National Free PSAT Test Fest

This year, free practice PSATs will be offered in the following locations:

Beachwood Embassy Suites

Broadview Heights Recreation Center

Cleveland State University West Center

The Akdon-Fairlawn Holiday Inn

PSAT Test Fest is on Saturday, September 13, from 9:30am-12pm. There is no charge to take the test, but students must sign up in advance as space is limited! Students can enroll online at PrincetonReview.com/events or you can click here: Free PSAT Day registration.

Students should also attend the free follow-up session the following week to receive their score report and learn more about tips and techniques they can use on the PSAT, SAT and ACT.

New SAT Score-Reporting Policy

The College Board has approved an important change to the current SAT score-reporting policy. This new policy will give students the freedom to send the scores by sitting (test date) that they feel best represent their ability to colleges and universities, at no additional cost. Designed to reduce student stress and improve the test-day experience, this new score-reporting feature will launch in early February 2009, and will therefore be available to students participating in the March 2009 test administration.

Any student who has taken an SAT prior to the policy launch or who registers for the SAT after launch will be able to take advantage of this new policy. The students who have taken tests prior to the launch can use the score-reporting feature retroactively. Additionally, this new score-reporting feature will be optional to students. If a student chooses not to select their scores, all of their scores will be sent.

This new score-reporting feature also gives colleges the ability to choose which scores are required for admission. Colleges and universities will communicate any changes to their admissions policies or application requirements to students.

Fast facts

• Students will be able to select which scores they send to colleges by sitting (test date) for the SAT and by individual test for SAT Subject Tests™.
• Scores from an entire SAT test will be sent—scores of individual sections from different sittings cannot be selected independently for sending.
• Students can send any or all scores to a college on a single report—it will not cost more to send one, multiple or all test scores.
• Students will be instructed to follow the different score-reporting requirements of each college to which they apply.
• The new score-reporting feature will be optional—if students do not use it, all scores will be sent automatically.
• The score-reporting feature can be used on any score report that students send:
  • The four score reports available through online or phone registration (applying to already scored tests) and additional score reports
• The new score-reporting feature functionality will be available to all students via the Web or by calling Customer Service toll free (within the United States)
• Students who complete a test prior to the launch of the new score-reporting feature will be able to take advantage of this option when sending past or future scores.

FAQs

Q: Will this new score-reporting feature be available to students who have already registered for test dates that occur after launch?

A: Yes. Students who have already registered for the March 2009 administration or later 2009 dates can revisit their registration information and take advantage of the new score-reporting feature after launch.

Q: Is the new score-reporting feature available for both SAT and SAT Subject Tests score reports?

A: Yes. Students will be able to select which scores they send to colleges by sitting (test date) for the SAT and by individual test for SAT Subject Tests.

Q: Does the new score-reporting feature affect other aspects of SAT registration and score-report timing, policies or processes?

A: No. The new score-reporting feature allows students to select which scores are sent to institutions. It does not affect score-report timing or other policies and procedures that are not directly related to sending score reports.

James Madison College at Michigan State University Fall Visit Days

If you are interested in the fields of Government, Public Service, Political Economy,
Law, Public Policy, Politics, Social Services, or International Relations then
James Madison College at Michigan State University is the place for you.
This is your opportunity to visit Michigan State’s premier residential college for liberal arts and public affairs.
Madison College is a small, student centered undergraduate community in the middle of a major research
institution. This unique combination allows for interactive and rigorous educational endeavors in the classroom
and beyond. Teaching is the first priority for our thirty-five distinguished faculty members. James Madison
College is an academically challenging program that develops analytical, problem solving, and strong
communications skills. Because of this emphasis, top corporations, government agencies,
graduate schools, and law schools recruit our students.
The Fall Visit Day program is designed to expose students interested in public affairs to the
James Madison College experience.
For information go to http://www.jmc.msu.edu/ps/visitdays.asp

QuestBridge

QuestBridge is a non-profit program that links bright, motivated low-income students with educational and scholarship opportunities at some of the nation's best colleges. QuestBridge is the provider of the National College Match Program and the College Prep Scholarship.
For information go to www.questbridge.org.

The Danforth Scholars Program at Washington University in St. Louis

The Danforth Scholars Program at Washington University in St. Louis honors the student who embraces high ideals, whose life choices are guided by personal integrity, selflessness, a commitment to community, and a dedication to leadership and academic excellence.

Named in honor of William H. and Elizabeth Gray Danforth, the former Chancellor and First Lady of Washington University from 1971 to 1995, the program is a tribute to their exemplary leadership and service. The program is funded by friends of the Danforths.

