Answering the Why

As senior students wrap up their regular decision applications, they start finalizing their supplemental essays for their college applications. Many colleges and universities that require supplemental essays include the question "Why (insert name of college)?" This question presents the most problems for high school students.  Frequently, the answer includes a long list of why the college is perfect. However, what the answer fails to explain is why is the college perfect for YOU? The college knows what it is about, it's strengths, and what it stands for.  The college is really asking what parts about the college make you want to go there.  In other words, how does the student fit within the college community and what would the student add to it?

This question is not posed as a challenge to see what the applicant knows about the school in general. The question is posed to find out what draws the student to apply to the college. Be specific.  What do you want to major in? Why? If you do not know, what programs of study interest you? What about the culture excites you? What extracurricular activities do you want to be a part of? Is there a specific, unique internship opportunity or study abroad experience that you are dying to take advantage of?

In order to test the strength of the supplemental essay, substitute the real name of the college with another college that it is similar to.  Read the essay aloud. If it still makes sense, then the essay is not one you should keep. Make sure that the essay is so specific that it would not make sense to use on any other application. It is only then that you know you are finished.

News and Notes:

PSAT scores are available online for 10th and 11th graders on College Board's website.  Check your email with a video demonstration for how to access scores and what they mean.

Friday, December 16th at 7:45 am: Coffee with Counselors: Understand your PSAT Scores: Library: RSVP to Anne Murray at murraya@cantonma.org

The Holiday Stretch

"The holiday season is a perfect time to reflect on our blessings and seek out ways to make life better for those around us."

Happy Holidays! In the guidance department, we strive to make the quote above how we work all year long!  The hustle and bustle of the stretch of holidays from Halloween to New Year's Day is well under way. With crazy sales, family gatherings, and holiday parties, we know time is your most precious resource right now.  And if it is yours, it must be your children's too!

Life in CHS Guidance is just as busy! With the regular decision deadlines approaching, we are diligently giving essay revisions, recommendation writing, and finalizing college lists! With first term grades released before the Thanksgiving holiday, we are busy catching up with freshmen to see what they think of their academic progress thus far. College Board releases the PSAT results in two weeks; there is so much going on!

We also host multiple events in the month of December.  Please reach out to your child's counselor with any questions.  An email was sent today about our event on the 8th!

Thursday, December 8th: 6 pm - 8 pm Post-secondary Pathways Night: Mini-Fair with Alternative Plans to Colleges and a College Admissions Night: Open to 10th, 11th, and 12th Grade Families. There is something for EVERYONE! Students and parents encouraged to attend together.
Friday, December 16th: 7:45 am: Coffee with Counselors: Understanding Your PSAT Scores

The Power of Choice

The high school years tend to be the most demanding on our resource of time.  Students try to master the art of balance by fitting in sports, arts, hobbies, homework, family time, friend time, drivers ed, SAT, ACT, and applying to college. Parents strive to set phone limits, driving boundaries, curfews, reasonable bed times, and family dinners.  Sometimes, in the midst of all of this organized chaos, there seems little time to talk about how we make smart decisions as students enter adulthood. How do we teach our students to make good decisions and support one another even if opinions differ? How often do we ask them if they are completely comfortable making a different decision than their friends? If the answer is no, then have they found the right friends?

Even though at this age, it may seem that our teenagers need us less, the reality contradicts that notion.  Yes, some can drive themselves to play rehearsal and sports practice, pick up dinner on their way home, do their own laundry, and make their own meals. At the same time, they really need to hear that we are in their corner, not here to lecture and scold, but to listen and brainstorm. High school students need to know we are here, all they need to do is give us a sign. It is our collective responsibility to help them on their journey into adulthood.  Because as they say, it takes a village.

Coming Up:
Tuesday, November 1st, 6:30 pm at Stonehill College: Financial Aid 101
Thursday, December 3rd: December 3rd SAT Registration Deadline
Friday, November 4th: December 10th ACT Registration Deadline
Saturday, November 5th: SAT (at other testing locations)
Thursday, December 8th: 6:30 pm: College Admissions Night in the auditorium
                                                         Alternative Options to College Fair in the cafeteria
Friday, December 16th: 7:45 am: Coffee with Counselors: Explaining PSAT results

From Canton to College

As parents, it is natural to want your children to enjoy high school and relish every aspect of this developmental stage. From dating to driving, prom and voting, high school represents a time of great growth and maturity. Yet, high school also represents a time of preparation for post secondary planning. The college application process does not simply reflect the act of applying and enrolling. Rather, it begins in sophomore year, with self-evaluation and career exploration. Junior year entails matching the results of self-awareness and career goals with colleges and universities. The process culminates in senior year with college applications and matriculation. The events listed below are offered as a resource to help students and parents navigate this complex task.

