1. First and foremost: It is imperative that juniors
finish the academic year on a strong note. Preparation
for exams (including AP, honors, and regular) should be
focused and thorough.
2. Preliminary college lists were due Friday, April
25. Lists should be typed and should include student
name. Please give your list to Ms. Easler in the Office
of College Counseling if you have not already done so.
3. Due to unforeseen circumstances in the English department,
Mrs. Bickley will be taking over the college essay process
for students in AP Language and Composition (B period),
Honors British Literature (A period and C period), and
British Literature (E period). She will be meeting with
juniors enrolled in these courses at some point during
the next two weeks to discuss plans for essay/draft development.
Stay tuned for details.
4. Before you leave school for the summer, ask two teachers
if they would be willing to write recommendations to
be used with the college and scholarship applications
you will submit next fall. By asking now, you allow writers
unencumbered time to speak on your behalf. When making
this request, it is helpful if you can provide a resume’ (even
a rough one). Remind teachers that recommendations should
be addressed “To Whom It May Concern.” It
is your responsibility to follow up with teachers when
school begins next year.
5. If you are completing PreCal or an AP (other than
European History) in May and wish to take the SAT II’s,
you will need to register for the June 7 SAT II’s
with College Board. SAT II’S are one hour in length
and you can take up to three in one day. Remember: It
is your responsibility to understand SAT II requirements
at the schools to which you will apply.
6. Take the SAT June 7 if you did not take it in April
and again in May. Registration deadline for the June
7 SAT/SAT II’s is May 6. In addition you should
plan to take the SAT in October of your senior year.
Summer offers an excellent opportunity to invest effort
and energy in individual SAT preparation.
7. Hammond’s school code is 410533. You must enter
the Hammond School code or we do not receive your SAT
scores.
8. Make plans to visit colleges over the summer. Call
for an appointment. Take advantage of both information
sessions and campus tours. Ask to speak with an individual
admissions rep following your tour and use that time
to ask questions. Refer to your Hammond College Guidebook
for suggestions concerning a successful college visit.
9. Continue to explore colleges using the internet.
The Hammond School College Counseling website has excellent
links to a variety of search engines as well as individual
college/program websites. Check admission requirements
against the academic preparation you have made. Make
use of College Board’s My College Quick Start feature
especially designed for juniors as you move through the
college search process.
10. See Mrs. Bickley individually to discuss course
choices for next year if you have not already done so.
11. Touch base with Mrs. Bickley before school gets
out to discuss your preliminary college list if you need
to do so.
12. Junior families should call Ms. Easler to set an
August/early September appointment to meet with Mrs.
Bickley to kick-off fall application season. Junior students
and at least one parent are required to attend.
13. Several web resources you and your parents might
find helpful are listed below:
• Princeton Review Parents Podcast Series has
been a popular source of information on the college admission
process. Families are encouraged to visit www.PrincetonReview.com/podcasts/parents.asp.
• College Visits (based in Charleston) enjoys
an excellent national reputation as a leader in organized
college tours for high school students. Information on
their 2008 USA College Tours is available at www.college-visits.com .
• FastWeb is an excellent financial aid/scholarship
information website. Access FastWeb at www.fastweb.com.
