John Burroughs School College Counseling Department

The college-counseling philosophy at John Burroughs School is simple: we strive to counsel students in their search for an appropriate set of colleges that will meet their academic, social, emotional, financial, geographic needs. Since all of our students are quite different from each other, we treat them as individuals, and attempt to help them in their searches for the very best college matches. This process is part of the natural educational development already begun at John Burroughs School, for our students are asked to discover who they are and what they think. Now they will be asked to explore what is available for post-secondary education and discover the many outstanding choices available to them. The journey belongs to the student; the counselors are here to work with the family, helping to assess each student's particular desires and strengths. We recommend schools that fit the student's individual profile; we do not attempt to fit every student into a prescribed mold.

No matter who the student's individual college counselor is, each has the opportunity to reap the benefits of the deep knowledge and diverse experiences of all our college counseling team members. Our team works together, discussing every student individually at weekly meetings throughout the year, so that we can all be helpful in creating an appropriate array of choices for each counselee. We believe strongly that with enough care and guidance, all students graduating from Burroughs can find several schools to meet their needs and accommodate their interests. As with clothing, so with colleges: every person is different, and what looks good on one might not fit another!

Finally, though the search for a good college/university match is popularly conceived to be highly stressful, our attitude is that there should be joy in the journey itself: the thoughtful introspection essential to an intelligent exploration of options can be a benefit in itself, as each student can, by that very process, fulfill the ancient dictum "know thyself."

Andy Abbott

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CALENDAR FOR COLLEGE PLANNING

The calendar below includes some of the junior year and extends beyond graduation. It outlines events/dates for students, parents, college admission officers, and college counselors.

Junior Year

FALL
Juniors: Become familiar with the resources in the College Conference Room. Junior parents' meeting. Take the PSAT in October. Register by mid-December for the January SAT Reasoning Test (hereafter referred to as the SAT).. Work on achieving the best possible academic record. Choose one or two activities that you enjoy and can pursue in depth. Take tours of college campuses if vacationing nearby.
JANUARY
Juniors: Take the SAT. Attend College Night at Burroughs. Indicate preferences for college counselor. Fill out INFORMATION SHEETS for initial college conference with counselor. Schedule an appointment to meet with college counselor in February.
Parents: Sit tight! Attend College Night at Burroughs with junior. Write "parents' recommendation" and send to counselor.
Counselors: Assign advisees based -- to the greatest extent possible -- on junior preferences and post list.
FEBRUARY
Juniors: Meet with college counselor for initial college conference.
Parents: Meet with college counselor -- initial conference.
Counselors: Meet with junior advisees and parents for initial conference.
MARCH
Juniors: Register for May SAT . Register for and take ACT -- if advised. Spring Break (possible college visits).
Parents: Possible college visit trip with junior (Spring Break). Write "parents' recommendation" and send to counselor.
Counselors: Be available to answer questions about junior testing and college visits.
APRIL
Juniors: Register for June SAT Subject Tests (hereafter referred to as SAT-ST). Attend THE FOUR SCHOOL COLLEGE FAIR. Take ACT -- if advised.
Parents: Attend THE FOUR SCHOOL COLLEGE FAIR with juniors. Write "parents' recommendation" and send to counselor.
MAY
Juniors: Register for ACT -- if advised. Take SAT. Take AP exams -- if appropriate. Attend seminar on college admissions at JBS Saturday, May 17. Schedule summer visits -- call admission offices.
Parents: Make arrangements for summer college visits. If not yet completed, write "parents' recommendation" and send to counselor. Attend seminar on college admissions at JBS Saturday, May 17.
Colleges: Attend college fairs (some). High school visits (some).
Counselors: Attend Missouri Association for College Admission Counseling (MOACAC) Annual Conference. Meet with college reps who visit Burroughs. Participate in college admissions seminar Saturday, May 17.
JUNE
Juniors: Take SAT-ST tests. Take final exams. Take ACT -- if advised.
SUMMER
Juniors: College Research -- write for applications and other materials. College visits. Work -- paid or volunteer. Work on college essay(s). Refine your college list to reflect serious options. Rest and play.
Parents: College visits. Rest and play.
Colleges: Meet with prospective applicants. Plan fall high school visits. Rest and play.
Counselors: College visits/special projects. Rest and play.

