Underformer’sGuide to college counseling

T h e l a w r e n c e v i l l e s c h o o l

In t ro d u c t I o n: Bui ld ing the Foundat ion 3

Pa rt I : Doing Lawrencevi l le Wel l 6

Pa rt II : Course Select ion and Schedul ing 10

Pa rt III : Standardized Test ing 16

Pa rt IV: Extra-Curr icular Li fe at Lawrencevi l le 24

Pa rt V: Athlet ic Recrui t ing 30

Pa rt VI: Summer Act iv i t ies 34

Pa rt VII: Conclus ion 38

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The mosT common quesTions underform parenTs ask The college

counseling office concern The Timing of The college search

process. Why does Lawrenceville begin working with students in the Fourth Form? What colleges should my son be targeting as a Third Former? Can we have a counselor assigned to our child as a Second Former just to make sure she is on the right track? We understand where these questions come from, certainly, as parents wish the best for their children and college preparation is a natural extension of that care. Students and families worry they might be overlooking an important detail which could eventually affect college options and the intense focus placed on selective college admission in media amplifies this concern. Underform families often express a desire to “do something” connected to college admission. While Underformers are not ready for specific college admissions tasks, this Underformer’s Guide addresses some foundational steps and discusses internal educational principles that will help students prepare for their eventual college admissions process.

Buildingthe foundation

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If you have attended a college counseling panel presentation such as the Second and Third Form Q & A session at Parents’ Weekend or spoken with a college counselor casually while on campus, you have heard that we define the college search process as an extension of the education that students receive at Lawrenceville. This belief is the underpinning of everything we do in the College Counseling Office. It guides our students as they move through the process, it defines the educational outcomes we embed in our counseling program, and it is a critical component of our Mission Statement.

Helping students develop life-long transfer-rable skills which build recursively upon each other and in combination with other skills lies at the heart of the learning outcomes of every academic department at Lawrence-ville, including College Counseling. Addi-tionally, Lawrenceville faculty work to foster appreciation, respect and understanding of each particular discipline as students engage within each classroom. Thus, students at

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Lawrenceville develop increasingly more com-plex intellectual skills and a deeper disciplinary understanding as they move through the Forms and across the curriculum. Students’ ability to conduct historical analysis and un-derstand what it means to think like a historian becomes sharper through their work in the History Department; students’ mathematical literacy skills expand and their ability to em-ploy quantitative analysis grows as they experi-ence more complex concepts in Mathematics.

A well-done college search progresses much the same way, although the college process requires both developmental readiness from a maturation perspective and intellectual skills from an educational perspective. Just as a student would be ill-served to jump into AB Calculus at Lawrenceville without taking Pre-Calculus, a student is ill-served to engage the college search process without the developmental skills and intellectual abilities that are essential to navigating the complexities of the college process. In most cases, students are not ready to grapple with these intricacies

as Underformers, so the College Counseling Office waits until they are ready, which for the great majority of students is in the junior year.

There are, however, deliberate actions students can take as Underformers to ready themselves for the college process, actions which will also enhance their overall experience at Lawrenceville. The goals of this guide are to detail those specific actions and identify where they present themselves at Lawrenceville, to give the students the

necessary guidance to excel across the entire

range of student experience, and to make sure

they do not “miss anything” as they prepare to

begin their college search. Underformers who

fully embrace the ideas within this guide will

find that they begin their college process in the

Fourth Form with the background and skills

to grapple with the complexities of the college

process. At that point, they will be ready and

well-prepared to conduct a mature, proactive

and effective college search.

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If there is a personal mantra or code of conduct that we wish all

Lawrentians embraced in their experience on our campus it is the idea

of “doing Lawrenceville well.” We believe strongly that the absolute

best preparation for the college process at Lawrenceville is active

commitment on the part of the students to engage deeply in all of

the venues available to them on our campus, yet given the selectivity

in college admission today and the concurrent media blitz that has

accompanied the current culture, students and families often feel

pressured to move swiftly to the finest details of the college process

and, as a result, inadvertently skip over the all-important journey.

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If students wish to prime the pump of the college process, then “doing Lawrenceville well” is by far the best strategy, as the procedural and product-oriented components of the college search simply aren’t appropriate until students are well into their high school experience. This distinction is somewhat akin to a runner arriving for track practice on the first day and saying, “Tell me what I have to run today to set the state record in the 100 meters and I’ll do it right now.” Track coaches know that for student-athletes to reach their potential they must attend to the process – the training – before they can attain the product – the finishing time – and so coaches begin to help the student with the long climb of building mileage, adding speed work, boosting endurance and VO2 max, honing the running form, assessing skills and progress to identify their optimal events, etc., and all the while spicing the preparation with specific physical techniques and training events which make the experience fun and worthwhile. If all goes well, the athlete will develop to his or her maximum potential in the event, acquire

the requisite grit and passion for running, and, while they might not set the state record in the 100 meters one day, never mind that day, they will have learned a great deal about themselves, understood the discipline of running more deeply and put themselves in the best possible position for success: there’s much in this extended metaphor to compare to the college search process.

Students at Lawrenceville will fare far more successfully in the college process if they “do Lawrenceville well,” i.e., if they take the time to discover and develop passions, engage them-selves in their activities, deepen their intellectual and academic skills, immerse themselves in the House system, connect with faculty mentors and at all turns find ways to make the most of the incredible resources – physical and human – that Lawrenceville presents. These experiences, dispositions and skills carry far more weight in a successful college admissions experience than anything else, so much so that when the appropriate time arrives they reap great rewards in college and in life.

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Doing Lawrenceville well goes beyond the idea of simply enjoying one’s time at Lawrenceville to the fullest, however, although that is a common misconception. Spring nights in the Bowl, late Saturday feeds with friends and lively banter in the House common room will all produce wonderful Lawrenceville memories – and should be part of every student’s experience – but doing Lawrenceville well extends beyond the social aspects of high school. Doing Lawrenceville well means a student examines all the elements of a comprehensive experience – academic, residential, social, and extra-curricular – and

follows through on those opportunities in a

deep and meaningful way.

Our best advice to Underformers asking us

how they should “do Lawrenceville well” is as

follows:

challenge Yourself in Your classes

Develop good study skills, push yourself

to become a good learner and aspire to

fully engage in each of your classes (even

those that might not come as easily to you).

Immerse yourself in the breadth and depth

that a Lawrenceville education has to offer.

