For my last blog of the year, I thought I would simply share with you some excerpts from the presentation I made at our annual Roll Call Assembly. I am very proud of our graduating class and wish them well in college and in life… 

Wow!! Even though The Webb Schools enjoy excellent college placements each year, not since the Class of 1999 have I seen such a stellar performance in terms of how well the senior class did with their college admissions!

Some notable accomplishments:

-We finally broke the dry spell with the almighty MIT! Thank you, Charles!

-Not one, not two, but three to Harvard – the hardest school in the world to be admitted to this year!

-Multiple admits to the other Ivies, Stanford, and other super-selective schools in a year when admit rates to top tier* colleges were at an all time low!

*Top tier is defined as the top 50 National Universities and top 50 National Liberal Arts Colleges as ranked by U.S. News & World Report for 2010

"It's a miracle!" I heard some lower classmen say one day as they were hearing the news of acceptances coming in for the seniors this past April. Looking at the results this year, and knowing the incredible selectivity this class was faced with, it may have felt that only a miracle could produce so many acceptances to such outstanding colleges. The fact is, however, that the seniors accomplished this the old fashion way, through hard work, dedication, and amazing attention to details! While having luck on your side helps, no one got into college by chance or by mistake. Every admission decision this class received was well thought out, purposeful, and meaningful. In fact, the only miracle that happened this year is that I started going to the gym on a regular basis! Now that's a miracle!

Here are more interesting facts and figures for you to take in:

Webb School of California – 44 boys in the senior class filed 364 applications to 116 colleges and received 204 acceptances (56% admit rate). Each boy applied to an average of 8.3 colleges. 73% applied to the University of California system and 94% of them were admitted. 36% applied to the Ivy League, Stanford, Cal Tech and MIT, and 31% of them were admitted. 93% applied to the top tier colleges/universities (not including U.C. and Ivy League) such as Duke; Georgetown; Johns Hopkins; University of Chicago; Washington Univ. St. Louis; Middlebury; Wesleyan; Brandeis; Colgate; Vassar; Colby; New York University; Davidson; Macalester; Carnegie Mellon; University of Richmond; Colorado College; Occidental; USC and the Claremont Colleges, and 93% of them were admitted. 86% were admitted to at least one of their top choice colleges. 100% of the boys’ class was admitted to a selective four-year college.

Vivian Webb School – 45 girls in the senior class filed 343 applications to 120 colleges and received 219 acceptances (64% admit rate). Each girl applied to an average of 7.6 colleges. 64% applied to the University of California system and all of them were admitted. 31% applied to the Ivy League, Stanford, Cal Tech, and MIT, and 43% of them were admitted. 98% applied to the top tier colleges/universities (not including U.C. or Ivy League) such as U.S. Air Force Academy; Wellesley; Wesleyan; Georgetown; Johns Hopkins; Barnard; Vanderbilt; Northwestern; Boston College; Hamilton; Bryn Mawr; Vassar; New York University; Trinity College; Reed; Kenyon; Colorado College; Occidental; USC and the Claremont Colleges, and 87% of them were admitted.  91% were admitted to at least one of their top choice colleges. 100% of the girls’ class was admitted to a selective four-year college.

It was also another strong year for girls (almost 50% of the class) applying to Women’s Colleges. 86% of these girls were admitted and 15% of the class plans to attend a Women’s College. Vivian Webb School continues to lead the way as one of the top “feeder” schools to America's most prestigious Women’s Colleges with an average matriculation rate of nearly 20% over the past 10 years.

Overall, 83% of the Class of 2010 will be attending a college ranked in the top 10% in the nation (based on data from U.S. News & World Report on 1600 accredited, 4-year colleges and universities in the U.S.). On average, each senior received an acceptance letter from 5 of 8 colleges (over 60% of the schools to which they applied). 42% will be attending college in the West, 3% in the Mid-West, 10% in the South, 44% in the East, 1% in another country.

