College Counseling
College Counseling
Will the global health crisis have an impact on college admissions and higher education?
Yes! Your college counselors stay in tune with changes through participation in professional organizations, such as NACAC and ACCIS, staying on top of higher education news through various blogs and publications (such as Inside Higher Ed), and communicating with our college admission office colleagues
Will college counseling programming and support be offered remotely?
Yes, all programing will be accessible to students who are engaged in distance learning this fall. We will start the year focused on seniors as they enter the active phase of college applications. Sophomores and juniors should stay tuned for announcements about college counseling programming for their specific grade levels.
When will seniors be expected to begin college counseling workshops, now that arrival dates have changed?
Seniors should stay tuned for information about August college counseling opportunities and obligations. We will begin our work together on August 25 in a virtual format, and pick up our workshops on campus and through remote learning during the first week of class. We will always post important communications on the Class of 2021 College Counseling page in MyBackpack.
With the change from an in-person to remote start, will seniors still have their College Counseling Kickoff meeting on August 25?
Yes!! Seniors received an email on Wednesday, August 19 with details. The senior College Counseling Kickoff meeting will be virtual, offered at two different times on Tuesday, August 25, hoping to reach students in all time zones. ALL SENIORS should attend one of these sessions. These are student-only sessions; a college counseling meeting for parents will be scheduled in September.
Standardized Testing
I am a senior and I’d like to take the ACT and/or SAT this fall. What are my options?
Please review the email that was sent on July 24, and that is posted on the College Counseling PowerSchool page.
Will the PSAT be offered to sophomores and juniors this year?
Yes, all sophomores and juniors who can arrange to be on campus on October 14th, can take the PSAT. All sophomores and juniors will be receiving communication from Ms. Kerrigan regarding the PSAT process. If you choose to not take the PSAT, please email Ms. Kerrigan (pkerrigan@madeira.org) no later than September 25th.
If I am engaged in distance learning and unable to be on campus on October 14, can I take the PSAT?
Yes, if you are distance learning for Mod 2 but you are in the area and comply with health protocols, yes you can take the PSAT. Please email Ms. Kerrigan (pkerrigan@madeira.org). You will be receiving more information regarding health screening prior to coming to campus.
What if I miss the PSAT?
While the PSAT has value, sophomores and juniors should not change their plans in order to complete this assessment. Sophomores will have a second opportunity next year, and most juniors took the test last year. The PSAT is also the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test for juniors; however, only students in the top 1% of the top 1% qualify for this opportunity. This is unlikely for 99.9% of students, and therefore not worth making plans around. There are other ways to qualify if a junior is testing in the top 1% by other measures. If you have any questions about National Merit, ask your college counselor.
When should I take my first ACT or SAT?
We recommend that juniors take their first ACT or SAT in the winter or spring of their junior year. A typical pattern is to test in February/March, then test again in May/June. Most students reach a satisfying score after two testing attempts.
What if I really wanted to take the ACT or SAT this fall and I am not a senior?
Non-seniors are welcome to register for testing and make their own arrangements for transportation. Non-seniors who wish to test should consider registering or switching their test dates to December when they will not be traveling to or from Madeira’s campus.
What if I am already registered to take the SAT this fall and I am not a senior?
Students are welcome to keep their testing plans in place, with the understanding that Madeira transportation may not be provided. If a junior is registered at a test center where we are providing transportation to seniors AND there is room in the vehicle, we may be able to provide this transportation. Please email Ms. Mathews (lmathews@madeira.org) with these requests.
A lot of SAT test centers cancelled their hosts of the test. Is there any possibility for Madeira to host SAT test?
We are exploring opportunities. Please stay tuned for more information!
My daughter was scheduled and confirmed to take the SAT at Madeira on Wednesday, September 23. Will this still happen?
Yes, we plan to host the SAT on September 23 for those who are signed up and able to come to campus. Students received confirmation via on September 15. If you believe you are testing and did not receive this email OR if you signed up and no longer wish to test due to distance or other concerns, please email Ms. Mathews (lmathews@madeira.org).