September 2011Dear Junior,Your selection of a college or university is one of <strong>the</strong> most important decisions you will make. It is anexciting time as you consider <strong>the</strong> possibilities and think about <strong>the</strong> kind of intellectual experience that willbest serve your interests and goals. It can also be a challenging time. The “college process” often inspires afair amount of anxiety among high school students and <strong>the</strong>ir families; undoubtedly, part of this uneasinessarises from a lack of knowledge about how and when <strong>to</strong> get started, deadlines, how <strong>to</strong> decide what kind ofschool would be most appropriate, etc. This handbook is a reference resource designed <strong>to</strong> help youunderstand and navigate <strong>the</strong> complexities of college admissions.If you approach this process with a sense of adventure, it can be an opportunity for you <strong>to</strong> take s<strong>to</strong>ck ofyourself, your abilities, and your aspirations with an intensity – and resultant clarity – that you have notexperienced before. In addition, you will find yourself at <strong>the</strong> center of a decision-making process thatinvolves institutions (WT and a number of colleges or universities) and individuals (parents, teachers,counselors, etc.) and ultimately determines where you will spend <strong>the</strong> next four years of your life. To besure, you will want <strong>to</strong> be open <strong>to</strong> advice from knowledgeable adults who desire <strong>to</strong> be helpful, but <strong>the</strong> soonerand more completely you take ownership of this process, <strong>the</strong> more rewarding will be its results.What does “taking ownership” mean?First and foremost, you must approach your education with a new level of seriousness and commitment.When colleges review your application materials in <strong>the</strong> fall of 2011, <strong>the</strong> most recently completed academiccycle represented in your record will be your junior year, and <strong>the</strong>y will be keenly interested in yourperformance. It is thus very important that you make your best effort this year. Last spring you chose <strong>the</strong>most challenging courses in which you (after discussion with parents and teachers as well as personalreflection) felt you could be successful. Now, work hard <strong>to</strong> make it happen.Second, you should be familiar with <strong>the</strong> contents of this handbook and think through a plan for meetingall of <strong>the</strong> deadlines and completing all of <strong>the</strong> steps. I’m here <strong>to</strong> help you, and I urge you <strong>to</strong> visit my office asfrequently as you need <strong>to</strong>. You have a responsibility <strong>to</strong> yourself, and my job is <strong>to</strong> help you meet thatresponsibility by being a resource. Any time you have questions, I hope you will s<strong>to</strong>p by my office. Perhapsmy most important function in <strong>the</strong> process is writing a letter of recommendation <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> colleges on yourbehalf. Since my letter will be more effective <strong>the</strong> better I get <strong>to</strong> know you, don’t be a stranger.Sincerely,David SewardJill KazmierczakDirec<strong>to</strong>r of College CounselingAssociate Direc<strong>to</strong>r of College Counseling412-578-7517 412-224-4605sewardd@winchesterthurs<strong>to</strong>n.orgkazmierczakj@winchesterthurs<strong>to</strong>n.orgP.S. There are a number of independent college counselors in our area. If you are thinking of working withsomeone privately, I would make two recommendations. First, make sure that <strong>the</strong> person in question is reallyoffering a service not already provided here at WT. For example, unlike many public school counselors, I do havetime <strong>to</strong> go over your essays and applications with you in detail in addition <strong>to</strong> helping you make a college list.Second, I will get <strong>to</strong> know you much better if we work through <strong>the</strong> process <strong>to</strong>ge<strong>the</strong>r than if you simply report <strong>to</strong> me<strong>the</strong> results of your work with someone else, and this obviously lends depth <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> recommendation I must write foryou.1