Congratulations on a job well done, and best wishes as you take your places in the nation’s leading colleges and universities!

Click here for a list of ALL college acceptances for the Class of 2010.

Click here to see a photo gallery from this year's Roll Call Assembly.

Decisions, decisions, decisions! These certainly are what so many college-bound students across the country are thinking about this month as colleges are busy deciding the fate of their applications. It’s our very own version of "March Madness!" Even though the majority of the senior class has already been admitted to college from Webb, either through an early admissions program or by hearing of their admit in the past couple of months, the next two to three weeks will bring a tidal wave of selective four-year admission decisions to thousands upon thousands of hopeful candidates from the Class of 2010 all across America.

At Webb, you can almost feel the anxiety level rising with every day that passes. Senior after senior is asking, "Will today be the day I hear?" and "Did anyone check the mail?" Or, what is more common now than ever before, "Did you check your email [every 10 minutes] to see if any news has arrived?" Colleges are now using electronic notification as a way to expedite the admission decision to each applicant. This past Sunday, MIT, for example, sent out their decisions via email on exactly 3/14 at 1:59pm (or the "math" equivalent of π 3.14159); classic MIT style!

I tell seniors, "Be patient, your news will come." "Don't panic, think of something else." Most look at me and think, "Yeah, easy for you to say! You go through this all the time!" For them, the waiting game is pure torture and March becomes the longest month of their lives.

Even after 23 years of watching this "March Madness," it never gets old! So, imagine how nerve-racking it must be for someone going through this for the first time! I sympathize; but I also trust that each senior will find a good college to call home next year, and things will work out for the best. I love the excitement of it all, but have to admit that I wish every senior would know of all of their college decisions so that we could all get some decent sleep (seniors, their parents, and me!).

Every day, seniors come into my office - not to ask me a particular college related question, but to see if they can read my mind. Yes, my mind, because every senior by now knows me really well and has figured out that sometimes the college counselor gets a bit of a "preview" on what is likely to happen to his students in terms of admissions consideration. The conversation goes something like this:

Senior: Hi, Mr. Martinez, how's it going?

Me: Fine, how are you?

Senior: Good.

Me: That's nice, what's up?

Senior: Oh, nothing.

Me: Is everything okay?

Senior: Well, yeah, but I was just wondering if maybe you might know something?

Me: Hmmm… Well I know many things, but if you're looking for a "hint" on what a particular college is likely to do with you, you're not going to get one from me.

Senior: What do you mean? I just came in to say "hi" and wanted to make sure you didn't think I forgot about you now that all my college applications are done.

Me: Really? How nice of you!  Well, I'm good, sounds like you are good, and since we are both good, we can relax.

Senior: Oh, so are you telling me that I got into my college?

Me: No, I didn't say that at all.

Senior: Oh No! So you are telling me that I didn't get in?

Me: No, I didn't say that either.

Senior: Oh, so it sounds like I got wait listed then?

Me: No, what are you talking about? I didn't say anything, so stop being paranoid!

Senior: Well, make up your mind, Mr. M.—did I or didn’t I get into the college?

Me: You will find out in due time!  And even if I knew, the college would swear me to secrecy, so I would never tell you.

Senior: I knew you were going to say that.

Me: Yeah, great. Well, why don't you go try to read someone else's mind? Mine is totally consumed by the junior class now, and I need to get back to work.

Senior: Yeah, I know, but I figured it was worth a try.

Me: Yeah, well nice try, but no such luck. Maybe when you come by again tomorrow, you will have better luck!

Senior: Sure, but I doubt it.

Me: Yeah, me too.

Every senior that is still waiting to hear about his/her admissions to college is sitting on pins and needles right about now. They feel tortured that they have to wait so long to get a decision - even if most of them haven't been waiting for longer than a week or two since they completed their final college applications. The waiting game is long and torturous, and that is understandable. After all, college admission offices have an enormous task at hand, and it will take time to read all those applications.

