learn and explore all that our University has to offer.

Visit precollege.adelphi.edu for more information.

Boston University Smmer Term
Academic Immersion or Research in Science & Engineering
Visit bu.edu/summer/highschool

Cornell University Summer College
Various programs (two weeks - six weeks)
Admissions deadline (for most programs) - May 4
Learn more at summercollege.cornell.edu

Furman University Summer Scholars
Session 1: July 8-14
Session 2: July 15-21
Application deadline: May 1
For more course information and to register, visit furman.edu/summerscholars.

LaunchX Entrepreneurship Program
https://launchx.com/summer-program/

Stevens Institute of Technology Pre-College Programs
Programs in various subjects and disciplines
Visit stevens.edu/summer for more information

Suffolk University Stepping Stone to Business program
July 9-20, 2018
For more information, including application and tuition, contact Kim Larkin at klarkin@suffolk.edu

Syracuse University Summer College 2018 
Students will:

Choose from 30+ credit and non-credit programs, 2 to 6 weeks in length
Explore college majors and future professions
Develop their portfolio for Art, Design, or Architecture school
Study at the college level—all programs are led by SU faculty and instructors
Make lifelong friends from across the country and around the world
Your students can apply online.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis—and many programs fill early—so share this with your students right away!

Please visit our web site for further details:http://summercollege.syr.edu/

ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITY

Harvard College Global Health and Leadership Conference
An opportunity for ambitious high school students to share about their experiences with community engagement and learn from guest speakers and groups here at Harvard. An amazing opportunity for young students to engage with global health topics and develop their communication and leadership skills.

The Harvard College Global Health and Leadership Conference will be at Harvard on April 28th and 29th from 10-4pm. The conference is $15 for one day (Saturday or Sunday) and $20 for the weekend (Saturday and Sunday) for students.

You can learn more from our application: https://harvard.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_57pSGTgaTWSZdel

NEACRAO George Coleman Scholarship

The George Coleman Scholarship
Sponsored by the New England Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (NEACRAO)

Each year, the New England Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers awards scholarships to three high school graduates who will be enrolling in a NEACRAO member institution for the fall semester of that year. Each high school graduate who is selected is awarded $2,000*. Each recipient of the scholarship is selected from candidates who are recommended by New England secondary school guidance professionals.
*Upon proof of enrollment at the NEACRAO member institution for the fall semester of that year.

BACKGROUND
In an effort to promote and reward academic excellence and the pursuit of a post-secondary degree, the New England Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers solicits from New England secondary school guidance professionals the names of and recommendations for 2018 high school graduates who will be enrolling in a NEACRAO member institution in the fall of 2018.

Applications for this scholarship shall be made available to any student who meets the criteria. The application may be printed from the link below

PROCEDURES FOR APPLICATIONS
Scholarship applications must be submitted by March 15, 2018. The NEACRAO Scholarship Committee will review all scholarship applications that are received to our scholarship email by March 15th. In the event that no applications are made for the scholarship in a given year, the award set aside for that year shall be distributed in the following year.
https://neacrao.org/about/scholarship-information/

We the Students Essay Contest 2017-2018

Should schools be able to keep tabs on students’ social media to prevent internet bullying? Should there be regulations that prohibit a president from tweeting? With our “We the Students” essay contest, you could win prizes just for sharing your thoughts on these issues!

Each year, We the Students gives 8-12th-grade students from across the U.S. a chance to share their perspective on a trending topic.

This year’s prompt: To what extent in the U.S. does the government–federal, state, and local–have the duty to monitor internet content?

We are awarding $20,000+ in scholarship and prizes to the students who submit the best essays on the topic.

• 1st Place – $5,000 and a scholarship to our 2018 Constitutional Academy in Washington, D.C.
• Runners Up – Six prizes at $1,250 each
• Honorable Mentions – Eight prizes at $500 each

For more details, and to enter, visit, http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/engage/students-programs-events/scholarship/ to submit your 500-800-word essay before February 5, 2018.
Sign-up For The Contest!

Class of 2018: Scholarships and more

ATTENTION SENIORS!
University Cap & Gown will be in the upper cafeteria on February 1st and 2nd during all four lunches to measure seniors for their graduation gown and to take orders for seniors to purchase their cap, gown and tassel.  Caps are $5, gowns are $11, and tassels are $2.00 ($18.00 total for all three.)  Please make checks payable to UNIVERSITY CAP & GOWN.

