Class of 2018 Newsletter
April 2018

Congratulations to you all! We are proud of the way you navigated what can be a difficult and emotionally trying college application process. As you continue to prove time and time again, you are a resilient, hard working class full of talented students with big dreams and aspirations. We are confident that the skills you've refined during your time at Gilman will help you continue on your journey of growth and intellectual exploration.

This will be the final newsletter from the College Counseling Office. We hope that you enjoy the final months of the school year. Take time to reflect on and appreciate all that you've accomplished!

Monthly Focus

Decision Notifications

By now, all application decisions should have been rendered. Please remember to keep your college counselor updated on your admission decisions; we only know this news if we hear it from you.

Making Your Final Decision

With the exception of Early Decision admission, the national response deadline for colleges is May 1. By this date, you will need to submit an enrollment deposit at one college to secure your spot in their first-year class. You should feel comfortable taking the time you need to make an informed decision about your plans for next year. If you applied for financial aid or scholarships, you should compare the packages offered by different colleges. Most schools offer visit programs for accepted students, and we encourage you to take advantage of those opportunities. The college counselors are also happy to offer guidance at this final stage of the process. Once you've submitted your enrollment deposit, you should contact the other colleges where you've been accepted and let them know that you will not be attending.

The Waitlist

If you are pursuing a waitlist, please get in touch with your college counselor as soon as possible, if you haven't already. Your first step should be to accept your spot on the waitlist and then draft a note to express your continued interest in the college (please share this with your college counselor before sending). Because it's likely that you will not receive an update on your waitlist status until after May 1, it's important that you submit an enrollment deposit to another school by this date. This helpful Princeton Review blog post has data on last spring's waitlist activity at hundreds of schools (though it's important to understand that waitlist statistics can vary drastically from year to year).

Saying Thank You

Teachers are not required to write recommendations; they do so because they care about you and are invested in your success. A handwritten note is a personal and thoughtful gesture that will be much appreciated. Likewise, take some time to thank all those who have supported you during this involved and, at times, stressful process. Your parents, advisors, teachers, coaches, friends, and family members have all been rooting for you. Finding some meaningful way to say thank you should be a priority as we head into the final months of your senior year.

Final Transcripts

The College Counseling Office will automatically send a final transcript to your college destination. There is no need to provide us with forms.

For Your Consideration

"Some types of college aid are more valuable than others." This Wall Street Journal article offers tips on deciphering those award letters and comparing financial aid packages.

People already asking you what you want to major in in college? As Cecilia Gaposchkin, associate professor at Dartmouth College, advises in her article for The Chronicle of Higher Education, study what you love to learn and you will certainly acquire the writing, researching, quantitative, and analytical skills necessary for a successful future.  

On her blog, Casey Rowley, a college counselor at Beverly Hills High School, offers insight into this little secret: "The path of one's life is never straight. And the path to success is even curvier." At a time when you're making decisions about your future, take a moment to read her thoughts on the impact of one's experience beyond where they go to college.

Contact the CCO