I feel sorry for some of my seniors around this time of year. They are officially second semester seniors and graduation seems so much more attainable than ever before; however, getting into college still feels like a far away dream. Some of them will hear any day now; but most will have to wait weeks, if not months (most decisions are not handed out until late March or early April). Some will try anything to see if they can get a "heads up" on what is coming their way. It’s not unusual to get a strange stare from a senior once in a while, and when I ask him/her why they are looking at me so funny, he/she will actually say to me, “I’m just trying to see if I can read your eyes to see if I got into college yet!” Others will lose patience and figure out that I either really don't know what a particular college has decided (which is usually the truth), or that I will simply never let them know even if I do know something ahead of time (which is also true).

Good news? Bad news? Neutral news (like getting wait listed)? Which is it going to be? Our seniors will simply have to wait it out like the rest of the college-bound population across America. But rest assured that they will find out sooner or later and most of the time, the news is well worth the wait. Does this mean I know something they don't? No, it simply means they have to be patient. Only the admission officers reading their applications right now know if they are going to get in or not. And they, like me, aren't going to spill the beans until it's official, and the decision is in the mail. Excuse me, there's someone at my door.

Me: Come in.

Senior: How's it going Mr. Martinez?

Me: Good, how are you?

Senior: Good, thanks.

Me: That's nice, what's up?

Senior: Oh, nothing...

The College Board recently reported that there are now 57 different private colleges and universities in the U.S. (up from less than 10 schools last year) with a total price tag greater than $50,000.00 per year (tuition/room/board).  $50,000.00 plus per year times four--- that’s more than $200,000.00 for one undergraduate degree when you consider tuition increases that are almost a given each year.  Even our public university system is no longer the “bargain” that it used to be.  Just recently the University of California announced a 33% increase in total fees, making the UC system now one of the most expensive public university systems in the country.  With fees, room & board, books, and transportation costs, a UC will cost more than $25,000.00 per year.  Add to this the fact that it’s almost impossible to graduate from a UC school without doing at least five, if not six years, and the price tag quickly approaches the cost of some private colleges.  Now consider the fact that the vast majority of Webb graduates attend either one of those 57 private colleges or a UC school, add the cost of attending Webb, and you have a total bill as large as some home mortgages.

So, how does a family pay for college?  Well, if you are among the fortunate few that have the resources to pay full price for your child to go to any college regardless of cost, you don’t have to worry about it.  And, yes, some colleges will be extra nice to “full-pay” families in the admissions process, so count your blessings! If you are among those that earn less than $60,000.00 per year (total family income) you also don’t have to worry too much, because you will likely end up with a very generous need based financial aid package that could make it almost free to attend college.  However, if you are among those of us that make a good living but don’t have almost a quarter of a million dollars for each of our children that plan to go to college stashed away in a high yield savings account (do high yield accounts even exist anymore?), we need to have a different plan.  Knowing what forms to file and when to file them is important.  Researching possible merit scholarships can also make a difference.  Applying to colleges with healthy endowments and generous financial aid policies is also helpful.  Having a really smart kid with top grades, top scores, and an impressive “resume” to college is even better.  Hoping your 99 year old rich uncle kicks the bucket right before the first tuition bill from the college is due – never gonna happen!

“Colleges have millions of dollars to give away…” How many times do we see these headlines in the news, or from the colleges themselves?  Yes, it’s true, but read the fine print first.  Colleges may give away large amounts of money in forms of scholarships and grants, but most of the time that money is being distributed very carefully in form of either merit awards or need based financial aid.  No college just “gives away money” to anyone for no good reason. 

