Looking Ahead
PSAT Scores
PSAT scores will be available online by mid-December. Score will be available through your College Board account, and we will also mail home hard copies of score sheets.
Register for a Winter SAT and/or ACT
Juniors should take at least two standardized tests - the SAT and/or the ACT - by the end of the 11th grade. We recommend that juniors choose December or January for their first SAT and/or ACT. Students should likewise register for a spring SAT and/or ACT. A full list of SAT and ACT test dates can be found by clicking on the links provided.
Testing Accommodations
If you are a student who has been approved to receive testing accommodations (such as extended time) at Gilman, please note that you do not automatically qualify for those same accommodations on the SAT or ACT. There are separate procedures you must follow if you are requesting accommodations from The College Board or the ACT. To learn more about the process of requesting extended time, please visit the the College Board's website on Services for Students with Disabilities and/or the ACT Accommodations page. Please also note that your son must have a current psychoeducational evaluation on file. If you have any questions regarding the process of applying for extended time, please contact directly our Upper School Learning Specialist, Ms. Stephanie Dennis.
SAT Subject Tests and AP Exams
We recommend that SAT Subject Tests be taken, if they are taken at all, on the May or June SAT dates. Students seeking admission to especially selective colleges should plan on taking three of these tests. As the time approaches we will advise students and families regarding the appropriate SAT Subject Tests. Form meeting announcements and future newsletters will provide more specific guidance as we near the spring. AP exams, given only in May, can play a similar role, though are not required in the admission process.
Naviance
Each member of the class needs to establish a Naviance account. We have placed registration instructions in your mailboxes twice since last year. Naviance can be accessed online here. Once we embark upon the college counseling process in the winter, the college counselors will ask the juniors to make further use of the Naviance system. Students in need of login information should see Ms. Sawyer in the College Counseling Office on the first floor of Carey Hall.
Academic Record
Although standardized tests provide important data to colleges for evaluating applicants, they are just one component of an admissions application. The quality of a student's academic record (both grades and the rigor of the curriculum) continues to be, by far, the most important factor in the admission process. An annual survey by the National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC) found that grades earned in rigorous courses are the most important factor in college admission. With the support of junior form committee members and the college counseling office, electing courses for 12th grade that are appropriately rigorous, and working hard in these courses, is a significant asset in the admission process. Colleges typically take particular note of the junior year performance, so we encourage you to put in your very best effort towards your schoolwork this year.
Summer
It's not too early to start thinking about summer plans. Beyond planning to visit college campuses, there is no "right" or "best" activity to do during your time off - we encourage students to be productive and engaged, whether that is having a job, taking a college course, participating in community service, or playing on a sports team. In Naviance, you will find a comprehensive database of summer programs. Once you've logged into your account, click on the "Colleges" tab, and then "Enrichment Programs" under the "College Research" heading.