Be proud of your efforts, accept your weaknesses and endeavor to make them strengths. The study habits you develop as an Underformer will reap great rewards as the rigor of your academic work intensifies over the course of your academic life here.

develop passions outside of Your classesWhether it’s music, dance, visual art, student government or journalism (to name only a few examples), take the time to engage in extra-curricular activities that are meaningful to you. It does not matter if your interests take you into Science Olympiad, Periwig, or Outdoor Leadership, but it is important for you to find ways to broaden your experience beyond the classroom door. It is a myth that colleges respond to lists of “clubs joined” as a marker of your involvement in the school. Instead, colleges respond to depth of involvement in the activities that are important to you.

find opportunities for leadershipLeadership can take place in the classroom, in the House, on the athletic field or in an

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extra-curricular activity, among other venues. Leadership takes place both visibly and subtly, so don’t fall victim to the notion that “leaders are born.” Leadership comes from experience, dedication, practice and opportunity. Find ways to contribute to the life of Lawrenceville and to the world outside our gates and you will develop essential leadership skills.

recognize That relationships matterThe Lawrenceville community is comprised of dedicated, interesting and eclectic faculty and students. Take time to develop close relationships with a wide range of community citizens. Find mentors and role models and open yourself up to opportunities to learn from them and with them.

engage in community service Make time to explore the community service opportunities at Lawrenceville. Do not merely be satisfied with meeting your Circle Requirement, however. Second and Third Forms are the ideal windows to expand and personalize your service horizons. Review the

list of service opportunities and match them to your strengths and interests or branch out to try something new and intriguing. Once you start getting involved, you’ll find opportunities that spark your energy and enthusiasm even more. The sooner you find that catalyst for involvement “outside the gates,” the more opportunities you’ll have to develop them into something special.

expand Your horizonsLawrenceville is a diverse and compelling community. Take advantage of opportunities to learn about other cultures and perspectives on and off campus. Sign up for a Global Initiatives trip that connects to your academic and personal interests and curiosities. Join the Cross Cultural Club. Ask classmates from

different backgrounds about their experiences

at home and at Lawrenceville. Every moment

you take to expand your horizons is an

opportunity to learn something new and

interesting.

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When you embrace these opportunities

as we’ve described, you will undoubtedly

achieve a dual result. One, you will enjoy

your Lawrenceville experience more deeply

and make stronger connections across the

entire campus. Two, you will have created a

valuable foundation for your college search.

In both cases, you will find the personal

growth and positive results well worth your

effort.

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Selecting an appropriate academic courseload and creating a balanced

schedule is a delicate process. If students overextend themselves

and elect a schedule that’s too demanding for them their grades may

suffer, but holding back from an appropriately rigorous path of study

is similarly troublesome from a college’s perspective. Piling on the

academic rigor under the assumption that “I need to take as many

Honors/500 level courses as possible” can lead to gaps in disciplinary

understanding, a problematic situation which affects long-term

learning and can lead to a lower cumulative GPA both now and in the

future. Alternatively, college admission officers see the avoidance of

rigorous courses or advanced classes problematic as well. College

admission officers frequently assert that the key is balance of both

rigor and performance.

Part

II

CourseSelection andScheduling

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“If Honors/AP courses are available,

we hope to see a selection of these courses.

This does not mean that a senior schedule

should contain five, six or seven AP

courses, but should include as many as

the student is comfortable tackling and/or

advised by counselors.”

– Jane Crowley, Senior Associate Director, Boston College

“When evaluating a transcript, we are not

only looking at the grades, but we are also

looking at the strength of the curriculum.

While we do not expect them to take every

single AP/Advanced/500 Level course

offered, we do expect them to challenge

themselves appropriately.”

– C. Darryl Uy, Director of Admission, Kenyon College

A college admission officer’s first step when

evaluating an application is to analyze the

applicant’s high school transcript – both the

rigor and the performance – within the context

of the school’s curricular offerings. Thus it

is extremely important for underformers to

select their classes carefully and thoughtfully.

In order to avoid potential problems, students

should solicit specific feedback from their

academic advisor, current and former

classroom teachers, and their Housemaster

and/or Department Chairs in order to

establish a suitable courseload that weighs a

host of inter-related factors, including:

A The rigor of each course elected

A The comprehensive difficulty across the

student’s entire schedule

A Individual preferences for specific disciplines

or courses

A The student’s ability to succeed to the best

of his/her ability in the level of course(s)

selected

A Lawrenceville’s graduation requirements

A College admission expectations for depth of

study within disciplines12

“Successful applicants to Bates College will typically have carried five or more major courses in each [term] with each course following an appropriate introductory or prerequisite offering in that particular area of study. We expect that the transcript and teacher’s recommendations will reflect a high level of accomplishment in those courses, and [we] look for evidence that the student has challenged her/himself by undertaking as rigorous a curriculum as may be advisable in light of previous course work undertaken at the school. Both breadth and depth of study

are important.”

– Leigh Wiesenberger, Dean of Admission, Bates College

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Luckily, Underform students have minimal concerns when it comes to selecting courses, as many of the disciplines are pre-determined or sequenced: English III follows Humanities, Third Form Science follows Second Form Science, Spanish 3 follows Spanish 2, etc. Students will find that the choices they need to make are confined to a few decision making points, usually found when choosing art, music and religion electives or when Advanced/500 Level courses first become available to them in the Third and especially Fourth Form year. Here are a few key guidelines for selecting an appropriate courseload when those decision making points arise:

colleges value students whose high school curriculum is both broad and deep in the five major subjects: english, history, science, language and math. Four years of English and mathematics, three full years of lab science and history, and the equivalent of three, if not four, academic years of foreign language are basic expectations at most highly selective colleges. Lawrenceville’s graduation

requirements mirror these expectations closely,

so the normal sequence of classes should

prove helpful when students elect coursework.

Students who reach the advanced level of a

discipline have more options to elect other

courses; otherwise, students are expected to

take the major disciplines for as long as they reasonably can.

“is it better to get a ‘B’ in a honors/500 class than get an ‘a’ in a regular level class?” is a misleading question. In reality, colleges expect high grades. Highly selective colleges “want it

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all” and naturally expect top grades in the most

rigorous courses a school offers, though they

allow institutional discretion in defining those

courses, which is why there’s no disadvantage

for Lawrenceville to have stopped offering

the AP curriculum. Moderately selective

colleges want high grades as well, so it is

counterproductive for students to accelerate

beyond their ability to perform at the highest

level. Again, the key is finding balance between

course rigor and optimal performance.

students should be prepared to take two

saT subject Tests by the end of their fourth

form year. Third Formers should keep this in

mind when scheduling their classes, as their

courseloads should enable them to display

reasonable mastery in two different disciplines.