So, let’s say your kid is one of the lucky ones that has an impressive record and will likely be considered for special scholarships.  These merit awards are based mostly on performance or talent (high grades, high scores, top athlete, gifted artist, etc.) and usually come directly from colleges without having to do anything besides apply for admissions (though there are a few schools that require special application filing dates for merit scholarship consideration as in the case with USC, or a special scholarship application or nomination as is the case with Davidson College).  If the college wants your student more than others, they may sweeten the deal by offering merit money along with the admissions letter.  Many Webb students get merit awards, and sometimes they are too good to turn down (our first two seniors to be admitted to college this year both received major scholarships to their top choice school making it absolutely free for them for all four years!).  Sometimes, however, the merit award comes from the student’s “safety school,” and the family must make the choice to take the offer or pay more for a school that is perhaps more prestigious or selective.  What would you do if your son/daughter got admitted to, say, Harvard or Stanford with no financial support of any type from those schools but also got a full four-year merit scholarship from Boston University or George Washington University?  All good colleges, but some might say “go to your dream school even if we have to mortgage our home;” while others might “take the money and run!”

Need based financial aid is given out differently.  This money is distributed by the colleges based on how much (or how little) a family can personally contribute to the cost of attending college based on the family’s personal financial picture.   Family income and assets must be disclosed, many times in great detail.  Tax Returns must be sent in, questionnaires filled out, justification for certain expenses explained, etc.  The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) must be filed for most colleges, and some private colleges also require the College Board CSS Profile as well.  These forms are filed in the senior year by the deadline that each college requests (Profile in December and FAFSA in January usually). These forms ask what feels like an endless stream of questions about the family and student’s assets and income.  When your child is admitted to the college, the Financial Aid Office at that college will issue a “financial aid award” if you qualify for need based aid, and it will tell you how much of the tuition and other costs associated with attending that college (Room & Board, books, transportation costs, etc.) might be discounted from the sticker price.   For some families, need based aid can be a Godsend and make it possible for their student to attend the college regardless of how expensive the school may be.  Many top tier colleges (like the Ivy league & Stanford) only offer need based aid and choose to put all of their scholarship money into that pool instead of awarding merit money.  After all, given the high caliber student that gets admitted to these types of schools, all the students would likely qualify for merit money making it financially impossible for these institutions to meet such demands.

Okay, so the hypothetical family survived the college admissions process.  Your child got into college, and you are neither rich enough nor poor enough to not have to worry about how to pay for it.  You child applies for merit scholarships wherever possible, and you also apply for need based financial aid.  Merit aid doesn’t pan out, and the need based aid award isn’t enough.  What do you do now? Well, you either hope your child was admitted at another college with a better financial aid award that the family would be happy to accept, or you can call the college that is top choice (but with a lower offer) and speak to a financial aid officer in hopes of explaining your situation.  You must show justification as to why you think that college should re-calculate your award and up the offer.  Sometimes they do, and sometimes they don’t.  It all depends on how much money that college has to give out in financial aid and how compelling your situation really is to them.   Word of advice—BE REALLY NICE TO THE FINANCIAL AID OFFICER YOU SPEAK TO NO MATTER WHAT!

Finally, is there any good news when it comes to affording a college education?  YES!  Even today with our economy in distress and families being stretched financially more and more each year, going to college is still very much a possibility.  Most Webb students apply and get admitted to colleges that do have healthy financial pictures (strong endowments, generous financial aid programs, and special financing options to fit most families).  Even students in the bottom third of each graduating class get to go to colleges that are highly regarded and pride themselves on the strength of their program (academically, socially, and financially).  Webb students don’t usually have to go to colleges that “play games” with their financial aid offers like “gapping” students by offering them less money.  Year after year, I am always impressed by how careful and understanding colleges are with Webb families when it comes to financial aid issues.  It is rare when a college refuses to consider special circumstances and it is more often that a financial concern can be addressed in favor of the family if it is justified.  After all, good colleges want to do everything possible to assure that any student they admit does not turn them down because of affordability issues.

Ultimately, going to college is still a very wise investment, even if you end up having to pay more than you had hoped.  Not only is a college degree valuable for future earnings at staggering rates higher than those that choose not to attend college, but I can think of no other investment that will have a return as powerful or as rewarding as a formal education.  My mother said to me when I became a parent for the first time, “You can do two things for your child.  You can love them unconditionally with all your heart, and you can give them the very best education possible.” It’s what she did for me, and it’s what I’m doing for my children in hopes that they will do the same for theirs.

