Finding the perfect college does not happen over night. It takes time spent researching online, attending college fairs, and going on college visits. This is such an important process for high schoolers that expect to go to college after graduation. This effort will not advance, though, if the student does not put in the time and effort.

Most admissions officers and guidance counselors suggest that students start the college search as soon as possible—if not by sophomore year, than definitely by the end of junior year. It is most common for students to start looking into different colleges during their junior year.

“Students should definitely start junior year by researching online,” said Assistant Director of Admissions at Saint Anselm College, Kathleen Farmer.

Visiting colleges is another important step when planning for the future.

“Exposure to a lot of different colleges helps you see that there is so many different types of colleges,” said Farmer.

In addition to visiting colleges, students should begin to learn what it is that colleges are looking for in an applicant.

Colleges typically look at the applicant’s classes and levels, high school transcripts, class rank, standardized test scores, leadership qualities, and extracurricular activities.

“We want to see you committed to an activity rather than not as committed to ten activities,” said Farmer.

This is the opposite of what students think—that joining as many possible clubs at school will help them get into colleges. Instead, it’s not the amount of extracurriculars that they are involved in, but their level of commitment to them.

Getting into college is important, but another aspect of the process that holds the same significance is the ability to financially afford it.

Many people get accepted to places that they cannot pay for. To try and prevent this, students and their parents should begin to create a budget that they can afford. Students should also do their part by applying for as many scholarships as they can. Every scholarship earned takes a little pressure off those paying for college, whether it be the parents or the student.

Woodland juniors were given the opportunity to continue their search for a college at the Hartford College Fair. Surrounded by more than 180 colleges, students could find out about most of the colleges that they were interested in. Junior Casey Stevens found the experience to be very helpful to her.
“It helped me to recognize other colleges rather than the prominent schools mentioned today,” said Stevens. “It also helped me to narrow down on majors so I could ask questions concerning research opportunities.”

To students like Stevens, the College Fair was great in aiding them along the process. As juniors, it is the perfect time to get started. It puts juniors on the right course for going to college.

Picture link: www.hammontonps.org

Let’s face it—it’s that time of year again. It’s time for decisions and applications, exams and projects, and of course—standardized tests.

No one really likes them but they are practically impossible to avoid. So take a deep breath and remember these ten things.

10 Think like the test maker not the test taker. When you look at multiple choice questions most of the time answer can be narrowed down between two answers. Don’t be too quick to assume the answer. Consider all the answers and then make an educated guess if you are still unsure. Don’t overthink it.

9         Process of elimination is often revered as one of the best test taking strategies. No one expects you to know every answer on the exam. When you don’t know the answer you are best off eliminating the ones you know are wrong and then moving from there. Who knows, you might just get it right.
8 So there is an answer you don’t know. Let’s face it; it happens to the best of us. No one is perfect so when you get to questions you don’t know just breathe and try reading it again. Still don’t get it? That’s okay too. You can always come back to a question within a section and sometimes when we look at a question later the answer can suddenly become clear. Just remember it’s only one question.
7 The reading section. For some this is the best part and for others it is dreaded. No matter which way you are there is a good way to handle the passages and their questions. First scan the piece and read any sections headers or bolded words. Then read the questions before going back and reading the actual passage. Mark up the passage as you read and hopefully when you reach the questions again they will seem familiar and easy.
6 The math section. Maybe this is the section you look forward to the most or maybe you would rather do another section of reading comprehension. Regardless the math section is often easier than perceived. The answers are always provided for you. Because it is multiple choice, sometimes it is quicker to do a check plugging in the various answers then actually solving the problem. Just remember if you don’t know the answer to one you are better off coming back than wasting time trying to solve a problem you don’t understand.
5 The science section. For me this was always the section that killed me. I’ve never been a huge science person and just the idea made me shudder. But don’t get overwhelmed almost all of the science is graph reading. Read the question and then look at the graph. Maybe you won’t understand the graph but often times you can still answer the question. Don’t get caught up in the introduction paragraphs or the complexities of the chart. Just look at it simply and try not to overthink it.
4 The night before. I’m sure you have heard it before—sleep is your best bet for good scores. No matter how much studying you do; you won’t do well if your body is tired and sluggish. Do your best to get a good’s night of sleep and don’t allow lack of sleep to hold you back.
3 The morning of. Give yourself enough time in the morning to really wake up before the exam. The last thing you want is to be in the exam and still feel half asleep. Eat a good breakfast to give you energy for the rest of the day and don’t forget to bring a snack with you. Food that is high in protein is often a good choice.
2 They aren’t everything.  It may seem like it at the time—but your standardized test scores are not everything. They do not tell schools or people everything about you and they never could. Some people are better and tests and some just aren’t. Either way that is okay—and either way you can still get into college regardless of how great or poor your scores are. And don’t forget you can always retake them.
1 Try your best. At the end of the day that is all that really matters. If you put your best effort in the test that is all anyone could ask of you. So when it comes down to it—remember breath, you have everything you need.