Subject tests are offered in foreign language,

literature, math, and laboratory sciences as well

as U.S. and World History. Overall, students

are likely to find more success on SAT Subject

Tests in the disciplines they enjoy and in which

they have pursued a full year of honors survey course work. For more detailed information, please refer to the discussion of SAT Subject Tests in the “Part III: Standardized Testing” section in this Guide or in the “Standardized Testing Guide” which is sent to your home in August.

Beware of the “i don’t like foreign language” or “i’m not good at math” trap. While this is similar to the first point above, this issue crops up predominately when scheduling the Fourth Form year, as students who have finished their minimum graduation requirements might start looking to avoid subjects that do not come as easily to them. Remember, colleges expect language and math to continue as far as possible in students’ academic programs and if they do not, these courses need to be replaced with courses in major disciplines of equal (or preferably greater) rigor to offset the perceived courseload deficiency. If students are considering dropping out of a core discipline, they should consult the department chair, a college counselor, and their families, as it can

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be extremely frustrating for a student to have an early conversation with a college counselor and have that counselor say, with surprise, “Why did you drop that course of study so early?”

plan ahead & keep an eye on pre-requisite courses. When you sit down with your academic advisor, plan ahead through your senior year. You do not need to select your Fifth Form English electives, obviously, and you should expect you might change your mind as your interests evolve over time, but anticipating your courseload beyond the next term or the next year can be incredibly useful. Ask yourself forward-looking questions. How might Phys/Calc fit in the junior or senior year? Are there pre-requisite classes for Research in Applied Chemistry or Advanced Studio Art that you need to work into your schedule? Will I have the ability to take two SAT Subject Tests in my junior year? When might I fit in my Interdisciplinary requirement? Can I take the 500 level Religion and Philosophy class I’m interested in?

“Taking the toughest courseload you can safely

handle” is a slippery piece of advice to be sure,

but that guidance entails balancing all the

competing interests – graduation requirements,

college expectations of achievement, the academic

inclinations of the individual, the level of rigor in

the courseload and a student’s ability to handle that

rigor successfully. If students strike that balance

and schedule their courses with all these concepts

in mind, they will present their strongest possible

academic profile in their college applications.

Work closely with your advisor, current teachers,

campus mentors and the Department Heads to

assess your options and make an informed decision

about your optimal path, as you will find the majority

of decisions regarding your courseload and class

placement are best answered by these resources.

If you have specific, more nuanced questions about

the implications a complex scheduling decision

will have on college admissions, please contact the

College Counseling Office.

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The College Counseling Office encourages students at Lawrenceville

to take a sane approach to standardized testing, i.e., give standardized

tests the necessary attention for their eventual college application

process, but nothing more. Emotional energy or undue worry about

standardized tests is unproductive at best and frustrating at worst,

so while it’s appropriate to attend to standardized testing’s place in

college admission, do your best not to let your scores define you or

add emotional weight.

StandardizedTesting

Part

III

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To be fair, college admission offices also have a conflicted relationship with standardized tests. Admission professionals understand the predictive limitations or potential biases which are present in these examinations, but the size of applicant pools beg for a normed measure-ment to help account for variations in school rigor, grading scales and curriculum when ad-mission officers evaluate applications. Further, SAT averages are a factor when institutions are ranked by popular press and bond rating agencies, among other influences, so an ad-mission office can have significant incentives to boost their incoming scores. This dilemma between limitations and necessity leads institu-tions to employ a wide variety of policies re-garding the role of standardized tests. Some colleges require the SAT, others are “scores optional” or “scores flexible.” SAT Subject Test requirements currently range from two to none, with others “recommending but not requiring” submission.

Lawrenceville’s “Standardized Testing Guide,” distributed at the beginning of the school year,

contains comprehensive testing information. Please refer to that publication for more information about standardized testing at Lawrenceville and in the college admission process. Underformers do not need to pay attention to the idiosyncrasies of standardized tests to understand them except in the few specific instances detailed here.

saT suBjecT TesTs

The only college related standardized test Second or Third Formers should consider is an SAT Subject Test in a subject area where their knowledge of that specific discipline has peaked, usually at the completion of the Honors/Advanced/500 level of a particular subject. While this circumstance happens infrequently for Underformers in Lawrence-ville’s curriculum, it does occur occasionally, especially for those who are accelerated in foreign language and math.

foreign language: Students who are highly advanced in a foreign language and are prepared to display exceptional ability in that

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language may wish to take an SAT Subject Test, especially if they are on the verge of ending their language study. Underformers who feel their academic standing in a foreign language is strong enough to take a Subject Test should discuss the possibility with their current instructor or the Department Chair. Students who wish to end their language study at the end of their Third Form year whether

or not they plan on taking an SAT Subject Test

are strongly encouraged to discuss this choice

fully with their advisors, the Department

Chair and the College Counseling Office.

math: Underformers may elect to take the

Math 2 (M2) Subject Test at the end of the

Pre-Calculus sequence, most commonly

during the May or June administration.

Other students choose to wait until they

enroll in a Calculus course the following year

before sitting for the M2 test, usually taking

the examination in November or December.

Although the Math 2 (M2) SAT Subject Test

has no Calculus questions on it, some students

value the review period which takes place early

in the Calculus course. Students should choose

whichever administration feels appropriate

for their preparation and performance. The

Math 1 (M1) test is a potential Subject Test

for many Underformers, as students will have

exceeded the curriculum once they complete

Lawrenceville’s “Math 3” course, but college

admission officers will expect any student who

continues past “Math 3” to take the Math

2 (M2) Subject Test later in their academic

career, and that Subject Test supersedes the

Math 1 (M1). As such, there are very few

reasons to take a M1 Subject Test in the

Second or Third Form year (and if one of

those reasons arises in the Fourth Form year,

it’s not a problem to return to that Subject Test

in junior spring).

