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Dear Casady Junior Parent:
The 2008-09 school year is rapidly coming to a close, and our juniors will soon start perhaps the most memorable year of high school life. With that, comes a lot of work for the college selection process.
This edition of our newsletter describes some of the activities we want you to complete over the summer. This includes the Pyramid Challenge and a list of books to help you achieve SAT success. These projects will help you start your journey to life beyond Casady.
As always, we invite you to come by or call us with any questions or thoughts. We look forward to working with you through this exciting time.
Sincerely,
Josh Bottomly, Joe Cernick and Mary Ann Cockrum
Casady School College Counseling Office
405-749-3136 |
What Junior Students Learned About Themselves by Visiting Colleges
Over spring break, many juniors took advantage of the time off to visit prospective colleges. All that traveled agreed that it was worth the time, energy and money. Feeling the fit of the college really was important.
Specifically, students were asked to reflect, not so much on what they discovered about the colleges they visited, but what they learned about themselves on the college visits. Many times a college visit works like a mirror: it shows us who we are or aren't. In other words, the college reflects the person.
Here are some of the juniors' impressions and thoughts about their spring break college visits.
Hunter Small
School(s) you visited? U. of Chicago, Washington at St. Louis, Michigan, Northwestern
"I discovered that I don't want to wait to jump into my core courses. Rather than taking a number of core courses, I want to start studying psychology and business my freshman year. Schools that will allow me to do this are what I'm looking for."
Bonnie TibbsSchool(s) you visited? Georgetown, George Washington, Richmond, Boston U, Boston College, Wellesley
"I learned many practical things about myself. For example, I discovered that my ideal school location is a suburb of a major city. I also learned that I could see myself being really happy at more than just one school."
Conner Wade
School(s) you visited? University of Mississippi, Mississippi State
"I learned that I could see myself going to another school other than one in Oklahoma."
Taylor Helms
School(s) you visited? Rhodes, Vanderbilt, Sewanee, and Hendrix
"I learned how important it is to feel a connection with a college. I felt a connection with Vanderbilt and Sewanee. I didn't with Hendrix."
John Ratliff
School(s) you visited? Washington and Lee, University of Virginia, Richmond, Duke, UNC
"I discovered that I am very relational. Some of the bigger schools just didn't feel very personal. I realized then that maybe that wasn't me."
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What's Hot: News Updates and Reminders
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GPACAC COLLEGE AFFAIRES. Mark your calendar for Sunday 1 to 3 p.m. on May 3rd. Casady is co-hosting a GPACAC College fair at Heritage Hall. A large host of colleges and universities will be in attendance. Schools that will have representatives include OU, OSU, KU, OCU, SMU, Trinity, Hendrix, Denison, Knox, Washington and Lee, Belmont, Denison, DePauw, Drury, Purdue, Regis, Seton Hall, Vassar, Southwestern, Arkansas, Vassar, CU - Boulder, Tulsa, Michigan, North Texas, Westminister, and many more! ACT/SAT TEST DATES. We recommend that every junior take both the SAT and ACT once before the end of this year. here are dates remaining for both tests. The ACT: June 13 Registration Deadline: May 8 Late Registrations: May 9-22 The SAT: May 2 Registration Deadline: March 31 Late Registrations: April 9 June 6 Registration Deadline: May 5 Late Registrations: May 15 To sign up for ACT go to http://actstudent.org. To sign up for the SAT go to http://www.collegeboard.com. We recommend that you sign up to take two to three SAT Subject Tests for the June 6th test. June is the best time to take subject tests because of overlap preparation for AP exams and finals. No student may take more than three tests on any testing date. Each subject test is a one-hour multiple-choice test. Important Test Term: Score Choice gives students the opportunity to determine which of their SAT results they would like to send to colleges and is similar to the long-standing score reporting option offered to test-takers by the ACT. Prior to Score Choice, the student's entire record of SAT results was included in any report sent to a college. This change in policy regarding score reporting options for the SAT will take effect with the March 2009 test for students in the high school class of 2010. Be sure and have ACT and SAT scores sent to Casady! Our school code: 372640. Not a good test taker? To find a list of more than 700 colleges/universities that are test optional go to http://www.fairtest.org. Might be surprised by some of the selective colleges on that list. KAPLAN COURSE: CASADY PARENTS GET A SPECIAL PRICE $699 for the PSAT & SAT OR $599 FOR ACT Casady has partnered with Kaplan Test Prep & Admissions so our community can be provided with discounted pricing and quality test-preparation services. These