Senior Year

LATE AUGUST
Seniors: Senior Drey Land Meet with college counselors the Friday morning of New Student Orientation.
SEPTEMBER
Seniors: Meet with your counselor during the first three weeks of school. Attend college application process meeting. Contact Admission Offices for applications. Begin filling out Early Action, Early Decision and Rolling applications. Begin attending college rep sessions.
Parents: Attend Mini-School. Attend college application process meeting. Don't panic!
Colleges: High school visits and evening meetings. Interview prospective applicants. Attend National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Annual Conference (if in September).
Counselors: Meet with advisees -- strategy sessions. Meet with college reps and attend college meetings. Start writing college recommendations. Attend NACAC Annual Conference (if in September). Attend Mini-School. Participate in college admission process meeting.
OCTOBER
Seniors: Request the College Board to send Official Test Score Report to all colleges to which you are applying. Take SAT or ACT -- if advised. Register for November & December SAT/SAT-ST/ACT -- if advised. Finish filling out applications if you are applying under Early Decision, Early Action, or Rolling plans. SEND! Send in CSS Profile if applying for financial aid. Attend appropriate conferences with college reps. Possible college visits. Organize college applications -- prepare checklist. Sign in colleges to which you are applying on blue card in College Conference Room. Deliver Teacher Recommendation Forms (pink form). Work on your personal essay and applications. Attend the National College Fair at St. Louis University.
Parents: Possible college visits with senior. Proofread all application materials -- send application fee. Look over "Senior's" October list above- -ask if done. If not, NOW YOU MAY PANIC!!!
Colleges: Continue high school visits, evening meetings and interviews. Attend NACAC Annual Conference (if in October).
Counselors: Continue writing college recommendations. Meet with advisees and parents -- when needed. Meet with college reps -- attend college conferences. Send School Reports for Rolling, Early Decision, and Early Action applicants. Attend NACAC Annual Conference (if in October). Attend College Board National Forum.
NOVEMBER
Seniors: Take SAT/SAT-ST/ACT -- if advised. Organize college applications -- UPDATE CHECKLIST. Sign in colleges on blue card in College Conference Room. Possible college visits. Attend appropriate conferences with college reps. Deliver Teacher Recommendation Forms (pink form). Continue working on all applications and essays.
Parents: Possible college visits with senior. Attend JBS Financial Aid Night. Look over "Senior's" November list above -- ask if done; if not, REALLY PANIC!!!
Colleges: Finish high school visits, evening meetings, and interviews. Read Early Decision, Early Action, and Rolling applications and attend committee meetings to make decisions.
COUNSELORS: Meet deadlines for Secondary School Reports (Early Decision/ Early Action). Continue writing college recommendations. Meet with advisees and parents -- when needed. Meet with college reps.
DECEMBER
Seniors: Take SAT / SAT-ST/ACT -- if advised. Register for January SAT I/SAT II -- if advised. Take final exams. Complete personal essay and proofread carefully. Finish filling out January-due applications and SEND! Receive Early Decision/Early Action decision letters (mid-month).
Parents: Allow seniors to open their Early Decision/Early Action letters. Look over "Senior's" December list above -- ask if completed. Proofread all application materials -- send application fee.
Colleges: Read applications, attend committee meetings, and send Early Decision/Early Action decision letter.
Counselors: Meet deadlines for Secondary School Reports. Call colleges to make sure Early/Rolling applications are complete. Meet with advisees and parents -- as needed.
JANUARY
Seniors: Take SAT /SAT-ST -- if advised. (LAST CHANCE.) SEND ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS FOR DEADLINES AFTER JANUARY 1. CONTINUE TO LEARN -- A GREAT OPPORTUNITY!
Parents: Send in the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1. After seniors have met all deadlines, RELAX!
Colleges: Read applications.
Counselors: Meet deadlines for Secondary School Reports. Send Mid-Year Reports to colleges (first semester transcript). Meet with advisees and parents -- as needed. Attend College Night at Burroughs with juniors and their families.
FEBRUARY
Seniors: CONTINUE TO LEARN, ENJOY, AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. May Project possibilities due.
Parents: RELAX! Send FAFSA and specific college financial aid forms -- if required.
Colleges: Continue to read applications, attend committee meetings, and make decisions.
Counselors: Complete and send ALL Secondary School Reports. Meet with senior advisees and parents -- as needed. Call colleges to make sure folders are complete. Meet with junior advisees and their parents.
MARCH
Seniors: May Project forms due. Some "decision letters" will begin to arrive. Spring Break (possible college visits).
Parents: Possible college visits over Spring Break. Support seniors when decisions begin to arrive. RELAX! SAVE MONEY!
Colleges: Finish reading applications, make decisions, and send decision letters. Prepare for MANY calls.
Counselors: Meet with seniors when decisions start arriving -- as needed.
APRIL
Seniors: Receive remaining decision letters. Narrow college acceptances to no more than two or three. Possible visits (no more than two) to accepted colleges (two 3-day weekends to do this) -- not necessary in most cases. DECIDE ON COLLEGE CHOICE -- SEND DEPOSIT TO ONE COLLEGE BEFORE MAY1. DO NOT DOUBLE DEPOSIT!!! RESPOND TO WAIT LIST OFFERS -- IF APPROPRIATE. Alumni Association Breakfast. Prefect Day-off; Senior Skip Day. Schedule possible college visits on these days only. CONTINUE TO LEARN AND ENJOY! Academic classes end (except for AP's) at month's end. ENGAGE IN NOSTALGIA!
Parents: Be sure that your senior sends a deposit to ONE college before May 1. Possible final college visit(s) on Senior's days off (two above). Support Senior's options and choice.
Colleges: Sponsor spring visit programs and meet admitted students on campus.
Counselors: Meet with advisees -- as needed. Phone colleges about Wait List possibilities.
MAY
Seniors: MAY PROJECTS -- A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT; A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. Take AP Exams -- if appropriate. Notify colleges that accepted you but you won't attend. Field Day; Yearbooks; Senior Assembly.
Parents: Field Day; Yearbooks; Senior Assembly.
Colleges: Answer phone calls and make Wait List decisions.
Counselors: Attend MOACAC Annual Conference. Meet with advisees as needed.
JUNE
Seniors: Senior Picnic. GRADUATION!!!
Parents: Senior Picnic. GRADUATION!!!
Colleges: Determine yield -- and, hopefully, make final Wait List decisions.
Counselors: Send final transcript to ONE COLLEGE PER GRADUATE.
SUMMER
Seniors: WORK AND SAVE MONEY!! Receive information from college (orientation, roommate, tuition bills, etc.) and READ EVERYTHING!! Get organized and pack. Arrive at the next stage of your life. CONTINUE TO LEARN AND ENJOY!!!
Parents: WORK AND SAVE MONEY!! Prepare for the shock of the first tuition payment. Arrive at the next stage in your lives. LET GO!!!
Colleges: Prepare for fall season. Rest and play.
Counselors: Prepare for fall. Visit colleges. Rest and play.

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DEVELOPING A COLLEGE LIST

TYPES OF COLLEGES

Before you begin your research, you need to be familiar with the terminology that you will find both in this handbook and in the materials that you will likely be reading. The following list explains the types of institutions and programs frequently considered by JBS students:

Liberal Arts College: A four-year institution which emphasizes a program of broad undergraduate education. While pre-professional training is frequently available in these institutions, they generally stress a wide foundation of classes in the arts, sciences, and humanities (i.e. Kenyon College, Williams College).

University: An academic institution which grants undergraduate and graduate degrees in a variety of fields and supports professional schools that are not exclusively technological (i.e. medicine, law, or journalism). Universities are composed of a number of "schools" or "colleges," and each encompasses a general field of study. Typically, a university will have a college of arts and sciences that will have a curriculum similar to the liberal arts colleges mentioned above. Some universities will require you to apply to a specific school or college while others will accept general applications (i.e. University of Missouri, Princeton University).

Engineering or Technical Colleges: Independent professional schools that provide four-year training programs in engineering and physical sciences. They are often known as "Institutes of Technology" or "Polytechnic Institutes" (i.e. Georgia Tech, Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

Military Academy: Federal military academies prepare students to become officers in the armed services. These institutions (U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy) require recommendations and nominations by U.S. Senators or U.S. Representatives and require that a student agree to a number of years of military service after graduation. Other private or state-supported military colleges operate on an application basis (i.e. Virginia Military Institute, The Citadel).

Professional School: A college offering specialized study in areas such as art, music, dance, photography, etc. (i.e. Art Institute of Chicago, Juilliard, Brooks Institute of Photography).

GETTING STARTED

As you begin to investigate colleges and to think about what type of school might be a good "fit," you should keep in mind that there will not be one perfect choice. There are a number of colleges where you will be able to fulfill your intellectual needs and find happiness. It is imperative for you to spend some time thinking about the following issues so that you and your college counselor will be able to narrow down your list from the literally thousands of schools in the U.S. and abroad to fifteen or twenty that you will be able to investigate with some vigor:

Size: Do you want a large university or a smaller liberal arts college? How important is class size to you? How important is knowing your teachers? Would you prefer to live in an intimate community where you might know most of your peers or would you prefer to live in a large community where you might have greater anonymity?

Location: Do you find cities exciting or threatening? Do you think that rural settings feel inviting and majestic or stifling and boring? Would you like to have access to a city without being in one? Do you want a quintessential college campus or one that is more sprawling?

Region: How important is it to you to stay close to home? Would it be exciting for you to spend four years of your life in a part of the country that is different from where you've been raised and educated?

Type of Study: Do you know already that you would like a career in engineering, medicine, law, business, or art? Do you want a broad education in the liberal arts?

Atmosphere: Would you prefer an atmosphere that is deeply academic or one that is more career-oriented? Would you prefer an atmosphere where students are more traditional in dress and ideas or one where students are more progressive? How important is diversity to you? What kinds of diversity are important to you?

Campus Life: What clubs or organizations would you like to continue to pursue in college? Would you like to continue to participate in athletics? Would you like to continue to participate in some of your artistic endeavors? Is Greek life a must?

Curriculum: Are you looking for particular courses (such as Japanese or Communications)? Is there anything that you know you do not want to take in college (such as math or a foreign language)? Do you need support services for learning differences?

Expenses: How much of a factor is the cost of college/university and the availability of financial aid?