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additional subject Tests for underformers:

Unusually sophisticated or accelerated under-form students may be prepared to take subject tests in special areas of strength if they have studied these subjects independently. A com-plete listing of available tests is located on the College Board website. If a student is curious about a particular test, that student should en-deavor to take a practice test to assess content familiarity and prospects for impressive results. If, however, the student is planning to take advanced year-long survey courses as a Fourth Former, such effort is unnecessary. At the end of the day, two or three outstanding scores trump multiple mediocre scores every time.

psaTThe PSAT is the Preliminary SAT and is also known as the National Merit Scholar-ship Qualifying Test/NMSQT. The PSAT is a practice test for the SAT, although it has two other main purposes. First, it is the test which determines eligibility for the National Merit Scholarship Program. Students who score above a certain threshold are eligible

for consideration for a special written cita-tion, such as those who reach Commended, Semi-Finalist, and Finalist status, while the eventual winners receive monetary awards. Roughly 1.5 million students take the PSAT yearly, 15,000 are named finalists, and approx-imately 0.5% of test-takers receive an award. Companies or businesses which support the NMSQT and employ a parent may offer matching grants to a student who receives a certain status in the NMSQT and there are some colleges, usually public institutions, which give students a scholarship award if they meet a particular threshold and then matriculate at their institution. Second, the PSAT collects information on students’ aca-demic interests as part of the registration process and sells the information to colleges along with email addresses and other contact information.

Lawrenceville automatically registers all Fourth Formers to take the PSAT in early October, but please know that all other standardized test registrations are the student’s

responsibility. The College Counseling Office sends all Fourth Form students a PSAT packet in advance of the test date which contains specific directions as well as a practice test. Underformers need only be aware of three issues connected to the PSAT:

Test preparation: Formal and lengthy test preparation for the PSAT is usually unnec-essary, although many students find some review helpful to allay any nervousness or test unfamiliarity. A few hours working through a published PSAT guidebook or looking at free websites offering basic test preparation and sample questions are all that’s necessary for the majority of students.

repeat students – please note: The NMSQT requires that students wishing to be considered for the National Merit Scholarship competition must take the PSAT during their third academic year of high school. Lawrenceville students who have repeated the 9th or 10th grade at any high school and, therefore, will be entering their third year of high school before the Fourth Form year at Lawrenceville, should contact the

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College Counseling Office at the beginning of their Third Form school year if they are strong testers who wish to be considered for this competition. The College Counseling Office staff will explain the complex exceptions and procedures the student must follow in order to compete.

Third form psaT administration: Although it is common practice at many public high schools, Lawrenceville does not recommend students take the PSAT in the Third Form year. Students’ attention in the Third Form should be squarely on “doing Lawrenceville well” and thriving in their coursework, not attending to standardized testing. Diverting energy to practice a practice test which does not count for either college admission or the NMSQT is a misapplied use of that energy.

advanced placemenT (ap) exams

While Lawrenceville does not offer the College Board’s Advanced Placement curriculum, some upper level classes cover much of the same material. This overlap allows students

who wish to take an AP examination – essentially the final exam for the Advanced Placement class – when they are offered on the national administration dates in May. Requirements to take the AP exam and the common content of the course with respect to Lawrenceville’s curriculum vary widely from discipline to discipline, so students should consult with the course instructor to determine if an AP exam is appropriate. Similar to the SAT Subject Tests, this happens most often for Underformers in math (AB/BC Calculus, for example) or in foreign language. Standard Second and Third Form history, as well as underform English and science courses, do not prepare students for an AP examination.

non-sTandard TesTingNon-standard testing, most often referred to as (though not limited to) “extended time,” is available to those who have a diagnosed and properly documented learning disability or physical handicap that meets the ETS and ACT eligibility qualifications and is being accommodated at Lawrenceville. If you

believe that a qualifying learning disability exists and this disability affects your ability to perform on standardized tests, we encourage you to contact the Coordinator of Academic Advising and Educational Support (609-620-6131) early in the Fourth Form year to begin the process of petitioning the testing agencies. Students who qualify for non-standard testing through ETS or the ACT Corporation can sit for a PSAT, SAT Reasoning Test, SAT Subject Test, AP or ACT with different conditions than the standard administration.

saT reasoning TesT / acTMost Underform students do not need to take an SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT before beginning their college process in the middle of the Fourth Form year. Students who take an SAT or ACT before the spring of their junior year often find their results disappointing or unrelated to their eventual score. This result isn’t surprising, as an added five or six months of coursework at Lawrenceville, additional intellectual maturation, and an opportunity for test preparation over spring break all

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positively impact student performance on the SAT or ACT. Students who feel particularly well-prepared or well-suited to accelerate their testing timeline can sit for an SAT in January, although they will be at no disadvantage whatsoever by waiting until spring; in fact, the substantial majority of Lawrentians over the years have not taken their first SAT until March or May and have found that timing appropriate and suitable for their college aspirations.

Exception: Division I/Scholarship athletes should strongly consider taking the SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT on an earlier timeline in the Fourth Form year. The SAT is offered in November, December and January and the ACT is offered in December and February. College recruiting at the highest level of competition has accelerated to the point where reciprocal commitments between a Division I coach and a high school player can occur early in a student’s high school career, so it is helpful to have a standardized testing profile in hand when those conversations begin.

Please note that this exception applies only

to students who will be high Division I or scholarship level student-athletes. If you are uncertain if you will be a Division I or Division III intercollegiate athlete down the line or if you are not 100% sure you will play sports in college, that uncertainty means this exception does not apply to you and you can take your standardized tests on the normal timeline.

If you will not be on an accelerated recruiting timeline, you will not be asked to make a commitment in the middle of the Fourth Form year, so you will be better served to wait and have the strongest possible standardized testing scores when you begin the recruiting conversations.

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sTandardized TesTing Timeline for underformerssecond form may/june SAT Subject Test or AP Exam in the spring upon successful completion of a 500 Level /Adv. class and with faculty or Department Chair endorsement.

Third form october PSAT for students who have repeat-ed ninth or tenth grade and wish their scores to be considered for NMSQT. Check with the College Counseling Office for more details.

november Foreign Language Listening Exams for students who have previously finished or are concurrently completing a 500 Level/ Adv. class. Students are encouraged to consult their instructor or the Department Chair before choosing to take this examination.

november/december Math 2 (M2) SAT Subject Test for students who have completed Pre-Calculus and are enrolled in a Calculus class and wish to take the M2 in the fall versus the previous spring.

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may/june SAT Subject Test or AP Exam in the spring upon successful completion of a 500 Level/Advanced class and with faculty or Department Chair endorsement.

fourth form october PSAT Exam: Lawrenceville registers Fourth Formers for the PSAT, but students must register for all other subsequent stan-dardized tests. Repeat students who have already taken the PSAT may take the test, but it will not count toward the NMSQT.

november/december SAT Subject Tests in Math and Foreign Language: Students who

have completed Pre-Calculus and are en-rolled in a Calculus class may take the Math 2 in the fall. Upper level language students may take the Foreign Language Listening Subject Test in November.

november/december Division I/Scholarship level athletic recruits should strongly consider an SAT and/or ACT.

january/february The college process begins! Fourth Formers develop a full standardized testing plan with their college counselor based on their academic strengths, spring commit-ments and overall testing strategies.

