OVERVIEW

FOUR-YEAR OUTLINE FROM THE COLLEGE COUNSELING OFFICE

THIRD FORM YEAR:  Begin your high school career with a positive and ambitious attitude. You should always strive to challenge yourself academically and personally, building skills and habits that will give you a solid foundation for life long learning.

Take challenging courses that build solid academic skills.
Develop good study skills.
Read independently to build a strong vocabulary.
Get involved! Take advantage of the athletic, artistic and community service opportunities that Portsmouth Abbey offers to you.

FOURTH FORM YEAR:  Continue to build your academic skills and involvement in the school community.

Maintain good grades, working as diligently and at the highest level possible.
Stay active in extra curricular activities, remembering that the quality of your involvement is important.
Take the PSAT in October. The results are not put on your Portsmouth Abbey transcript and not used for college admission.
Study your PSAT results to find areas where you can improve your performance on the standardized tests you will take in the future.
If recommended by the Office of Academic Affairs, register to take SAT II subject tests in May.
Plan your courses for junior and senior year - making sure that the courses you select are appropriately challenging.
Use your summer sensibly. Take advantage of job opportunities, courses, travel, community service and other activities that are academically and personally enriching.

FIFTH FORM YEAR: Work diligently to maintain good grades.  Junior year grades are extremely important, especially if a student is considering applying to college as an early decision or early action candidate. Continue to maintain significant involvement in athletics and extra-curricular activities that interest you.

October take PSAT. These scores are the standardized test scores used to identify students for National Merit Scholarships and National Hispanic Scholars Program.

January take SAT I reasoning test and register to take the SAT II subject tests in May. The college counselors meet with the class to explain the admissions process and to impress upon the class the importance of grades and to inform them of the resources available at the school.  Students receive a self-evaluation questionnaire to be completed and returned to the college counselors.  Schedule individual meetings with your college counselor to begin to formulate a college list.

February Continue to research colleges and identify schools that you would like to visit during Spring Break and over the summer. Attend the Fifth Form College Seminar held for students and parents.

March Students are encouraged to visit colleges during spring break. The majority of colleges host prospective student visitation programs most of the year.  This is a good time to schedule an interview, if the college conducts individual interviews.  Prepare yourself for the interview by researching the school and preparing questions to ask the interviewer. College visits help you to clarify and refine your college list.

April Continue meetings with your college counselor. Formulate a list of colleges the you would like to explore at the Independent School College Fair.  Research summer programs, employment and volunteer opportunities that will insure you are using the summer vacation in a positive way.

May Take SAT II subject tests. Students must take a Writing and Mathematics test. The third can be a science, history, or language, whichever he/she feels best prepared to take. (Caution: If applying to a special program or major, check to see if a particular SAT subject test is required) Many colleges require three SAT II subject tests for admission. It is best to take these tests at the end of the year that you have taken the course at Portsmouth Abbey. If taking an Advanced Placement course, work diligently so that you will do well on the Advanced Placement Test.  Register for SAT I to be taken in October.

Summer Gather information about colleges, financial aid and scholarships. Visit as many colleges as possible and schedule interviews, if available. Make sure that the colleges you are considering are appropriate for your academic needs and areas of interest. If you are considering playing on a college sports team or have a special extra curricular interest, try to meet with the coach or club representative when you visit a college.

Request college applications and become familiar with the kind of information you will have to supply. Begin thinking about your essays and start writing them..

Review your transcript and notify Mrs. Appleton if you have any questions.  Understand your academic profile and make sure that it is compatible with the colleges you are considering.

SIXTH FORM YEAR:  Throughout the fall Portsmouth Abbey hosts college representatives, who visit Portsmouth and meet with Sixth Form students and the college counselors.  The School’s Weekly Calendar lists the colleges expected and the time of the visit.  Students are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to become acquainted with a broad spectrum of colleges.   These representatives, in all likelihood, will be the Rhode Island area coordinators and first readers of Portsmouth Abbey students’ applications.  Leaving a good impression can only help you because admission counselors become your advocate as your application travels through the admission process.

September Meet with your college counselor to finalize your college list and make sure that you have an appropriate range of colleges. Finish your college essay.

Attend college visits to broaden your knowledge of college options and to make a personal contact with schools to which you plan to apply.

Work diligently to earn the best grades you can. Continue to maintain significant involvement in athletics and extra-curricular activities.  Remember that all Fall Term grades are sent to colleges as mid-year grades.

Register to take the SAT II subject tests in November.

October Take SAT I. If you plan to apply to college under any early application plan, you must notify the College Counseling Office by October 1.  All recommendation forms must be submitted to teachers and the College Counseling Office by October 15. A draft of your college list is due October 31.

November  Compile your final college list, ask teachers to write your recommendations (you should plan to ask two) and give them the recommendation form, deadlines for each college and an envelope stamped and addressed to each college. Make a point to talk with the teachers in person about writing your recommendation. They are putting forth a lot of time and thought on your behalf. Show them your appreciation by offering to meet with them or supply a resume that will give them the information they need.

Make sure that you have someone else read the essay over for you.  Errors of any sort reflect very poorly on you as an applicant. Check deadlines and adhere to them. Attend essay-writing workshops to help receive feedback on your essay and help if you are having difficulty with your writing.

Check early decision and early action deadlines.
 
December 1 By this date students should have given the College Counseling Office:

A final list of Colleges (revisions are possible)

     All secondary school report forms - NO stamps or envelopes are necessary
 
 Make sure that you have all of the financial aid forms that you will need and that you are sure of the dates that the information is due to colleges.

January and February Follow through with the colleges to which you have applied to make sure that they have all of the information they require. Remember that it is your responsibility to have standardized test scores (i.e. SAT, TOEFL, ACT) sent to colleges.

File the FAFSA, PROFILE and other financial aid forms. Carefully review the Student Aid Report (SAR) that will be sent after your FAFSA is submitted to check for errors and to make sure that it has been sent to all of the colleges to which you have applied.

March and April Review college acceptances and financial aid awards. Attend accepted student programs at your top choice colleges- if your schedule permits.  By May 1 send a deposit to the college you have decided to attend. DO NOT double deposit; you may have acceptances withdrawn at both colleges.

If you have been placed on a wait list, write a letter indicating your continuing interest if it is your first choice college.  Notify your college counselor, so that the college office can stay in touch with the college and pass on any new information that might strengthen your candidacy.

Tell the other colleges to which you have been accepted that you will enroll elsewhere.

May Take the appropriate Advanced Placement exams and arrange for the scores to be sent to your college.

Graduate and Celebrate your achievements!