The guidance department is holding a Junior planning night April 7th from 6:45-7:30 and 7:45-8:30.

There are the following workshops that will be taking place:

Life Beyond High School: Preparing for the Work World: Mrs. Hilda Delucia, President of Inspired Learning, will provide the students attending with the basic knowledge of how to maximize their skills in the competitive workforce of today. This will emphasize the importance of interpersonal communication, teamwork, and work ethic. It will also focus on what a good first impression means to people.

Investigating Options for Vocational and Training School Programs: Representatives from Lincoln Tech, New England Tractor Trailer Training School, Porter and Chester, and Paul Mitchell will speak about many post high school educational opportunities in lieu of the traditional college experience.

Opportunities In The Military: Representatives from the Armed forces will discuss what it means to be a part of the military, what qualifications are needed to enroll, and what educational opportunities are available.

The College Search Process: WRHS Counselors will provide a hands-on workshop in the computer lab to introduce parents to College Board and Naviance.

Demystifying the SAT: Gain knowledge on how the SAT measures how students apply skills learned in the classroom, approaches to taking the SAT, and how colleges utilize test scores.

Is Community College an Option for me?: An admissions director from Naugatuck Valley Community College will discuss the many educational options and articulation agreements with Connecticut state colleges.

The College Athlete: Bill Cardarelli, Director of Athletics at St. Joseph’s College, will present the ins and outs of what is required of a college athlete. The discussion will address the NCAA rules and regulations.

Writing a College Essay that Dazzles Your Readers: Heidi Erickson, Senior Associate Director at Quinnipiac University will offer tips and strategies for writing an essay that provides meaningful information about the student and captures the attention of college admissions directors.

An Overview and Insight into the College Application Review Process: Harry Levit, from Yale University, and Jayson Hodges from the University of Connecticut will review how colleges look at a student’s application and high school information once they are received. It also provides insight on how the whole process works.

Financial Aid: Ms. Cathy Hardy, Director of Financial Aid at Naugatuck Valley Community College will present financial information for all post-secondary options.

These workshops will provide great insight on everything you need to know to prepare yourself for the college preparation.
If you are a junior and interested, come Thursday April 7th to learn more about the college experience.

GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT NEWSLETTER – DECEMBER 2010

WHAT’S NEW:Central, Southern and Western State Universities offered on-site admissions days to Woodland seniors in the months of November and December.  Congratulations to all seniors who were admitted!  A reminder to student receiving a deferral decision, remember to continue to do your best work in your classes as second quarter and midterm grades will be forwarded to the college(s).  If additional SAT or ACT scores were requested by the college, it is the student’s responsibility to forward future test scores directly to the college from College Board.  Once the college receives the additional information they requested, an admission decision will be made.NEWS FLASH:Post University has requested an on-site admissions day!  A late January date is planned, information will follow in the Guidance Update and Naviance.

