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Below are copies of all of the college news emails that have been sent thus far. |
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Email sent February 25, 2008 This is the first of many emails that will be sent to you to help you through the maze of college application, acceptance and financial aid. Each time I send you an email I will give you specific tips and suggestions to help you find, apply, get accepted and pay for college. I know this is a daunting task but you are not alone. The Counseling staff at Cardinal O’Hara is ready and willing to help you at any time. I’d like to introduce you to my web site today ( www.oenglish.com ). I use this for my students in senior English but have added a special section for juniors and their parents (you will find the link at the top of the page). I will be adding and updating this site regularly. As of today, there is a ton of information for you to use. I suggest that you check out the “Click here for help in finding the school that is right for you” section and the “Click here for SAT Prep Course information and registration dates.” There is also a section that will explain the summer program. In the near future I will be adding a time line to help you know what you should be doing at any given time to move through the process easily. Regarding SAT scores; the BEST way to raise your scores now is to READ. Studies show that a student who reads for 30 minutes each day for 6 months will raise his/her score by 100 points. I’ve included a reading list on the college news section of my web site for this purpose. Let me know what you think and if there are things that you would like added to the site. I’ll do my best to meet your needs. I realize that there isn’t any Math help on the site yet; it’s on the way. Right now there are 138 addresses on my mailing list. Feel free to suggest to your friends that they email me to be added to the list. Each time I send you an email it will have the same words in the subject area of the email to help you know that it isn’t spam. You will also notice that I send the emails as a “blind copy” so email addresses do not appear on the email. I’m really excited to be starting this process with juniors and their parents. Know that I will do my best to do all that I can to help you in any way. If this is a totally new experience for you I am available to meet with parents and students after school to discuss the process and answer questions. I promise that you WILL survive this.
This is the second College News email (all College News emails will be posted at my web site. I wanted to point out a few new features on my web site (www.oenglish.com). On the college news page there is a new timeline for college applications, a message to parents concerning the timeline and tips for getting good letters of recommendation. It’s important for you to be thinking about letters of recommendation now, especially if you are thinking about early decision for a college. You need two letters but I suggest that you go for three or four and then pick the best two for each application. Most teachers see this as an honor and take it very seriously. BE SURE TO SAY THANK YOU! A thank you note is best. Remember, it takes about 30 minutes to write a letter of recommendation and some teachers write tons of letters (last year I wrote 122). A simple thank you is certainly warranted. My web site has specific suggestions for approaching a teacher; check it out. The April SAT prep class will be beginning on March 25th with registration beginning on March 10th. Class size is limited so don’t wait if you are taking the April SAT. I’ve had a few questions about the summer program. Registration for this program will be in early May. There is no limit to the number of students I can handle for this program as it is totally online. I will be sending information about this program in the next few weeks. A full packet of information will be available soon. The registration fee for this program is $30.00. This covers the cost of materials (I accept no pay for this program). Each student will receive a usb flash drive along with practice tests, a reading list, Math help, etc. The program is put squarely in the student and parents hands. I realize that summer is a time for vacations so I understand that there will be times when students will not be completing the assignments. I have designed the program to offer three levels of involvement. The Gold program is for students who are ready to commit to 4 hours each week for ten weeks. The Blue program is designed for students who are ready to commit to 2 hours of work each week. The Red program is for students who are ready to commit to 1 hour each week. Students and their parents will determine which program is best for them. If at anytime you have questions or concerns about the college process, don’t hesitate to email me and I will do my best to help you. If you are the oldest child in your family and this process is now to your parents I am available to meet with you to chat about what happens next.
Warm Regards,
Tom McMahon
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