Northeast New Year's Teen Retreat

Come explore mindfulness through formal meditation periods and relational mindfulness activities on the iBme New Years teen retreat. This retreat returns to the Rolling Ridge Retreat Center in North Andover, Massachusetts.

For more information about what happens on a teen retreat please see our teen retreats page.

https://ibme.info/register/youth/northeast-new-years-teen-retreat/

Classes of 2017 and 2018- College Visit Opportunities, Summer Programs, and Scholarships

College Open Houses & Scholarships

Castleton University Decision Days
Friday December 2
castleton.edu/decision-days

Ithaca College Park Scholarship
Apply online at ithaca.edu/parkscholars
Deadline for Ithaca application is January 2
Deadline for Park Scholars application is January 15

Merrimack College
Winter Warrior Days: February 20-24
Warrior for a Day: Weekdays while classes are in session
Junior Discovery Days: April 17-21
Spring Senior Showcase: April 17-21
www.merrimack.edu/visit

RIT Fall Open House
December 2

RIT Spring Preview Day
Friday April 21, 2017
www.admissions.rit.edu

Roanoke College Spring Visits
Monday, January 16: Information Sessions and Tours
Sunday, February 19: Math & Science Exploration for Seniors
Saturday, March 25: Sophomore & Junior Visit Day
Saturday April 1: Accept Students Day
Monday April 17-21: Information Sessions and Tours
www.roanoke.edu

Salem State University
Open House: Saturday, April 29, 2017
Schedule a visit at salemstate.edu/admissions/visit

Western New England University Open Houses
December 3
March 5
April 9 (Accepted Students Day)
Register today at wne.edu/admissions or by calling 800-325-1122 ext. 1312

Summer Programs

Boston University: Introduction to Careers In Medicine (BU-ICM)
A pre-medical program that combines classroom work in the sciences with experiential, hands-on learning activities taught by distinguished clinical educators of BU School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center
Sundays in March and April 2017
Time: 10 am-2pm *lunch is provided
Tuition: $2000
Application deadline: February 9, 2017
This program is open to all high school students. Admission is based on a completed online application, high-school transcript, and one letter of recommendation from a teacher.
For more information, please visit: www.bumc.bu.edu/msed/bu-icm

Duke High School Student Programs 

Applications for Summer College and Summer Academy will be accepted beginning December 1, 2016, and continuing until each program reaches capacity. Apply early to receive preferred consideration.

• Summer College for High School Students (an academic credit program for students currently in grades 10 or 11)
• Summer Academy for High School Students (an academic enrichment program for students currently in grades 9, 10, 11, or 12)

We invite you to imagine yourself at Duke this summer if you are –

• seeking to gain academic credit from renowned Duke faculty or learn to be a Leader and a Global Citizen through personal enrichment courses;
• hoping to spend your summer enjoying residential activities such as ball games, outlet shopping, dances, talent shows, and more;
• excited to prepare for college and create an international network of peers. 

McGill Summer Academy
Sign up at www.mcgill.ca/summeracademy

RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) Pre-College
June 24 - August 5
Scholarship Application Deadline is Friday, March 10
Find more information and the application at precollege.risd.edu

Rochester Institute of Technology College & Careers Summer Program
Visit www.admission.rit.edu/careers for more information

Oxford Royale Academy's Oxford Summer School
June, July, and August 2017
Get more information and sign up at www.oxford-royale.co.uk

University of Southern California Summer Programs
2 or 4 week courses in a variety of subjects
Visit summer.usc.edu for more information and instructions on how to apply.

Scholarships

Henry David Thoreau Scholarship - Win up to a $20,000 tuition scholarship for Environmental Studies
-Awarded to outstanding MA high school seniors who are ready to meet the challenges of the ever-evolving, interdisciplinary field of environmental studies
Submit an online application by February 1 via www.thoreauscholar.org

Statewide Girls STEM Summit

Bridgton Academy Group Information Session - PG Year Opportunity

You're invited to Bridgton Academy's

Veteran's Day
Group Information Session

There's still time to RSVP!
Bridgton Academy will be hosting a fall Group Information Session this Friday, November 11th. We welcome any students, guidance counselors, athletic directors, coaches, or school administrators who are interested in coming to our campus to learn more about Bridgton Academy and our mission and programs. If you have a student who could benefit from the opportunity of a postgraduate year, or if you'd personally like to see first-hand what the Academy is all about, we encourage you to visit!

