College Counseling

List of 5 items.

• College Counseling Overview & Schedule

  College Planning in 10th Grade

  Important information to keep in mind regarding college admission:

  1.  A student's academic achievement is crucial in the college admission process. Admissions personnel believe that students will continue to be the same student they have been in high school.
  2. College entrance exams are used differently by each college. Generally, the more selective the college, the more the SAT /ACT is weighted. Many colleges are moving to a test optionaladmissions requirement. Don't fret about testing for college entrance in tenth grade. As students move closer to the process of applying to college, the college counselor will offer specific advice regarding the best testing situation for the student.
  3. Activities, athletics, and hobbies play a large part in the college admissions process.
     • Colleges are seeking musicians, athletes, and student leaders in various activities.
     • Students should choose a personal interest and pursue a depth of commitment to it, or show depth instead of joining ten clubs and merely claiming membership.
  4. Curriculum planning and course selection is pertinent to ensure academic growth and is important for college admission. Gilmour advisors and counselors stand ready to offer advice and suggestions as classes are scheduled each year.
  5. Explore possible summer programs which may include service, academic, outdoor, or upward- bound possibilities. Guidance counselor, Mrs. Kay, can help you identify options.
  6. Consider research opportunities at local businesses and universities. See Dr. Nowak, Science Department Chair, to discuss possible an external research opportunity through Gilmour's Catalyst program.
  7. Identify and use college information resources: the internet, books, college fairs and meeting with college representatives who visit Gilmour each fall. Periodically, review the information offered on this website.
  8. Relax. The college admission process evolves slowly, but surely. It will all happen for you. Take one step at a time. The Gilmour college counseling staff offers continuing support through each year of high school.

  
  
  

  Junior Year

  Our formal work begins with students during the second half of the junior year. Students, with the help of their college counselor, identify and investigate an array of colleges that best fit their unique talents  and interests. To learn more about colleges and the search process, students and families are encouraged to take advantage of our formal programs scheduled throughout the year along with our online resources. Students should sign up and meet with college admissions representatives who visit Gilmour Academy in the fall and take advantage of the local spring Cleveland Independent College Fair, featuring more than 100 of the most selective colleges across the country.

  
  

  1. Develop at least three personal and academic goals for the year and plan to accomplish those goals
  2. Continue developing daily habits which reinforce the study skills that you have acquired the past two years.
  3. Review your Student Development Plan. Assess the progress you are making with your goals.
  4. Make a commitment to increase your involvement and enjoyment of an activity or a sport.
  5. Take the PSAT and use the results to plan a review to study for the SAT and ACT which you will take in winter and spring of junior year.
  6. Attend the College planning evening for juniors and parents in November and December..
  7. Take both the SAT and ACT between January and June of eleventh grade. Assess which is the better test for you. You will repeat a test in the fall of senior year.
  8. Take advantage of meeting with college admission officers as they visit Gilmour in the fall. You may request a pass to leave class for this purpose from a counselor or Mrs. Lynch in the College Guidance Office.
  9. Dedicate yourself to a form of community service that interests you.
  10. Review your course selection for senior year. Make strong curriculum choices which you will enjoy studying and will ultimately serve you well in the college application process.
  11. Meet with your college counselor to discuss goals, aspirations and begin the search for colleges that meet your stated objectives.
  12. Visit colleges during spring break and the summer months following junior year.
  13. Look into summer opportunities that will provide enjoyment and help you further define personal and educational goals.

  
  

  Senior Year

  Once application season arrives in the fall of senior year, students possess the knowledge needed to prepare college applications and position themselves in the most attractive way to the schools of their choice. While colleges ultimately decide an applicant’s outcome, our office relays the individual strengths and talents of our students and helps interpret each student’s high school experience through carefully crafted letters of recommendation that accompany each student’s application. During the college decision process, we help guide students toward their final selection and ask them to base that decision on a variety of factors such as a college’s academic offerings, cost, location and overall fit.

• Important Dates

  Please adhere to the following deadlines for submitting requests to have application credentials sent to your respective colleges.
  
  

  College Application Deadline	Turn in the blue sheet to your College Counselor or to Mrs. Lynch by
  Rolling	4 weeks before application will be sent
  November 1st through November 30th	September 28, 2018
  December 1 through December 31st	October 26, 2018
  January, February, or beyond	November 28, 2018

  
  The volume of documents processed in our office dictates these guidelines. Students, please adhere to these deadlines.

  If you are sumbitting a paper application, and you want to keep a copy for your records, please copy it prior to handing it in to the College Guidance Office. When submitting your application electronically (online), remember to print the confirmation page once submitted, or the confirmation email, once received. You may also print your electronic application prior to sending it, and keep it for your records.
  
  

  Official ACT and SAT Test Scores.

  Gilmour will not send ACT or SAT scores to colleges. Most colleges require "official scores," those that are reported directly from the testing agency. You can have scores sent to colleges when you register for the tests or you can request scores be sent by phone or by accessing your account online at:

  www.actstudent.org or www.collegeboard.com.
  
  

  Please contact your college counselor if you have any questions on which test score(s) to submit.

• ACT and SAT Testing

  SAT
  Test Dates
  Register
  
  
  ACT
  Test Dates
  Register

• Scholarships

  Although the majority of college scholarship are given by the colleges which accept you, organizations, companies, and community groups may reward your outstanding academic record, special talent, and/or community service efforts with a monetary award. Many of these scholarships (grants) may be awarded regardless of financial need. If you are serious about finding scholarship opportunities, you must be willing to put the time into the search and the application for these awards.
  
  

  In many cases, an essay is required in addition to completing biographical information. In this aspect, the application process for scholarships mirrors the college application process. Gilmour's college guidance office handles student requests for transcripts and letters of recommendation in the same manner as the college application support materials. Complete the "blue sheet" to request credentials for all scholarships.
  
  

• College Financial Aid

  Financing a College Education
  The cost of a college education continues to escalate even as wages and savings stagnate. Now, more than any time in recent memory, it is important to identify and utilize all available financial resources to mitigate college expenses. Regardless of whether choosing a public or private institution, families are often jolted by the reality of the cost.
  
  

  As consumers in the marketplace of higher education, students and families are best served by comparison-shopping. Information regarding cost of attendance is normally available on the internet at individual college financial aid office websites.

  The information on this page will lead you to sources which offer details of procedures, as well as, organizations and people who can ease the navigation through the process of applying for grants, scholarships and financial aid. Using a spreadsheet, families can compare the cost of attendance with possible scholarships and grants between the colleges on their search list. As many students/families count on financial assistance to meet college expenses, do not rule out any college on the basis of cost alone. Colleges that have higher tuition costs sometimes are able to provide enough aid to make their school as affordable as an in-state public university.