Wednesday, October 5th: 

Canton High School will be chaperoning sophomores, juniors, and seniors, to the TEC College Fair in Waltham.  Bus will leave at 5:30 and return at approximately 8:30. Cost is 10 dollars. Please to go myschoolbucks.com to register and pay. Permission slips were emailed to parents with details last week. 

From 6:30 to 7:30, on the same evening, parents are invited to attend a financial aid workshop for parents, presented by MEFA, in the library. Then from 7:30-8:30 in the cafeteria, parents can come learn about the intricacies of the SAT and ACT.

Wednesday, October 19th:

The PSAT will be held during the school day, from 8-12. Cost is 20 dollars and registration can be done at myschoolbucks.com. We are striving for ALL sophomores and juniors to take this exam, as it is an important step in preparation for the SAT in the spring of junior year.

BIG NEWS: WE ARE BREAKING UP!

Welcome to the 2016-2017 academic year! In the guidance department, we are starting this year off with a bang. In an effort to increase our communications and services to parents, we are breaking up the comprehensive twitter and blog posts. What does this mean you ask? Galvin Middle School Guidance now has their own twitter and blog focused solely on middle school students.  This blog will focus on high school material. If you have a middle school student, please sign up for updates for the following:

Galvin Guidance Blog - galvinguidance.blogspot.com 

Galvin Twitter - @ GMS_Guidance

The Canton Guidance Department also had the great fortune of welcoming two new members to the team. Mr. Chris Buss joins CHS after five years at Saugus High School. He is taking over Mr. O'Brien's caseload.  Mrs. Kari Denitizio starts her career here in Canton at Galvin Middle School after working as a teacher and counselor for years in Brockton.  She oversees the seventh grade and is the entire grade's school counselor. Please welcome them to Canton!

Please note the upcoming event at CHS:

Friday, September 9th at 7:45 am: Senior Parent Coffee with Counselors: College Admissions 

Looking Ahead

I think everyone can remember a time when a parent, a babysitter, a teacher, a grandparent, told us "Look Where You Are Going!" As a child, it was heard when crossing the street, or riding a bike, and trying to talk to a friend or look around, while at the same time staying in motion.  Now, it can be heard outside or in a hallway, when someone is trying to text and walk at the same time  - or even worse, text and drive.

Sometimes, in life, when we live in a constant state of motion, we fail to take stock as to where we are in the world, what we have achieved, and what we need to do to move forward.  As we conclude another school year, and more specifically the 2015-2016 academic year, it is important to note what the guidance department has accomplished this year...Please excuse me for bragging, but it has been quite a year of firsts!

1. A New Blog
2. College Bus Tours
3. A New Counselor at the High School
4. A New Counselor for the 2015-2016 school year, and another new counselor hired for 2016-2017 at Galvin Middle School, both the result of new positions added to the staff
5. Reorganization of the Student Response Team at CHS and GMS
6. College Admissions Night with a College Fair
7. Guidance Coffees every term at both CHS and GMS
8. PSAT moved to Wednesday
9. The Building of a UBD, Vertically Aligned curriculum according to ASCA standards
10. CAPE Grant Award Recipient
11. Breaking Free From Depression Training and Plan for Implementation in 2016-2017
12. Revision of Course Selection Process to Online Recommendations
13. Revamp of Scheduling Timeline
14. SAT and ACT Accommodations Training and Execution by CHS counselors
15. Reorganization of GMS school counselors to grade level counselors for 2016-2017

We look forward to continuing to evolve and grow as we work to improve our services to our students and families of Canton. Thanks for coming along for the ride!

Stuck in the Middle

About once a decade College Board decides to revamp the SAT test, and change the way they do things. As the first two administrations of the new SAT have passed, College Board released concordance tables, comparing the new SAT to the old SAT, and the new SAT to the current ACT. Like Winnie the Pooh (pictured above), the current junior class is stuck in the middle of vast standardized test changes which no one completely understands the ramifications of yet. Colleges and universities across the country are trying to figure out what they are going to do with the essay and whether or not they even care about it. If parents utilize Naviance and look at the past data, it no longer holds relevant. So, how can one make sense of it all?

Let the guidance department help you get unstuck.  There are concordance tables comparing the old SAT to the new. The link is below.

https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/educators/higher-ed/scoring-changes/concordance

 In general, it is important to note that new SAT scores are inflated in comparison to the old SAT scores. In other words, a higher score on the new SAT translates into a lower score on the old SAT. Understand that high scores on the new SAT actually reflect a lower percentage standing in comparison to years past. This translates into SAT averages for accepted students at colleges and universities to rise substantially next year. This rise fails to represent increased competitiveness for admission; it simply reflects the change in scoring by College Board.