What is a "GIS"?

Bridgton's Group Information Sessions offer visitors an in-depth opportunity to learn more about Bridgton Academy. Participants will embark on a student-led campus tour and hear a presentation from our Admissions, College Counseling, and Academic Offices. At the conclusion of the day, guests will also have the opportunity to meet school administrators and coaches for individual discussion. Any students interested in playing soccer, hockey, or lacrosse at the Academy are also invited to participate in afternoon practices with the team.

We hope to see you there!

We look forward to seeing you on our campus this Veteran's Day! If you are curious about Bridgton, our Group Information Session is the perfect time to see campus and learn more about "The Year That Makes The Difference!"

To RSVP, please visit Bridgton's website. If you have questions about Bridgton Academy or our Group Information Sessions, please email info@bridgtonacademy.org or call (207) 647-3322, ext. 1.

Would you like to visit campus but can't make our GIS dates?
Please contact the Admission Office to schedule your individual visit at a time this fall that is convenient for you!

Challenge Success: Health Connections in the Digital Age

Share Tweet Forward We were thrilled to welcome nearly 1,400 parents, educators, and students to Stanford on September 30th for our largest parent education event of the year, Media Rules: Healthy Connections in the Digital Age, featuring keynote speaker Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair. A full recording of the program is now available on YouTube. With the event title, Media Rules, we played on three different definitions of the word rules as it relates to media: Media is cool; it's awe-inspiring; it’s a positive force — it rules. What are the rules of media to follow in order to maintain balance, safety, and health for your family? Media rules all of our lives. It can feel overwhelming and all-encompassing in everything we do.  Though it was an ambitious topic to fully cover in a 1.5 hour program, Dr. Steiner-Adair, along with our Co-Founders, Dr. Denise Pope and Dr. Madeline Levine, provided our community with important research and offered specific advice on how to navigate the media revolution — see below for two lists that highlight some of our favorite takeaways from the event. Living in the Digital Age In the United States, the average age that kids get their first smartphone is 10 years old. The manner in which teenagers use technology is generally positive, but the amount of time spent using technology is concerning. Middle schoolers are on devices for non-academic reasons from 2 to 5 hours a day. High schoolers are on screens for non-academic reasons for an average of 9 hours a day; this is more hours per day than they sleep!   Never before has it been possible to connect with friends and family 24/7. Technology can strengthen our relationships, but paradoxically, it can also strain them. With unlimited access to technology, we have lost the boundaries between home and school, and home and work. Kids have unprecedented access to the adult world via the internet. There is a premature loss of innocence that is occurring with widespread connectivity. TV watching is passive; phones are stimulating. Human brains crave the stimulant. A generation ago, kids would come home in the afternoon and have a break from the social drama at school. Today's kids don't have that luxury. Often, they return home and immediately log in to technology where the social pressures continue to play out. Texting eliminates two of the most essential tools for healthy relationships — tone of voice and the opportunity to see the impact of your words on the recipient. Kids experience FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) if they do not check social media while studying. Every time a student takes a “break” from studying to respond to a text, he/she loses the previous 9 minutes of what has been learned. These quick "breaks" are counterproductive to the learning process. Tips to Manage Media Restrict the use of devices in the car. Car rides offer a great opportunity for conversation with our children. When parents talk on the phone while driving with kids, we inadvertently tell them that a conversation with the person on the other end of the phone is more important than an in-person discussion with them. Prohibit devices at the dinner table; this is sacred family time which should be preserved. Talk with your children about appropriate online conduct. Many adults are naive about their children’s exposure to harmful online behavior. Even if your own children’s usage is benign, it’s likely that they have observed poor behavior by others. Don’t text your kids during the day at school; it’s distracting. It makes children anxious when parents innocently text, "How'd you do on the test, honey?" This takes away their independence and the parent-child separation they deserve during school time. Avoid reaching for your phone first thing in the morning. What you see in your inbox instantly frames your day and doesn't allow you the opportunity to create your own agenda — it immediately places you in a reactive mode. Have your kids disengage from technology at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour, before bed. The blue light that devices emit stimulates the retina and decreases the brain's production of melatonin, which makes falling asleep more difficult. Set a time in the evening by which all devices are out of the bedroom. Not only will your teenagers get more sleep, but this “curfew” will help support time management skills. Teenagers (and adults) should not use their phones as alarm clocks. If a phone is by their bedside, they will be tempted to respond to texts and social media, which will delay or interrupt sleep. Through middle school, look through your children’s texts and let them know you’re doing it. Don’t view this as policing, but rather trying to give them perspective that their online activity is never truly private. Be curious; don’t stick your head in the sand out of fear of finding out what your kids are doing online. Display interest and create a dialogue — they are often doing something productive and would value your genuine interest and support.  Be sure to view the entire video for more information and insight, and feel free to share the link with friends and family. Refer to the following timestamps to help guide you through the recording: 6:00  Introduction of program by Co-Founders Dr. Denise Pope and Dr. Madeline Levine 19:00   Keynote address by Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair 55:14 Student speaker, Hannah Thompson, Dover-Sherborn Public High School 1:02:02 Student vignettes and interactive panel discussion Strategies for Healthy, Well-Balanced Kids and Stronger Schools At Challenge Success, we believe that our society has become too focused on grades, test scores, and performance, leaving little time for kids to develop the necessary skills needed to become resilient, ethical, and engaged learners. We provide schools and families with the information and strategies they need to create a more balanced and academically fulfilling life for their kids. Learn more about our impact and how to support our mission. Challenge Success is a non-profit organization affiliated with the Stanford University Graduate School of Education.

