College Essay Workshop for Seniors

Just a quick reminder, Thursday, May 2nd, is the final day to register for the English department's college essay summer sessions.  Please re-read the information from Mr. Bishop and Ms. Ellam, which was sent out to families on March 11, 2019:

Dear Parents & Guardians:

You are receiving this letter because you have a student who is completing his or her junior year at Hopkinton High School. As you know, in the next several months, your son or daughter may need to write a college essay. We would like to help your child accomplish that task during the summer months.

Essentially, we will spend part of the time teaching writing strategies, and part of the time teaching the students to use a process called descriptive feedback. This process will allow students to look closely at their own and others’ writing using a method that suspends judgment per se, but invites participants to first offer general impressions of a piece of writing and then offer several rounds of focused, increasingly analytic descriptions.  

Students should leave the workshop with two positive outcomes: the first will be a completed college essay, and the second will be an increased writing repertoire, including strategies for reviewing their own work. As for the instructors, we are excited to witness the ways in which students compose a piece and return recursively to their work.

If you are interested in having your student participate in this program, please have your child register in the school counseling office by Thursday, May 2.  Forms will be available in English classrooms, and a fee of $75.00 must be paid at registration as well as an indication of which session you’d like to attend.  Checks can be made out to Hopkinton Student Activities. If you have any questions, please contact our English Department Subject Matter Leader, Sarah Ellam, by email or phone at Hopkinton High School at sellam@hopkinton.k12.ma.us or (508) 497-9820.  Students must be available to attend all sessions in the week.  For a session to run, we will need fifteen students to register.    

Session I – June 24 - 28                      (10:00 – 11:30)

Session II – June 24 - 28                     (12:00 – 1:30)

Session III – June 24 - 28                    (2:00 – 3:30)

Session IV – July 29 - August 2           (1:00 – 2:30)

Please don't hesitate to reach out to Ms. Ellam or your child's school counselor if you have more questions.  This opportunity is certainly well worth it, especially for its affordability, so please capitalize upon it while you still have time!

Upcoming Mini-Fairs at HHS

In the spring, the counseling department offers two college mini-fairs to sophomores and juniors, and it is important for students to capitalize on this opportunity.  To give students and parents a heads-up, the first date occurs this week on Thursday, April 11th, and the second will be on Thursday, May 2nd; both fairs commence at 8:30 and conclude at 9:10.  I encourage all 10th- and 11th-grade students to check out the list for each date (click the hyperlink on each date) and prioritize the colleges/universities in which they are interested.  If you've viewed the list and have no idea where you should start, shoot a quick email to your counselor and s/he can give you several options.  

Additionally, smart students seize the opportunity to learn about new schools, as they realize that one of these hidden gems might be the perfect fit.  The college reps will be thrilled to tell you about their school, and it is their job to guide the conversation and ask open-ended questions, so even most apprehensive student shouldn't hesitate to reach out and say hello.  Try this list of college questions to get started.  Remember, speaking to a college's representative is not only a way to gather information and insight, but it's also a way to show you're interested in that particular school.  Your explicit demonstrated interest is a factor in some admissions decisions, so it is always important to put yourself out there to make contact.  Remember, it’s better to have high-quality, meaningful interactions with a few schools rather than basic, cursory visits with lots of schools.

On a final note, consider how you are dressed on those particular days.  You don’t need to rent a tux, but you don’t want to look like you just rolled out of bed in your pajamas. College reps will remember students who seem to be well put-together, and who demonstrate a serious interest in their schools. Show them you’re interested in smiling, making eye contact, and being polite.  Many of the HHS counselors have heard positive feedback from visiting colleges reps, saying that the Hiller students are consistently engaged, savvy, and respectful, so we are confident that you will demonstrate the same classy attitude that has become associated with our school.  And, above all else, have fun and enjoy!

Beyond College Rankings: Finding Your Best Fit

In a society and culture where rites of passage are few, it seems that gaining admission to an elite school has become the ultimate hallmark of success, both as a student as a parent. Indeed, the most competitive post-secondary schools are becoming more and more selective each year, largely due to the ubiquitous nature of technology. The ease of searching and applying online has encouraged high school seniors to submit applications to more colleges than ever before, which means that these same schools now reject more students than ever before. As you might be aware, the college frenzy has escalated throughout the last decade, recently culminating with the shocking headline (March 12th, 2019) that the Justice Department charged 50 parents, including some celebrities, in a college-entrance bribery scheme. The magnitude and the scope of these charges are eye-opening and appalling to most people, and yet, as a school counselor, I'm not that surprised.

Every year, I consistently see many teenagers and adults succumb to the notion that going to an elite school guarantees success and happiness for life. However, despite the emphasis on selectivity and the prestige associated with admission to one of these top-tier schools, one cannot help but wonder whether there is really a difference in the long-term impact attending such a school will have. The researchers Alan Krueger and Stacy Berg Dale first investigated this question in 1999, and recently updated their findings in 2011; they note the most disadvantaged students benefit from attending a selective institution. This category includes minorities, such as black students, Latino students, low-income students, and students whose parents did not graduate from college. Dr. Krueger guesses that those marginalized students might become empowered from professional connections they would not otherwise have. Additionally, perhaps they acquire habits or skills that middle-class and affluent students have already acquired in high school or at home.