Framingham State University On-Campus Portfolio Review and Visit Day, held twice a year, is an opportunity for potential students to meet individually with representatives of the faculty and discuss their work, ambitions and interest in the major. It is intended to be primarily informational and to help the student prepare their portfolio for admission to the Studio Art major. High School Juniors, Seniors and Transfer Students are welcome and encouraged to attend.

We will begin by touring our facilities and welcoming prospective students and parents, then each student will be able to meet one-on-one with faculty to get feedback on their portfolios. We are asking students to arrive at either 3:00pm, or 4:00pm for these information sessions and tours.

Please encourage your students to RSVP and attend by directing them to the following URL - http://www.framinghamstateart.info/portfolioday/

Siena College Instant Admit Day
Tuesday, February 20
www.siena.edu
Students who attend are guaranteed to get an admissions decision, including a merit scholarship worth up to $21,000/year.

Lesley University Workshop Visit DaySunday, January 28
9:00 am – 2:00 pm (arrive at 8:30am)

RSVP today: http://www.lesley.edu/events/january-undergraduate-workshop-visit-day
 
**Additional scholarships can be found on Naviance under Scholarship List

Abbott and Fenner Scholarship Program

Abbott & Fenner Business Consultants are pleased to be able to continue with our scholarship program for the 11th year.

We will be awarding up to $1,000 to the winner(s) each year.

Scholarship Deadline   -  June 14, 2018.

Application Process
Students will submit an essay on the topic that appears on the scholarship page of our web site:  [ http://www.abbottandfenner.com/scholarships.htm ]http://www.abbottandfenner.com/scholarships.htm
Full details are available on our site.

Rebekah Assembly of Massachusetts, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Scholarship
$500
Application deadline is March 15, 2018
Application can be found on Naviance or in the Guidance office

Cohen & Jaffe Law Office Scholarship
One applicant will be awarded a $1000 scholarship for first prize, one applicant will be awarded $500 for runner-up, and three applicants will be awarded $250 for honorable mention. Scholarship award recipients will be notified of the selection on or before June 1, 2018.

Students eligible will be asked to write a one-page essay of no less than 500 and no more than 750 words on one of three topics found on the scholarship page; which can be found below:
https://www.cohenjaffe.com/college-scholarship/

Please advise that completed applications must be submitted no later than April 2, 2018.

Upcoming scholarships at collegexpress.com

$1,000
Scholarship: 2018 Ag Day Essay Contest
Due Date: January 31

$5,000-$10,000
Scholarship: ExploraVision Science Competition
Due Date: February 8

$250-$3,000
Scholarship: Courageous Persuaders Video Contest
Due Date: February 9

$100-$1,000
Scholarship: 28th Annual Poster Contest for High School Students
Due Date: February 19

$1,000
Scholarship: Scholars Helping Collars Scholarship
Due Date: February 28

Summer Opportunities Fair

Phillips Academy Andover would like to invite your students and their families to our 28th Annual Summer Opportunities Fair. 

2018 Summer Opportunities Fair

Sunday, January 21, 2018 – Noon to 3 PM

PHILLIPS ACADEMY ANDOVER -- SMITH CENTER 

Programs for Middle & High School Students

FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Representatives from 100 local, national, and international programs.

Focus on academic programs, language study, community service, camps, sports, arts, research, internships, outdoor adventure, international travel, & gap year opportunities.

Are Colleges Pushing Students to Do Too Much in High School?

Counselor issues critique that college admissions demands are pushing high school students to make bad choices

Inside Higher Ed (insidehighered.com)

Submitted by Scott Jaschik on January 15, 2018 - 3:00am

 

The advice is repeated constantly to high school students: take the most rigorous schedule of courses possible to impress colleges to which you apply.

A short essay circulating last week among college counselors who help high school students is urging colleges to put a halt to that advice, and to stop encouraging high school students to outdo one another with the number of Advanced Placement and other college-level courses they take.

"Who started it? 'We expect applicants to take the most demanding schedule available to them'? That is the source of one of the most cruel, and truly unnecessary, abuses of our children. These words send students, so many students, into depression and despair and hopelessness. The words are meant for those elite students who can do it all. The words have the greatest effect, though, a truly pernicious one, on those who aspire to stay in the ballpark for a ball that is likely to forever be out of reach," wrote Scott White, a college counselor in New Jersey who works both in high schools and in a small private practice.