FINANCIAL AID NIGHT was held on December 2.  Susan Gerber, Director of Student Financial Services at Yale University, provided a comprehensive overview of the financial aid process, required forms and insight as to how colleges meet a student’s financial need.  Attendees left better equipped to file the FAFSA.  Ms. Gerber met individually with a number of parents after the presentation to field private questions.  Students and parents who did not attend may pick up hard copies of handouts and Ms. Gerber’s PowerPoint in the guidance office.

UPCOMING EVENTS:  The success of the individualized Junior Planning Meetings with school counselors combined with “Out of the Woods”, an information night focusing on post-secondary school opportunities was recognized by the Connecticut School Counselors Association as the state’s best Student-Parent Program for 2010!  School counselors will be contacting juniors and their parents with a specific appointment time during the months of January through April to review the student’s transcript, discuss senior course selections and explore college/career options.  Please let your student’s school counselor know in advance if one day/time is better than another for your appointment.  “Out of the Woods” is scheduled for April 7, 2011 and is open to all Woodland students and their parents.  The event is offered in a workshop format, allowing participants to attend two sessions on topics ranging from college essay writing to two year college options to educational opportunities in the military to NCAA information for college athletes.   Detailed information describing the scheduled workshops will be available at a later date allowing families to make plans for the evening.  Mark your calendar!

GUIDANCE UPDATE:  An information resource for parents and students alike, the Guidance Update is published every other week and with copies forwarded to every Advisory.  The Update may also be accessed on Edline through the Guidance Department’s page.  This publication provides current scholarship, college rep visit/ Open House, and even summer opportunity information for all grade levels.  Underclassmen will benefit from attending college representative visits at Woodland and some scholarships are specifically designed for underclassmen!  Summer opportunities range from attending college programs, to study abroad to leadership conferences, again, for all grade levels. 

DEADLINES, DEADLINES, DEADLINES:  Seniors, please adhere to the Guidance Department’s request for a 15 school day window to process your Transcript Request for college and scholarship applications!  Stay on top of your deadlines!

College – Open House Dates

Mitchell College – October 11th

Johnson & Wales University – October 16th, November 13th

Lyme Academy – October 16th

ECSU – Octboer 17th

Franklin Pierce University – October 17th

University of New Haven – October 17th, November 7th

Lincoln College – October 17th, November 20th

Becker College – October 23rd

UCONN Waterbury – October 23rd

Bay Path College – October 24th, December 5th

Hofstra University – October 24th, November 20th

SCSU – October 24th

Elms College – October 30th

Sacred Heart University – October 30th

CCSU – October 31st

Lafayette College – November 5th, November 14th

WCSU – November 7th

Trinity College – November 13th

UCONN Avery Point – No vember 13th

Roger Williams University – November 14th

Local College Fairs

October 6th – Oxford High School, Oxford – 7 to 8:30 P.M.

October 18th – Danbury Fair Mall, Danbury – 5 to 9 P.M.

Performing & Visual Arts College Fairs

Attention Art Students! Performing and Visual Arts College Fairs are held in 18 cities across the country. The closest to WRHS is New York – Tuesday, November 2nd and Boston – Wednesday, November 3rd. For more information, visit – www.nacacnet.org/pva.

National Portfolio Days will be held at Virginia Commonwealth School of the Arts – Saturday, November 6th.

Savannah College of Art and Design is presenting an informational session in New York on Saturday, October 16th at noon. The session is located at 1568 Broadway street at the Doubletree Guest Suites in Times Square.

Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts is participating in the 2010-2011 National Portfolio Day Association Events. All Portfolio Day events are free, open to the public and do not require preregistration. For additional information about the portfolio requirements visit www.lymeacademy.edu or contact the Admissions Office at 860-434-5232 or admissions@lymeacademy.edu

SAT & ACT Testing

The next SAT is scheduled for November 6th. Registration deadline is October 8th and late registration is October 9th through October 22nd. The next SAT scheduled at Woodland is on December 4th, late date to register is November 5th. To register on-line visit www.collegeboard.com. Mail registration packets are available in the guidance office.