As you can see, standardized testing issues

in the Second and Third Form are minimal

and only occur in certain uncommon

circumstances, e.g., a repeat academic year

or a highly accelerated academic performance

in a narrow band of disciplines. In most cases,

the best test preparation you can undertake as

an Underformer is to “do Lawrenceville well.”

Read widely and deeply across genres to

improve vocabulary and exposure to diverse

literature, immerse yourself in the academic

offerings at Lawrenceville to grow your

overall intellect and develop your analytical,

close reading and critical thinking skills so

standardized testing measures your ability, not

your test-taking skill. When the time comes to

prepare for standardized testing as part of your

college applications and formal test preparation

becomes part of the equation, we will certainly

give standardized tests all due attention, but

for now, it should only be a small part of your

Lawrenceville experience.

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Just as Lawrenceville offers academic courses across a wide

range of disciplines, student opportunities for extra-curricular or

co-curricular experiences abound. Lawrentians can explore music

performance, technical theatre, cultural and ethnic groups, Outdoor

Programs or community service, to name only a few of the avenues

on campus to develop passions and interests. If Underformers wish

to “do Lawrenceville well,” they will find that developing a rich,

fulfilling co-curricular life will lead to a greater enjoyment of their

time here and contribute to their personal development. Students

and families occasionally ask questions regarding the eventual role

of extra-curricular activities in the college process, yet it’s important

to emphasize that extra-curricular involvement reflects a classic

“process versus product” paradigm.

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If students attend to the process, i.e., engage in meaningful, personally-fulfilling activities, then they will be well prepared for the extra-curricular expectations of college admissions. Lawrentians who find passions, develop themselves outside of the classroom, explore student leadership and otherwise embrace the opportunities available to them will undoubtedly have a better overall experience at Lawrenceville, but they will also have interesting, thorough and varied areas of their experience to discuss when it comes time to interview with college admission officers and to detail on their college applications.

Much like the questions surrounding standardized testing or course selections, students and families often wonder if colleges have certain expectations or preferences. The role of a student’s extra-curricular life in college admission is a tricky one and far too complex to describe succinctly here, but given the complexities we thought we’d share the answers to a few frequently asked questions to help point students in the right direction.

“are there general guidelines for engaging in extra-curricular activities at lawrenceville?”

A: Yes. Depth versus breadth is the key. Find passions and pursue them to the fullest extent possible, a path which will both maximize your enjoyment and provide the best opportunities for growth. Obviously, the sooner you begin finding these passions, the longer you can develop your talents and deepen your experience in the activity. College admission offices agree: “Long term commitments are more compelling than a variety without depth,” says Morgan Kreider-Lane of Haverford. A smattering of activities where you have only surface engagement or experience makes it neither fulfilling for you nor will it eventually impress admission offices.

“is there anything besides depth that can make a difference?”

A: Certainly. Extra-curricular activities provide the opportunity to develop leadership and creativity, both qualities that colleges value in

“my advice to 9th and 10th graders? get involved.” – Wes Whiteside, Admission Counselor, Syracuse University

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their students. Being in a leadership position within an extra-curricular activity gives you the opportunity to learn an entirely new set of skills, as you learn how to manage complex tasks, organize groups effectively or work with a variety of personalities to achieve a common

objective. Colleges value these traits in their student body as well, and these traits make for a more vibrant college experience for every-one on that campus. College administrators and admission officers know that leadership usually results from a long-term commitment

to an activity as well as a deeper understand-ing of the intricacies necessary for the activity to succeed, so they will look for those experi-ences in their applicants. Further, if you have an interest or passion for something which is not available at Lawrenceville, all schools (including Lawrenceville) value tremendously the personal initiative it takes to be the creator or founder of a new extra-curricular activity or club. If you have a passion, share it with others! That initiative and experience will make Lawrenceville a more interesting and valuable experience for everyone.

“We like sustained investment in activities

showing a progression to leadership, creating

new initiatives, showing independence and

strong leadership. Why? Because those are

the students who thrive and are the most

satisfied in our environment.” -Kimberly Gordy, Associate Director, Goucher College

“laundry lists don’t impress us; a student who is committed to 1-2 activities is much preferable.” – Jared Nunes, Associate Director, Clark University

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“do colleges have biases for some extra-curricular activities? do they prefer some to others?”

A: In general, colleges do not favor one particular extra-curricular experience: “There is no ‘magic’ activity that is better than others…” says Lauren Sefton of Rhodes College. Admission officers simply want to see that you will contribute to the greater life of the community first, and second, they want to see that you are making the effort to develop yourself outside of the classroom. College campuses mirror Lawrenceville’s in many ways, including the composition of the student body. An undergraduate population will likely have students from varied backgrounds, a curriculum with dozens of academic majors and a campus ethos with a tremendously wide range of personal interests. An admission office attempts to build this vibrant, diverse and interesting community, thus they seek applicants who will contribute to the overall breadth of extra-curricular life and create an exciting energy in the student body. Accordingly, an admission officer values

engagement and enthusiasm more than valuing one particular activity over another, as supporting the full range of student experience helps to create an interesting community.

“Don’t ever join a club or activity because you think it’ll look good to colleges! We have a sixth sense for your lack

of passion in those clubs.”

-Julie Carroll, Assistant Director, Brandeis University

“colleges really have no preferences? i have free rein to pursue whatever activity i like at lawrenceville and it will ‘count’ the same when i apply?”

A: Colleges respect a diverse range of extra-curricular interests, certainly, but it’s fair to say you should not take that perspective to extremes: a college admission office will certainly prefer students who participate in Model UN over the Poker Club and have a greater respect for students who contribute to the School Camp over those students whose main activity is the Video Game Club. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t join

the Poker Club, but you will likely find your Lawrenceville experience far more interesting if that’s one of the activities you enjoy versus the main one. College admission offices do not distinguish, however, among Ropes Course, the Cross Cultural Club, and/or Operation Smile, for example, and they recognize and value participation in all facets of student life. The key is to find meaningful activities which excite you, fulfill you and enhance your life at Lawrenceville and then to pursue them in depth. Students have a great deal of flexibility to discover activities which make a difference in their experience at Lawrenceville and beyond.

“activities night is in the fall. should i sign up for a whole bunch of clubs?”