“Your final college list is due today,” I reminded a few seniors this morning as I saw them hanging out in front of the library. “We know,” they answered me with a nervous grin. “What’s the magic number?” I asked them. “Ten!” they replied. I quickly replied with a smile, “Yes, that’s right—so choose wisely.”
 

Yes, it’s that dreaded deadline date! And it’s just one of many that the Class of 2010 will be faced with this year. However, coming up with the final college list takes a heck of a lot longer than almost anything else that relates to applying to college—even longer than writing the college essays for some. At Webb, I begin working with each student at the beginning of the 2^nd semester of junior year in composing the “college list.”  How do we take over 3,000 different colleges and universities in the U.S. and reduce them to a manageable list of ten or fewer appropriate “good fits” for each graduate? For a small number, it takes a couple of meetings with me, and we are pretty much set to go. For most, however, it takes months, if not almost a full year, before they are ready to commit to their final college choices; and that’s only after many visits to my office and numerous revisions to that final list. After all, picking which colleges one applies to is almost as important as deciding which college to attend. If the list is good, the decisions tend to match.

Ten colleges! Doesn’t that sound like a lot of schools and applications? If you would have asked me five years ago, I would have been the first to say “YES!” and I would have likely suggested paring it down to eight or fewer. Ten years ago I would have laughed if I would have been told that now I would be approving college lists of ten different schools. I remember when applying to five was pretty normal. For many of us in the “X Generation” or before, it was perfectly common to apply to only two or three different colleges and not think much about it. I remember in my high school, only a handful of seniors were applying to more than three colleges. I applied to four, and only one boy was rumored to have applied to ten colleges, and we all thought he was crazy from the start. Well, folks, times have indeed changed and applying to as many as ten colleges is actually considered the norm. In fact, some people worry that it’s not enough, and perhaps spreading a wider net will gain a better catch. Given that predicting which colleges will admit a student has become much more difficult to do because of the dramatic rise in selectivity over the past decade at most four-year colleges and universities, I can see why some students would be tempted to apply to more colleges. However, what I have found is that keeping the list to no more than ten actually helps our students get into better colleges. 

Webb is actually very well-respected by so many colleges and universities in part because we are known as a place that limits the number of college applications a senior can file—and for very good reasons. First, colleges know that our students have done their homework well when it comes to researching their college choices. They aren’t just randomly applying to unknown schools or places that are not a “good fit.” Second, the list is manageable and realistic, with places that make sense for the most part and were not just someone else’s idea. Thirdly, colleges know they have at least a 1 in 10 chance of getting the student, not 1 in 20 or even 30 that a few other high schools have been known to allow. Colleges want to know that the student they are considering is serious about them, and isn’t playing any “games.” In the end, colleges appreciate that Webb students have a thoughtful and purposeful list of colleges that means something to each student.

Let me also add that ten is the maximum number of colleges that we like to see on someone’s list, not the minimum. So, it is very common to have eight colleges or fewer on a final list. In fact, on average, a Webb student applies to seven colleges and gets admitted to four. That average is more than enough colleges to apply to and more than enough offers to make a good choice. 

If each student has spent the time and effort in researching his or her college choices and has listened carefully to the advice we offered in College Guidance, there is no reason why any Webb senior should feel pressured to apply to too many colleges because of a fear of being rejected by every school. Ultimately, applying to too many colleges can not only increase a student’s chances of making errors or presenting poorly prepared applications, it may also upset the college admissions officers. Most college applications will ask the student to list the other colleges to which they are applying. If the admissions committee sees too many schools on the list, they assume that the student is not serious – or worse, desperate.  These are two things we don’t want any college admissions officer to think of any applicant from our schools.

A winning college list is one that fits each student like a well-made, custom-tailored suit.  Each student is different and one size does not fit all.  Good thing that Webb has been custom-fitting our graduates with just the right colleges for almost 90 years.  With so many outstanding colleges and universities from which to choose, I know our seniors will choose wisely.

