College Counseling | Avon Old Farms | Boys Boarding High School in CT

Become a Man of Avon

Welcome to Avon! The best advice the college office can give you right now is to engage fully in all that Avon has to offer.

• Explore your extracurricular interests - develop a sense of yourself outside of the classroom. What kind of community citizen do you want to be?
• Join a team, audition for a play, pick up an instrument, take an art class.
• Seek out ways to give back to the school and the community.

Thinking ahead academically - “How do I get there from here?”

• Ask yourself what your short and long term academic goals are: can you reach them on your current path? What might need to change? What do you want your transcript to look like when you graduate?
• Pursue academic challenge (honors/AP classes) where appropriate. Balance rigor with achievement!
• Explore each of the disciplines fully: all 5 core courses all 4 years is the goal.
• Take the electives (especially in the arts) that interest you.
• Consider Online Courses to advance or support your achievement.

Aspire and Persevere

Now it’s time to push yourself in and out of the classroom. What can you do better, more deeply, and with greater engagement?

• Be in clubs that interest you, stay in them, and think about leadership roles in the future.
• Are you a friend your peers like to be around? Do you do things the right way?
• Look at the upperclassmen who are leaders of the school. What behaviors do they have that you could adopt?
• Talk to your advisor about your community goals.

Academically - “Am I where I want to be and heading where I want to go?”

• Are you taking full advantage of Enrichment? If you gave your classes more time and effort, could your grades improve? 
• Are there areas of interest and success where you could push to Honors or AP level? Balance rigor with achievement!
• Talk to your advisor and teachers about ways to improve or grow further.
• PSAT in the fall is good practice and preparation. Lean into it!
• Fully engage in owning your successes and struggles. Grow and learn!

Strike the Drumhead!

Now is when you must be active and intentional in thinking about what’s after Avon.

Fall:

1. Make sure you are in classes that challenge you, but also in which you can achieve.
2. Make sure you are invested in a club or two of substance that engages you.
3. Seek out ways to contribute to your community (volunteer, blood drives, Nimrod).
4. Take the PSAT seriously in October.
5. Schedule to take the SAT and ACT in December as benchmark tests.

Winter:

1. Take the SAT and ACT in December. Let your college counselor know your results in January.
2. Register for February ACT and March SAT.
3. You will be assigned a counselor in December with first meetings in January. You’ll start building lists, thinking about fit, and considering who you are as an applicant.
4. Your courses for your senior year matter. Continue to push ahead while being mindful of achievement.
5. Visit colleges over March Break.
6. Register for April ACT and May SAT.

Spring:

1. How you end this year really matters. Focus on schoolwork above all else.
2. Engage in the College Fair - first impressions can make or break an applicant!
3. Engage in the Junior College Planning Seminar - your parents should come too!
4. Refine your list, ask teachers for recommendations, complete your Common Application.
5. Plan summer travel to visit schools. Do something for the summer: job, research, internship. Family travel and sports aren’t enough.

Fly the Banner!

You are the leaders of the school. That comes with privilege and responsibility. Model for the juniors how to go through this process.

Completing the College Process:

• Pay attention to deadlines, requirements, expectations, and communication from the college office and from the colleges.
• Colleges are admitting adults! They expect you to be in charge of this process and managing it maturely. 
• Check your email, respond in a timely and professional manner, communicate with your counselor.
• Keep Scoir up to date.
• Do well in your classes!

Beyond the College Process:

• Soak in every minute of your senior year.
• Spend time with your friends.
• Attend every big game you can.
• Lean in rather than away. You’ll never get this time back.

It's usually advantageous to get the FAFSA filed as early in the year as possible - gives you more time to consider your options. But, you have to have at least an estimate of your family's previous year's taxes. The earlier you get things in order for this process, the better. The student and parents should both have a PIN (personal identification number) to complete the FAFSA online. If you don't already have one, now is the time to apply at: www.pin.ed.gov. When you are ready to fill out the FAFSA be sure to use the site: www.fafsa.ed.gov. Remember, it is a free form - don't go to sites where you have to pay to fill out the form.

Submitted by: Frances Campbell
www.simpletuition.com/resource