Duke Summer Program

Summer at Duke - 2017 Available Now!

Use your summer to prepare for college, learn from renowned professors, and experience a truly international program.  Last Summer over 500 lucky high school students spent the month of July at Duke University taking classes, going on excursions, enjoying great residential activities, and making friends from around the world! 

Visit our website (www.duke.edu) to review the 2017 programs dates and details:

If you are currently in Grades 10 or  11, you can take classes with Duke Professors and earn college credit through Summer College.

If you are currently in grades 9 -12, you can enjoy personal enrichment classes with a global perspective through Summer Academy

Updates - 10/28/16

Guidance Updates: 

For UMass Amherst, your Early Action deadline is November 1. However, they have given guidance counselors an extension to get supporting materials to them. FYI, we will not submit your school records until term 1 grades are official, per their request.

As a reminder, admissions processing centers often send an automatic reminder to students to submit their materials, even if everything has been sent in. Once you receive notice with instructions on how to set up an account with their admissions office, be sure to do so.  This will be how you find out what their admissions decisions is when it is released.  It may take a few weeks for their system to update that your application is complete

Yellow sheets are due November 1 for November 15 deadlines!
Also, if you haven’t seen your counselor yet this year and you are applying regular or rolling decision, please connect with him/her next week. 

CSS Profile Deadlines

There are a number of private colleges that require the CSS Profile through CollegeBoard for financial aid purposes. If you are applying early to schools that require the CSS Profile, it is highly recommended that you investigate the college's website to find the deadline for filing the CSS Profile for an early application.

See www.collegeboard.org for more information on the CSS Profile and a list of schools that require it for financial aid. (Scroll all the way to the bottom and click, CSS Profile/Financial Aid)

 

ACT: 
December 10 - deadline to register is November 4
February 11 - deadline to register is January 13

SAT: 
December 3 - deadline to register is November 3
January 21 - deadline to register is December 21

Open Houses and Information Sessions

Brandeis University Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program (MKTYP) information session
Wednesday, November 2, 2016.
The schedule for the event will be:
              8:30AM           Light breakfast & check-in
              9:00AM           MKTYP Information Session
              9:45AM           Q&A with Admissions and MKTYP Directors
            10:15AM           Student panel with MKTYP students
            11:00AM           Campus tour led by current MKTYP students
You are welcome to stay for lunch to experience more of our Brandeis community.

