Hello Parents!
This edition of our Placement Newsletter is intended for both VIth and VIIth Form families. We are beginning to overlap the admissions cycles and there is pertinent information for all. Please see the appropriate sections under each Form.
In what has not been much of a traditional New England winter to speak of and warmth has not been in short supply, the spring does offer longer days!
Clayton
Clayton Ketchum
Director of Secondary School Counseling
VIIth FORM NEWS:
We sit on the precipice of what is my favorite season of the boarding school year and yet the hardest as we bring things to a close. Some may say that the robin is the official harbinger of spring- in my world it is March 10th and the decisions that accompany the date. Some decisions will be mailed and other schools will inform you how to manage electronic notification. We do not know the method for individual schools.
Admissions Offices continued to feel the ripples of the pandemic and competition remained high. This time of year provides a range of emotions for families. It is at once exciting and possibly disappointing. There are many pressures beyond our control that lead to decisions. Each school shapes and builds its community with diverse students with a range of talents. Financial aid decisions also affect admission decisions- even more so this year.
With SSAT scores being largely optional to submit, we were aware that recommendations from teachers, the academic record, and the interview would be of the utmost importance this year. Clearly, issues surrounding character and judgment are also playing large in colleagues' minds and the decision-making process.
This past week in 4S Class, the Senior Class and I met to review the schedule for admission notification. We offer the following suggestions:
If your student gains admission to more than one school, you will have until April 10th to decide which school he/she will attend. If you gain admission to your top choice, go ahead and notify the school of your selection. Try not to jump at an acceptance; give careful thought to your choice among your options. Clayton can advise you which school might be most appropriate for your child from among your options.
If your student is placed on a Waitlist at a school you wish for him/her to attend, you or your student should notify the school by phone and in writing as soon as possible that you wish to remain on the Waitlist and that it is your first choice. Many Waitlists have much activity around and after April 10th. If you choose to remain on the Waitlist at the school of your choice, you should know that any other offers of admission expire on April 10. You can call a school to which you have gained admission and ask for a short deferment so that you can wait on the Waitlist of the school of your choice, but they are under no obligation to grant it to you. No action will occur in March.
If your student does not gain admission or has not received necessary financial aid to any of your schools, do not panic. We will develop a strategy to find an appropriate school choice when the student returns from Spring Recess. There will be no opportunity to do anything until the second week in April.
Follow the same advice for Financial Aid Waitlist notification as for admission Waitlist. Often, financial aid awards are not sent along with admissions decisions. They sometimes can follow as many as a few days after the admission decision. Check with each school’s financial aid office if you have any questions.
Schools will likely have revisit days. These days are important in both the decision making process as well as a chance to ask specific people questions about your child’s upcoming years. We ask that you please use the Orah to inform Rumsey of days that your student might be missing for attendance purposes.
Finally…
Along with the Faculty and Administrative Team as a whole, I do plan to be on Spring Recess during the vacation time. For your information, I will be traveling from March 10th onward. I will be out of touch for some of that time. I will possibly be able to respond to concerns, later on in the Recess, though I will not be in the office physically. I will be checking email throughout the break. When we return from Spring Recess, we can commence further planning.
We have work still to do while the Class of 2023 as a whole is headed toward a strong finish at Rumsey Hall. Enjoy the Spring Recess with your families!
VIth FORM NEWS AND CHECKLIST:
It is absolutely essential that we work together in this very important stage of your child’s education. I look forward to working with you in the coming months and year. Until next month, please take a moment to review the VIth Form Checklist for March 2023 below and visit the links that follow for pertinent information.
- Do not hesitate to contact me after April 10 if you have any questions or concerns or would like to have a conversation about the benefits of our VIIth Form program and the secondary school counseling process.
Value of a Ninth Grade Year
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Be sure to watch for the monthly Placement Newsletter on the first Friday of each month through next year. These Newsletters are our main form of communication from the Placement Office to VIIth Form families so it is important that you take the time to read what is sent each month.
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Mark Saturday, April 22 on your calendars for the VIth Form SSAT test date here at Rumsey. Where it is true that schools were largely test optional this past admissions cycle, schools have not made it clear if they will return to requiring the test as of this writing. Thus, sitting for this test is good practice and will aid me in recommending schools to consider. For this administration of the SSAT, we will not be offering Special Accommodations. In the future, should your child require Special Accommodations for testing, we will provide instructions for obtaining approval. Remember, Rumsey registers your child for this test! If you DO NOT WANT your child to take this scheduled test, you will need to notify Clayton Ketchum via email no later than Friday, March 31, 2023 to avoid the $165 testing fee being charged to your child’s spending account.
Mark your calendars! As noted in the February 15 letter to VIth Form Parents, there will be a Parent Meeting for the Class of 2024 during Upper School Spring Parents’ Day, Saturday, May 6. We look forward to having you join us.