Added White, "I've been in this business since 1981 and have seen a remarkable increase in the number of kids who are just falling apart, checking out, harming themselves and medicating themselves. There are more suicide attempts, students cutting themselves, more hospitalizations, more cases of anorexia and bulimia, every year. And there is every sign that this will continue to rise, unabated, into the foreseeable future."

White posted his essay to an email list of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, and fellow counselors have been praising the piece.

In his essay, White said that there is nothing wrong with encouraging students to take challenging courses. But colleges could alleviate stress and still have plenty of information on which to make their decisions if they would learn from 2013 research [1] published in The Journal of College Admission Counseling, he said

That research examined college performance by first-year students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a highly competitive flagship university. The study found a strong correlation between students taking up to five college-level courses in high school and their first-year grade point average. More college-level courses -- up to five -- yielded higher academic performance in college. For students taking six or more college-level courses, gains in first-year GPA were marginal or even negative. The average grades for students who had taken 10 college-level courses in high school were the same as those who had taken only five such courses.

The piece was by Steve Farmer, vice provost for enrollment and undergraduate admissions at Chapel Hill, and Jen Kretchmar, senior assistant director of research in undergraduate admissions at the university. They wrote that Chapel Hill would start telling applicants that it was wise to take up to five college-level courses in high school, and that that number was enough. Some students may want to take more, but they said they wouldn't favor such students over those who took other courses that reflected their academic strengths and interests.

White said it's time for all colleges to do the same thing.

In an interview, White said he was prompted to issue his call for reform by reflecting on the experience of his daughter, who took nine Advanced Placement courses in high school, earning a score of 4 or 5 on each of the tests. White said her experience was "horrific" in that she lost time she might have spent on other activities. "Those courses consumed her life," he said.

White said that, in his advising of high school students, he feels that the pressures of colleges force him to discourage students from taking electives they find interesting or pursuing important interests in favor of taking more AP courses.

Colleges, he said, including colleges that aren't at the very top of the academic and prestige ladder, pretend that they benefit from reviewing a transcript with 10 college-level courses, and that forces high school students to take the courses.

In his essay, he writes, "I don't believe anything pernicious is going on. There is a tiny, tiny number of colleges who can actually 'expect applicants to take the most demanding schedule available to them.' And many others who aspire to be elite repeat the phrase. What could be the damage? The damage is that students are collapsing on the treadmill trying to keep up."

Will higher education change? Will other admissions leaders follow the lead of those at Chapel Hill? Some college leaders have periodically spoken out on the issue. In 2012, Stuart Schmill wrote an essay [2] for Inside Higher Ed in which he lamented the trend of students dropping out of meaningful activities just to take more AP courses. He was prompted by his experience meeting high school students at a robotics competition and being told students were afraid to continue in the program unless it awarded AP credit.

But to judge from the reaction White has received, it is unclear whether admissions guidance will change. Since he shared the essay, reaction has been strong on the NACAC list and in direct email messages he has received. But White said he has yet to hear from anyone on the college side of admissions.

Smart Title: 

Are Colleges Pushing Students to Do Too Much in High School?

Section: 

Admissions [3]

Editorial Tags: 

Admissions [4]

Jobs tags: 

Admissions / registrar [5]

Ad keywords: 

admissions [6]

Publication Date: 

Monday, January 15, 2018

Class of 2019 Updates + Summer Programs

Parents of the Class of 2019

On February 7, 2018 during Advisory, the Guidance Department will be presenting "Life After WA" to the students, which describes the entire college research and admissions process.

Parents, you are invited to hear the same presentation at our Junior Parent Seminar on Tuesday, Feburary 13, 2018 at 6:30pm in the PAC.

After February vacation, Guidance Counselors will begin to meet with students and their parents/guardians regarding individual post-secondary plans. There will be specific tasks for the student to complete in Naviance before this meeting can be scheduled.

Upcoming SAT/ACT Test Dates

SAT: March 10, registration deadline February 9 *offered at WA

ACT: April 14, registration deadline March 9 

Attention Sophomores and Juniors:  

Kaplan Test Prep and Acton Boxborough Community Education will be hosting an SAT vs ACT combination practicetest on Saturday, 2/3/18 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Acton-Boxborough High School, 36 Charter Rd, Acton MA. Students should arrive no later than 8:45 to sign in. Students should bring (2) #2 pencils, a calculator, water, and snack as well as a fully charged smart phone or tablet.  

