If you think you MIGHT want to go to a four year college but aren't sure, the only way to find out is to do the same leg-work as those students who are sure. The Fall portion of the College Time-Line,  found below, will help. I will up-date the time-line again in December however...
                        you and your parents should attend
          College Planning Night - Part III on January 21^st at 7:00
Part 3 in this series is about Financial Aid.  We will have a guest speaker from New Jersey Department of Higher Education come and share with us the latest trends in: financial aid, what to expect from federal and state grants, where to look for loans, how repayment works and more! 

• September/ October/November -
  Register for SAT and/or ACT to take or re-take . "PLEASE" if you don't study, don't waste your money, your score won't get any better!  Buy a practice book or go to CollegeBoard.com to complete the daily practice questions and 5 complete practice tests FOR FREE!!!
  You might want to look at the webpages of a few schools that might interest you to see the type of scores you may need.  If your scores are a bit below the published scores, don't freak-out!! This is when your grades, essay, activities, etc. really work in your favor. Go ahead;  begin the applications for those schools in which you have a real interest now!!! Your new SAT scores will be sent by Collegeboard. The higher scores in each section will be the ones considered by the schools.
  Do "your schools" accept the COMMON APPLICATION??  Don't know?  Come in and we'll find out together or go to the school's website and look under "Application". For those schools that accept the Common Ap. you only need complete this one application.  You will then just send out this application to each of those schools of interest to you!!!
  Begin or refine your college search Use CollegeBoard.com, Career Cruising.org, college review books, and college fairs to find 3 - 8 schools that you think you may be interested in.  If you are unable to visit now, complete the process as if you have, and after you have been accepted go visit to decide.  Remember, if you visit first, and sign-in at the Admissions Office, most schools will waive the application fee!!! You MUST visit to really know if the school is  a good fit for you. Do not use money as your only criteria!  You may find that small, private, out-of-state schools will give you more money than in-state, public schools.  Find the schools you like.  After acceptances come in, then talk to the financial aid office. 
  
  Remember, like you, colleges are unique.  You need to fit academically, socially, athletically, artistically or according to whatever is most important to you. Also, like you; colleges want to succeed.  When they recruit, admit, retain, and graduate students who are a good match for that school's unique qualities and characteristics they have succeeded and will continue to recruit, admit, retain... and make money to improve their school.  The "right-fit school" will often want you, as much as you may want them!!
  

 Check application deadlines for each school  DO NOT wait until the last minute or right before a holiday.  Your application will be among thousands of others that come in at this time and will be treated as just one of the thousands. Rather, give the admissions officer the time to thoughtfully read your essay, really look at your grades, activities and scores. 
                        You are worth their time!!!

 
Paperwork is always fun, (right)?  NOW IS THE TIME to ask for Letters of Recommendation, and to write your college essay.  The essay can be the vehicle in this process that will be the deciding factor between you and that "other student" with the exact same qualifications.  Write it; come back to it in a day or so, read and edit; come back, re-read, edit; print. Have someone you respect proofread for grammatical errors and for content; edit, read, print. Have your English teacher, another respected teacher, Mrs. Colna, or another counselor read your essay. Consider their suggestions, edit, read, print. READ AGAIN!!  If you are happy with it, THAT'S IT; if not, keep at it!!!  REMEMBER, you are trying to catch their attention. Every athlete has been hurt, lots of students juggle work, school and sports, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH...  You are unique!  Let the school know who you are, how much you want to get in, why they will be lucky to have you...  The Common Application OR School's Application will give you ideas of topics to write about that may start those creative juices flowing!!  Remember you can get to the Common Applicatioin through Collegeboard.com.

 
Tell Mrs. Chase or Mrs. Colna the names of the schools where you have applied.  Your TRANSCRIPT MUST COME FROM OUR OFFICE  to be accepted by the college.  If we don't know you have applied to a particular school they won't be getting your transcript and you won't be accepted.  We send your paperwork and a return receipt for the college to sign. SO, if you are told the college is missing something come and ask us. We will contact the college employee that signed for your paperwork and get to the bottom of it.  No need to panic.  We are here to help!!!  B R E A T H, everything will be fine. Just let us know what you need or are not sure of.  You are not the first person to ask the question you are certain is so dumb that no one else could have possibly asked it.  For most of you this is brand new.  It is not easy, but if you have learned to read the instructions, ask questions and follow through with the necessary work, you will be successful!! Hey now, that sounds like stuff your teachers have been asking you to do since elementary school!             
       I just knew that stuff would come in handy one day! 

**Do you have your Parent PowerSchool UserID and Password handy??  If not call our office.  Mrs. Chase or I will look it up to get you Connected!! 

**Report cards and Progress reports are given to your child to save mailing costs.  If you don't get a copy - Call we'll find out why.  

**We had a drug awareness assembly on Thursday of last week.  Ask your child what they thought.  It's a great way to start a discussion promoting the abstenance from using drugs, cigarettes and alcohol.  Don't hesitate to call our office should you have questions, comments or concerns.  Each of the High School counselors are responsible for well over 100 students.  We don't want to miss out on knowing yours!!