The next ACT is scheduled for October 23rd. The registration deadline is September 17th and late registration is September 18th through October 1st. To register visit, www.actstudent.org. The school code for Woodland is 070014.

PSAT

The PSAT is offered to Sophomores and Juniors at Woodland on Saturday, October 16th, 2010. Registration is done directly through the guidance office. Forms are also available on Edline.

Naviance

Seniors – Please start entering your prospective college choices.

Juniors – Your naviance account should be utilized to explore careers and colleges, begin writing up resumes and completing “Do What You Are”. Also, use it daily to sign-up for college rep visits (there will no longer be a notebook for sign-ups), and search and apply for scholarships.

Freshmen and Sohpomores will receive information during the coming months.

College Presentation Information

In the fall, college representatives are visiting high schools and/or holding information sessions locally to share information about their colleges/universities.

Seniors and Juniors – you may register to attend these small informational sessions, held at Woodland, for the colleges you are interested in by signing up in your Naviance account.

Vists at Woodland:

Wednesday, October 13th – 8:00 A.M. – CCSU

Thursday, October 14th – 10:00 A.M. – RIT , 1:00 P.M. – Emmanuel College

Friday, October 15th – 10:30 A.M. – SCSU

Friday, October 22nd – 9:30 A.M. – Marymount Manhattan

Tuesday, October 26th – 1:00 P.M. – ECSU

Wednesday, October 27th – 1:00 P.M. – Springfield College

Friday, October 29th – 12:45 P.M. – UMASS Amherst

Thursday, November 4th – 8:00 A.M.- Wesleyan University

Tuesday, November 9th – 1:00 P.M. – Mass College of Pharmacy

Wednesday, November 10th – 10:00 A.M. – University of Hartford

Monday, November 15th – 8:30 A.M. – Quinnipiac University

Local Information Sessions:

Emerson College – October 4th at the Stamford Marriot Hotel, October 9th at the Long Island Marriot Hotel, October 10th at the Doubletree Guest Suites Times Squares, October 20th at the Westchester Marriot

Harvard Club of Southern Connecticut is holding an information session for prospective students on Sunday, October 17th, 2010 from 1-3 P.M. in the Lawn Club, located at 193 Whitney Avenue in the East Rocks section of New Haven, CT. Students should RSVP by October 13th, and include the name of their school and their telephone number to: edebrigard@gmail.com or 860-345-2338. (Leave a message).

The Student Conservation Assocation is accepting applications for High School students ages 15-19 for a TUITION- FREE SUMMER program to help strengthen the environment by building hiking trials, protect a vital habitat, and help protect our precious natural resources for years to come. For more information, please visit www.thesca.org/nhationl-crews

Senior Night: Wednesday, September 15th at 7 p.m.: Seniors and their parents are invited to attend an informational evening with counselors to discuss the college application process. Individual counselors will meet with their students and parents in the following locations: Mrs. Metzler: Room 206/208, Mrs. Murdy: Room 207/209, and Mrs. Folta: Room 202. All attendees will recieve an instruction packet, complete with all necessary transcript release forms, and a copy of individual transcripts. This meeting is important for early admissions candidates and first timers to the college process.

Connecticut Universities: Open Houses:
UCONN- September 12th- openhouse.uconn.edu
University of Hartford- September 12th
University of New Haven- September 26th
CCSU- October 17th
SCSU- October 24th

Local College Fairs:
September 24th- Holy Cross High School, Waterbury- 6 to 8 p.m.
October 1st- Oxford High School, Oxford- 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Performing and Visual Arts College Fairs:
Attention Art Students! Performing and Visual Arts College Fairs are held in 18 cities across the country. The closest to WRHS is in New York- Tuesday, November 2nd and Boston- Wednesday, November 3rd. Additional information can be found at- www.nacacnet.org/pva

SAT and ACT Testing:
Below are the SAT and ACT testing/registration dates for 2010-2011. Seniors are encouraged to utlizie the October through January dates, and Juniors should plan to register for one or two of the spring 2011 dates. To register for the SAT log on www.collegeboard.com. For the ACT, students may go to www.actstudent.org to register. Our school code for both tests is 070014. Registration forms for mail registration available in the guidance office as well. Please stop by and pick up a practice booklet.
The SAT will be given at WRHS in October, December, March, and June.