However, the middle- or upper- class students whom he studied did not benefit in the long-term; instead, his data shows that it is not the quality of the school that makes a difference in their success, but actually the quality of the student. “Success” is somewhat subjective, but they used a metric that compared the student’s income decades after graduation when the candidates were in their forties. More specifically, the researchers examined the fate of students who were accepted at an Ivy or similar institution but elected to instead go to less selective school. Their findings indicated that such students, on average, had the same income twenty years later as their counterparts in the Ivy League. Additionally, looking at the updated report (2011), seniors and families should find solace in the fact that simply applying to a prestigious school still says a lot about him/her despite the outcome. Dr. Krueger points out that the average SAT score at the most selective college to which a student applies is a better predictor of his/her projected salary than the average SAT score at the college to which s/he eventually matriculates. To review Krueger/Dale’s findings in depth, link to Revisiting the Value of Elite Colleges or The Ivy League Earnings Myth. Or, watch Malcolm Gladwell's lecture for ZeitgeistMind, which although takes a slightly different angle on attending a top-notch post-secondary school, nonetheless resonates with people, claiming that many students might be more successful if they went to a less selective institution.

With this thought in mind, help your son or daughter to navigate the college process by considering only his/her needs, rather than prestige. Who is s/he? What does s/he value? In what environment does s/he learn best? Revisit your counselor and his/her list of college characteristics, such as size, location, majors, cost, diversity on campus, or availability of special programs, and rank these in order of what is important to him/her. Remember, your child's college experience will be what s/he makes of it, and for this reason, it is essential to find a school that is compatible with his/her interests, rather than rankings of periodicals such as U.S. News and World Report. To illustrate this point, John Yaegel of Tenafly High School (NJ) often asks students to compare college rankings with rankings in other areas of life. "Consider the Academy Awards. Do you always agree on the best movie, actor, or actress? Are the top 40 songs always in the order that you would rate them? Do you always agree with sportswriters' lists of the top 25 college football teams?" Like these lists, college rankings are in the eyes of the beholder. Your top ten college list may be completely different from any magazine--or even from your best friend's--list. 

Senior Scholarships

Around this time of the year, many seniors inquire about how to find scholarship opportunities, and counselors always recommend searching for awards offered locally within the Hopkinton community.  The easiest way to access the list is by logging on to your Naviance Student. If you have forgotten your account credentials, please see your school counselor, and s/he will be able to reset your password. In addition to using Naviance, the local scholarship list is also available in hard copy in the counseling office; ask either Ms. O'Loughlin or Ms. Zeigler for the scholarship binder kept on the front counter in the counseling suite.

To Access Local Scholarships on Naviance:

1.  Log on to the home page and choose the “Colleges” tab (pictured at left)

2.  Scroll down to “Scholarships and Money”

3.  Click on “Scholarship List”- this will show you all of the local and/or statewide scholarships whose information we have received in the HHS Counseling Office. This list is updated as we receive opportunities, and within a month or so, it will be very long!

4.  Use the drop-down menu at the top left of the screen (pictured at bottom) to sort your scholarships by categories (e.g., grade level, athletic achievements, community service, demonstrated leadership).  Repeated users can also take advantage to "only show new since my last visit," pictured at the right-hand side of the page.

4.  Click on a scholarship, which will bring you to the scholarship detail page where you will find a brief description, deadline, website, and application information for this particular award. The description will specify whether you can download the application directly from the Naviance site, provide you with a website for an online application, or direct you to the Counseling Office for a paper copy.

5.  If you have exhausted your local options on Naviance, go back to "Scholarship and Money" from the college tab above.  You will see other option called, "National Scholarship Search" which will provide a slew of new options, although you will be competing with a larger pool of applicants.

Please note that the internet is rich with national scholarship websites (examples include cappex.com, fastweb.com, scholarships.com), and in the counseling office, we often get questions about which scholarship offers are “legitimate” and which ones are “scams” to get your personal information. While we are not familiar with all sites, as they are too copious to count, in general, we encourage you to be wary of scholarships with an application fee, scholarship matching services that guarantee success, and sales pitches disguised as financial aid seminars. Many scams encourage you to send them money up front, but provide little or nothing in exchange; usually, victims write off the expense, thinking that the student simply didn't win the award. We encourage you to use Naviance throughout your scholarship search, rather than relying on other national websites where it can be unclear as to whether the money was ever given out. 

Alternative Paths After High School

Particularly in Hopkinton, most students focus on selective four-year schools after graduation, and their perception is also heightened by the media attention that spotlights a bachelor’s degree as the gold standard of career fulfillment.  Because of this skewed portrayal, many teenagers have their minds set on college when this may not truly be the best fit for them. If this sounds like your child, read the information below, provided by Abigail McGinty:

“Wayne J. Griffin Electric, Inc. is a leading electrical subcontractor working on projects across New England including schools and universities, water treatment plants, Military Institutions, apartments, and businesses, to name a few. As a leading electrical subcontractor, we recognize that some high school students may want to follow the path of working in the trades.  As part of our ongoing partnership with schools in the area, we are pleased to sponsor an exciting event to showcase the career opportunities available in the electrical trade as well as opportunities to simultaneously earn a degree! Students who are struggling to determine what their next step will be after high school will be introduced to the electrical trade and the benefits to a career in the trades.   In addition, we will explain how individuals who graduate from our Apprenticeship Program and acquire an electrical license are provided with half the credits required for an Associate Degree at Wentworth University.