Great news -- students will leave the practice test with their scores. They will need to bring a fully charged smartphone or tablet to use only after the completion of the test for scoring. In order for the scoring to work properly, students MUST be registered for the practice test by Friday January 27th.  If you have more than one student taking the practice test, please use a unique email for each student.

To register, please visit http://bit.ly/ABcombo18.

For questions, please contact Program Manager, Erin McLean at erin.mclean@kaplan.com.

Boston University Winter Visit Day 

Friday, February 23, 2018
Boston University George Sherman Union
775 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts
Registration: 8:30 a.m.
Program: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

For more information about Winter Visit Day, please visit our website: 

http://www.bu.edu/admissions/visit-us/winter-visit-day/

Hackathon for High School Students- Whiteboard Hacks the Start
Presented by MIT Enterprise Forum, CIC, and Whiteboard Youth Ventures

Saturday, February 3, 2018
9:00AM-7:00PM
Venture Cafe, 5th Floor
CIC Cambridge, OBW

Why wait to start your entrepreneurial journey? Join us on Saturday, February 3rd for a one-day "Hack the Start" hackathon focused on helping high school students take the first steps to starting their own venture. Co-hosted by CIC, MIT Enterprise Forum, and Whiteboard Youth Ventures. Experts and mentors will be on site to help with ideation, prototpying, and pitching. Cash prizes for winners.

Visit bitly.com/hackthestart for more information. 

Summer Program Opportunities

 

2018 Summer Term High Schools Programs at Boston University 

For more information, visit: bu.edu/summer/highschool.
Programs offered:
High School Honors is a six-week residential, commuter, or online program in which students take Boston University undergraduate courses and earn up to eight transferable college credits. Students must be entering their junior or senior year of high school in Fall 2018.

RISE Internship/Practicum is a six-week non-credit residential or commuter program in which students conduct scientific research in a university lab under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Students must be entering their senior year of high school in Fall 2018.

Academic Immersion (AIM) is a three-week non-credit residential program for students to focus intensively on a single academic topic while enjoying and experiencing life on a college campus. This summer we are offering two AIM tracks: Introduction to Experimental Psychology and Introduction to Medicine. Both tracks combine classroom work in the sciences with experiential learning activities. Students must be entering their junior or senior year of high school in Fall 2018.

Summer Challenge is a two-week residential program in which students take two non-credit seminars of their choice and experience life on a college campus. Students must be entering their sophomore, junior, or senior year of high school in Fall 2018.

Summer Preview is a one-week non-credit commuter or residential program in which students explore one subject of interest while previewing the college experience. Students must be entering their freshman or sophomore year of high school in Fall 2018.
Contact summerhs@bu.edu with any questions.

Champlain College Young Writers' Conference

May 25-27

Now in our eighteenth year, our doors are open to high school students who wish to share their passion for story, drama, and song with their writerly brothers and sisters-and with celebrated New England authors. We offer three days of readings, improv theatre, Moth storytelling, poetry slams, literary jazz/blues fusion, and extended friendship on the hillside campus of Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont.

For more information, visit: https://www.champlain.edu/young-writers-conference

New England Center for Investigative Reporting Pre-College Summer Journalism Institute, based at the Boston University College of Communication

Using the city of Boston as our news beat, students are assigned to newsrooms and work with award-winning journalists as their editors to cover different stories in the Boston area. At the end of the two weeks, every student will have two to four articles to add to his or her professional portfolio.

Students have the option of living on campus to have the full Boston University Terrier life experience.

Our three, two-week workshops begin on June 25 and run through August 3. During each session, students will also attend guest lectures from experts and local journalists; visit historic sites and museums such as Fenway Park and the Museum of Fine Arts; participate in group community service; receive unofficial tours of local colleges, and more.

