Questions and Answers
Q: When should I start my college search?
A: It's never too early to start looking at colleges. Some students start as early as 8th or 9th grade. That's a good idea since the courses you opt to take in high school could affect your chances of being accepted by the college of your choice. Never put off the search until after your junior year. So.... juniors need to get busy now! Use your spring break and summer vacation to visit college campuses and get a jump on the action! For more information on how to do this, stop by the guidance office.
Q: When should I register for the new SAT?
A: Juniors and Seniors can register for the SAT Tests on the collegeboard.com website. The upcoming Spring 2010 dates are: May 1, 2010 & June 5, 2010. Each of the registration deadlines are about one month before the test. The two closest testing centers, The Millbrook School and Arlington High School, may be full if you wait too long to register. Therefore, try to register EARLY! DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION DEADLINE TO REGISTER. You can register online at www.collegeboard.com
The spring 2010 SAT testing dates are: Saturday, January 23th, Saturday, March 13th, Saturday, May 1st and Saturday, June 5th. If you are a junior in the 2009-2010 school year you need to take the SAT I on one of these dates.
The ACT (American College Testing) testing dates for 2009-2010 are: September 12th, October 24th, December 12th, April 10th, and June 12th.
Q: When should I take the PSAT exam?
A: The PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) must be taken in the junior year of high school. If you are a sophomore, it can be taken as a practice, but it is not required until the junior year. Juniors will be signed up through their English classes starting the last week of September. This year's PSAT follows the new SAT format. All students who sign up to take the exam will be given a brochure that contains a practice PSAT. Be sure you take the practice test!!!! If you have questions about this test log onto www.collegeboard.com. This is the official website for both PSAT and SAT information. Good Luck!
Q: What's changing on the new SAT?
A writing section with multiple-choice questions and an essay will be added. The verbal section will be renamed the critical reading section. Analogies will be eliminated, and short reading passages will be added. Math content will be expanded to include topics from third-year college preparatory math. Quantitative comparisons will be eliminated.
*** USEFUL LINKS ***
CAREER SITES
Take a career test!
http://www.nycareerzone.org/
Career Training? Dutchess County BOCES and Career Training Institute
In conjunction with Millbrook High School, Dutchess County BOCES offers a vocational track for 11th & 12th grade students interested in specific fields of study. Students spend half day at CTI and half day at MHS completing their requirements for a Local or Regents Diploma. Students must have sufficient credits and good attendance to enter the program.
Please speak with your child's guidance counselor and visit BOCES website at:
COLLEGE PREP
You can visit this site to register for SAT I or SAT II tests, practice for the SAT's and find out more about colleges and careers.
Financial Aid: http://www.finaid.org/
College Q&A: http://www.collegeanswer.com/index.jsp
Choosing a College: http://www.princetonreview.com/opinionAdvice.aspx?type=college
Virtual Tours: http://www.campustours.com/
Getting in: http://www.collegeadmissioninfo.com/
College Search: http://www.phs.princeton.k12.oh.us/Departments/Library/college.html
Common App: https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/default.aspx
SCHOLARSHIPS
Local Scholarship Applications
Scholarship applications for all scholarships sponsored by local organizations have been distributed to seniors in 12th grade English classes. These are the scholarships announced during the graduation ceremonies. If you are a current senior or know a current senior who still needs the application, please stop by the guidance office. The deadline to apply for any of these scholarships is in early June. No exceptions will be made. For further information, please contact the guidance office.
The Right Scholarship for You. Use the web to find the right scholarship for you:
http://weeklyscholarshipalert.com/
http://www.ronbrown.org/home.aspx
This is the largest database of college scholarships. You can search based on your interests and qualifications. It does require registration including your e-mail address and birthdate.
Highest Quality Free Scholarship Search Sites
http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/other.phtml
This site lists carefully selected scholarship search sites.
Discover Card Tribute Award Scholarship Program
http://www.discoverfinancial.com/community/index.shtml#scholarship
For Juniors! No test scores! No financial need! Compete for one of nine $25,000 scholarships and up to nine $2,500 scholarships. Applications and materials for the 2009 program will be available online in December 2008.