Words Of Wisdom

The following words of wisdom should be a guideline for smooth coordination between student, college counselors, parents and admissions offices:

1. Be visible in the College Guidance Office; two or three times in the spring of the junior year, once every two or three weeks in the senior year.

2. Read and follow the College Office Newsletters, check for announcements and watch for college representatives visiting on campus.

3. Save everything - if you throw it away, we can almost guarantee you will need it sometime in the future.

4. Copy everything - applications, essays, financial aid forms. Don't rely on others keeping copies of your materials for you.

5. Fill out your applications for SAT Reasoning and SAT Subject tests the same way every time - inserting a middle initial can confuse a computer and cause you grief.

6. The Brunswick School CEEB school code number is: 070219. Put this number on every SAT Reasoning and SAT Subject application.

7. If you have a special talent - music, drama, athletics - pursue that interest with each college. This is not the time to be modest. If the admissions community doesn't know about your talent, they can't possibly react to it.

8. Make appointments for interviews early. June is a good time, even for an October interview. Missing school for college visits and interviews is best avoided if possible so plan to use late August and early September, the week before school, and vacations. By mid-September, some schools are booked completely for on-campus interviews.

9. Register for SAT Reasoning and SAT Subject tests early. Those who register just before the deadline may end up taking the test in another town. (We don't have any control over this assignment.) You can register online at www.collegeboard.com.

10. You can gain considerable knowledge about college and universities from the many guide books available in libraries and at bookstores. SOME favorite guides for facts about academic programs, extracurricular offerings, and admissions standards include: Peterson's, Barron's, and The College Handbook. For subjective guides, we recommend The Fiske Guide to Colleges or The Insider's Guide to Colleges. (Students particularly enjoy these last two guides.) The Fiske Guide is given to juniors after their initial college meetings.

11. Treat each application as if that school is your first choice.

12. Identify those colleges (particularly public institutions) that have specific testing and course requirements early on in the process.