Entrance Requirements: How strong is your course load? What is your grade point average? What are your SAT scores? The more open-minded you are at the onset of your college search, the more possibilities you will have. It is probably not a good idea to say to yourself that you will not go to a large university until you've visited a large university. It is not a good idea to say that you will not go to a college in the Midwest until you've visited some schools in the Midwest. The earlier you start your search, the more open-minded you can afford to be.

You don't have to answer all of these questions right now. Merely ask yourself which of these considerations are important to you.

RESEARCH

In the fall of your junior year, you will tour the college conference room and will see where to find guidebooks, college catalogues, videos, etc. -- all tools that help introduce students to a variety of colleges that might be of interest. You should know there aren't any computer programs that can measure personalities or personal qualities, but these resources are good tools for getting names of colleges that may be of interest for a range of reasons. You can then use other tools (such as catalogues, videos, guidebooks and web sites) to investigate those schools to find out if they appeal to you at all.

Having spent time investigating a number of colleges, go ahead and write to schools requesting admission materials. Contacting them (either by postal mail or e-mail) will get you on their radar screen and show them that you have a genuine interest in their schools. Make sure that you proofread any inquiry to a school carefully as you always want to put your best foot forward when communicating with colleges. (See Appendix A for sample letters.)

By May of your junior year, you will begin to receive innumerable viewbooks produced by college admission offices to make their campuses look impressive, exciting, and stimulating. You will not generally be able to find out much from these books as they are part of slick marketing strategies. Instead, you should request copies of the schools' catalogues, which describe in greater detail their academic and nonacademic programs. Schools may be reluctant to send these catalogues because of printing and mailing costs, but you can usually find them in the College Conference Room, when you make a visit to the school or on-line. With the catalogue, you can make more meaningful comparisons about course offerings, etc. among schools that interest you.

THE THREE-TIERED LIST

During the winter of your junior year, you and your counselor will develop your list of schools. This initial list will give you a good foundation from which to build. When your junior year is over, we will have your SAT scores and grade point average in hand and you will have looked at a number of colleges and universities. At this point, we will be able take that preliminary list of colleges and divide it into a "three-tiered list":

Reach Schools (highly competitive): This tier of the list will include the schools for which you will have to stretch for admission, where the chances of your being admitted are unlikely.

Possible Schools (Competitive): These represent colleges that match your profile fairly evenly, but while the chances of being admitted may seem reasonably good, there is no guarantee of acceptance. Here you should have around a 50/50 chance of admission.

Likely Schools (Probable admission): This tier denotes colleges where you are likely to be admitted, where the odds of admission are strongly in your favor and where you could definitely be happy and productive for four years.

This grouping of a preliminary college list is not a precise science. The range of actual competitiveness in the admission process will vary within the groupings as well as from grouping to grouping. Moreover, the college admission process may change notably from one year to the next and projections made today based on last year's cycle may very well turn out quite differently when application pools are finally determined later in the year. It is for that reason that a final application list will be conservative in its projection and will represent colleges that cover the range from "reach" to "likely."

SOME IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

Spend as much time thinking about your likely schools as you spend thinking about your reach schools.
Many students spend far too much time dreaming about the top-tiered schools that they hope to attend and only minutes thinking about their "likely" institutions. While a school where you are likely to be admitted may not have the prestige or name-recognition that you covet, you should be sure that it has what you are looking for and is an institution where you will be able to find happiness and success. If your reach choices are small, liberal arts colleges, then you should spend time finding likely schools that fit the same profile. Occasionally students pick a large state university as their back-up and then are shocked to find out they are going to a school they are not excited about. Moreover, many state universities have become extremely competitive both for in-state and out-of-state applicants.
A greater chance of admission at a school does not mean that the school's programs are of a lesser quality.
The selectivity of an institution is dependent on the size of its applicant pool, which may be affected as much by geographic location, popularity, and reputation as by academic quality. A school in New England may have a greater history than a school in Iowa, and, in turn, be more difficult to gain entrance into, but the school in Iowa may offer programs and professors just as strong or stronger. Many schools today are far more difficult to get into than they were five or even three years ago, but it does not follow that those institutions are "better" than they were five years ago.
Don't limit yourself because of region.
Some students feel that they would never attend a school in the Southeast or that the best schools in the country are in the Northeast. Such a regional approach can, in many instances, limit your ability to gain admission to the quality school you desire. There are excellent schools throughout the country, and -- in many cases -- applying from out of region can make you a more unique and attractive candidate. To a school in Virginia, a student from Missouri is more interesting than another student from Virginia, even though those two students might have similar profiles.
The name of your college diploma will not get you into or keep you out of graduate school.
You cannot get into any strong medical school with a C average from Yale, but you can with an 'A' average (and good Medical Aptitude Test scores) from any number of smaller, lesser-known schools. What counts most is your performance at the school you attend and how well you take advantage of the opportunities afforded to you.
Beware of publications that attempt to rank or compare school.
Students must make their own decisions, and a magazine or a guide will never be able to include your personal needs in its rankings. Colleges with students who have high SAT scores are not necessarily the best for you -- no matter what your scores and grades are. Furthermore, much of the statistical data that magazines use to compile these rankings can lead to profoundly misleading results. For example, the US News and World Report uses faculty salaries as one of their criteria for ranking schools. But because the cost of living in Ithaca, NY is substantially lower than the cost of living in Boston or New York City, the faculty salaries at Cornell are significantly lower than they are at Harvard or Columbia, and so Cornell suffers in their rankings.
SAT scores are not the determining factor in making the three-tiered list. SAT scores are the least important of the three major statistical criteria used by good admission directors: first are your grades; second, GPA or class rank; and third, test scores. The worst scenario for a student is to have high SAT scores and low or mediocre grades -- this situation tends to signal an underachiever.
Don't pick a school primarily on the basis of what you intend to major in.
Most schools don't allow students to pick their major until their junior year because very few eighteen-year-olds are prepared to make that decision (some larger universities, however, do require you to name a major on their applications). For this reason, you shouldn't pick an undergraduate college solely because you've heard that its political science or its English department is good and you think you might major in one of those fields -- you're very likely to change your mind and then you're stuck. Instead, you want to pick a school that has an atmosphere and philosophy with which you'll feel comfortable; with that in mind you'll find happiness and success no matter what you intend to major in.

VISITING SCHOOLS

If you have not already begun to do so during the summer after the sophomore year or during spring break or weekends of the junior year, then you should definitely spend some time during the summer before your senior year visiting as many schools as you possibly can. Remember that the school year is generally packed with activity and that seniors -- especially those who are involved with the play or with athletic teams -- have very little time to get away from campus to visit colleges. By the end of the summer, your three-tiered list of twenty to twenty-five schools should be down to under ten (with at least two in each tier).

Times: You can visit colleges during the summer before your junior year, during spring break of your junior year, and during the summer before your senior year. Other good times to visit include the following:

End of summer (JBS doesn't start until after Labor Day; many colleges start classes before the end of August).
Two long weekends in October.
Three long weekends in the winter.
Spring Break.
Also, students may miss up to three class days (assuming they are not in academic trouble) to visit colleges during their senior year.

Do not be overly concerned if you cannot get to colleges when they are in session. While a visit is more helpful if the student body is available to see and to talk to, even a relatively empty campus can give you a feel for whether or not the school appeals to you. Furthermore, you can always revisit when the school is in session if you feel like you need to sharpen your impression before making a final decision.