discounts apply to any Kaplan ACT, PSAT or SAT courses that are normally $699 for the ACT and $999 for the PSAT & SAT. Casady students receive the discounted price of $599 for ACT classroom courses and/or $699 for the PSAT or SAT classroom courses, whether taken at Casady or not. Casady receives a portion of the fees for each student that enrolls. If the summer schedule provided below doesn't fit your schedule or to learn more how Kaplan can help your student, go to www.kaptest.com. for class schedules. If you choose to use their services, enroll through the Oklahoma City Center listed below and tell them you are a part of the Casady family. Discount pricing is not currently available through the website. We will conduct a special summer SAT classroom session at Casady! July 27 - August 13; 12:30 to 3 p.m.* (Monday- Thursday) *Four testing dates will last two to three hours longer on July 27 & August 3, 6 and 12. Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in this class early to allow for ordering, transit time and delivery of course materials. If students enroll in this course by May 30, they will receive an additional college admissions resource book at no charge. Call the Oklahoma City Kaplan Center at (405) 848-3922 to enroll TODAY! Swales' ACT/SAT Workshop offers three sessions: June 2nd (11:30 am- 3:00 pm), June 3rd (11:30 am - 3 p.m.), and June 4th (11:30 am - 2:30 p.m.) To check out quotes, results and more visit www.actupsatup.com. STUDENT-ATHLETES: If you wish to participate in athletics at an NCAA Division I or II institution in 2009-10, they must be certified by the Eligibility Center. Register with the Eligibility Center. Go to www.ncaaclearinghouse.net and click on "Prospective Student-Athletes" to start the process. Request Mrs. Cockrum send your transcript to the Eligibility Center. Transcripts will be sent (1) at the finish of your junior year; and (2) again, after you graduate. Test scores need to be sent to the Eligibility Center directly from ACT or SAT. Make sure you select code "9999" (the Eligibility Center code) as one of your free test-score recipients. COUNSELOR APPOINTMENTS: If you haven't made a college appointment with Mr. Bottomly or Mr. Cernick -- do so by phone or e-mail. Mr. Bottomly: bottomlyj@casady.org. 749-3130. Mr. Cernick: cernickj@casady.org. 749-3150. BULLETIN BOARD FLASH: Don't know what to do this summer? Check out our bulletin board. Lots and lots of summer opportunities are posted. BLOG ALERT! Mr. Bottomly and Mrs. Cockrum now have college counseling blogs! To check out Mr. Bottomly's blog go to http://bottomlycollegetours.blogspot.com. To check out Mrs. Cockrum's blog to http://casadycollegecounselingcockrum.blogspot.com. SUMMER CHALLENGE: If you are a "gamer" then we've got a challenge for you. Seventy-five percent of the college application involves three parts: teacher/counselor recommendation, personal essay and resume. So the challenge is this: over the summer, can you complete all three of these parts before Sept. 1? If you do, your name will go in the drawing for a cool prize!
Here are our recommendations then for successfully completing the challenge:
Sign up for a College Essay Workshop. We're offering five sessions in June. The workshop dates include: June 8-10, June 15-17, June 20 (Saturday), June 22-24, June 29-July 1. Mr. Bottomly and Mr. Hoven will provide instruction. The goal is simple: write two essays for the common application. You can sign up through our website. Just go to http://www.casady.org/Default.asp?bhcp=1. Click on "Campus Life" and scroll down to "Summer by the Lake." Then click on the "Sun to Enroll." Sign up early. We are capping classes at 10 per session.
Create a personal résumé. If you need a résumé sample see Mr. Bottomly. Also use the "Brag Sheet" we gave you to organize your information. If you lost your "Brag Sheet," come by our office and grab a new one. The key is to make lists that include all awards and honors you receive, community and school activities in which you participate and jobs you've held - volunteer or paid. Call or e-mail the teachers you would like to have write recommendations. Colleges generally require two teachers from the junior or senior year in core courses. You can provide any formal forms and self-stamped envelopes to teachers in early fall. Back to Top |
 The Importance of a College Visit
Last summer, while vacationing in Texas, I offered to take my son, Guy, on a college visit at a nearby university. He showed very little interest and said that he would rather hang out by the pool. I thought, ok, he's not quite ready yet - no big deal - by the fall, after the college meetings, he will be geared up to visit. So, I wasn't too worried yet. He still had plenty of time, right?
By March, I still had not seen any interest from him. Visions of lifeguard Guy, living at home well into his 30s, jolted through my head. Now I was beginning to worry. I offered to take him to SMU over spring break for a special junior visit day. This time I received a non-committal grunt rather than a flat-out no, and that was all I needed. I packed the car, and we were on our way. The visit turned out to be the best thing I could have done to trigger his interest in college.