SAT:
Test Dates
October 9th, 2010- Registration Deadline- Sept 10,2010. Late registration- Sept 24th, 2010
November 6th, 2010- Registration Deadline- October 8th, 2010. Late registration- October 22nd, 2010
December 4th, 2010- Registration Deadline- November 5th, 2010. Late registration- November 19th, 2010
January 22, 2011- Registration Deadline- December 23rd, 2010. Late registration- January 7th, 2011
March 12, 2011- Registration Deadline- February 11, 2011. Late registration- February 25th, 2011
May 7, 2011- Registration Deadline- April 8th, 2011. Late registration- April 22, 2011
June 4, 2011- Registration Deadline- May 6, 2011. Late registration May 20, 2011

ACT
Test Dates
September 11, 2010- Registration Deadline- August 6, 2010. Late Fee Required- August 7th-20th, 2010
October 23rd, 2010- Registration Deadline- September 17th, 2010. Late Fee Required- September 18th- October 1st, 2010
December 11, 2010- Registration Deadline- November 5th, 2010. Late Fee Required- November 6th- 19th, 2010
February 12, 2011- Registration Deadline- January 7th, 2010. Late Fee Required- January 8th – 21st 2011
April 9th, 2011- Registration Deadline- March 4th, 2011. Late Fee Required- March 5th- 18th, 2011
June 11, 2011- Registration Deadline- May 6, 2011. Late Fee Required May 7th- 20th, 2011

PSAT
The PSAT will be offered to sophomores and juniors at Woodland on Saturday, October 16th, 2010. Registration is done directly through the guidance office. Students will recieve registartion forms in advisory in mid-September. You can also find the forms on Edline.

College Presentation Information:
College representatives will be coming locally to hold information sessions about their college/university.

Seniors and Juniors may register to attend these small informational sessions, held at our school by signing up using your Naviance account.
Visits at WRHS:
Monday, September 13th- 8 am- Johnson and Wales
1 pm- Bryant University
Tuesday, September 14th- 9:15 am- Roger Williams University
12:45 pm- Kings College
Wednesday, September 15th- 10:30 am- University of Bridgeport
Thursday, September 16th- 1:00 pm- University of New Haven
Monday, September 20th- 1:15 pm- Unity College
Wednesday, September 22nd- 9:00 am- Elms College
Thursday, September 23rd- 9:00 am- Sacred Heart University
Tuesday, September 28th- 10:00 am- Bay Path College
Wednesday, September 29th- 8:00 am- Lasell College
12:45 pm- Suffolk University
Monday, October 4th- 9:00 am- Albertus Magnus
10:30 am- Castleton College
12:45 pm- Suffolk University
Wednesday, October 6th- 9:30 am- St. Joseph College
Wednesday, October 13th- 8:00 am- CCSU
Thursday, October 14th- 1:00 pm- Emanuel College
Friday, October 22nd- 9:30 am- Marymount Manhattan
Tuesday, October 26th- 1:00 pm- ECSU
Wednesday, October 27th- 1:00 pm- Springfield College
Tuesday, November 9th- 1:00 pm- Mass College of Pharmacy
Wednesday, November 10th- 10:00 am- University of Hartford

Local Information Sessions
MIT- Hartford, CT, September 13th at 7:30pm at the University High School of Science and Engineering
Darien, September 14th at 7:30 pm at Darien High School
Washington University in St. Louis- Tarrytown, New York- September 15, 2010 7 to 8 pm at Doubletree Tarrytown (914) 631-5700