Register for the event at www.brandeis.edu.

UMass Boston’s 13th Annual Parent & Family NightMonday, November 7th from 6:30-8:30pm
Refreshments will be served

Admissions representatives will be discussing:
•    Distinctive academic opportunities including access programs and the UMass Boston Honors College
•    Admissions requirements and deadlines
•    University support services
•    Financing an education: financial aid, scholarships & grants

Curry College Open House
Saturday October 30
10am - 2pm
For more information or to RSVP online go to curry.edu/openhouse


Emmanuel College Open House
Saturday October 29

Lesley University Undergraduate Open House    
Sunday, October 30
9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Cambridge, MA
http://www.lesley.edu/undergraduate-open-house/?utm_source=agile&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=186UADMEM17_Oct_Open_House_to_Influencers

MassBay Community College Open House
Saturday November 19, 2016
9:45 am - 12:30 pm
www.massbay.edu

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Fall 2016 Open Houses
Saturday October 29 and Saturday November 12
RSVP today at mcla.edu/visiting


Merrimack College Open House
Sunday November 6

Middlesex Community College
Fall Open House: Saturday October 29 at Bedford Campus
Campus Tours: November 3, December 1, December 15 January 18 (Lowell Cowan Center Lobby)
November 16, December 6, January 10 (Bedford Enrollment Center)
Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu to register for a tour.

New England School of Photography Open House
Saturday, November 5
11am-2pm
RSVP by November 3 with your name and the number in your party.
openhouse.nesop.edu


Nichols College Decision Day
November 13
Register at www.nichols.edu

Northern Essex Community College Open House
November 5, 2016
10am - 12pm
For more information, email admissions@necc.mass.edu

University of Rhode Island Fall Open House
Saturday, October 29
RSVP online at uri.edu/admission

Roanoke College Information Sessions and Tours: Tuesday November 8
Fall Visit Day: Saturday November 19

Rochester Institute of Technology
Open Houses
November 12 and December 2
www.rit.edu

Rutgers University Engineering Open Houses
Friday, November 4 and Friday, November 18
Tours begin at 10 a.m. at the Visitor Center with an admissions information session, followed by a five-campus bus tour. During the bus tour, families will be able to view one of the first-year residence halls on the Busch Campus. They will also break for lunch (on their own) before heading to the school-specific portion of the day at 1:15 p.m. A detailed itinerary is provided once a student is registered. Register at http://soe.rutgers.edu/tours

On Thursday, November 10 the tour will begin at 1 p.m. at the Visitor Center and will include an Engineering Dean's Overview, Student Panel, and an engineering departmental visit. Again, a detailed itinerary will be provided once registered.

Department options include one of the following:
•    Biomedical & Civil/Environmental
•    Chemical/Biochemical & Materials Science
•    Electrical/Computer & Industrial Systems
•    Mechanical/Aerospace & Applied Science/Packaging

Families can register for these tours while space is available at admissions.rutgers.edu/tours. To learn more about the engineering tours, please visit soe.rutgers.edu/tours.

University of Scranton Open House
Sunday November 6
9am - 2pm
Register online at scranton.edu/openhouse

Springfield College Fall Open House
November 6
For more information, and to register, visit springfield.edu/openhouse

Wentworth Institute of Technology
October 30 or November 20
To RSVP and more information, visit wit.edu/visit or call 617-989-4000

Massachusetts Daughters of the American Revolution, Inc. Scholarship
Scholarships in the amount of $1,000 are determined annually by the MDAR Scholarship Committee.

The objective of the MDAR Scholarship is to assist worthy young men and women, who are graduating high school seniors, to acquire higher education in colleges, commercial, technical and profession education institutions with a view of becoming competent, self-reliant productive citizens.

Please note:
*     Applicants must be United States Citizens and residents of Massachusetts
*     Applicants must be a member of the senior class of a secondary school in Massachusetts and rank scholastically in the upper 10% of the class.
      They must have been accepted, or plan to attend an institution of higher learning.
*     Applications must be made on the official MDAR, Inc. Scholarship Application and Need Form *     Application Deadline: February 15, 2017
*     Email jeansi@comcast.net for more information.