Further, College Board failed to communicate with ACT when producing these concordance charts. Hence, do NOT use the concordance table to compare an ACT score with a new SAT score. Rather, use the ACT score and compare it to the profile of the average admitted student at the college of interest.

It is of utmost important that you reach out to your child's guidance counselor if you are having trouble figuring this all out.  That is normal! Guidance counselors spend fourth term meeting with juniors individually to follow up on the group seminar work completed in term three. With so many changes, getting help makes sense.

With the Common Application already live for next year's senior class, students can get started on filling out the basic information. By being proactive, students can spend the summer months focused on essay writing. In addition, the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success released their version of the Common Application.  See the website for details.

http://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/


Below are some important dates coming up.

Friday, May 20th: CHS Guidance Coffee at 7:30 am: Anxiety and Depression Awareness
Sunday, May 22nd: 2-5 pm and Monday, May 23rd: 8:30-12:30 pm NACAC College Fair in Boston, see NACAC website for details
Wednesday, June 22nd: Bus field trips to colleges for rising seniors and juniors: more information to come. Cost 10 dollars per student plus money for lunch.

Spirituality in Schools

Thirteen years ago, at a MASCA conference, I co-presented with a professor from my masters program on Spirituality in Schools. In sharing the topic with others, people questioned how one can talk about spirituality in schools. Most people make a quick correlation between spirituality and religion, as if one word serves as a synonym for the other.  However, this faulty assumption often translates into the avoidance of talking about spirituality and our inner spirits completely.

During the second year of my career as a guidance counselor, I felt this overwhelming need to address the challenges of sophomore students. Sophomores are no longer the new kids on the block (much like seventh graders) , yet they are also one year short of being an upperclassmen (or eighth graders) and planning the next chapters of their lives. To bond with these students, I formed groups of students based on common study periods. During the first meeting, I required all students, in all six groups, to write down questions they wanted to talk about as a group. These questions were anonymous with no parameters. I took those questions and compiled them into a word document (pre-Google times).

Can you guess what the number one question was asked over and over again? What do you believe religiously? Can you be spiritual but not religious? Why do you believe what you do? Do you think it matters what your religion is? During the next meeting, I gave all students copies of the questions and sat back and let them wrestle with these questions.  Without failure, these were the questions the students gravitated towards and debated at length.

Those conversations are forever etched in memory.  The conversations, in group after group, centered around spirituality, where they find peace, what makes them feel better, how they wish they all just looked out for each other, how they wished school spirit could translate into spiritual goodness. The spirituality in all of us, the spirit inside of all humans which causes us to depend on one another, to rely on one another, to pull each other through challenging times, that is what the students defined spirituality as. Their need to want to connect with each other, their willingness to find a commonality, their interest in what each other had to say, demonstrated the very good in humanity we seldom celebrate on the news.

Last night I watched Deepak Chopra's talk on  http://www.supersoul.tv/supersoul-sessions/supersoul-sessions-series-2-experience-it-live-saturday-april-9.  It serves as a powerful reminder of what connects us all.

News and Notes
GMS Middle School Parent Coffee moved to Friday, April 29th at 7:30 am
AP Exams begin Monday, May 2nd
SAT at CHS on Saturday May 7th

What Do You See?

Try to remember the last time your child sat back and thoughtfully looked in the mirror. This is not meant to be a literal exercise; in other words, search not for the last time your child put on make-up, straightened hair, or double checked the collar on a shirt. Think back to the last time the two of you conversed about what your child really wants in life, what makes your child smile, what brings your child to tears from uncontrollable laughter, what could fulfill your child in college, in a career, in a lifetime.

So much of the college process and the course selection process centers around the existential question of life: What do I want?  The real question behind these four words demands a thoughtful response. How can your child pick classes, pick a career, pick a college, make a big decision, if your child has not spent any time reflecting, analyzing, and thinking about what makes him/her really happy, fulfilled, and satisfied with life. With your prompting, the conversation can begin, thoughtful choices can be made, and finding the right fit for post-secondary education can be found.

These conversations should happen in middle school and high school. Students in this age bracket respond well when they produce something tangible. Go to a discounted art store, department store, or CVS, and buy a poster board.  Make this your vision board for the year. Take pictures off the internet, print decorative words which hold much meaning for you, put a campus picture of your dream college, and create a collage.  Hang it up.  Make it a family affair. Parents, guardians, siblings make vision boards too. Talk about it through the year. Encourage one another. Have it follow the school year calendar, starting with July 1st 2016, and ending July 2017. Each year save the vision board, and see how it changes, grows, and evolves from year to year. 

When You Believe It, You See It.