A: There is great value in exploring a wide variety of extra-curricular activities. Be open to the possibility of discovering a new side of your personality. Feel free to try out an activity even if eventually you decide it’s not for you. The important point to note is to avoid being a “joiner” in order to fill out a resumé. Yes,

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colleges like to see that you are involved, as they hope you will be as involved in campus life when you reach their institution, but they want it to matter to your high school experience and your overall happiness – so should you. You are far better off (and will find far more enjoyment) finding a few key activities that excite you and where you will persist versus dabbling in a laundry list of activities.

“i am already thinking ahead to the college process. What role do extra-curricular activities play in an application?”

A: Before we answer this question, it’s important to remember that as an Underformer you should not be concerned about the application process quite yet. Participation in extra-curricular activities is far more important from a personal development perspective (process) versus from a college application perspective (product). When it comes time for your college applications, an admission office will look to see that you are an engaged, contributing member of your current community, as it’s reasonable to expect you will do the same when you get

to college, but they will begin their application review with your academics.

Extra-curricular participation can make a difference in admission when you apply to a college where your academic profile is similar to many others in the applicant pool. If a college admission office expects that you will be successful academically and will simultaneously make a substantial contribution to the school’s student culture, that combination of traits can make a difference in an application.

“[Extra-curriculars] can obviously be an important aspect of the process. With more academically qualified students applying than there are spaces available, extra-curricular activities can help push a student over the top. The academic portfolio is the most important thing for us – transcript and test scores. If a student is [similar academically to others], extra-curriculars may help push

them into the admit pool.”

- David Tobias, Sr. Assistant Director, Univ. of Miami

The College Counseling Office brings over

one hundred admission officers to campus

every spring to participate in our two night

college fairs. One year we asked many of them

questions regarding the role of extra-curricular

life in admission, among other topics, and

we have included some of the answers in this

guide. When we asked them the most common

question students and families have on this

subject – “How important are extra-curricular

activities to the application process?” – the

answers were unerringly consistent in their view

of student life. Not one admission officer spoke

of extra-curricular involvement as a score to “Be active. Be involved. Be!”

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be totaled after reading a resumé or a grade to be given on the application. Instead, each admission officer spoke at length about the importance of contributing to a community and the role activities can play in positive student development.

“How will a student contribute to campus

life? Will they be active on our campus? We

use high school activities to tell us…” - Tim Akers, Assistant Director, St. Lawrence University

Your overall Lawrenceville Experience will

be greatly enhanced if you find passions and

activities to pursue outside of your classes,

so as an Underformer we encourage you to

embrace the full scope of the extra-curricular

opportunities at Lawrenceville, or as one

admission officer sagely advised:

“Be active. Be involved. Be!”

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Lawrenceville offers students tremendous opportunities for personal

growth and exploration outside of the classroom, including the chance

to develop passions or discover lifelong interests across a wide range

of activities. Many of these activities will continue into the college years

and beyond, such as an interest in theatre arts, outdoor programs or

advanced music performance, to name only a few. Most of these non-

classroom pursuits will neatly fold into a traditional college search

and require no advanced planning for Underformers if they wish to

continue following those interests after Lawrenceville. Intercollegiate

athletics, however, does take a modicum of advanced planning, and

that planning increases directly as the level of competition increases.

AthleticRecruiting

Part

V

31

Historically, students at Lawrenceville wishing to continue their sport in college have fallen into two categories. First, there are students who have been playing their sport at a high level before they arrive at Lawrenceville, including significant regional or national participation, and their athletic trajectory already includes college athletics. These students very quickly find themselves to be varsity contributors as Underformers and, whether they know it or not, they are already on the radar screen of college recruiters. Second, there are students who blossom later in a sport or perhaps discover a new athletic talent and passion at Lawrenceville and hope to continue competing intercollegiately. This latter group is the bulk of those students from Lawrenceville who continue on to play sports in college. Whether you are in the group of students who will eventually commit to a scholarship or Division I offer early in your high school career or you are simply looking for a place to continue your interest in a particular sport and want to be prepared to enter the athletic recruiting

process, there are a few key points to keep in mind during your Underform years.

If you think that intercollegiate athletics may eventually become an important part of your college search, you should:

make sure your academic performance starts strong and stays strong. The Ivy League, the Patriot League and the NESCAC have quantitative analytical measurements for their incoming classes of student-athletes that begin with high school GPA. The advice in “Part II: Course Selection and Scheduling” applies directly to these three athletic conferences, as both rigor and performance must be in balance for prospective student-athletes to be successful with Ivy, Patriot and NESCAC athletic recruiting. Both the quality of your courseload and the degree of your academic performance matter significantly. Similarly, colleges which pride themselves on having an athletic-academic balance to their community all carefully scrutinize high school transcripts before determining admissibility, a level

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of academic analysis that likewise takes place across the entirety of Division III. Students who are interested in highly selective institutions cannot simply “turn it on” academically when they get to the junior year, even if they turn out to be strong athletes, as they may find themselves ineligible or inadmissible for recruitment.

if you have repeated a year in high school and have an interest in participating at the division i level, contact the College Counseling Office. The NCAA eligibility rules for students who have repeated a high school grade have changed in the last few years. There’s no cause for undue concern, but it would be worth a conversation to ensure you reach your core courses and attain your eligibility.

accelerated athletic recruiting for division i athletes: If you are receiving significant college recruiting contact as an Underformer, feel free to contact the College Counseling Office for advice and guidance as how best to proceed. We will be happy to help you negotiate this

confusing process. Please acknowledge the balance, however, of a general desire to continue to play your sport in college where the recruiting timeline operates normally versus the need for accelerated college advising because of substantial early contact from colleges and coaches. Students who are not receiving significant early attention or feeling commitment pressures as an Underformer should wait to have discussions about the athletic recruiting process until they have been assigned a college counselor in January of the Fourth Form.

supplement your athletic development through summer camps, off-season performance opportunities, regional/national travel teams or other high level club teams to participate in your sport. In the last decade, college athletic recruiting has shifted away from a primarily high school based evaluation system; currently, the focus increasingly lies on high performance teams outside of Lawrenceville. Some sports, such as football, for example, still rely on the high school experience, but

even those sports offer up the opportunity to be seen and evaluated during the off-season. While we certainly encourage you to participate in multiple interscholastic sports while you are at Lawrenceville, as it’s clearly beneficial to both your overall enjoyment of your Lawrenceville experience as well as your complete development as an athlete, you should still find ways to gain skills and experience in your primary sport beyond your varsity participation on campus.

monitor your standardized testing schedule. The college recruiting timeline has shifted for a range of intercollegiate sports and you may need to have a testing profile in place by the fall or winter of your junior year. If it appears that you will be a serious contender for a Division I or scholarship opportunity, plan to take your SAT Reasoning Test in November, December or January of your junior year. If Division III is a more likely scenario, you will have more time to complete your testing profile, although you should still consider taking your first set of SATs in January of your junior year.

