High School
	The College Admissions Process

College Advisor Amy Shapiro Prepares Students (and their parents) for College  

Below are responses to some of the most commonly asked questions about how LREI navigates the college admissions process.

When do we need to start thinking about the college admissions and application process?

Students begin thinking about the college admissions process as early as the Tenth Grade when all students take the PSAT for the first time. January of the Eleventh Grade, however, is when students and their parents officially begin preparing for their individualized college search. Students attend weekly college admissions seminars to discuss college research, the college application, the application essays, and to prepare r sumésumés and get ready for their college interviews. Students also meet individually with their parents and the college advisor to discuss their progress with their personal college search and process.

"I began thinking about the college process at the beginning of junior year. Our college advisor, Amy, has taken us step by step throughout the process, and has prepared us well for anything we might encounter as we are applying to schools."

-Jenna Wainstock '04

"Basically, LREI helped me choose the right college by organizing everything that I did in the college process: from going to fairs and finding out more about colleges, to going on the college trip and seeing some schools in the northeast, to making sure that I chose a range of colleges (safety, target, and reach) to apply to. Throughout the process, Amy helped us strive toward our goals and to choose a school that we knew we would be able to do well at while also pushing us to our limits to become better students and persons.

-Deborah Raji '02

How does LREI help students prepare for college entrance exams like the SAT I and SAT II?

Students begin preparing for college entrance exams in their sophomore year when they take the PSAT for the first time. Teachers meet to examine students test results and then incorporate appropriate test preparation into their curriculum. Students again take the PSAT in their junior year and that same teacher evaluation and test review process occurs. In the spring of junior year, students are offered a test prep class (Kaplan has taught the class for the past few years) after school to help them prepare for the SAT. To prepare for the SAT II Subject Area tests, students may elect to work individually with the appropriate subject area teachers. Some teachers choose to devote class time to specifically preparing for the SAT II in her/his subject area (this is usually done upon request of the students).

"I found myself very prepared to take the SAT I and IIs. The chemistry class readied me for the SAT II and the Kaplan course provided by the school definitely gave me a jump start on preparing for the SAT I."

- Michael Sokol '04

How important are extracurricular activities, summer plans, and community service? What are the colleges looking for?

Colleges are looking for students who not only are top students but who also participate in after school activities. An“extracurricular” can be anything from participating in the school jazz band, to performing in the school plays, to playing on a sports team, to doing community service or even to holding down a job after school. Students should begin exploring their interests as early in their High School career as possible, and they should follow through with pursuing these interests throughout their High School years. The colleges want to see commitment and growth — not necessarily to great numbers of activities but, more importantly, in a few areas that are particularly meaningful to the student. If a student is interested in acting, for example, s/he should go out for the play each year, even if that means holding a smaller part at first and then working her/his way up to a leading role by senior year. If a student is interested in fine art, s/he should be sure not only to take studio art here at the High School but also perhaps at a local art school or college during her/his after school hours. The colleges are looking for students who show, through their extracurricular commitments, dedication to pursuing a particular area of study in college. If a student thinks s/he might like to study medicine in college, for example, s/he should do some community service at a local hospital or perhaps pursue an internship in a lab or at a doctor’s office. Students may even take college classes during the summer at schools that hold programs for high school students.

A Note on Community Service:

Casey Starr, winner of the LREI Community Service Award in her Eleventh Grade year, and graduate of the Class of 2003, is living proof of the value that colleges place on community service involvement at both the high school and college levels. All of the colleges to which Casey applied were extremely impressed with the great number of hours she has spent giving back to her school and city communities. Throughout her college search, Casey found a significant number of schools that offer scholarships specifically for community service and leadership involvement. She even found several schools that offer students stipends to be used exclusively for the purposes of continuing service endeavors in college. Casey was granted admission to every college to which she applied and she was offered scholarships for community service and leadership at a good number of them. In the fall she heads off to Clark University, having been granted a 'Making a Difference' Scholarship. Congratulations, Casey!

“The best part of being a student at LREI are all the opportunities available to be involved in the community. Being in this family-like atmosphere makes participating easy and enjoyable. As a graduating senior, I played an active role in events and activities inside and outside of school. As a result, I now recognize the importance of extracurricular activities both in life and in the college process. Every college was very impressed with my commitment to both my schoolwork and to society. I received a number of leadership scholarships from different colleges and was accepted to universities that I originally thought were 'reaches'.”

- Casey Starr '03

"The most important part of the process was sitting down with Amy and a few of Victoria's teachers to discuss what she wanted and what looked like the best possibilities for her. One crucial part of the mix was the summer before her senior year. Victoria decided to go to Bennington College for their July classes. It gave her a sense of how the college works, but also gave the college an idea of how she operates. I do not know how admissions operates, but I can't help thinking that was one of the pluses for her." (Victoria so enjoyed her summer experience at Bennington that she will be returning there in the fall to begin her college career.)"

- Eleanor Randolph, mother of Victoria Pringle '03

When do we go on college visits and how do we know what to look for?

