Dear Senior Parents:
Aside from today, when one looks out the window here in the Valley, one may wonder what season it actually is. Late fall perhaps? No snow, plentiful rain, and warmer-than-normal temperatures often indicate the arrival of spring. Ask any Senior, and they know for sure. It is the season of anxious waiting! Every new day brings them one day closer to March 10th. Be certain that they are not passing these days by twiddling their thumbs and watching the seconds tick by. They are throwing themselves into their academics, their athletics, the winter musical, and the community in general.
This is perhaps the most challenging time of the search process for families. Now, admissions teams are assembling to meet about candidates in committee. They are assessing their needs and finding ways to properly shape their school community with a new cadre of students. At the same time, they are balancing finding ways to make their own budgetary goals with prospective students.
There is little you can do. After a few months of seemingly always having things to do with regards to secondary school it must be strange for you to be done. Enjoy it. I have and continue to stress that updates from students is a good way to let interviewers and admissions committees know that they are still here. Sharing the successes in a class that they have previously struggled with, an award or recognition that they received, or a game in which they had an excellent performance- any and all of this is great to share.
So, for now, enjoy the winter months, because it is actually winter out there!
Best,
Clayton
Checklist!
At this point, applications are in. As you have imagined, admission offices have been overwhelmed with processing of materials, which is usual. Please take a moment and review our Checklist for February 2023.
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SSAT Scores have been sent by parents to the schools you have made application to. Our office does not have the ability to do this on our SAO Application Workstation. http://www.ssat.org/pages/sending-your-scores
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Financial Aid Applications and deadlines are noted and met. Deadlines are not as universal as admission deadlines, and it also could require different paperwork from school to school.
- This may seem like it does not need to be mentioned, but believe me, I have been mentioning it often: Now is not the time to put feet up on desks and hit cruise control! As important as the work was in the Fall Term, it is almost more important now. I have begun to speak directly with admissions offices and it is great when I can inform them that your child is improving or holding steady in his or her classes.
- I continue to stress that updates from students is a good way to let interviewers and admissions committees know that they are still here. Examples are: important achievements, improved report cards, artistic and athletic achievements.
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Contact Clayton if you have a friend, acquaintance, board member, alumnus or current family who has offered to advocate for your child at a school. This can do more harm than good.
- Be wary of communications from athletic program coaches. It varies from school to school what their relationship is with their admission office. Contact Clayton with any questions about this.
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Now is the time when you and your child have nothing to do but wait. Trust that the process works. Take a breath.