“Sit on your hands,” I once told a parent who called to let me know that she had started filling out her son’s college applications online. She told me she was simply “helping him to get started,” and added, “I’m really only doing the name and address and personal information sections.” She really thought that she was just playing the “helpful parent” role she was so accustomed to doing for the past 17 years. Why is this a bad thing?  After all, if there were ever a time to really help your children with something important, wouldn’t assisting them with college applications be it?  If I weren’t a father myself (and possessing the same tendencies as this well-meaning parent), I probably wouldn’t have believed my own ears. The fact, however, is that as parents we have been “helping” our children get through their first 17 years of life with as much success as possible, and we sometimes forget when it’s time to step aside and let our children handle things that are their responsibility. While it may seem obvious to most that applying to college should be led by the student that is actually going to go to college, I am always amazed by how many parents take on the task and turn it into a “we are applying to college,” instead of “my child is applying and I’m just here for support.”

It’s hard, I know. I have two sons of my own, and while they are still in elementary school, I can’t tell you how many times I find myself wanting to “correct” their homework before it’s handed in, or “help” them with a project by taking charge of it as if it were mine. I hate it when I catch myself doing it (or my wife catches me), and I try really hard to step away and let them each figure it out as best they can. Even if it means struggling or (God forbid) failing at it. As an educated parent, and one that does what I do for a living, for goodness sake, you would think that I would never be guilty of enabling my own children in school. But, I suffer from the same illness that so many of us “Generation X” parents seem to be guilty of today—getting overly involved in our children’s school work (and lives) to the point that we enable them. They need to solve their own problems and clean up after their own mishaps. I don’t want my children to fail (no parent does), but I also don’t want my children to grow up to be ill-equipped to deal with important tasks, like applying to college on their own.

The role of the parent in college admissions is a delicate one. How much is too much help?  How removed should you be from the task?  How do you offer support without telling your children how to do it all?  Or worse, you end up doing it for them because you think you know how to do it better. These questions seem to haunt even the best of us—yes, even the perfect parent that “would never do such a thing.”   Why?  Because we love our children more than anything else in the world, and we want the best for them. That’s only natural. But loving your children and wanting the best for them can really be achieved in a much healthier manner by knowing when you need to step back and let your child take the reins. As amazing as it may be, your child will surprise you in most cases and know exactly how to take care of the business of applying to college with little or even no help from you. After all, they attend The Webb Schools, and if there is one thing we are really good at around here it is making sure all of our students are not only ready for college, but know how to best present themselves to the colleges. I seldom, if ever, find myself hunting down a senior who refuses to see me or deal with college plans in the most responsible and sensible way. In fact, it is almost the complete opposite. I have to tell students to calm down and stop obsessing about the most ridiculous details (like where is the best spot for the 44 cent stamp to be placed on an envelope that is going to a college? True story!). Why?  Because they care about their futures, and they’ve invested an enormous amount of time and energy to make it this far at a place like Webb. They also care a great deal about making you, the parent, proud. Yes, even the kids that have spent the last 17 years being constantly pushed and prodded to get out of bed each morning, to find their shoes, not to forget their back-packs, and reminded to brush their hair and teeth are extra careful with the task of applying to college. They all know firsthand the importance of this major milestone, and they have waited a long time to get to this momentous place in their young lives. They are not going to do anything to jeopardize their chances of getting into a good college if they can help it. This gives me great hope for my own two boys, whom I recently lectured about the fact that they will be brushing their teeth every day, at least twice a day, for the rest of their lives, only to get looks of utter surprise and astonishment at such an outrageous rule.

