College Counseling Update for Senior Families & Students| March 2019
Final Decisions are Coming!
Greetings from the College Counseling office! This newsletter is aimed towards seniors and families who are still waiting to hear from colleges and need to make final decisions. For even more information on support for our seniors and insight into Admissions decisions, see our December newsletter here .
How and When Will Students Find Out?
Each school will notify students in their own way. The majority of schools will send an email asking students to log into the school's "online portal". But some news will be directly in email, and some will send old-fashioned snail mail. Schools notify students throughout March, and everyone should hear by April 1st.

How and When Will Miss Hall's College Office Find Out?

We don't find out anything unless students tell us! They can log back into Naviance to report there, tell us by email , in person, or click below for our google survey.
What Do Different Results Mean?

ACCEPT - Time to celebrate! Students should have until May 1st to make a final decision, but it's best to double-check. It's also vital that grades are maintained throughout the year as it is not unusual for colleges to request senior grades at different times.

ACCEPT + Merit Award - If an acceptance comes with a financial offer, congratulations! It's usually a "merit" award given only by the admissions office based on the student's accomplishments and the college's desire to bring them to campus. Keep in mind not all schools offer merit aid. If you also applied for need-based financial aid, check with the financial aid office about receiving a complete financial aid award.

WAITLIST - Most U.S. colleges & universities create a "waitlist" of students who are neither accepted nor denied. Think of it as being "on hold" in case a similar accepted student decides not to attend. Likelihood of coming off of a school's waitlist is both unpredictable and unlikely. Click here for a range of schools' waitlist statistics from 2017. Notification of acceptance from a waitlist can occur throughout summer. Students should notify a school directly if they want to stay on a waitlist, and still plan to deposit at a school where they have been accepted by May 1st.

DENY - Instead of rejection, think of it as redirection . Take some time to acknowledge feelings and find support from family, friends, and MHS. Then think of it as "their loss!"

Seniors should make final decisions and pay deposits to schools by May 1st.
What About Financial Aid and Scholarships?

Similar to Admission news, schools notify students of financial aid offers at different times and in different ways - but usually through email and an online portal. You may hear from the admissions office before you hear from financial aid. Keep in mind the following:

  • Students must be diligent about checking email and promptly following up on any requests for additional information.
  • College financial aid offices are the best source of information regarding their own financial aid awards (also referred to as packages).
  • The College Board website is a helpful tool to compare financial aid awards and understand exactly how much "free" money each school is offering vs. how much they expect students to work and/or borrow.
  • It's ok to ask for more, but you need to do it in the right way. Be polite, direct, and present them with a legitimate reason you're asking. It may be helpful to show other college's better offers, but not always.

Ms. Hatch Blauvelt has a background in college financial aid and is eager and available to answer anyone's questions any time. She created two info sheets to help make smart financial decisions about college:



Deadlines for local, national, and international scholarships are ongoing. Click to access our non-comprehensive list of local, national, and international scholarships and recommended search engines.
Remember: Where You Go Is Not As Important As What You Do When You Get There

More and more research is looking closely at correlation between types of colleges attended and students' future careers, income, and life satisfaction. According to these studies, the type of college attended has very minimal impact on a student's future. What does matter are student engagement and deep learning, all of which are emphasized at Miss Hall's. Specific examples include:

  • Time spent studying
  • Finding a professor-mentor who encourages them and cares about them
  • Working on a long-term project
  • Having an internship with applied learning
  • Being involved in extracurricular activities  

We 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.  We can't wait to find out and celebrate where the Class of 2019 is going!
Final Note: College Admissions In the News

In the last week, the college admissions process has made major headlines. The Miss Hall's School College Counseling department firmly stands behind supporting our students with integrity, honesty, and compassion.

These newsletters are just one way we aim to be as transparent as possible with students and families about exactly what admissions offices consider when reviewing applicants.

Our thorough college counseling process provides ongoing, personalized support to students as they navigate the increasingly complex world of U.S. college admissions in order to find the best future educational home for themselves. I welcome any further conversation with families about our own process as well as the wider U.S. admissions landscape. Contact me at chatchblauvelt@misshalls.org, or (413) 395-7047.

Courtney Hatch Blauvelt, Director of College Counseling