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keep good records of your performances and accomplishments. It’s highly likely you will need to submit an athletic resumé or fill out an online questionnaire as part of your athletic recruiting and one of the significant data points will be your performance in competitions, especially ones which coaches recognize as exemplary levels within the sport. Create a file which lists tournaments won, medals earned, opponents bested, regional or national competitions where you were successful, etc. These accomplishments may seem memorable or front and center in your mind right now, but in a few years some of the details may fade and those details are extremely helpful in a coach’s evaluation. Store recordings of your competitions, if possible, as a visual evaluation in person isn’t always possible for some coaches. In years past, many programs relied on videotapes or DVDs prospective students would submit to coaches by mail to assess performance, but now and in the future a file sharing site or link to a YouTube video or personal drive can lead coaches to examples of your exceptional performances.

discuss your aspirations with your current coach(es). Have an upfront and frank conversation with your Lawrenceville coach and/or your club coach about your long-term interest in intercollegiate athletics. If you have the opportunity, find college coaches who are open about their recruiting thresholds and who will let you know what times you need in an event or favorite tournaments and programs they use to assess their recruits. Find out what skills you need to develop or what level of performance you might need in order to be recruited. Finding a college where you can participate in your chosen sport is easy, although reaching a level where you are actively recruited and supported by a college coach in the admission process is not. Ask questions to find out where you stand, put aside any ego you might have when you hear the answers, and if you wish to follow through and pursue intercollegiate athletics, listen to the advice of the adult coaches in your sport.

The majority of Underformers will not need to

take any special actions regarding their athletic

life at Lawrenceville, although all Lawrentians

should take advantage of the opportunities

a healthy athletic program presents. Enjoy

the House traditions, explore new sports

and immerse yourself in the exceptional

camaraderie that athletic teams can create. If

you wish to continue to pursue your athletic

endeavors at the college level, be sure to

attend to your academic performance, your

standardized testing schedule and your athletic

development opportunities, and to solicit the

guidance of your coaches and the College

Counseling Office, when appropriate.

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In this Underformer’s Guide we have addressed many of the falsehoods

or misconceptions about college admission and explored ways in

which a successful and healthy Lawrenceville experience prepares

a student for the actual college admission process: there may be

no better example of this tricky dynamic than in the role of summer

activities. It can be difficult for students and families to separate

good advice from the ideas generated by the rumor mill on summer

experiences, as the background chatter of finding a “winning formula”

in admission lends to assuming there is a perfect script. In fact, there

is no perfect script for summer activities. Each and every student

has individual skills, interests, passions and personal circumstances

which define what would be a good use of the time off in the summer.

The most important advice we can give is simply to do something –

what that something will be depends on the student.

SummerActivities

Part

VI

35

When a college counselor informs a student or family that admission offices do not have a particular preference, a common response is, “That just can’t be true. Admission officers must have a bias for a certain activity or have a favored type of summer program.” It’s true that Admission officers as individuals may have a preference, but admission offices as a whole usually do not. In an admission office all the possible preferences regarding summer experiences, positive and negative, are represented; thus, sitting on an admission committee on any given day you will find an admission officer who prefers college courses, one who thinks travel is important, one who is tired of reading essays about summer camp, another who has a clear bias for community service, and yet still another who downplays organized summer programs a mark of family resources and not of student initiative. Youlim Yai, at Wellesley College, stated it clearly at one of Lawrenceville’s college fairs: “No activity is ‘better’ than another. Having a summer job at the local ice cream shop is just as valid as an academic program at a college.”

Valued student summer experiences are as broad as the possibilities and as varied as individual student interest. For some admission officers, for example, helping to care for a family member, young or old, carries more weight than a summer spent taking college courses given the responsibility that home care entails. One admission officer described to us, for example, “Our Dean is a sucker for students who have experienced the accountability of employment.” All in all, there are plenty of valuable and rewarding options depending on individual circumstances and interests, yet there are a few key characteristics to remember.

have a plan. do something

“We encourage students to do something –

a job, travel abroad, sports training, etc. –

it’s all valuable, just keep busy.”

– Alison Hildenbrand, Director, Fairfield University

The advice is perfect. When making plans for your summer, the most important perspective is to find something that’s valuable to you,

whether it’s an independent research project, outside reading, academic coursework, community service, travel or simply adhering to family responsibilities. It’s far too easy to wait until after spring term exams before starting to think about your summer plans, so definitely think ahead, consider multiple possibilities and develop contingency plans in case things don’t pan out. You do not need to have every week accounted for in your planning – nor should you, as down time is absolutely important as well – but easing into summer with no concrete plans often leads to an unproductive and uninspiring summer.

keep Your mind activeNo matter what your summer entails, however, you should find a way to stretch your mind in new ways. “Enjoy the summer! Read some books that aren’t required…” offers Admission Officer Kristen Crosby from Bates College. Design a reading project and become a regular (or a regular volunteer) at your local library. Check out some of the free online courses that are available – you’ll be shocked at the quality

of the online programming offered. Berkeley, Lehigh, Stanford, Harvard, MIT, etc. all offer free online courses taught by full professors, for example. Learn how to build a trebuchet. Start a new language through Rosetta Stone.

If you take the time to stretch yourself in interesting ways you’ll appreciate the experience of using your brain differently while not in class at Lawrenceville, and you will not be at any disadvantage when it comes time to apply to college.

“Almost without exception, I’d prefer to

see students use the summer to pursue their

passions rather than participate in programs

that are clearly done to bolster resumés…”

-Jarrad Nunes, Admission Counselor, Clark University

Taking summer academic courses is noT an admission advantage at that collegeIt can be enriching to pursue an academic passion or to discover a new one by enrolling in a college course during the summer. College professors often teach these classes, a campus can be quite an entertaining place to spend a few weeks in the summer, and the experience as a whole can be an invigorating way to jump start your enthusiasm regarding college academics. Be advised, however, that there’s no link between the summer college course and your eventual application to that institution, even if it’s an official college course taught by a member of the faculty and you received an “A.” You should look at these kinds of summer academic opportunities as a way to explore passions, make new friends, experience college life, etc., but do not enroll in the classes looking for a positive admission connection between the summer program and the institution. If there is an academic program that is of particular interest to you, that’s a fantastic reason (and really the only reason) to elect summer coursework.