Some families decide not to visit colleges early, choosing to wait until they know whether or not a student has been admitted before they take the time to visit. We do not recommend this strategy for two reasons: (1) April is terribly hectic and visiting colleges and making decisions that late can be quite stressful; and (2) some schools consider whether or not a student has visited in the admission process and take more seriously applications from students who have been on campus.

Arranging a Visit: You will always be advised to make arrangements to visit schools at least two weeks in advance so that you can be assured space in a tour or information session. Moreover, you will be able to schedule an interview with an admission officer if the school does do interviews. We are happy to offer suggestions about organizing trips.

Interviews: Generally speaking, college interviews do not strongly influence admission decisions. In fact, many colleges no longer offer interviews either because they do not have enough time or staff to conduct them or because they do not see the interview as a crucial element in the decision-making process. Other colleges offer interviews, but they are conducted primarily by senior interns at the college. Still, at many of the smaller schools, we highly recommend that you make arrangements for an interview when you visit (remember, to get an interview at any school, you will have to make an appointment at least two weeks in advance).

How to Present Yourself: You should take your interview very seriously by dressing neatly and by presenting yourself in a pleasant -- but not artificial or slick -- fashion. Look at the literature of the school ahead a time and come in with questions -- remember, you are also interviewing them! Reflect before the interview on the things that make you interesting and distinctive. What are the experiences, jobs, opportunities, classes, and people that have made you what you are today? You will be asked about these things and you should be prepared to have interesting responses. Finally, interviewers are trained to ask open-ended questions. When an interviewer asks you if you believe in something, don't merely reply "yes" or "no"; take that opportunity to explain your views and how those views evolved. Take the chances that the interviewer presents you with and run with them. An interview will do nothing for you unless you make an impression on the interviewer.

Have an Agenda: It is advisable for you to have something of importance that you'd like to discuss when you go for an interview, something that is pertinent to you and your situation that won't come up in the general information session or the tour. For example, it might be off-putting for an admission officer to answer questions about class size or meal plans when those things are covered in all of the major literature. However, it might be important for you to discuss the possibility that you'd like to participate in varsity basketball and be in a major school production. An interview might help you figure if this is realistic at a specific school.

THE SENIOR YEAR

By the time you return for your senior year, your three-tiered list should be narrowed down to under ten schools, with no fewer than two schools in each tier of your list. Within the first few weeks of your arrival at the school in the fall, you should meet with your college counselor to discuss the progress that you've made over the summer and to begin thinking about other aspects of your application process. One thing that you should be clear about before you return from your summer vacation is whether or not you are interested in applying to college under an Early Decision or Early Action plan.

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COLLEGE ADMISSION PLANS

Rolling Admission: With this plan college admission officers start reading applications and making decisions as soon as they arrive -- often within three or four weeks. Usually, if you are accepted under this plan, you will not have to accept or decline the offer until May 1, but always read the fine print. Most, but not all, state universities operate with Rolling Admission; the earlier you apply, the better your chances are for acceptance at most colleges using this plan.

Regular Decision: Under this plan, you will be asked to submit all application materials by a certain date: January 1, January 15, February 1, etc. For most of these schools you will receive a decision in April (some a little earlier) and, if admitted, you have until May 1 to reply.

Early Decision: This is an early application plan that requires a commitment from the student. If a candidate is accepted under Early Decision, he/she agrees to matriculate at this college and withdraw any other applications that are in process. While ED deadlines can vary from college to college, they are usually between November 1 and December 1. Admission decisions are sent to students sometime in mid-December. Most colleges using this plan will defer to the regular pool those who are not accepted early, but some may deny candidates early, as well.

Early Decision II: Some colleges now offer a second Early Decision deadline, which allows a student to apply sometime in January with notification before March 1. This was created by colleges to entice students who may not have been accepted at their first choice school during the first ED round, and who would like some certainty before the spring. It also gives seniors a chance to use their first term grades as an asset to their application. The same commitment and withdrawal of other applications, as noted above, applies here. Obviously, you can apply to only one college at a time using either Early Decision Plan.

Early Action (sometimes called Early Notification): Early Action follows a similar application/notification timetable as Early Decision, but if accepted, the student is not required to accept or decline until May 1. In most cases, you can apply to more than one school under Early Action. HOWEVER, THERE ARE VARIATIONS ON EARLY ACTION AT DIFFERENT COLLEGES. For example, Yale, and Stanford have RESTRICTIVE EARLY ACTION plans. If you apply Early Action to any of these colleges, their policy prohibits you from applying to any other Early Action, Early Decision or Early Notification Plan, but you may apply to other colleges under the Regular Decision or Rolling time frame. If admitted Early Action to any of these colleges, you have until May 1 to decide. IN ALL CASES, JBS ADHERES TO THE COLLEGES' POLICIES. Read the literature carefully and ask questions if you do not understand the obligations and/or restrictions of the policy

ISSUES TO CONSIDER BEFORE APPLYING EARLY

Students who are thinking about applying early should consider the following:

1. Because of the binding agreement during the ED period, only those students who have made an extensive college search should consider applying early. You should honestly ask yourself if you have made an exhaustive search.

2. If you apply early, the admission decision will be based on your record through junior year. You should look at the academic profile you have compiled, including your test scores. Do they match the requirements given by the college to which you'd like to apply? If your grades have been rising steadily over the past few trimesters, chances are they will go up in the fall of your senior year as well. This improvement may be what it takes to get you into the school of your choice.

3. Between the months of November and January, you should operate under the mindset that you will not be accepted. Continue to investigate other schools and complete applications so that if you are not accepted, you will not be starting from scratch. It will be difficult for you to get applications, essays, etc. together to meet January or February deadlines if you haven't prepared yourself.

WHO SHOULDN'T APPLY EARLY?

Each counselor will discuss the feasibility of applying early with his/her advisees. The following will be considered:

1. If your record is merely mediocre in light of a college's traditional applicant pool, then applying early will not give you any better chance of admission.

2. How well can you handle rejection? Unfortunately, decisions are received by students during the winter break. A denial or deferral can cause people to panic when it comes to applying during the regular round. The trauma of being denied in December seems to be worse for people than the trauma of being denied in April because you won't have the acceptance letter from another school there to soften the blow.

3. Students who know that they will be applying for financial aid will be giving up a tactical advantage by applying early. If you wait and are accepted in the spring to a number of institutions, you will have the option and ability to compare financial aid offers. If you apply early, your only option is to accept the financial aid package that the ED college offers.

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STANDARDIZED TESTING

Testing requirements vary from college to college. There is no preference given by any college to the ACT or SAT All of our students will take the SAT (which for years has been known as the SAT I) and two or three SAT Subject Tests (formerly known as the SAT II), and some may also be advised to take the ACT. Your counselor will help you with all testing decisions. (Hereafter we will refer to the SAT Reasoning Test as simply the SAT.)

PSAT/NMSQT
All students take the PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) in the fall of their sophomore and junior years. It is a two-hour test that follows a similar format to that of the SAT. Scores range from 20-80. The importance of the PSAT is twofold: in the junior year it is the qualifying test for the National Merit, National Achievement (for African-American students), and National Hispanic Scholarship Competitions. The PSAT also gives you an idea of how well you might perform on the SAT. As a guideline, you can take your PSAT scores and multiply them by ten to get an idea of what your SAT scores will look like. All students are automatically registered and the fee for the PSAT is charged on your bookstore bill.