The Scholarship

Danforth Scholars may receive full- or partial-tuition scholarships. The scholarship is renewed each year for the duration of the degree program, provided the scholar maintains academic progress and upholds the high standards of character required of those in the program.

The Program is open to prospective undergraduate or graduate students applying to Washington University. Undergraduates will be considered from nominations only; students may not apply directly for the program. This is a merit-based program, but need will be considered as part of the award process. Scholars are selected annually.

If interested in being nominated for this scholarship, please see your college advisor as soon as possible.

Cornell University Engineering Fall Diversity Hosting Program

Saturday October 18 – Monday October 20, 2008

This three-day hosting event offers under-represented minority high school seniors a first hand view of Cornell University’s College of Engineering, providing insight on academic, social, and post-Cornell career opportunities. Participants will be immersed in Cornell’s diverse community, interacting with students, faculty, and staff. We cannot imagine a better way for someone gifted in the realms of math, science, technology, and problem solving to learn more about the field of engineering than by spending a couple of days on the Cornell University campus in Ithaca, New York.

For information go to
http://www.engineering.cornell.edu/prospective/undergraduate/Fall-Hosting.cfm

University of Akron Hispanic Heritage Day

The Offices of Admissions and Multicultural Development invite you to attend UA's Hispanic Heritage Day on Friday, Sept. 19, 2008. For information go to http://www.uakron.edu/admissions/HispanicHeritage.php

Horatio Alger Scholarship

The Horatio Alger Association seeks to assist students who have demonstrated integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity; strength of character; financial need; a good academic record; commitment to pursue a college education; and a desire to contribute to society.
For information go to https://www.horatioalger.com/scholarships/apply.cfm

Wendy's High School Heisman

Criteria and How to Apply

For the past fourteen years, Wendy's Restaurants have teamed up with the Heisman Memorial Trophy Committee to create the Wendy's High School Heisman Award. The award honors both male and female high school students who excel in academics, athletics and student leadership.

Criteria for Application

We want applications from both male and female student athletes who exhibit excellence in the classroom, on the playing field, and within their communities. Eligibility for application is limited exclusively to men and women whose senior year of high school is the 2008–2009 academic year, who have at least a “B” grade average, and participate in at least one of 32 sports. We want to hear from all student athletes who work hard, are dedicated, and have become role models for underclassmen.

The Application Process

A student begins the application process by selecting Apply Now! An account must be created with name, address, and email information. It is here that students establish their own User ID and password, which will be required to log in, as often as needed prior to the deadline, to complete the application.

Once the account is created, the student can launch the online application. At the initial launch, the student must answer eligibility questions.

Eligible students will then proceed to the remaining sections of the application. They will describe their school involvement, athletic participation and leadership, and relate experiences from community involvement activities. In addition, the student must provide an accurate email address of a school official who will log in to review the application and its contents, and confirm its accuracy.

All of this must be done prior to 5:00 p.m., central time, October 1, 2008.

• Applicants should plan on submitting their application in September to allow time for the review.
• The reviewer must submit by 5:00 p.m., central time, on October 6.

Very Important Notes

• Students must remember their User ID and password until October.
• Save the application frequently while logged in.
• Log out if you leave the computer.
• Be assured your personal, private information will not be shared with anyone outside of the Wendy's High School Heisman Program and selection committee.
• Security concerns prevent the use of bookmarks to return to pages within the application. It is recommended, however, to bookmark THIS page.

One of the common oversights is failure to submit prior to the deadline. Applications must be completed and submitted no later than 5:00 p.m., central time, on Wednesday, October 1. Reviewers must submit their review no later than 5:00 p.m., central time, on Monday, October 6, in order for applications to be considered.

You can follow the selection results online at www.wendyshighschoolheisman.com.

Ready to apply? If you meet the criteria for application listed above and would like to apply . . . Apply Now!

