College Planning and Search
Important College Counseling
Events
Junior College Night
at Rocky Hill School
On Tuesday, February 19
at 7:00 p.m., the College Counseling Office will present our annual
Junior College Night program in the Lecture Hall of the Flynn Academic
Center. Designed to kick off the college placement season for this
year's eleventh graders, the Rocky Hill Class of 2009, the program
will provide an overview of the college process and afford students
and parents an opportunity to become better informed about how the
college selection sequence will unfold during the coming months.
Juniors and their parents are strongly encouraged to take part in
this important meeting, and all interested RHS families are welcome.
If you have questions
regarding this program or any other issue related to college placement,
don't hesitate to call Paul Tukey in the College Counseling Office(401-884-9070
ext.120).
College Timetable
Freshman and Sophomore years
- Plan appropriate, challenging coursework to build strong academic foundation.
- Take inventory of yourself. Assess your skills, talents, aptitudes and interests.
- Commit to volunteer and extracurricular activities that interest you.
- Confer with your advisor regarding any appropriate testing (PSAT, SAT II Chem., etc.).
- Drive through some college campuses when you travel.
- Check out the Common Application on-line to better understand what will be expected of you. www.commonapp.org
Junior Year
- Attend local college fairs, portfolio days, and presentations made by visiting colleges.
- Take appropriate testing: the PSAT in the fall, the SAT I (or ACT) in the spring, the SAT II after completing corresponding coursework and AP testing, if applicable.
- Stay involved and committed to your appropriate academic work and co-curricular activities.
- Meet with your college counselor to develop an initial list of appropriate schools that will evolve over time. Your list should include several probable schools (80% chance or better of acceptance), several possible schools (50% chance or better) and several reach schools (25% chance or better). This list of 12-15 schools will be narrowed down to approximately 6-8 applications by senior year.
- Compile reference books and a list of Internet resources.
- Research career options by talking with people in various fields. Take into account your interests, personality and strengths.
- Begin research of colleges in the spring and college visits during spring and summer breaks.
- Plan an interesting and valuable summer experience that is work-related and/or personally challenging.
- During the summer, begin college applications and complete a draft of at least one essay.
Senior Year
- Continue taking appropriately challenging coursework and become involved in volunteer and co-curricular activities
- Take advantage of all college search seminars, college fairs and college visits to your campus.
- Register and sit for the SAT I and II, and/or the ACT; plan for AP testing in the spring.
- Meet with your college counselor as necessary. Early senior year, decisions will need to be made with regard to early decision and early action candidacies.
- Plan your deadline schedule and keep it handy for referral on a regular basis.
- Request recommendations from appropriate teachers well in advance of deadlines. Do not forget to thank your teachers, either in person or by note, for writing on your behalf.
- Notify the College Counseling Office regarding the schools to which you are applying.
- Submit all applications prior to their deadlines.
- Research financial aid options and submit the required forms (PROFILE, FAFSA and school-specific forms) at the appropriate times.
- Common Reply date is May 1st. Notify schools of your decision to attend or withdraw your candidacy. Fin Aid candidates should receive their Student Aid Report (SAR) acknowledgement. Sign and return the original to the college of your choice.
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