What concerns students the most when they start the search process? Mary Pat: For some, it is as basic as worrying about whether they will get into a college, and for others, it is deadlines. We encourage students to control the pressure of deadlines with good time management. I have many students emailing me their college essay in August, so I can give them feedback even before they arrive back on campus in the fall. The Common Application goes online at the end of the summer, so they can also fill out some of the questions. For the ones who do not get a start on those things, everything with a deadline puts more pressure on them.
As an AP U.S. History teacher, how do you feel about rigor of course load versus grades?
Mary Pat Gritzmacher Mary Pat, who was appointed associate director of college counseling in 2013, has served as a history teacher at Westminster since 2000. She has coached swimming and diving, and field hockey at Westminster.
Mary Pat: I think it is most important for a student to have as strong a performance as they can have. If they can achieve at high levels with AP courses and honors courses on their slate that is stronger. We require students who take AP courses to take AP exams, and it is always good in the admissions process to have grades of 4s and 5s on those exams. Subject tests are more optional, with only a handful of colleges requiring them without substitutions.
How do you work with college representatives?
Mary Pat: Many of the representatives know Westminster well. In terms of a particular student, they might let me know if a Why did you elect to join the College Counseling student doesn’t have all of the pieces in Office last year? his or her file completed. Sometimes Mary Pat: I really like working with they have questions about students, so students individually, even as a history then I can be an advocate. It is We require students teacher. In the college admissions wonderful to have close relationships process, we are building relationships who take AP courses to take with our students and be able to talk and getting to know the students and beyond what would go in an their parents very well. It has been a AP exams, and it is always admission letter. I often share with a smooth transition. I have taught college representative about having a good in the admissions history to almost half of the Fifth student in class or give anecdotes that Form, and I live with so many students process to have grades of 4s are positive and can help paint a fuller in the residence hall, so by the time the picture in support of the applicant. students come in for their first college and 5s on those exams. counseling meetings, I generally know What do you like most about Subject tests are more them well. We have a good connection this role? from which to start. There is a lot of optional, with only a Mary Pat: It is all about working with listening about what the students are students and their families. Parents ask thinking about and looking for in a handful of colleges a lot of questions, even if they have college, and then a lot of suggesting requiring them without been through a college search before and broadening. From there, it is with another child. The process is still answering any questions that come up substitutions. new with every child. I stay in close and what they will need in terms of touch with parents, so I can answer testing and test preparation, essay their questions and keep them up to writing, visiting campuses and then speed about what their child is thinking and what we are talking narrowing things down. about until the process reaches a successful conclusion.
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Fall 2014
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