It is never too soon to begin looking at and visiting colleges. Students and their families really need to address this in the spring of their junior year. All Eleventh Graders at LREI go on the annual college overnight trip with the college advisor, after having researched the particular schools on the trip itinerary and after having discussed in their weekly college seminars 'what to look for on campus.' This college trip serves as an official 'kick off' to college visiting season and helps prepare students to continue their visits with their families.

"The Eleventh Grade college trip was helpful and almost essential for the college process. Besides viewing possible colleges, we were given an early chance to get an idea for what we are personally looking for in a college. We were prepared and organized for our own college visits. We were given mock interviews, produced résumés, and we reviewed good questions to ask on a college tour.

- Alex Rickard '04

"With so many colleges and so little time to visit, Amy did the students a tremendous service by selecting colleges during the junior year college tour trip that introduced the students to various campus atmospheres."

- Joan Starr, mother of Casey Starr '03

How does LREI help students prepare for college admissions interviews?

In weekly college seminars, the Eleventh Grade students review the types of questions typically asked during college interviews and they discuss how to best (and of course, honestly) answer those questions. Students practice interviewing in class and each student does a mock interview with the college advisor. Each student also has in her/his college guidebook a list of tips for interview etiquette and a checklist that parents may use in helping their child to prepare for college interviews.

"A vital part of the college application and decision processes is having someone there every step of the way to listen to your thoughts, concerns, and aspirations about where you want to continue your education for the next four years. I could not have been provided with a more helpful and supportive program than the one at LREI. Amy was particularly helpful when it came time to prepare for my college interviews. With her help, I felt comfortable talking to the admissions officers and I felt confident about what I had to say. The individual attention Amy gives to each student is amazing and truly a great privilege."

- Amanda Ortiz '03

How does LREI help students with college application essays?

In weekly college seminars, Eleventh Graders look at typical college application essay prompts. They read and evaluate examples of different college essays. Students also work in class on choosing essay topics, on writing appropriate introductory paragraphs, and proofread and edit each other’s essays. The college advisor encourages each student to submit to her as many drafts of their college essays as they would like, for feedback and critique. She even encourages students to email their rough drafts to her over the summer vacation.

"I was in a panic that Casey would just not (1) make sensible choices, (2) complete the demanding college essays, (3) write a résumé that would give her an edge and (4) be accepted into colleges that we could afford. I called Amy and appealed for guidance. Amy calmly assured me that she understood my predicament and worked quickly with me. She set deadlines for the college essays, read them, critiqued them and read them again. They were not given a stamp of approval until they met with her satisfaction. She tackled the résumé in the same fashion.

- Joan Starr, mother of Casey Starr '03

How does LREI help parents, specifically, to navigate and survive the college application process?

The college application process depends on the collaborative efforts of the college advisor, the students, and their parents. Oftentimes parents do not know how they may be most helpful to their child. At LREI, the college advisor meets several times throughout the process with all of the parents as a group to provide them with the information they need to understand the process and to help their child navigate it. Each parent is given a parents guide to the application process, including a monthly calendar of 'things to do' throughout the process, as well as a glossary of important terms, information on financial aid, a suggested list of reading, and tips on helping their child with the various components of the application. Parents are invited to meet with the college advisor as often as they would like and may call or email with questions and/or requests.

"At the end of the process, it's a lot easier to look back and see that it was not as bad as it seemed in the beginning. Amy kept saying there is at least one college that suits every student. It turned out that there are really several colleges for every student, and she helped us figure out which ones best suited our daughter. Amy organized what seemed like an overwhelming rush of information into an organized schedule. It was still a lot of work for parents and students, but we stayed pretty close to that schedule and it was a lifesaver."

- Eleanor Randolph, mother of Victoria Pringle '03

Where do LREI students go to college and are they happy with their choices?

Each year LREI students are admitted to their first choice colleges and every year students are admitted to some of the top colleges and universities in the country. Students attend liberal arts colleges, fine arts schools, acting or music conservatories, and business schools. LREI students are prepared to succeed at any institution of higher learning and they come back to rave about their satisfaction with their college choices.

"I am glad I chose Amherst. It is a really tough school and I feel that I need this kind of ambitious atmosphere pushing me to do better than I would normally think I could. It is also very caring in the way that the school tried hard to make the transition for the freshmen as easy as possible. Amherst really wants students to take advantage of its many resources, from money, to faculty, to help centers on campus, and I am glad I came here because I have every intention to do so."

- Deborah Raji '02

"However chaotic and overwhelming the college process is, it is eased by the tremendous amount of support LREI students receive. When we were creating my preliminary list of colleges to look into, Amy took into account all of my interests and the specifics I had provided. Using that list as a guideline for researching schools was a much more comprehensive process than going in blind. Even when I fell in love with a school that I thought was completely random, when I looked back at the list Amy had made for me, there it was. It was great to have some of the significant elements of my application completed by the end of Eleventh Grade. This was especially helpful when I decided to apply early decision to Vassar. I am thrilled with my college choice, and with the conclusion of my first year I am certain that I am where I belong."

- Emily Hahn '02