Seeing the campus with other students his age helped Guy visualize what his college experience could be like and all that he had to look forward to. The admission representatives spoke not only about SMU, but they also had a lot of great advice about applying to college in general. They explained how important it was to take challenging classes and to do well in them. This is something I have told Guy many times, but hearing it from the pros seemed to have a bigger impact on him. I couldn't help smile when I caught my son listening intently and actually taking notes! When we visited the pre-med session, I could see the spark come alive in his eyes. He didn't shy away when they explained the rigor of a pre-med/engineering degree. The wheels in his head really started turning during the engineering session as he listened to the professor speak of the hands-on-time he would get during the four years. They placed special emphasis on the university's goal to train the students to become marketable to get a great job. (All the parents cheered at that one!)
Guy was now beginning to understand what type of classes different degrees required and what kind of job he could expect to obtain. I really liked that the representatives encouraged the students to do their own research, ask questions and take ownership of the process!
During lunch, Guy not only talked about how he could see himself at SMU, but also about possible majors. He told me he would like to next visit a university with a large engineering department to compare the two. He told me he would work hard and get his grades and scores up. I couldn't believe it - this was more than I had hoped for. Now instead of me trying to ply answers from him, he was the one asking the questions! He displayed the same kind of excitement that he used to when he was little, and I took him to Discovery Zone. My baby was growing up -- and all from a simple visit!
So, students and parents - go on those visits. Students, ask yourself - is this a place where I can be academically, socially, spiritually and personally challenged or will I be overwhelmed? Is this a place where I can become my best self? Enjoy planning your future goals. Parents, enjoy the nostalgia of being on a college campus. Do some fun activities in the city where the school is located. Use this special time to make some plans and draw together closer as a family. But most of all - enjoy each other and have fun! Back to Top |
 "Dear Mr. Bottomly..."
by Josh Bottomly
Not long ago I received an e-mail from a concerned junior parent. She wrote:
"We are wrestling with whether or not [blank name] should take a fourth year of math her senior year. She has completed AMC this year and so would enroll in pre-calculus if she takes a math class. We are concerned that with other AP classes (English, Spanish V, and possibly AP Euro History or AP Art History) she could have a pretty big load. We realize this is a balancing act between carrying five solids every year, and taking on too heavy a load."
The question is: are they [colleges of her choice] concerned with a student having four years of math or would they be happy with a respectable senior load that does not include a math?
To read my response click here http://bottomlycollegetours.blogspot.com/2009/03/dear-mr-bottomly-my-daughter-will-be.html.
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 Hidden Gems: 50 Colleges That Are Better Than You ThinkIn his 2003 book, Harvard Schmarvard: Getting Beyond the Ivy League, Jay Matthews includes this list of colleges that are "much better than their small reputations would suggest." He polled guidance counselors and teachers who work with college-bound students for their recommendations of "wallflower colleges that student's fall in love once they get to know them." Matthew ranks the colleges in his list but says, "I would not put much stock in my order of merit. I did it mostly for fun." Consequently, they are listed below alphabetically. In any case, Matthew assures us that "all 50 colleges below are excellent and deserve to be put on your list if they offer something that pleases you." Agnes Scott (GA) Allegheny (PA) Austin (TX) Bates (ME) Bard (NY) Beloit (WI) Berry (GA) Birmingham-Southern (AL) Bucknell (PA) Centre (KY) Chapman (CA) Denver (CO) Drew (NJ) Earlham (IN) Elon (NC) Gettysburg (PA) Grinnell (IA) Guilford (NC) Hendrix (AR) Hope (MI) Kalamazoo (MI) Kenyon (OH) Knox (IL) LMU (CA) Macalester (MN) Miami (Ohio) Millsaps (MS) Rochester (NY) Occidental (CA) Randolph-Macon (VA) Redlands (CA) Rhodes (TN) Santa Clara (CA) SCAD (GA) Spelman (GA) St. Louis (MO) St. Olaf (MN) TCU (TX) Trinity (TX) Truman State (MO) Tulsa (OK) Pacific (CA) Scranton (PA) Sewanee (TN) Ursinus (PA) Westminster (MO) Wheaton (IL) Whitman (WA) Wooster (OH) Willamette (OR) Back to Top | |
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Casady Faculty Book Recommendations
So I always get a good chuckle when the "Do Not Read List" for summer reading gets posted. English teachers who are actually trying to persuade students not to read certain books - ironic, isn't it?
This summer I've asked some Casady faculty to recommend a good read. Many had trouble picking only one to recommend to seniors. Interestingly, studies show that the best way to improve students' reading scores on SAT/ACT tests is by...drum roll, please...READING LOTS! Go figure.
Below you will find a suggested author/book and either short book summary or teacher's note attached.