SAT I
The SAT is a three-hour and forty-five minute test measuring reading, writing and mathematical skills. Scores range from 750-2400 and are reported by mail to the student and JBS. Students can also view their scores online or get them by phone (additional charge). Every junior is encouraged to take the SAT in January (or at least by March) and probably again in May. Many seniors re-take the test in the fall, since scores often (but not always) increase on the second or third testing. (Registration and Fees -- see below*)

ACT
The ACT is a three-hour battery of tests in English, mathematics, social sciences, and natural sciences which assesses general education development is these areas. Both Subject Scores and a Composite Score are reported on a scale of 1-36. An ACT composite score of 22 is comparable to an SAT I score of 1030. (Registration and Fees -- see below*)

SAT II
SAT II Subject Tests are one-hour tests in specific subjects. All are multiple choice. One, two, or three tests may be taken on a given testing date. Particular department heads or specific teachers are best able to answer questions about the appropriate time for taking these tests. Juniors are encouraged to take two or three Subject Tests (usually in terminal subjects such as American History, Physics, etc.) in June. Some juniors will have taken Biology and Chemistry in previous years. Other tests may be taken in the senior year (usually, foreign language tests are suggested for the senior year), and all Subject Tests may be taken more than once. All SAT Subjects Tests are a part of your SAT Record and are reported to the colleges. (Registration and Fees -- see below*)

ADVANCED PLACEMENT
Advanced Placement (AP) tests are available in specific subject areas and are scored from 1 to 5. Many colleges give credit and/or advanced placement for scores of 4 or 5; some for a score of 3. In order to be prepared for an AP test, a student must either be enrolled in an AP course or pursue independent study under a teacher's direction. Tests are given in May at Burroughs. While, officially, AP scores are not considered in the college admission process, we find that admission officers take notice of a student who earned a 4 or 5 on an AP test taken in the sophomore or junior year. All AP scores of 4 or higher are listed on a student's transcript. Registration is done through the appropriate academic department at Burroughs, and fees are posted on your bookstore bill.

* Registration and Fees: Registration forms and descriptive bulletins for SAT, SAT -ST, and ACT are available in the College Conference Room; detailed instructions are given, and deadlines for applications are made clear. Students may apply on-line at www.collegeboard.com for the SAT and at www.act.org for the ACT. It is the responsibility of each student to know the tests required by particular colleges, to meet registration deadlines, and to have score reports sent to colleges.

Fees for tests taken during 2007-2008 academic year are:

SAT I (with writing)	$43.00
ACT Assessment	$30.00
ACT Assessment with writing	$44.50
SAT II Basic Registration	$20.00
SAT II Language Test w/Listening	$19.00
SAT II All other Subject Tests	$8.00
AP	$84.00

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FILLING OUT THE APPLICATION

Once you have your three-tiered list narrowed down to six or seven schools (with at least one in each tier and two "likely" schools), you are ready to begin filling out your applications. College admission officers read all application forms very carefully, and you should regard each of your application forms as a vital component of your candidacy. You may wish to photocopy the applications so that you can do a rough draft and assure that your answers will fit in the provided space.

WHICH APPLICATION TO USE

Once you decide to apply to a school, you have a number of choices as to which application you'd like to use. In our experience no one application is any more or less effective than another, so you should try to find the one that is most comfortable for you to use.

Individual College Applications: You can easily obtain a college's application form by making any inquiry to the college -- they will normally be mailed with any admissions information. You may also obtain them from the college's Web site. If you complete individual college applications, always fill them out in blue or black ink or type -- but do not feel as though you have to type them as long as your handwriting is neat. If you make an error, don't panic; simply use correction fluid. To avoid errors, plan everything before you write. You may consider filling out a rough copy of the application so that you can be certain your answers will fit in the space that they provide.

The Common Application: More than 200 schools have agreed on a common application that students may simply fill out once, photocopy, and send to as many schools as they like. Some students and parents have expressed concern that students hinder their chances of admission by using the common application because it doesn't reflect as much genuine interest in the school. This is simply not the case. All colleges must sign a pledge each year stating that they will regard the common application with the exact same reverence that they offer to their own applications. HOWEVER, some schools have stated off the record that they are concerned when they receive a common application from a candidate from whom they've never received any other correspondence (inquiry, call, visit, interview, etc.). They suspect that a student may be sending out applications willy-nilly. If you've expressed an interest in a school, you should have no concern about filling out a common application.

It is vital that all students who use the common application understand that some schools require a supplement to the common application (i.e. an additional essay). The common application is also a wonderful resource because it clearly lists deadlines, fees, and supplementary materials required for all schools that use the form.

You may now download the common application from the Web site at www.commonapp.org. At the Web site, you can also obtain any supplementary information that a college may require.

Applying Online: If schools offer online applications, it is absolutely appropriate to use them if you are comfortable with it. In fact, many schools prefer that you fill out applications online and even waive the application fee. If you do apply online, however, be certain to sign those colleges onto the blue card in the college counseling office so that we know to send your transcript, recommendations, and other supporting materials to the school.

Inform the College Counseling Office: Once you know that you are going to apply to a college, you should go to the college counseling office and sign in the school on the blue card.

NOTE: The College Counseling Department imposes a fee of $8.00 per application in excess of seven; the fee will be posted to your bookstore bill.

PROCEDURES FOR FILLING OUT COLLEGE APPLICATIONS

Read to Find out the Specific Requirements for Each School: Some colleges require a peer recommendation; some require art work; some require a graded English essay; some require additional letters or writing samples. It is up to you to read the applications and to understand what you need to do. Should you follow the directions on the applications exactly? Yes.

Read and Heed the Deadlines: Remember that the work load at JBS can be very daunting. You need to make sure that you leave yourself plenty of time to fill out your applications. Start on your applications months before they are due so that you will be able to devote ample time to revision and to cope with any major pitfalls that occur. While specific deadline dates will be published and announced throughout the year, students should plan to have signed in all colleges in the college counseling office at least one month before any college deadline so that we have time to process them. The Burroughs deadline for all rolling and November 1 college applications is at the end of September, and all colleges must be signed in by the beginning of December.

Should You Have Someone Else Type Your Application? No. Colleges are turned off by students who present overly slick, perfect pieces that have been produced professionally or by their parents or parents' secretaries. They will be able to tell the difference between your work and someone else's. While your parents cannot write your application for you, we urge you to have them proofread your essays and applications. Sometimes it is not possible to catch all of your own errors, and if your parents are not shrewd grammarians, find someone who is. You should be certain to photocopy your completed application so that you have a copy in case the original is lost or destroyed.

Line Up Your Letters of Recommendation: Students should plan to ask two classroom teachers for recommendations, and it is always best if these letters come from teachers whom you've had in your junior or senior year. Some schools may specify that they want a recommendation from an English teacher or a math or science teacher -- know what is required! Speak with each teacher individually and ask if he or she will be able to support your college application with a letter. Don't merely e-mail the teacher or ask your parents or advisor to do this for you -- it's a big favor and you should treat it like one. Try to get a verbal commitment from them by the first of October of your senior year (or earlier, if you intend to apply early decision).