We would like to invite students, parents, teachers and/or guidance counselors to our Career Fair. This event will be on Saturday, February 9, 2019, at our Holliston offices at 116 Hopping Brook Road from 8:30 am to 10:00 am.  Some of the topic areas discussed will be:

• “Earn while you learn” which is the opportunity to earn a full-time salary while learning the skills necessary to acquire an electrical license.
• The diversity of work and a team of experienced professionals who provide both classroom training and valuable exposure to hands-on work on over 200 active job sites.
• The requirements and benefits of achieving an electrical license and ongoing career opportunities
• A great opportunity to apply for an Associate Degree Program through Wentworth University.  Each individual who successfully attends four years of Apprenticeship Training and earns an electrical license will receive half of the credits towards achieving an Associate Degree and Griffin Electric covers up to 75% of the remaining tuition!”

To register or ask questions, Ms. McGinty can be reached via e-mail (amcginty@wjgei.com) or at her direct line at 508-306-5348.

College Planning

After the New Year's, many businesses and companies promote their college planning resources, especially targeting juniors who are about to start planning their post-secondary process.  These services typically come with a fee, and many parents and students begin to feel pressure to sign on just to "keep up with the Joneses." Moreover, according to CNBC, "High school students and their parents have become so panicked with the mystique surrounding today's college admissions process that they are clamoring to find help to better their odds in the college admissions game." Although many articles, including the one above, cite the lack of quality admission counseling in high schools, I am fortunate to report that those comments do not generalize to Hopkinton. Due to our abundant resources, proactive students, and extensive parental support, our counselors are able to work one-on-one with families to facilitate the college process, all for free.

As an example, coming up in the third quarter (i.e., January 28th) all eleventh-graders will be assigned to a small-group Junior Guidance Seminar class, taught by a school counselor during the school day.  For six sessions (each meeting lasting an hour), counselors will cover topics in depth such as testing for college admissions (SAT/ACT/Subject Tests), discussing test prep, determining the best college fit, using the Common/Coalition Application, starting the college essay, asking for teacher recommendations, preparing for interviews, and learning college email etiquette.  Additionally, please note that on February 28th (7:00 p.m.), the school counseling department will offer a Post-Secondary Planning Night for juniors and their parents, offering topics such as On Writing the College Essay, Navigating the College Process in the Digital Age, and Affordable College Options:  Hidden Gems in Canada and Abroad.

Regardless of your child's grade, if you are feeling overwhelmed about college, rest assured that you don't need to hit the panic button yet; if you need assistance, please email your child's school counselor and s/he can allay your concerns.  Or, if you are unsure of whom your student's counselor is, please don't hesitate to contact me. As you know, it takes a village, so don't hesitate to reach out to your friendly neighborhood Spider-man...oops, I mean counselor!

Heroes in action!  HHS Counselors and Administrative Assistants, from left 
right, Cheryl Elder, Kristen Wurster, Dori Zeigler, Connie O'Loughlin, Hannah 
Webb, Lee Greco, Pat O'Brien, and Mike Flanagan.  Not pictured:  Kiely Murray

Beyond the Hill: Back in business!

Not to be cliche, but time really flies.  When I started in the counseling department over a decade ago, I wanted to contribute to my department by providing timely information to parents and students regarding the college process.  At the time, newsletters were the gold standard for the purpose of disseminating information, although I now chuckle at the process.  In the early 2000s, we were forced to print out each Beyond the Hill edition manually for every family in the high school, and then stuff the newsletters in envelopes to be delivered via snail mail.  Nonetheless, it worked, and I fondly remember comments from parents saying that they appreciate my efforts on the publication.

Over time, Beyond the Hill went through upgrades, going from a paper-version to an electronic one only accessible through the counseling website, but nonetheless, it remained a staple of our department of which I was proud.  Unfortunately, life takes over sometimes, putting me in a place in which I needed to take a hiatus from my writings; subsequently, my last publication was in the spring of 2015.  Even though that was only two and a  half years ago, technology has continued to spiral out of control, and social media now dominates most age populations, whereas several years ago it was mostly relegated to a younger demographic.  We are constantly saturated with information and as a mom myself, I don't always know what I should pay attention to and what I can ignore.

As such, I now present Beyond the Hill blog-style.  I'm hoping that parents who were here in the early 2000s will see that the publication is still rich with content, but is more streamlined and succinct.  Like the current re-booted television shows from the 90's, my topics will echo themes previously visited in college admissions, yet updated to be fresh and relevant in the digital age.  Whether you are a veteran parent or a newbie to our school, follow me and check it out for yourself.  I'm so excited to be back!