Advising and Resource Overview

The College Transfer Office Goals and Resources

The College Transfer Office (“CTO”) has a number of goals, including (a) encouraging BHSEC students to be well-informed, confident, and ambitious when considering their transition from BHSEC to a four-year college; (b) educating four-year colleges about our unique program; and (c) educating students and parents about the college search and application process, including financial aid, and helping students navigate these processes.

The CTO is located in room 406 and is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. It offers the following resources for students:

• College guide books, DVDs, course catalogues, and brochures
• SAT & ACT materials and study guides, including fee waivers for eligible students
• Scholarship & financial aid information
• Computers for college research and applications
• A variety of programs, such as college information sessions, reduced cost test prep, meetings for parents and students, opportunities to visit colleges, the CTO advising program for Year 1 and 2 students, and more.  All of these are explained below.

The CTO Advising Process

Ninth and Tenth Grade
How is the CTO a part of students’ and parents’ first two years at BHSEC?  
While the CTO is not a major part of students’ first two years at BHSEC, the PTA and CTO conduct several early college awareness meetings for 9th and 10th grade parents and students.  We urge families to attend at least one of these 9^th and 10^th grade CTO meetings each year to become acquainted with the college process ahead. Formal CTO advising begins in the spring of Year 1.

SAVE THE DATE!  9th and 10th grade parent CTO Meeting

Tuesday, March 9th
6:00 pm -- 7:30 pm

Student attendance is welcome, and encouraged!

1. Grades:  Grades are generally considered to be the most important component of the college application, and for this reason students should make efforts to do their best work beginning in the ninth grade.

2. Extra-curricular activities: Colleges are impressed by students with an active interest apart from school work, particularly someone who has focused on one or two interests in a serious and sustained way.  In contrast, an applicant who has hundreds of seemingly empty hours of community service or is in numerous clubs for the sake of “looking good on paper” is less attractive. You may wonder how admissions officers would know the difference, but trust us—they do! Admissions officers also have great respect for students who work or have considerable responsibilities at home. 

3. PSATs: 10^th grade students have the option to take the PSAT in October.  Students are required to take the PSAT in October of Year 1. 

4. SATs:  9^th and 10^th grade students, who are strong in U.S. and World History, should consider taking the corresponding SAT subject tests in June.  Since students are able to choose which SAT scores are sent to colleges—as of February 2009—this option is particularly attractive.  Click here to learn more about the SATs and ACTs.  

Year 1
The formal CTO advising process begins in the spring of Year 1 when students are assigned a CTO advisor and are scheduled for weekly college advisory meetings.  College advisories help students with the college application process, from staying on top of deadlines to searching for colleges, to writing college essays and understanding financial aid.   

In the late spring, students attend a multi-day retreat to Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. The retreat is reported to be a BHSEC highlight—so much so, that alumni frequently enquire about volunteering as trip chaperones.  Students stay in the Simon’s Rock dormitories, take intensive academic mini-courses, participate in a mock admissions exercise and college essay peer-review, and visit a variety of four-year institutions—small, large, public and private.  The 2008 Year 1 Simon’s Rock trip included visits to Williams, Bennington, Rensselaer Polytechnic, University of Massachusetts at Boston, Brandeis, Boston University, and SUNY Purchase.

Year 2
In the fall of Year 2, the college transfer advising process is in full swing. Students meet weekly with their CTO advisory group as well as one-on-one with their CTO advisors. In individual meetings, advisors assist students in selecting colleges, honing essays, and work through myriad concerns as they arise.  The weekly CTO advisory meetings help students manage the many time sensitive components of the application process and also address topics such as financial aid, essays, interviews, scholarships, and other opportunities.  

Year 1 and Year 2 Parent CTO Meetings
Several evening CTO meetings are conducted for parents of Year 1 & 2 parents to address the application and advising process, deadlines, standardized tests, credit transfer issues, financial aid, and more.

The schedule of 2008-09 Year 1 and 2 Parent CTO Meetings is as follows:
--Wed Oct 15: Year 2 Parent CTO Meeting (students welcome!)

--Tue Oct 28: Year 1 Parent CTO Meeting (student attendance highly encouraged for this meeting!) 

--Year 2 Parent Financial Aid Meeting: this will be scheduled in December.  The exact date is TBA.

--Wed Feb 11: Year 1 Parent CTO Meeting (students welcome!)  This meeting will cover different topics from the fall.  We hope you will be able to attend both meetings!

Additional CTO Activities & Resources

College  Info Sessions 
Each fall, admissions officers, from over 50 colleges and universities, host information sessions in the CTO. Meeting with admissions representatives is both an excellent way for students to find out about colleges, and for colleges to learn about our students.   Year 1 and 2 students are encouraged to attend as many of these sessions as possible, even if only for a portion of a session.  Students do not need to sign up, they can simply come to the CTO at the scheduled time.  If, however, there is a conflict, students must speak with teachers a minimum of two class periods, but preferably 24 hours, in advance.  It is entirely up to the teacher whether or not a student can miss class, or a portion thereof.  Click here for the fall schedule of visits  (The schedule changes on an almost daily basis in the fall, so please check back regularly.) 

Policy about missing class for college info sessions:

Year 1 Students: Y1 student cannot miss classes to attend college information              sessions.

College Fairs
Each year in May, Year 1 students attend a college fair to acquaint themselves with different colleges and universities.  Last year, BHSEC students attended the Unique NYC College Fair.  There are also several free city-wide fairs that are publicized in the College Notes.

College Notes
The College Notes are distributed in weekly Year 1 and Year 2 CTO advisories and include information about scholarships, upcoming deadlines, college overnight and diversity programs, college fairs, and more.   The scholarship information published in the College Notes is also posted on the calendar at www.bard.edu/bhsec.  To search for scholarships on the online calendar, click on “search” and enter the word “scholarship.”

College Trips
Periodically, the CTO coordinates day-trips to colleges for 10^th grade, Year 1, and Year 2 students.  Trips generally cost $25 and include a tour, information session and lunch. Financial assistance is available for eligible students.  Details about trips and financial aid will be announced by email and in advisories.

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