PlanningAheadfortheCollegeProcessBB&NClassof2021

APRIL 9, 2019

Goals for the Evening ü Understandourphilosophyandapproachü BB&N’sCollegeCounselingtimelineü Clearunderstandingofgeneraltestingplanü Roleoftestprepü Visitingcollegesü Courseselection&theCollegeListü Lookingahead:Summerandbeyond…ü Q&A

Today’s College Admissions

The climate our students face… ü Competitiveü Falsedefinitionsofa“goodcollege”ü Suggestionthatthere’sa“rightway”toapplyü Confusingtestinglandscapeü Collegeschangingexpectationsanddeadlinesü Peerandparentalpressureü SocialMediaü Cost–actualandpsychological

 “Instead of focusing on a college‘search’ to find the schools that willbest fit a student, too many familiesarefocusingoncollege‘prep,’moldingthe student to fit a school. Thispractice tells teenagers they aren’tgoodenoughunlesstheygetacertainacceptance letter, a harmfulmessagethat lingers long after the applicationprocess.”--TheAtlantic 

BB&N’s College Process ü “Thankyouforthetime.”ü Balanceü Prepforcollege,notforadmissionorcareerü Keepingthestudent’svoiceatthecenterü Coachinginsteadofguidanceü Supportinginsteadofnaggingü “StrategyPLUS”ü Goal:Happy,healthycollegestudents

General Overview • Grade10: Sometesting(PSAT,maybeSATSubTest)• Grade11: Fall–ACTv.SAT,planforprep,PSAT

Winter–Testingbegins,Meetwith CollegeCounselor,developand researchcollegelist,planvisitsSpring–Diagnosticvisits,continuetobuild collegelist,prepareforapplication Summer–Moretestprep(?),collegevisits andinterviews,writeapplications, developanapplicationplan

General Overview • Grade12: Fall–Retest/testing(ifneeded),visits.

EarlyapplicationssubmittedWinter–Applicationplanfinalized, applicationscompleted,some resultsreceived Spring–Resultsreceived,planrevisitsto makedecisions(springbreak) May1–Depositatonecollege,pursue waitlists(ifapplicable)

Focus on: TESTING PLAN

Focus on: TESTING PLAN • EarlyTesting:avoidthispothole!• Over-testing• Mathinstruction• BB&Ncourses• Developmentalnatureofthetests• Summeroptions&otherdates=plentyofchancestoretest

Focus on: TEST PREP • Tutorv.Bookworkv.Class• BB&NPartners• SummitEducationalGroup• 1-to-1tutoring,smallgrouptutoring

• MethodTestPrep(FREEtoBB&Nstudents)• Self-directed,online

• RevolutionTestPrep• Self-directed,onlineclasses,individualhelp

Focus on: TEST PREP

FREEproctoredpracticetestsofferedatSummit(oneeach)andthruRevolutionPrep

Goodtimesforgeneralandfocusedtestprep

Focus on: COLLEGE VISITS ü MarchBreak:DiagnosticVisits(2-3colleges)ü “ShouldIstartinthefall?”ü “Whataboutourschedule?”ü “Shoulds/hedointerviewsinMarch?”ü “Shouldn’twevisitwheres/hewillapply?”ü “Whydoesn’ts/herememberthatvisit?”ü “Ican’ttravelandmychildwantstogooutsideofNewEnglandforcollege.WhatdoIdo?”

Word on the street…  “Justapersonalnotefromthefacultyside…if students are visiting campus andwant totalktoaprofessor,THEYshouldbetheonessetting up the contact, not the parents.C o l l e g e f a c u l t y d on ’ t ‘ d o ’

parents...Having dad send an email to set up a time doesn’t exactly convey ‘independent collegestudent.’”

Focus on: COLLEGE VISITS ü SummerVisits(3-10colleges)ü Visitsfallofsenioryear(justafew)ü Theunexpectedvisit:duringspringbreakofsenioryear!(justafew)ü The“horrible”visitsü Demonstratedinterestü Visitmindset–suggestedapproach

Focus on: COURSE SELECTION ü Importanceofthetranscriptü Freshmanyearmatters!ü Courseselectionmatters!ü Schoolcontextmatters!ü Balancematters!ü Advisingsystem

Focus on: THE COLLEGE LIST ü Widenthelensearly,narrowlateü Collegevisitclustersü Allowforgrowthü ExpecttextureANDconformityü ListisonlyFINALwhenappsaredoneü SeekBALANCE

The Balanced List Reach Possible Likely

(Rarely) (Sometimes) (Often)

“What’syourearly

strategy?”

Focus on: SUMMER PLANS

Focus on: MY CHILD ü “Mychildisaself-starterandwantstovisitcolleges,testearly,getgoing!”ü “MychildisNOTaself-starterandIdon’twanttoleadtheprocess.Help!”

Focus on: ZEN PARENTING ü Betheconsultantnottheagentü Practiceindependenceü Cocktailpartiesandsidelinesü Keepyourvaluesatthecenterü Silencethewhitenoiseü Createyourteamü Seeyourchild

 “Comparisonisthethief ofjoy.”

 --TR