Coming back? If you have already started an application and are returning to complete it . . . Go to Log In

Fast Web July Bulletin

The summer bulletin is a Test Prep Guide which offers an overview on the testing format for the SAT & ACT, as well as the associated costs, fees and test prep materials needed to help you succeed.
To read the bulletin go to
http://www.fastweb.com/fastweb/resources/bulletins/pdf/Test_Prep_Guide_062008.pdf

Job Opportunity

St. Bernadette School After-Care Program
click here for information

College Week Live Paying for College

CollegeWeekLive (CWL) is a virtual college fair to help prospective students in their college planning by connecting them with colleges in a live, interactive environment. The last CollegeWeekLive event that took place was CollegeWeekLive: Paying for College. It was a financial-aid fair that connects students with the necessary resources to help pay for college.
A number of excellent online presentations from this fair are now available at their website .
http://collegeweeklive.com/

Interview with Lynn O’Shaughnessy, author of The College Solution

The Financial Aid Podcast has an interesting interview on the topic of choosing the right college and financial aid.
It is available at
http://media.libsyn.com/media/financialaidpodcast/20080709.mp3
The Financial Aid Podcast is a great source of financial aid information.
For more information and to subscibe go to
http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/

Plain Dealer College Guide

Today's Plain Dealer contains their College Guide Supplement.
In addition to the print edition there is also an online version at
http://www.cleveland.com/collegeguide/

Job Opportunity

McCarthy, Lebit, Crystal & Liffman Co., LPA

101 W. Prospect Ave., Ste. 1800

Cleveland, Ohio 44115-1088

Mail Room Clerk Assistant

McCarthy, Lebit, Crystal & Liffman Co., LPA is a law firm in the heart of downtown Cleveland. The firm is in need of assistance in our mail room for the hours of 2pm – 5pm Monday thru Friday. Below is a list of duties:

Copies, faxes, postage, supplies, running errands and other projects as they arise.

Please contact Debbie Myers at 216-696-1422 ext. 146
Or by e-mail: dmm@mccarthylebit.com

Starting in 2010, Students Can Select the SAT Scores That Reach Colleges

From the Chronicle of Higher Education

Starting in 2010, Students Can Select the SAT Scores That Reach Colleges

The College Board is going to increase the amount of control students have over which SAT scores college-admissions officers can see, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The new policy, which was announced on Friday and is scheduled to take effect with the high-school class of 2010, will let students take the test multiple times and select those scores that they want to reach admissions officers. Now colleges get all of the scores but are supposed to take into account only the highest ones. Laurence Bunin, a senior vice president of the College Board and general manager of its SAT program, said in a letter to members of the organization that colleges could still set their own policies on whether to require applicants to send all of their scores.

Critics say the new policy will stack the test in favor of students from families with enough money to take the test repeatedly. But Mr. Bunin said the new flexibility was intended to make the testing experience less stressful for all students. —David L. Wheeler

A Great Book for Parents

I would encourage all St. Edward High School parents to consider reading College Admissions Together: It Takes a Family by Steven Roy Goodman and Andrea Leiman.
The following description is from Amazon.com.
College Admissions Together is more than a practical how to get into college book, though it does explain key aspects of today's college admissions process for both parents and students. It is a guide to healthy family relationships during the college admissions process. This invaluable book looks at the often stressful process of finding the right college for your child not as an ordeal but as an opportunity to bond as a family and to give your child safe passage to adulthood as he or she determines which colleges are the best fit. In College Admissions Together, educational consultant Steve Goodman and family psychologist Andrea Leiman help parents recognize that what makes the college admissions process a potential danger zone for families is the combination of the teen's growing independence and the parent's need to help him or her make critical decisions for the future. They answer difficult questions like how to stay involved in the process while allowing your child to make more choices. They help you put the college admissions process into the context of your child's passage to adulthood and understand what he or she is feeling and facing as your child makes the decision of where to go next. Using Goodman and Leiman's advice, tips, and exercises, the college admissions process will lead to a greater appreciation of each other and mutually rewarding family relationships that last a lifetime. College Admissions Together serves families, counselors, teachers, and others as an essential resource during a stressful time in most families' lives.

Dan Rather Reports

Stress Test: Getting Into College
Original Air Date: Tuesday, May 27th, 2008 on HDNet
A behind-the-scenes look at the high-stakes, high money world of the college admissions process. Is it fair? And is it serving the interests of parents, students, or the colleges themselves?
To view this informative program online go to
http://www.hd.net/danrather_videos.html

FastWeb's May Student Bulletins

Below are links to FastWeb's May Student Bulletins. The first bulletin takes a look into the concept of taking and planning a gap-year of study. This bulletin is beneficial for students who want a break from formal education or have a desire to travel, volunteer or study abroad. For the student that is still unsure about their summer plans, our Summer Planning Guide, offers tips and helpful advice on how to remain productive during the summer months.

Postponing College: Taking a Gap-Year
Summer Planning Guide

Final College Transcripts

Seniors....if you have not yet done so, please notify us as to which college we should send your final transcript.