For more information about our program, visit our website: http://studentprograms.necir.org/pre-college-summer-institute/

GW Pre-College: Summer Programs for High School Students
High school students in the Pre-College Program spend a summer in Washington, D.C., taking advantage of GW's expertise in global development, international relations, public policy and administration, politics, diplomacy, history, biomedical engineering, museum studies and the arts.
Scholarship Application Deadline: March 1, 2018
https://summer.gwu.edu/precollege

Summer Pre-College 2018 at UMass Amherst
You will find the application on our pre-college website: http://summerinfo.umass.edu
We have worked with faculty across campus to increase greatly the scope of options for this summer. In addition to popular existing programs like Equine Science, Sport Management & Leadership Academy, Summer Engineering Institute, and Summer Design Academy, we have added programs in new topics including:
Summer Portraiture Intensive
Black Lives Matter: Race and Policing in the U.S.
Engaging Communities
We have also added many new lab placements for students who would like to work with faculty on live research in a university setting.


Rutgers University–New Brunswick is excited to announce an opportunity for students interested in engineering. The Rutgers School of Engineering is offering the chance for students to participate in a new Pre-Engineering Summer Academy to develop their knowledge and skills through real-world field experiences.
This intensive one-week certificate program will introduce students to a variety of engineering areas
Eligible students must:
Be between the ages of 16-18
Have completed courses in pre-calculus and physics
Submit an online application
Interested in learning more? Attend an online information session or visit http://summersession.rutgers.edu/precollege-academies/preengineering 
You can also email j.holober@admissions.rutgers.edu.

Summer Programs 2018

Cornell University Summer College
Various programs, 2, 3, and 6 week
For more information, visit summercollege.cornell.edu

Holy Cross Women's Institute of Summer Experimental Research
For young women entering 11 & 12 grade
July 16 - August 3
To learn more and apply, visit www.holycross.edu/WISER

Northeastern University Accelerate: Pre-College Programs
Various programs throughout the summer, focus on Engineering, BioE, Health Professions, Experience Design, and Entrepreneurship
Visit https://www.northeastern.edu/precollegeprograms/ for more information.

Pratt Institute Pre-College Programs
Brooklyn Campus
July 2-27
Visit www.pratt.edu/precollege for more information

University of Pennsylvania Engineering Summer Academy
For students entering grades 10, 11 & 12
July 8-28
Priority Application Deadline: February 26, 2018
Visit https://esap.seas.upenn.edu/ for more information

RISD Pre-College
For students entering grades 11 & 12
June 23-August 4
Scholarship deadline: February 2, 2018
Final Deadline: April 13, 2018
Visit precollege.risd.edu to apply online.

Summer at Smith College
For young women entering grades 9, 10, 11, & 12
Various programs all throughout the summer, focus on Science, writing, women's studies, sustainability, or college applications
Priority deadline is March 1
Visit www.smith.edu/summer for additional information.

Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies
Programs in Sports Business, Humanities, Arts, Artificial Intelligence, Math, and more.
To learn more, visit: spcs.stanford.edu/collegecounselor

Summer at Tufts University
Programs, such as "Tufts College Experience", "Tufts College Intensives", and "Summer Sesion for High Schoolers" offered July - August
Visit go.tufts.edu/precollege for more information about applications

University of Miami Summer Scholars Program
For students entering grades 11 & 12
July 7 - July 27
Application deadline: March 1, 2018
www.miami.edu/ssp

WPI Frontiers Pre-College Experience
For students entering grades 11 & 12
Session 1: July 8-20
Session 2: July 22-August 3
Apply at wpi.edu/+frontiers by April 1, 2018
For additional programs, visit wpi.edu/+summer

Class of 2019 Update

Juniors and Parents/Guardians,

Happy New Year!  As we begin 2018, we are beginning to shift our focus onto you and "Life after WA". We wanted to share some information to get you started:

1. Most communication from the guidance office is published here, on our blog, which can be found at http://waguidance.blogspot.com. Please check the blog regularly and/or subscribe for email updates using the “Follow by Email” box on the right side.  Use the labels to filter posts relevant to you (i.e. Class of 2019 updates)

2. Please sign in to your Naviance account and edit your profiles to ensure all email addresses are accurate, as we will also send emails to students and parents through our Naviance program throughout the year.

3. On February 7, 2018 during Advisory, the Guidance Department will be presenting "Life After WA" to the students, which describes the entire college research and admissions process.
Parents, you are invited to hear the same presentation at our Junior Parent Seminar on Tuesday, February 13, 2018 at 6:30pm in the PAC.

After February vacation, Guidance Counselors will begin to meet with students and their parents/guardians regarding individual post-secondary plans. There will be specific tasks for the student to complete in Naviance before this meeting can be scheduled.