In the middle of course selection, I am reminded of the incredibly busy lives of our students.  Some aim to play three sports, participate in orchestra, and try to take all honors classes.  Others work long hours to earn their spending money, watch their siblings to help their parents, and struggle to understand the class which challenges them most. Add the college process or unexpected life events, and the cup of life now overfills with responsibilities. No matter what your students' lives look like on a day to day basis, all students are struggling to find the balance.  The middle and high school years are a time of self-discovery, life exploration, and deep friendship formation.  So much is going on for this segment of our population, they are simultaneously attempting to grow up, while unknowingly cherishing the last moments of childhood.  We can help our students, our children, our friends' children, our nieces, our nephews, by teaching them how to be still.  Scientific study highlights the extensive positive benefits of meditation, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Show them what it looks like to self-reflect. Take a moment to breathe. Make them understand what a self-fulling prophecy is. The saying goes, Seeing is Believing.  Reverse it. Believing is Seeing. 

If you need some guidance, Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra are starting a 21 day free meditation experience.  The meditations are short. Registration can be found at https://chopracentermeditation.com/

Saving Some Trees

It is no secret that most companies are going paperless.  Most colleges now process an entire admissions application without printing a single piece of paper. The guidance office no longer prints transcripts for colleges; everything is sent electronically. Parents receive term grades through email.  Student schedules are emailed. The program of studies is posted on the webpage. These efforts not only save time, but they save trees, and they reduce waste.

So often we are trying to get students off their phones, off their tablets, and engaged with the world.  At the same time, we strive to teach these students how to use this same technology to further their education, organize themselves, and manage their time. This year, we take it one step further: electronic course selection for high school students.

This year students can find the program of studies online on the high school webpage under news. Immediately underneath the program of studies, there will be links to the course grade level course offerings.  Students can find their transcripts on Edline if they would like to use it for reference. All of these items will be posted on Monday, February 29th.

Currently, the eighth grade students will continue to do register by paper and pen.  Next year, the eighth grade will join the high school and go paperless.  Listed below are the events to help our families through the course selection process.

For Eighth Grade Parents:
Friday, March 4th, 7:30 am at Galvin Middle School:
                              Coffee with Counselors: Eighth Grade Course Selection Overview
Monday, March 7th, 7:00 pm at Canton High School:
                              Eighth Grade Course Selection Overview
Eighth Grade Parents Need Attend Only One of these Two Events
For High School Parents:
Monday, March 7th, 8 pm at Canton High School:
                              Course Selection for High School Parents

Seeing the Forest Through the Trees

Sometimes it feels like college admissions changes as fast as the speed of light. This year welcomed a new SAT, an overhaul of the ACT Writing section, continued revision of AP Exams, a call to action by Harvard University with the Turning the Tide report, and the upcoming introduction of an alternate application by the Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success.

With all of these changes in mind, please remember the guidance department is here to help. Attending the following two events will help you get a jump start on tackling this process.


Tonight: Thursday, January 28th, 6-8:30 pm College Admissions Night

The event starts out with a mini college fair followed by an admissions panel and standardized test prep information. Senior parents will be in the computer labs, receiving assistance with filling out the FAFSA (pre-registration was required for this portion of tonight's activities).

Army
Marines
Beacon College
Massachusetts College of Art
Benjamin Franklin Institute of Tech.
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Boston University
Massachusetts Community College
Bridgewater State University
Mitchell College
Cape Cod Community College
New England Institute of Tech
Coast Guard Academy
Olin College of Engineering
Curry College
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Emerson College
Salem State University
Emmanuel College
Savannah College of Art & Design
Endicott College
Suffolk University
Hampton University
Wentworth Institute of Tech
Howard University
Westfield State University
Ithaca College
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Landmark College
Stonehill College

Thursday, February 4th, 7:30 am Naviance Tutorial 

This coffee with counselors is open to all high school parents.  It is a BYOD event (bring your own device). We will have Google Chrome Books for those who need them. You will need to get your child's Naviance log-in from him/her prior to the event.

When Life Hands You Lemons.....

                 "When life gives you lemons, squirt someone in the eye." Cathy Guisewhite
                       “When life gives you lemons, chunk it right back.” Bill Watterson
                       "When life gives you lemons, you don't make lemonade. You use the seeds to plant a whole                                  orchard." Anton St. Maarten
                        "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."

Life continually challenges us.  It brings us down, it presents obstacles, it refuses to relent when we need a break the most. As parents and guardians, we try to shelter children from these hardships and give them the upbringing of our dreams.  Yet, in all of our efforts to shelter the children from the lemons of life, we fail to give them the opportunity to learn how to deal with life. Sometimes, the best teaching occurs when we let them falter, and prove to themselves they can in fact get up. They need to learn that skill, because as adults, we wouldn't survive without it. 

News:
Please join us on Thursday, January 28th from 6-8:15 for College Admissions Night Open to ALL Canton High School Families, Students and Parents Should Attend Together