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I wish I had known… The following are thoughts from high school graduates in New England and beyond who completed the college admission process this past year. Their thoughts were compiled from the NACAC e-list. Here’s the advice they want to pass along to the students following in their footsteps: “Visit your college counselors and get to know them.” “Organization – You have no idea what a difference it makes. Schedules, folders… anything.” “Start early. Things can take longer than you think.” “To set aside time each week of your senior year to dedicate to college things. Don’t delay…Do it TODAY!” “There are a lot of colleges so take your time and be picky, chances are you’ll be able to find what you want. Also, there are a lot of unique colleges. Take the time to look around a lot.” “College visits!! Ask questions. Meet with faculty.” “VISIT. I went to my number one school and disliked it the minute I walked on campus. Campuses are the best way to get a feel for the school.” “Use the resources you have! If you can’t visit, look on the web site, talk to current students. Learn as much as you can.” “Start apps ASAP-get them done early no matter what the deadline is.” “Pay attention to deadlines and stuff. Put a lot of effort into your essay.” “You don’t have to apply anywhere ED! Only do it if you are totally sure.”

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“Double checking requirements before it was too late. For instance, [one school] requires 3 SAT Subject Tests which I hadn’t realized until it was too late for me to have any scores in by the deadline.” “Pick the number of colleges to apply to based on you, not your friends.” “Don’t apply anywhere just because your best friend/significant other/dog is applying. That may not be the place for you.” “Have back-up schools you really like to take off pressure of getting into your #1 school.” “Enjoy bragging. This is one of the few times in your life where they want you to brag.” “I wish I hadn’t gotten so stressed out about it. I made myself ill the first semester.” “Stay in contact with the representatives of your #1 and #2 choice schools. Call them with questions so they get to know who you are.” “Keep in mind that your parents are as anxious about this as you are. (Maybe more). Be kind.” “The more you remember the big picture, (i.e. I will go to a good school because all the schools I’m applying to are good), the calmer you’ll be and all of this “college frenzy” won’t be that big of a deal. It’s only a moderately big deal!” “That it’s not the end of the world if you don’t get into your first choice.” “The process is hard, time consuming and stressful, nobody will deny that. But when it’s all over, you’ll appreciate every bit of it.”

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Independent College Counseling Thayer Academy is fortunate to be able to devote human resources exclusively to the process of college counseling, and families are strongly encouraged to use those resources to their fullest extent. That being said, some families may decide to seek additional support from Independent College Counselors or companies who specialize in college counseling. Although it’s not something that families need in order to have a successful college admission experience, some students may find it helpful to have additional guidance. When a third party is employed by the family for this purpose, that does not excuse the student from maintaining regular contact with his or her Thayer college counselor. It is vital for the College Counseling Office to be aware of, at the very least, how the student is progressing and which colleges comprise the student’s college list. This communication will help to insure that students are being advised appropriately.

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Final Words of Wisdom

1. Be visible in the college counseling office; attend meetings once every two or three weeks in the senior year until your applications are complete. Open communication is the key to a successful college process.

2. Save everything. If you throw it away we can almost guarantee you will need it sometime in the future. Be sure to save everything sent to you from the College Board regarding your SAT registration and scores.

3. Copy everything: applications, essays, financial aid forms.

4. Use the same name on every document you mail to colleges. For example, if you use your formal name on your SATs but use a nickname on your application, those two pieces of information may never match up and your application will be considered incomplete.

5. Fill out your registrations for SAT Reasoning / SAT Subject Tests the same way every time. Occasionally inserting a middle initial can confuse a computer and cause you grief.

6. If you have a special talent - music, drama, athletics, physics, creative writing - pursue that interest with each college. This is not the time to be modest.

7. Make appointments for interviews early. Remember that competitive colleges stop interviewing candidates early in the winter.

8. Develop a filing system for each college; create check-lists with deadlines, things to be done, etc.

9. Use the resources of this handbook. It contains the answers to many of your questions.

10. Read the application instructions and requirements for each college thoroughly. Some colleges have very specific requirements such as a required SAT Subject Test, a required number of years of a particular academic subject, special portfolio requirements for art school candidates. Knowing about and adhering to these specific requirements is your responsibility.

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11. Treat each application as if that school were your first choice. Colleges pay

attention to your level of interest. They want to admit students who want them. At the same time, don’t fall into the trap of telling every college that they are your first choice.

12. Meet all deadlines. Deadlines are a serious matter. Where possible, submit

applications early. 13. Be kind to your teachers. If you need teacher recommendations, choose one or two

teachers who know you well. Ask them if they would write a recommendation for you, and supply them with forms (if provided). Make these requests early, and make sure the teacher knows what the deadline is.

14. There is a college for every student who graduates from Thayer Academy. If you

pay attention to the guidelines in this handbook, you will be in a position to attend a college of your choice.