Dr. Gerard Leo Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Illyich
Not only is this novella a critique of modern materialism and bourgeois liberalism, but it carries with it a powerful message about finding true meaning in life
Mr. Hoven H.G. Bissinger, Friday Night Lights
Return once again to the timeless account of the Permian Panthers of Odessa--the winningest high-school football team in Texas history. Odessa is not known to be a town big on dreams, but the Panthers help keep the hopes and dreams of this small, dusty town going. Socially and racially divided, its fragile economy follows the treacherous boom-bust path of the oil business. In bad times, the unemployment rate barrels out of control; in good times, its murder rate skyrockets. But every Friday night from September to December, when the Permian High School Panthers play football, this West Texas town becomes a place where dreams can come true. With frankness and compassion, H. G. Bissinger chronicles a season in the life of Odessa and shows how single-minded devotion to the team shapes the community and inspires--and sometimes shatters--the teenagers who wear the Panthers' uniforms.
Mrs. Knowles Sarah Scott, Millennium Hall
"Scott's novel of a female utopia and of the personal histories of the women who took refuge there is an unrivalled experiment in literary form. With its provocative introduction, this edition is a must for anyone interested in the Enlightenment, in social theory, in women's history or in the development of the novel.
Mr. Kelly Alan Weisman, The World Without Us
This is non-fiction book about what would happen to the natural and built environment if humans suddenly disappeared.
Mr. Bottomly Chaim Potok, My Name is Asher Lev.
Here is the original, deeply moving story of Asher Lev, the religious boy with an ovrewhelmign need to draw, to paint, to render the world he knows and the pain he feels on canvas for everyone to see. A loner, Asher has an extraordinary God-given gift that cannot be controlled, but that possesses a spirit all its own. It this force that he must learn to master without shaming his people or relinquishing any deeply felt Judaism.
Mrs. Cockrum Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis
This book is the author's powerful memoir about growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Satrapi chose the graphic novel medium to tell her story. Without a lot of words, it gives the reader a true, humorous picture, showing the innocent side of the young Satrapi and her girlfriends knowing they are now required to do something they don't like, but not quite realizing the full impact of their rights being taken away and the oppression, which is beginning to occur in the name of religion.
Mr. Cernick Tim Tzouliadis, The Forsaken:An American Tragedy in Stalin's Russia
This book relates the story of thousands of Americans who, during the Great Depression of the 1930s, enticed by Soviet propaganda, migrate to the Soviet Union in search of jobs. Instead, after their passports are taken, almost all of the Americans are soon imprisoned or killed by a totalitarian state ruled by the "bloodthirsty paranoia" of Joseph Stalin.The book is a strong indictment, not only of the communist state, but also of the American government, which took no action to protect or aid these Americans. This very readable book will make you sad and angry.
Dr. Powell David Wroblewski, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
Someone really smart said, "If you're not making pictures in your head while you're reading, you're not really reading." With practice, readers begin to make clearer, more detailed pictures, and the relationships between the details in the reader's imagined picture begin to develop. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is a very long book, and I will say up front that it is not a particularly "deep" book-which isn't to say that it's shallow or fluffy. What it offers is a good, long walk, like good exercise, for the picture-maker in every reader's brain. When you've discovered that really long books can be really good, and when your picture-maker's all tuned up, read one of those long novels by Dickens or Conrad
Mrs. Erickson Sara Gruen, Water for Elephants
Set during the Great Depression of the 1930s, Water for Elephants tells the story of a young man who leaves his life as a Cornell University veterinary student after losing both his parents in a car accident and jumps onto a train that happens to house the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth.
Mr. Wiley Alex Haley, The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Malcolm X's searing memoir belongs on the small shelf of great autobiographies.The reasons are many: the blistering honesty with which he recounts his transformation from a bitter, self-destructive petty criminal into an articulate political activist, the continued relevance of his militant analysis of white racism, and his emphasis on self-respect and self-help for African Americans.
Dr. Rumsey Herbert Sulzbach, With the German GunsAccount of a German artillery officer on the western front in World War I. An undoubted German patriot and a courageous man, Sulzbach was hounded out of Germany by the Nazis before World War II, and ended up serving with British forces, if I remember correctly, in that conflict. Mr. Johnson Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale
This is a dystopian novel that explores themes of women in subjugation, and the various means by which they gain agency, against the backdrop of a totalitarian Christian theocracy which has overthrown the United States government in the near future. Back to Top |
The Pyramid Challenge
Over the summer, we challenge you to build a college list that gives you a competitive edge in the admission game. Therefore it is important that you build a final college list that reflects the college reality for you.
To complete the Pyramid Challenge, you must include in your final list: two to three "likely colleges" (>75% chance of acceptance) schools; three to four "probable colleges" (50/50% chance) schools; and one to two "reach colleges" (<25% chance) schools; and zero to one "double reach colleges" (<10% chance) schools.
Can you rise to the challenge? Come back with your pyramid completed, and we will enter your name in a drawing for a cool prize!
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