CURRENT SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:
Complete Information regarding these scholarships is on Naviance
Wendy’s High School Heisman Award- deadline- October 3rd
AES Engineering Scholarship- October 8, 2010
Horatio Alger Scholarship- National Scholarship- October 30, 2010
Horatio Alger Scholarship- Connecticut Scholarship- October 30, 2010
Coco-Cola Scholars Program- October 31, 2010
Prudential Spirit of Community Award- November 1st, 2010
Elks National Foundation- November 2nd- 2010
Intel Science Talent Search Awards & Scholarship- November 17, 2010

Post Secondary Planning Night will take place on April 6th from 7-9 pm.

All Woodland students and their parents are invited to an evening of workshops to help students through life after high school. Juniors and their parents are invited to a special 6:30-7 pm session with their school counselor prior to the workshops.

The workshops are offered twice each from 7:10-8 pm and 8:10-9 pm.

Workshops Offered:

Opportunities in the Military

Four Year College Panel

Financial Aid

The College Athlete

Discover the ACT

Two Year College Opportunities

Preparing for the World of Work

The College Search Process

Transitioning to College for Students with Special Needs

Photo Credit: http://www.lvr.sd8.bc.ca/Images/Graduation/Grad%20Planning_clip_image002.gif

These are scholarships that you are still able to apply for:

Intel Science Talent Search Awards & Scholarship – Deadline November 18th

AXA Achievement Scholarship – visit axa.achievement.com for more details

Stamford Symphony Orchestra – Deadline December 1st

1800wheelchair.com Scholarship – Deadline December 15th

Gates Millennium Scholars – Deadline January 12th

Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship – Deadline January 15th

SAE Engineering Scholarship – Deadline January 15th

National Congress of Black Women – Deadline January 15th

ACT National Poster Contest – Deadline January 30th

Burger King Scholars Program – Deadline February 1st

Big Y Scholarship Program – Deadline February 1st

KFC Colonel’s Scholars – Deadline February 10th

National Co-op Scholarship Program – Deadline February 15th

Griffin Hospital Health Services Corp. Scholarship – Deadline May 1st

FAM \ The Kay Wyrick Scholarship – Deadline March 15th

Valley Association of Realtors Award for Academic Excellence – Deadline May 5th

Bob’s Discount Furniture High School Heroes – Deadline May 31st

Woodland will be the host for the December 5th SAT.  The late registration period is from October 13th to November 12th, so there is a short time left to register for this date.  To register, you can visit collegeboard.com.  There is another SAT scheduled for January 23th at Woodland.

The next testing date for the ACT will be on December 12th.  The late registration period is from November 7th to the 20th, so there is also still time to sign up for the ACT.  To register for the ACT, visit actstudent.org.

*The school code for Woodland is 070014

   All high school students are given a choice to either take the SAT or ACT.  Both tests are accepted by all colleges and universities.  Both tests have multiple testing dates throughout the country.  Both tests contain sections focusing on reading, mathematics, and writing.  But, here’s the difference.

   The first difference is physical. The SAT is dominantly taken in the east and west coasts.  The ACT is dominantly taken in the Midwest and South.

  The ACT has a set of science based questions, which the SAT does not have.  The ACT also has an optional 30 minute writing test.  The SAT’s writing test is mandatory.

   The duration of actual testing time is also a difference between the ACT and the SAT.  The ACT is 2 hours and 55 minutes of testing, (3 hours and 25 minutes including the optional writing test.)  The SAT is 3 hours and 45 minutes long.  If a student decides not to take the ACT optional writing test, the ACT is 50 minutes shorter than the SAT. 

   There are testing dates and locations for both the ACT and SAT. The key is to figure out which test fits what you are planning on pursing in college.  If you are going to college for a major in a science, or your college of choice does not look at your writing score, the ACT is the better choice.  If you are unsure if the college of your choice looks at the writing score, or you are not planning on taking a science major, the SAT is worth considering.  Which test will you choose?