College Counseling Update for Junior Parents | January 2019
Greetings from the Director of College Counseling
I am very excited to begin working with the Class of 2020 on their journey to apply for college! This is a process for a student's entire family, and I hope to partner with you and your child throughout the next 12-18 months - however long it takes to discover, gain acceptance, and make a commitment to a college or university that will be the right academic, social, and financial fit for the student and family.
I firmly believe Miss Hall's School prepares each and every one of our students to thrive and succeed at a high level no matter what college they attend. There are no "one size fits all" rules or guarantees in today's competitive college admissions world. Myself and my co-College Counselor Sarah Virden (also Director of Academic Counseling) have created an informative and comprehensive curriculum to work with juniors in groups and individually throughout the spring. Our goal is that juniors will have an initial balanced college list, applications begun, essays drafted, and understanding of financial probabilities before summer break. Please click here for a detailed timeline of the entire process.

About Courtney Hatch Blauvelt
I joined Miss Hall's in fall 2017 after 10 years in college financial aid (most recently at Williams College). I grew up in Great Barrington, MA, have my B.A. in Anthropology & Sociology from Gettysburg College, and my M.Ed. in School Counseling from UMass Boston. I live in Williamstown with my husband Gerrit, almost 5 year old son Luka, and dog Pepper. I am grateful to be part of this wonderful school and to work with such talented, motivated students and colleagues every day!
When and How Will College Counseling Start?
As soon as school resumes in January, juniors and their families will be asked to complete a "Get to Know You" Survey online. Juniors will then be invited to an initial one-on-one meeting with Ms. Hatch Blauvelt, or Ms. Sarah Virden. Juniors will also start attending College Advisories in groups of 6-8. Our current College Advisory curriculum will take approximately 6 weeks, and juniors will have more individual meetings in addition to group advisories.
Parent Program photo
What Should Juniors & Families Do Now?

Discuss money as a family. The financial ramifications of a college choice can have a much greater long-term impact than the degree itself. The idea that saving for college will hurt is a huge myth. The most selective schools have generous need-based aid, but offer no merit scholarships. Read Consumer Reports " Having the College Money Talk" article by Donna Rosato, and the Washington Post's "11 Misconceptions About Paying for College" by Joanna Nesbit.

Understand there's much more to college admissions than junior year grades and test scores. The majority of colleges look at grades from all four years (including senior year), the rigor and challenge of your course selection, and how you've improved over time. Your efforts in class are also noted by faculty whom you'll choose to write your recommendation letters, which can speak to much more than just grades. The majority of U.S. colleges practice what they call "holistic" admissions. This means they look at everything a student can potentially offer their campus, and compare it to what their individual campus needs in that particular year. Read the Washington Post's "Holistic Review is Just One Part of the College Admissions Process" by Willard Dix.

Consider creating a new family college application email account. Students are inundated with marketing emails from all colleges, regardless of their likelihood of being admitted or whether that school may be a good fit. Email is still the number one mode of communication for both MHS College Counseling and College Admission Offices. It's vital to stay organized, especially after submitting applications. Read more detail in the article " How Did All of These Colleges Get My Name?" on mycollegeoptions.org.
Think about summer plans. Talk as a family about what the student wants to do this summer, whether it’s an academic program, health and wellness, volunteer or internship, athletics training, working, independent research, and/or family obligations. There are no standard “ideal” or “correct” summer activities. They should reflect your genuine needs, interests, and values. We also encourage reading some good books, and doing a few college visits! Read more from U.S. News " Summer Do's and Don'ts" by Peter Van Buskirk.
PSAT Score Interpretation
Results came out in December from the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test and National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), held for all sophomores and juniors in early October. The PSAT is first and foremost a practice, or "rehearsal" test, and results are never sent to colleges. It serves as a guide for students on what to study in order to improve for the SAT, which will be required by many colleges. Read below for more details on these, as well as the National Merit Scholarship Program.
Understanding Scores The College Board
  • Your scores are compared to past research data, not this year's fellow PSAT test takers. This data is reflected in the percentiles, score ranges, mean (average) scores, and college readiness benchmarks.
  • Scores are equivalent to the 1600 scale used by the current SAT.
  • Colleges will market to students based on your PSAT scores, using the email you wrote on your PSAT. You may change this email and preferences by logging into The College Board.
  • Marketing materials and emails from colleges are not a strong indicator of your actual admission chances. Read more in this article, "Dear Elite Colleges, Please Stop Recruiting Me," by Amanda Graves.

  • National Merit Scholarships are based on junior year PSAT scores but aren't awarded until college attendance. 16,000 Semi-finalists are notified in September 2019; 15,000 of those make the next round in February 2020; and 7,500 will be notified in March 2020 if they earned National Merit Scholarships through the organization itself, other corporations, or colleges.
  • Awards generally range from $500 to $2,500 per year.
SAT/ACT Low Cost and Free Practice Options
Miss Hall's School recommends the following options available for our students to further enhance SAT and ACT skills.

  1. Utilize free practice resources in Ms. H's office, and online through Khan Academy, a College Board Partner. Method Test Prep also has free practice resources that I emailed out in September - here is a copy of that email.
  2. MHS gave optional free practice SAT and ACT tests this fall that were graded by Method Test Prep, and we plan to do these again in the spring.
  3. The College Board has free practice resources on their website, as well as the ACT organization.
You can email me at chatchblauvelt@misshalls.org, or call me at (413) 395-7047.