As the “watcher” instead of the “doer,” your job is to simply give your parental encouragement each and every day. “Do your best,” “I know you can do it,”  “have faith in yourself,” and “don’t stress out” are all things you should say to your child - all the time - even when things don’t look as promising as they could be. I would also add, “Are you getting enough sleep?” “Did you eat something tasty but healthy today,” or “Did you brush your teeth?” (Okay, maybe that one you don’t have to remind them of anymore). All you have to do is watch them do it in their own style and with their own hands. They will surprise you, and they will succeed. I’ve seen it happen for the past 23 years - and that’s a lot of teenagers to say the least. You’ve done your job as a good parent and you’ve earned the right to enjoy the first big thing your “almost adult” child will endeavor to do next - go to college. It’s a beautiful thing to experience, and it never gets old. No matter if your child is at the top of the class or at the bottom, he/she will manage the task of applying to college with great independence and thoughtfulness. Traits we have instilled your child with during their time at Webb.

Colleges are always on the “look-out” for that infamous “helicopter parent” – the one that hovers over their children like a stealth bomber, waiting to attack at any given moment should their children be challenged by an important task and in need of rescuing. Your child does not need you to rescue him. She isn’t going to drown, or be hit by a bus. Or even get a bloody knee. Will they get everything they ever wanted?  NO, nor should they!  After all, only Charlie Bucket from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory got everything he ever wanted – but even he had to suffer with poverty first. Colleges want to see the “real” student—not the “polished” applicant that had a professional publisher proof his college essay or a “life coach” hired to hold her hand every step of the way. The more “genuine” the applicant comes across, the better the outcome— the more a “grown up” takes over things, the more likely the student is going to be denied by colleges by virtue of simply not being themselves.

So, next time you are tempted to “help out” just ask yourself, “is this something my child is capable of handling on his own?” If the answer is “yes,” then let him. If the answer is “no” or “I’m not sure,” then call me. Chances are I will tell you to “sit on your hands” (just like my wife tells me to do with my own two sons).

Another college admission season begins and we are in full swing at Webb.  Seniors spent the beginning of the school year retreat with my office and their class advisors going over countless details associated with their future college plans.  It was an exciting three days of important information and plenty of good laughs.  We covered many topics together, including interview tips, the pros and cons of early action/decision, protocol for college representative visits, SAT/ACT testing, The Gatekeepers book discussion, the importance of recommendation letters, the role of parents in the process, and setting up personal appointments with me.  We also were fortunate to have an excellent panel of young Webb Alumni who shared their experiences with the seniors and discussed how they "survived" the college admissions process and what college life has been like for them.  The seniors listened carefully, had great questions, and showed every sign that they are not only ready for the college application process but also happy to get started.

The class is already busy meeting with admissions representatives from all over the country who have begun to visit us (and who will continue to visit throughout the fall semester).  We expect another record-breaking year of college visitors to the Webb campus.  It's always my pleasure to show off the outstanding students we have here and make sure our college friends know us as well as we know them. 

Soon, seniors will be asking their teachers for college recommendation letters, taking the SAT/ACT (again), making finishing touches on their college essays, getting their applications together, and setting up their college interviews.  Deadlines will fast approach and every senior will be incredibly busy making sure all details are taken care of and assuring that each college application is the best that it can be. 

Some stress, a bit of anxiety, and some reality checks will be part of the process, but ultimately each senior will find good college matches and gain the confidence to present themselves to their schools in wonderfully successful ways.  Every year we have a few "panicked" souls who fear that they will never get into any college, but I have reassured them all that they will – and not just "any" college but a "good" college!  We have great kids at Webb, why wouldn't good colleges want them?!  

Where will they apply?  Where will they end up? It's still too early to tell, but I have a really good feeling for this class and for the year ahead.  If our successful senior retreat and the interesting conversations I've been having with each senior is any indication, I am confident that the Class of 2010 will be very happy with their college choices.  They have already made a great first impression with me and are certain to do the same with their colleges!  

Please join me in wishing the Class of 2010 good luck and great success with their college plans.  And for the Classes of 2011, 2012, and 2013… watch and learn.  What's happening to the seniors will soon be happening to you.  Great things await you as well!