Once a teacher or coach has agreed to write a letter for you, have the teacher sign a pink "Recommendation Agreement" and return the bottom portion to the CC office. There is no need to bring in Teacher Recommendation forms for each college. The teacher will send the recommendation to the CC assistant who will send it with the rest of your documentation from school.

WAIVER: Your chances of having a recommendation seriously considered by a college improve by waiving your right to see it. You will be asked to sign a waiver at a meeting in August which will be kept on file.

Outside Letters of Recommendation: A letter of recommendation from someone outside of Burroughs, if it is factual and adds information not provided by the school (i.e. a minister you've known all your life, an employer for a summer job, etc.) can be a nice addition. It is critical, however, that the writer knows you personally and can relate specific knowledge of your character or ability. A letter that speaks highly of your family or your parents is of little value because it doesn't let the colleges know more about you and can, in fact, turn the admission officer off. There is an old catch phrase in admission offices around the country, "The thicker the file, the thicker the student," so unless the recommendation is going to describe a special quality or dimension, too many outside letters can discourage careful reading of any of the letters.

Make Sure Your Name and Social Security Number Appear on each Piece of Paper that is Part of Your Application: You are responsible for this. Stray papers often fall out of admissions folders at the college admission office. Don't let your folder be the incomplete one.

Send Your SAT and/or ACT Scores: Although your scores appear on your transcript, it is up to you to send all of your scores to the colleges through the College Board or ACT.

Supplementary Materials: If you are talented in a specific area (art, creative writing, etc.) and have produced tapes, slides, or videos of your work, you may wish to include them with your application only if they are good. Usually admission offices send supplementary material to the appropriate department within the college to be evaluated. If the music department reports that you have real talent, it can help; if they report to the contrary, it will hurt your chances. If you would like the art department to help you with your portfolio, be sure to speak with someone long before the portfolio is due.

Secondary School Report Deadlines: In order to mail the secondary school report (transcript, counselor recommendation, school profile, etc.) by the due date, students must sign in the college on the blue card in the college counseling office ahead of the due date. The following is a list of approximate dates to guarantee that the packet will be mailed on time.

If the College Deadline is	the JBS Deadline is
November 1	October 1
Rolling	October 8
November 15	October 8
December 15, January 1	November 9

All secondary school reports will be mailed before January 1.

THE FINAL CHECKLIST

Don't forget to sign your application in all the required places.
Proofread everything.
Remember the application fee. If you or your family will have difficulty paying this fee, see your college counselor to ask for a "fee waiver."
Photocopy each part of your application before you send it out and keep that photocopy on file. As soon as you throw it away, you'll need it!
Check that every college to which you have applied is on the blue card in the CC room.

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COLLEGE ESSAYS

If there is an "optional" essay, write it! It never hurts your application if you submit a fine essay that reveals more about who you are.

Always have your college counselor or an English teacher read an essay to be sure that it is well-written and appropriate. You may also show it to your parents, siblings and friends. But remember, it is your essay! Think about your tone and your "audience." Don't whine, blame or give excuses. (You can explain a grade, but assume responsibility for your own part in obtaining it.) Don't antagonize the reader or criticize the essay question. The college put it in the application because the admission office likes it! It is your job to respond fully. Be yourself at your best! Be friendly without being obsequious, show confidence without cockiness, show enthusiasm without cliched exaggeration, show a respect for authority without naiveté; be open without "spilling your guts." Be honest. You can be humorous without being flippant. Don't just generalize. Tell a story.

At the time that you are sending in your application, the essay is the best way for you to gain control of your presentation. Once you've received a grade in a course, you can't change it, but if you're on the edge of being admitted, or receiving a merit scholarship, the essay can have a profound impact on the college's decision. Moreover, the essay, along with your teacher recommendations, is the place where you will come alive to the admission officers, much more than a series of letters or numbers on a page.

CONSIDERATIONS

The essay is one way for a student to demonstrate good writing skills. All colleges are concerned with whether or not an applicant can write.

The essay can reveal an honest and thoughtful portrayal of yourself, your values, your accomplishments, and your goals.

PRACTICAL HINTS

1. Leave yourself plenty of time to write your essays. You may even be wise to have a draft or two of your essay completed by the time that you return for your senior year. If you aren't yet to the point in the summer before your senior year to begin writing a coherent essay, you can use your summer reading or journal writing as a springboard for ideas. Begin writing about incidents, activities, or people that have shaped your life and your values -- you'll get credit from your English teachers for being introspective and some of the ideas may evolve into essay topics.

2. Ask a teacher, advisor or counselor whose judgment you trust to read your essay. These people will be able to point out mistakes and give you an outsider's opinion about what is most or least compelling in the essay. Show it to parents and friends also if you wish, but never leave out the first group of honest critics.

3. Show, don't just tell. Make sure that you use anecdotes and examples to back up what you say about yourself. It's not enough to say that you care about children -- what have you done in your life to show that you do?

4. Tell, don't just show. An anecdote alone is not sufficient for a college essay. At some point, you need to reflect on your purpose and explain what you took from the experience.

5. While it is good to use your essay to "flesh out" some of the things that may be elsewhere in your application (for example, you might write your essay about something that happened to you during your summer job), don't use your essay to reiterate things that are already clearly spelled out -- it's a waste of an opportunity.

6. Don't take anything for granted. Unless you tell the admission office that you spent an entire summer working in a nursing home, they may never know. As long as you are honest and not arrogant, you should feel fine about being your own advocate. Feel good about being enthusiastic and positive about yourself.

7. Use inclusive language when you can. You do not want to be regarded as sexist, for example. Don't alienate half of your audience by the use of masculine pronouns to refer to all people.

8. Be honest! Far too often students feel that they have to market or package themselves in a particular way in order to impress colleges. This simply isn't the case. If you are a genuinely interesting, kind, and complex person, you should be able to write a sincere essay that expresses all of your complexities, and you should trust that the colleges will be impressed by it. On the other hand, if you try to imply things about yourself that simply aren't accurate or true, colleges are likely to see through it and regard your application with a cynical eye.

9. Your essay should not be much more than one single spaced page (two double spaced) using a 12 point Times font. That includes the name and social security #, etc. on the top. Generally, colleges prefer a single page so that there is literally less paper in a folder. But if you can't get your essay onto one page, try to come as close as possible. Less than 3/4 of one page is simply inadequate.

WHAT SHOULD YOU WRITE ABOUT?

Anything that is of real interest to the student can make for a good essay. Here are some possibilities.

Autobiographical: Think of a moment or series of connected moments in your life that has had some kind of powerful impact on you, that has somehow shaped who you are now. Be careful to avoid the obvious (i.e. "How my trip to France taught me independence"), but if the paper is genuinely reflective it can be an interesting subject. Don't think that an experience has to be grand to be important or impressive. One student wrote about taking a walk with his grandfather and described their conversation. It told so much about the student and his background in the most fascinating way that it was passed around the admission representatives in the office so that everyone could marvel at it. The youngster, by the way, was accepted to the college of his choice.

Social or Political Interests: Think of a political cause or social idea that you believe in. These are most effective when they are somehow tied to some of your other interests and activities. Don't talk "off the top of your head." If you choose to do this kind of topic, know what you're talking about.

Intellectual Interests: Think of a particular author or topic that you have studied in depth that has had a powerful effect on you. Be sure to explain how you have studied or followed that concept beyond the curriculum. Why was the effect so profound?

