College Counseling: FAQs

Q: Shouldn’t my son or daughter be doing something about colleges in the third or fourth form year?

A: The best thing they can do for their college process in the 3 rd and 4 th form years (and for that matter in their 5 th and 6 th form years as well) is to engage as fully as they can in their course work and in their extra curricular activities. We do not encourage students to take any standardized tests in the fourth form year, as we have found that students generally do not do that well and they begin worrying about the college process unnecessarily early. On occasion, a faculty member may recommend a IV Former take a particular subject test because they feel the student should excel. The College Office then assists the student in registering for the SAT Subject Test.

 

Q: How important are the SATs in the college process?

A: Colleges usually review at a student’s academic record first. They are looking for good grades in courses that are appropriately challenging for that student. At the most selective colleges the average verbal and math scores for the entering class are exceptionally high, which establishes a threshold for acceptance to these schools.

 

Q: How many times should a student take the SATs?

A: Most St. Markers take the SAT Reasoning Test two or three times. Most will take two SAT Subject Tests.

 

Q: Do many students take the ACT?

A: Relatively few take the ACT (approximately 10% of the class of 2005), but that number is growing slowly. Many students take the ACT in the hope that they will do better than they did on the SAT. The colleges use conversion tables to translate ACT scores into SAT scores and vice versa. We find that most students get approximately the same scores.

 

Q: Does St. Mark’s offer SAT prep?

A: No, but we do offer some SAT familiarization, which is done in 5 th form English classes, and the Math Department offers several optional evening sessions. We have found that introducing students to the format of the tests and giving them some basic strategies help reduce some of the anxiety that surrounds these tests. Studies show that in order for SAT prep to be effective, the prep course must be extensive and students must engage in it fully. Students do not have time to do this during the school year. If a student and his or her family are determined to do SAT prep then it should happen during vacation time, so it will not interfere with a student’s course work, which is ultimately more important in the college process.

 

Q: My child is a varsity athlete at St. Mark’s (a strong musician/a good artist, actor, etc). Might he or she be recruited because he or she has a special talent?

A: A student needs to be an exceptional athlete, musician, artist in order to be recruited. Most of our coaches and teachers can honestly let a student know if they are that caliber.

 

Q. Grade inflation hasn’t hit St. Mark’s as much as it has other schools, particularly public schools. Will this hurt my son or daughter in the college process?

A. We do everything we can to keep colleges informed about our grading standards and the rigor of our curriculum. We visit colleges over the summer to keep them informed about us and when colleges visit us in the fall (70 – 80 colleges), we meet with the representative and keep them up-to-date about St. Mark’s. We also mail along with every transcript a profile of the 6 th form as of the end of their fifth form year. This profile contains a spread sheet of our grade distributions, as well as our SAT and AP scores. This helps colleges put our grades in perspective and helps them to understand that a “B” is an honors grade at St. Mark’s.

 

Q: Does a students faculty advisor assist in course planning with particular college goals in mind?

A: Most underclassmen and many VI Formers have no clear idea of the kind of college they want to attend nor their intended major or minor. Faculty advisors work closely with students and their families to select an academic course program befitting their needs and meeting the St. Mark’s diploma requirements. Many times throughout a students’ career at St. Mark’s, faculty advisors, families and the student confer with the College Counselors to seek advice and to ensure the students courses position them for the kind of college they hope to attend.

 

Q: Any general advice or do’s or don’ts to help parents cope with the stress of the college process?

A: Keep your sense of humor.
Have faith in the outstanding quality of tertiary education in the US.
Know that the process has not only changed drastically and grown more competitive since you applied to college, but has changed dramatically in the last few years.
Remember that this is not about you (or your ego), it is about your child.
Don’t micro-manage the process for your child – this is about their growing independence!
Know your child – know when he or she needs a pat on the back, or a hug, a shoulder to cry on, a pep talk, or a little bit of nagging.
Be a safe haven in a process that can be a bit of a storm.