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for-profit summer programs“Congratulations! You’ve been selected/nomi-nated to attend this prestigious conference in New York/D.C. on Law/Medicine/Business/Leadership! Exemplary students from around the country/world like you are invited to par-ticipate in this enriching experience!”

Summer programs which “select” you without your having applied do a wonderful job of making their programs sound impressive. The quality and depth of the programming and the tone of the advertising easily makes you wonder what a college admission office would think once they learn that you’ve been selected for this esteemed program. To be honest, they do not think very much of those programs, as the “selection” most often stems from purchasing your name and address from PSAT Student Search or another data collection company that tracks the college-bound population. Colleges know the difference between the for-profit organizations and New Jersey Scholars or Boy’s State, for example, and evaluate them accordingly.

What we have learned about these programs over the years is three-fold. First, students who attend them tend to like them. As a general rule the organizers put enough into the programming to make the experience interesting and the other students who attend are excited about the opportunity so it can be a great deal of fun. Second, they can be quite expensive. Yes, some financial aid is available, but part of the reason the content tends to be strong is that families pay a great deal to have a quality experience. Third, these programs do not have an impact on a college application. These programs are usually for-profit enterprises with an enrichment component and admission offices recognize this reality.

The bottom line for these programs is straightforward. If the content looks interesting to you and the tuition is within your means, enjoy! We receive great feedback from students about many of these programs. You should elect this summer activity purely because you have an interest in the programming offered, however, and eliminate any impact you may

think it could have on your eventual college application.

You have a great deal of flexibility in selecting

summer activities and you have a world of

opportunity in front of you as you make your

decisions. In fact, you do not need to spend a

great deal of money to create interesting and

rewarding experiences, although we would

counsel you to do something during the summer

when you are away from Lawrenceville. Find

activities that are important and interesting to

you which will enrich your mind or enhance your

skill set - and have a great summer!

“in summer, do something you love or something you think you might love.” – Julie Carroll, Brandeis

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Conclusion

Most Underformers see the college process as a distant issue, which

is an entirely appropriate and healthy perspective. These Underform-

ers are busy immersing themselves in their day-to-day lives at Law-

renceville and they understand that the specific details of a college

search are well in the future. Other Underformers may have already

visited colleges or thought at length about college possibilities based

on the experience of a sibling or older friend. Whether you fall at one

end of this continuum or find yourself somewhere along the line, the

advice contained in this guide applies equally and we urge you to fol-

low it. Remember, there’s nothing particular about colleges per se

that Underformers need to concern themselves with in their lives at

Lawrenceville, yet they can help to create a firm foundation for their

eventual college process by following these simple recommendations.

Part

VII

39

develop academic passions, immerse yourself in your classes, and work hard in your course-work from the very start. There’s less time than you think. If you are a new Third Former in the fall term, for example, you only have seven terms on your transcript at Lawrenceville be-fore you will file your first college application. Begin the positive academic trends right out of the gate.

elect a course of study that challenges you appropriately. Find the balance between graduation requirements, academic rigor, per-sonal interests and the eventual expectations of college admission offices. Push yourself in the classroom, but do it properly and in balance.

find meaningful summer activities. Every student has different interests, resources and responsibilities, but every student can continue his/her personal development with some effort. Colleges do not create a hierarchy of value on those activities, so the expectations for summers are broad and open, but college admission offices do expect you to have the initiative to enrich your summers.

cultivate extra-curricular depth and breadth.

You do not need a laundry list of activities; in

fact, that’s a counterproductive way to organize

your time. Instead, find the activities which are

important to you, pursue them in depth and

find ways to provide leadership within them.

Follow this path and you’ll appreciate your

Lawrenceville experience all the more.

keep an eye out for your eventual standardized

testing profile from three perspectives. First,

when planning your curriculum be sure to

select a course of study which will prepare

you to take two SAT Subject Tests by the

end of your Fourth Form year. Second, talk

to your teacher if you have completed an

Advanced/500 Level/Honors class to see if

a Subject Test is appropriate. Finally, if you

are a potential college athlete, consider taking

the SAT Reasoning Test for the first time by

November or December of your Fourth Form

year.

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Students’ time at Lawrenceville goes quickly, unfortunately, and the

college search will come faster than you think. We feel confident

that if students “do Lawrenceville well” and follow the advice

within this Guide, they will both enjoy their overall experience and

arrive at their college search in the Fourth Form year fully prepared

to embrace the process. We look forward to seeing you then!

Jeffrey Durso-Finley & Holly Burks Becker Co-Directors of College Counseling

The College Counseling Office looks for-

ward to the opportunity to work with indi-

vidual students and families beginning in

the Fourth Form year. Until then, we hope

you will use this Underformer’s Guide

to enhance your Lawrenceville experi-

ence and simultaneously create a strong

foundation for your eventual college process. Additionally, the

College Counseling Office offers the following opportunities for

Underform students and their parents to gather information, to

ask questions and to learn about the college process:

A Parents of Underformers are welcome to attend the Winter Gathering Sunday Seminars to hear presentations on specific topics such as financial aid, multi-cultural issues and college athletic recruiting.

A Students have the opportunity to ask questions about appropriate courseloads and schedules on Scheduling Day in the spring. College counselors are happy to address both current class choices and long term academic considerations during this event.

A At the beginning of each academic year we will send all students a letter which highlights the important points to consider at that particular stage in their Lawrenceville career, much of which resonates with the information in this Underformer’s Guide.

A On Parents’ Weekend the College Counseling Office offers a Q & A session for Underform families. At this session, parents will have the opportunity to ask specific questions about the college process and other issues related to the Lawrenceville experience.

Lawrenceville is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges

and Schools and is a member of the Secondary School Admission Test Board, the National Association of Independent Schools, and the New Jersey Association

of Independent Schools.

Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.

Photography provided by: Michael Branscom, Nick Kelsh and

Paloma Torres

Mission sTaTeMenT

The College Counseling Office believes the college search is an extension of

the education students receive at Lawrenceville. The overall process offers

the opportunity for students to draw upon and apply the academic skills

and personal development which result from their overall Lawrenceville

experience. When students engage in the college process well, they will

develop a clearer awareness of themselves as individuals and learners,

while furthering their understanding of the importance of commitment to

responsible engagement within an academic community.