What Should You Avoid? Try to avoid bragging or writing one more essay about "Outward Bound" or "My Summer Trip to Europe." These essays appear so often in college admission offices that they are known to irritate admission people. However, these topics can be wonderful if you narrow the experience to an epiphanic moment, one in which something very important happened to you on the trip. Make it very personal. People who read the essays want something uniquely yours, if possible.

What Will the Topics Be? Topics are generally very open-ended so that you will have the opportunity to follow any avenues in which you have an interest. Here are directions and a number of actual essay topics that have appeared in college applications in the past few years:

The personal statement demonstrates your ability to organize thoughts and express yourself. Please write an essay (250-500 words) on a topic of your choice, or on one of the options listed below:

1. Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, or risk that you have taken and its impact on you.

2. Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.

3. Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.

4. Describe a character in fiction, an historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence. We hope you'll use your essay to help us understand your thoughts and feelings about something that's important to you. Pick one of the following topics, and write a one-page essay on a sheet of paper:

a) A conclusion you have reached about a question with no provable answer.
b) An idea, value, or cause to which you have lost your heart and head.
c) An experience that changed your view of life in a deep and significant way.

5. Please answer one of the following (Guideline: 250 words or less)

a) Books that have affected you most and why.
b) Discuss the academic experience (course, project, paper, or research topic) that has meant the most to you.
c) If you were given the opportunity to spend an evening with any one person, living or deceased, or fictional, whom would you choose and why?
d) You have just completed your 300 page autobiography. Please submit page 217.
e) What prominent person (past or present) do you particularly admire? Why?
f) What idea has most influenced your life? Explain.
g) Describe a situation in which your values or beliefs were questioned by someone you respect. How was it resolved?
h) If you yourself were in a position to ask a thought-provoking and revealing question of college applicants, what would that question be? Now that you've asked your ideal question, answer it.
i) Comment on an experience that helped you to discern or define a value that you hold.

Last bit of advice: Write many drafts. Spend time on this! Don't think that you'll be able to produce a fine essay the day before the application is due!

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HOW COLLEGES MAKE DECISIONS

One of the most difficult things in the entire admission process is waiting patiently once you have mailed your applications. Luckily for our students, the admission process generally works equitably. While we wish that every college would accept every Burroughs student who applies, we also feel confident that each year most colleges make rational and understandable decisions about the pool of JBS candidates. Still, much of the anxiety and confusion surrounding college admission stems from the sense from students and parents that admission decisions are unfathomable and arbitrary or that too much (or not enough) of the process is driven by numbers or special interests.

While the majority of college admission officers are sensitive and humane, you should understand that their professional loyalty lies with their own institution and the various constituencies within it. They seek not only the best and brightest scholars, but also the most talented artists, athletes, and leaders. They want to balance their populations geographically and racially. They want to represent their alumni and their children. For these reasons, colleges may give preferential treatment in their admission decisions to candidates who possess certain talents or who come from certain families or backgrounds. What this means is that the process is not always clear -- that you might feel that someone else whose academic credentials appear weaker than yours has unfairly gained admission to a school at which you have been denied.

In short, the college admission process is not a monument to justice. Every year students who "deserve" to be admitted to certain schools won't and students who may "deserve" to be denied will be admitted. You should not determine how you view yourself -- or others -- based on what people in college admissions offices decide.

Generally, the college selection committee will evaluate a number of factors about you, but there is no telling how much weight is given to each different category at each different school:

ACADEMICS

Classroom Performance: Your academic record over your years at Burroughs is the most important factor in the college admission process. If your work does not reflect genuine effort, intellectual ability, and a real interest in learning, your record is a liability. Selective colleges are interested not just in strong grades, but in a constant and challenging course load. They want to know that you have taken the most difficult course load that you are qualified to take and that you have met that challenge. If you have the ability to take AP or honors courses, you should do so.

Standardized Testing: Most colleges evaluate the ACT or SAT and SAT-ST together and as part of each student's academic profile. At the most selective colleges, these tests are a significant factor in the process. One major hindrance to admission is a student record that combines very high test scores and mediocre or low grades -- this signals to the admission offices that you are an underachiever. On the contrary, many schools find it appealing when a student who has lower scores has overcome them in the classroom.

Teacher Recommendations/Counselor Recommendation: Colleges are especially interested in what the teachers and counselors have to say about your personal and academic qualities. Teachers write primarily about your performance in a particular course, but they will also comment on your extracurricular activities and personal qualities if they have known you in other capacities. The counselor letter is an overall assessment of your time at Burroughs, bringing together all of the threads of your life here in as positive a portrayal as possible. Recommendations go a long way toward helping to characterize you and how you are perceived by others. While your counselor will never say anything that is untrue on your behalf, we will do everything in our power to present all of your positive qualities.

Your Essay: Your essay is your chance to make yourself come alive. In many cases, it is the best chance you have to show your depth and your personal qualities, not to mention your ability to write well. Faculty committees, especially, take special notice of the essay because they are the people who will have to teach you how to write if you demonstrate some lack of ability in your application.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Colleges like to see students who are well-rounded and who have been involved in a number of activities during their high school years. However, mere involvement in an activity is not likely to get you an acceptance. The vital factor here is how the college sees you performing as an undergraduate at its institution. You may have been a good basketball player at Burroughs, but your involvement in the sport will have little or no impact on the admission decision unless a particular basketball coach at a school thinks that you can play for them. Most of all, your extracurricular and summer activities will allow a college to see how productively you use your free time, how well you work with others, how much of yourself you are willing to give, and how well you challenge yourself. There will, however, be some situations that can have an effect on your admission status:

Athletics: If you believe that you are interested in playing a sport in college, let your coach know by your junior year so he/she can begin to contact schools on your behalf. While you may look at athletes at the large universities and say with absolute certainty, "I could never play college athletics," you might be surprised at how many Burroughs students are capable of playing at the small college (Division III) level. An interest in athletics can give an upper hand in admissions, but you need to discuss this with your coach or your counselor early in the process so that you will be able to take advantage of the boost it might give you. You should see your coach about getting copies of game tapes sent to schools where you are interested in applying. It is important that any student interested in participating in Division I athletics register with the NCAA Clearinghouse, preferably by the end of the junior year, or at the beginning of the senior year. Registration forms and information are available at the NCAA Website: www.ncaa.org . Written instructions can be found in the College Conference Room. Once registered, students are responsible for sending scores directly to the NCAA clearinghouse.

Arts: If you believe that you are interested in pursuing the arts in college and have already had significant success in art, music, drama, speech or creative writing, let your instructor and your counselor know by your junior year so that they can begin to help you put together a portfolio of your work. Your instructor will know best if you have the type of talent that might result in your being given special consideration as an artist, and he will be able to help you put together a video tape or a slide show that an admission office might be able to let its art or music department view for consideration.

Community Involvement: If a student has completed more than fifty hours of community service under the auspices of John Burroughs School, the number of hours contributed will appear on the transcript.

Other Considerations:

Personal Qualities: Colleges want to know that you are a "good" person. They want to know that you are essentially an honest, responsible, and thoughtful person who has concern for yourself and your peers. Your application and the recommendations written for you should reveal these qualities, as should an interview, which many of the smaller schools recommend.

