The Portsmouth Abbey School College Counseling Office wishes all of you a Happy New Year!
We hope you have enjoyed your time with your sons and daughters. We're looking forward to having them back!
We are just finishing up the "application season" with the Class of 2012, sending all supporting material to colleges, making sure students are on top of things, and assisting them in any way necessary. And then it will be time to start all over! Traditionally we launch the new season, or more accurately, the new class, in January of Fifth Form year, with a seminar for students and their parents. This year's program will be held on January 21st beginning with registration (7:45am until 8:30am) in the Winter Garden - coffee provided! The process of applying to college has become rather complex, and there is a lot of serious information to disseminate. That said, we are going to try to deliver it in a humorous and interactive way, with the hope that we can both clarify and de-stress. And we hope you will be able to attend a lovely event on Saturday evening hosted by the Parents' Association (details below).
Beginning at 8:30, we will be taking you and your sons and daughters through the step-by-step of what to, how to, and when to. In the course of the program, we will explain how to begin making a college list, what makes a complete application, what we are responsible for and how we process it, what students are responsible for, and what the role of the parents is. We will also outline what we will be doing with the Fifth Formers throughout the rest of the year and over the summer to ensure that every student will begin Sixth Form year well into the process and fully supported by his or her counselor.
After brunch at 9:45, students will leave to participate in a question and answer session with current Sixth Formers, the "veterans" of the process! Parents will participate in a "mock admission" session, led by actual college admission professionals. You will form into "committees" to review "applications" from students applying to your university. The applications are an amalgamation of details from actual student applications. Guided by the college folks, you will make decisions on which students to admit to your school. After the mock admission session, we will reconvene for a question and answer session with actual college admission officers, and we will wrap up with a Q&A with a panel of parents who have already been through the process. The mock admission information and applications will be available on the Portsmouth Abbey web site in the next few days. Go to "academic," "college counseling," and click on "fifth form parent seminar" on the left side bar.
Beginning at 1:45, there will be an optional session on financial aid, presented by a local financial aid expert.
If there is enough interest, at 8:30am we will offer a session on athletics in the process, presented by Al Brown, assisted by several athletes from the Class of 2012. Al does an outstanding job with this session and we hope we will have good attendance, in spite of the early hour. Ironically, athletic commitments prevent both Al and the Sixth Formers from presenting later in the day!
And, again, if there is enough interest, we will be available in the computer lab to local parents or parents arriving on Friday to give hands-on instruction on using our Family Connection software, as well as other very useful electronic resources.
And finally, you are all cordially invited to the Parents' Winter Soiree, a grand event indeed! Please mark your calendars and plan to swing into the New Year Saturday evening, January 21, from 7:00 to 11:00pm in the school auditorium. Tantalize your taste buds at Chef Stephanie's Progressive Food Stations and enjoy the music of "southern New England's finest nine-piece band," Brass Attack. Watch for the announcement coming soon in the mail! All those who wish to attend the soiree should reply to Julia Driscoll '06 at rsvp@portsmouthabbey.org or 401-643-1276.
What do we need for you to do now?
Please RSVP for the College Counseling program by emailing (ewall@portsmouthabbey.org) or calling (401-643-1254) Elizabeth Wall, our Office Coordinator.
Please indicate whether you will attend the athletic and/or financial aid sessions and/or Friday evening session on electronic resources. (BTW- I can stay after on Saturday to help any parents who can't be here Friday evening.)
Please reply separately to Julia Driscoll if you plan to attend the Soiree (contact info above).
And please do include any questions or topics that you particularly would like us to cover.
Please take time to preview the Mock Admission information.
We look forward to seeing you in just a few weeks.