Correspondence: Admission offices will almost always be very polite and very cooperative with anyone who calls. However, many college admission personnel feel that direct correspondence from a student -- rather than a parent or a counselor -- is a reflection of the student's sense of responsibility, organization, courtesy, and good judgment. On the other hand, many admission officers are bothered by overzealous parents who call frequently trying to give their children an upper hand.

Legacies: Daughters and sons of alumni receive careful attention at most colleges. Many highly selective colleges try to accept about 50% of alumni children. Alumni children will always get a careful look by the admission office, but more and more colleges are refusing to compromise standards for their alumni -- especially since there are now more alumni than ever. Schools also tend to consider what they call the quality of the legacy (consistency of giving, willingness to volunteer at and attend alumni events, etc.). Many schools have special seminars during the summer for alumni who are interested in their children attending the college. In these seminars they will spell out quite clearly what their expectations are for their applicants. As a rule, students who are applying out-of-state to state institutions will be given in-state treatment if they are legacies.

Development: More and more schools are admitting openly that they consider development potential in their applicants. They are looking for students who come from families with a history of institutional giving who might make significant donations in the near future.

Interest: While it may seem unfair and not all colleges will want to admit it up front, one of the most important factors in admission today -- especially at small, liberal-arts colleges -- is the level of interest that a candidate shows. Colleges want to accept the students who want them, and they believe that they are wasting space when they accept students who don't want to attend. You can show your interest in a number of ways: making campus visits, attending sessions when representatives come to Burroughs, writing or e-mailing admission representatives, getting your application in on time, and following up on calls from alumni interviewers. There is a point at which interest can become harassment if you overdo the phone calls to the admission office, but you should take advantage of every opportunity to show how much you want to be at a school.

It is also important that these displays of interest come from you and not your parents. Students who allow their parents to do all of the writing and calling don't seem as though they are prepared for the independence of college life. Take the initiative so that your parents aren't tempted to do it for you.

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RESPONDING TO A COLLEGE DECISION

ACCEPTING AN OFFER OF ADMISSION

Notify the College Counseling Office! As soon as you receive a response from a school -- whether you have been accepted, deferred, wait-listed, or denied -- you should notify Mrs. Grand in the college counseling office. Similarly, if you decide to withdraw an application or not to apply to a school, let Mrs. Grand and your college counselor know immediately. It would be very embarrassing for us to call in regard to your application only to find out that it had been withdrawn.

Early Decision: If you've applied early, you will usually hear from your school by the middle to end of December. If you're accepted, you are bound to that school, and you should make your deposit there as soon as possible and withdraw any other applications you may have made to other schools.

Regular Decision: Most colleges will notify you of their decisions by the beginning of April. You should reply to those schools who offer you admission by May 1. As an applicant, you may wait to respond to an offer of admission and/or financial aid until you have heard from all colleges and universities to which you have applied. If you should be admitted to a college that uses a "rolling admission" plan and it does not subscribe to the May 1 reply date, you may have to reply before May 1 if you have received responses from all the colleges to which you have applied.

Rolling Admission: You may hear from rolling admission programs as early as October. If you are admitted, many of these schools -- particularly larger universities -- will ask you to fill out housing forms. Although you will not have heard from all of the schools to which you've applied, you should send in your housing forms (and in many cases a deposit) to ensure that you will have a place to live should you ultimately choose to attend the school. In many of these universities, choice of housing is determined by the order in which housing requests are received.

Respond to All of Your Colleges: Send a positive letter with the deposit to the college you accept. After making this commitment, write to your other choices telling them your plans and thanking them for their efforts on your behalf. Your promptness in notifying all your colleges may assist some classmate who sits on their waiting list and your courtesy will be remembered when future Burroughs students are considered.

Making a Deposit: You must place a deposit for only one college, since a deposit indicates that you will be attending a given college. Should you be wait-listed at a college, you must put a deposit down on one college, understanding that you are willing to forfeit the deposit should a place open up at the college to which you have been wait-listed. There is no other way that a "conditional" deposit can be ethically made.

Wait List: Should you be wait-listed at a college, you must meet with your college counselor to determine your response. You will have the option either to withdraw your application altogether (perhaps you've been accepted at another college and you don't want to wait around for a place to open up elsewhere) or to ask for consideration for an opening from the wait list. Your college counselor often can give you some idea of how likely your chances are of being offered a spot from the wait list.

Deferral: If you apply Early Decision, Early Action, or Rolling admission to a college, a college may defer you to the later pool of applicants. This simply means that you have not been admitted, and they will decide about your application in March or April when they have seen the complete pool. Some schools admit virtually no one they defer; others admit deferred students frequently, and you should talk to your college counselor about your choices and your options.

ROUGH RIDES

It is vital to remember that when you receive an offer of admission to a school, a classmate may well be receiving a denial to the same school on the same day. Always remember to be sensitive to one another.

Remember also that consideration cuts both ways, and you will find April to be a much more pleasant month if you are able to be supportive of your friends, sharing in their joy rather than undermining their success with a "sour grapes" attitude. It's a time for delicate understanding of others' feelings, a time that can influence your relationships for the long and short term.

Many students at Burroughs have literally never been denied something that they deeply wanted. The moment of denial will doubtless hurt. It is important, though, to look at where you've been admitted and to focus on the choices at hand -- the future that will be.

"Denial" can have positive effects also -- though they are not as apparent at first. If all seniors got into every single college to which they applied, one might wonder if they were afraid to take some risks. Some seniors resolve to become better students in college "just to show the college which rejected me what they missed." Some come to more realistic perceptions about themselves, and this can demonstrate real growth. Parents need to be especially supportive -- and positive -- if their children are not accepted at their first-choice school.

IF THE COLLEGE RESCINDS ITS OFFER OF ADMISSION

It is entirely within the college's rights to rescind its offer of admission. When you are accepted into a college, it is with the understanding that you will continue to perform at or above the level that you displayed when you applied. It is required that the college counseling office send your mid-year grades to the colleges where you've applied and final grades to the college you will attend. Furthermore, it is our obligation to notify the college if you incur any serious disciplinary infractions in your final days at Burroughs. Colleges do rescind their offers or place students on probation. It has happened to numerous students, and it has been happening more frequently in recent years. College counselors are frequently asked by students, "How low can I go?" The answer is, "We don't know." Don't take the chance. Finish up your senior year with work that you can take pride in. Be able to go to graduation with your head held high instead of slinking away from campus embarrassed by your last days.

THANK EVERYONE WHO HELPED YOU IN THE COLLEGE PROCESS!

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FINANCIAL AID

Families are understandably concerned about meeting rising college costs. However, you should not allow your financial situation by itself to determine which colleges you will consider because all colleges offer financial aid packages of one kind or another. Frequently, those institutions with the highest price tags have the largest financial aid reserves, and thus can be considered accessible by all families.

The best source of information about financial aid, whether need-based or merit-based, is the college itself. Read admission literature. Contact the financial aid office to get specific answers to specific questions. Ask about merit and talent competitive scholarships. Be aggressive; few colleges will seek you out to give you money. A rule of thumb: If you THINK you might qualify for financial aid, apply for it. You certainly can't get it if you don't apply.

There are two types of financial aid available to students: need-based and merit-based.

NEED-BASED AID

Need-based money is allocated solely on the ability of the student's family to pay for tuition and fees. Because institutions have different formulas