Fund for Teachers – Renaissance College Road Trip Redux!

Oct 252011

On Thursday, October 21st, five seniors joined me on a day-trip to the Big City (No not Boston, but NYC!) to participate in a film project designed to promote the incredible grant funding work of Fund for Teachers. Fund for Teachers is an organization designed to fund the projects of teachers around the country as they research concepts and work to become better versed in topics that they explore in the classroom. I was lucky enough to receive a Fund for Teachers grant to explore colleges across the country with a high graduation rate for urban students of color. I took the trip because we were about to graduate our first class and while we embraced our mission of 100% College Bound, we all knew that the real test was graduating from college. So, I visited colleges that did a good job of ensuring that their students earned a college degree. I designed a Renaissance College Road Trip, met with admissions officers and created a blog to record my travels and inspire Renaissance students to create their very own college road trips. I started at Wesleyan University, rolled to colleges down the East Coast and then flew west to California. My hope was that my travels would provide me with great college search tools AND MORE IMPORTANTLY I would be able to inspire Renaissance students create a thoughtful list of colleges for themselves! Bottom line was that I wanted Renaissance students to have their very own fabulous college road trips!!!

A 6:00am trip meant that Kristal Viera and Yezenia Rodriquez were serenaded by Dr. Mahoney after he rebounded from a pre-dawn coffee spill in his car. Trevor Norrington strolled up after he was dropped off, and Kiana Collins arrived, bleary-eyed but ready to go. Trevor texted Ajaee and we learned she was on her way with 3 minutes to spare for the Amtrak headed to New York Penn Station. These students were choosen for the trip because they had a New York City college on their list of 5-7 colleges.

We arrived at Penn Station around 9:30am and hopped on the N/R train to visit Eugene Lang College, one of the colleges that I visited on the Renaissance College Road Trip. We had our own personal tour and learned about Eugene Lang from a Western MA native, Peter. While no one fell in love with Eugene Lang College, we did appreciate it for its focus on social justice and personalized areas of study.

A trip on the N/R and around Battery Park brought us to the Governor Island Ferry Station. We met three students from the New York Harbor School and learned about what it was like to attend a school that specialized in Marine Biology. Our new friend was a sophomore and she already knew how to scuba dive! The founder Murray Fisher (who’d travelled to Colorado for a rafting trip with Dr. Mahoney this past summer!). We learned the school used Learning Targets, students earned a technical degree in things like scuba diving or boat captainship AND applied to four year colleges! The ideas is that urban students will develop the skills necessary to become stewards for our community waterbodies and help save the planet! It is pretty cool school.

The filming began with me outside.

Unfortunately lots of planes and helicopters over Governor’s Island meant a bunch of interruptions. But humor and persistence got us through. It was fun to think about the Renaissance College Road Trip and how incredibly helpful that Fund for Teachers has been to helping our school develop and grow its college planning work. The I Am College Bound Facebook Page and College Admissions Guidebook are the direct result of Fund for Teachers generous funding. It is making a difference in the lives of students at The Springfield Renaissance School!!!
Ajaee, Trevor, Kristal, Kiana, and Yezenia were the REAL stars! While in front of the camera, they spoke eloquently about their college aspirations and how they engaged the college planning process at Renaissance! It was inspiring to hear their stories and how focused they were on reaching their dreams!!!

We walked back to the ferry and caught a wonderful glimpse of the Statue of Liberty prior to leaving. We walked past Occupy Wall Street and ate at Union Square before we hustled back on the 6:45 pm train. Most of us slept on the ride home.

On Friday, our trip to NYC seemed like just a dream. But it made me realize that the five students who joined me and everyone else in the Renaissance Class of 2012 has a good chance to make their Renaissance College Road Trip dreams become a reality!

Thanks Fund for Teachers!

Governor Patrick Comes to Renaissance & Talks College Boundness!

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Sep 092011

Mass. Gov. Patrick Visits Springfield’s First Innovation School – Welcomes Students Back

Edited by Terry Windall
Published on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 – 18:32:46 +0000 UTCNo Comment

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. /Massachusetts Newswire/ — Mass. Governor Deval Patrick today welcomed students back to school at the Springfield Renaissance School, the city’s first Innovation School, which provides a personalized approach to helping each student succeed, while promoting college readiness.

“Innovation Schools give local communities the tools to close achievement gaps and create an environment where every student can access a high quality education,” said Governor Patrick. “I welcome students back to school and thank the team at the Springfield Renaissance School for leading the way forward on educational innovation.”

The Springfield Renaissance School is an expeditionary learning school serving grades 6-12 and focuses on active, interdisciplinary learning. It has been approved as a cost-neutral innovation school by the Springfield School Committee. For the past two years, the school has had a 100 percent college acceptance track record for its senior class. With 58 percent of its students reported as low income and 73 percent reported as students of color, the school has been successful in closing achievement gaps and supporting its diverse student population’s academic growth.

“The flexibility that the Innovation School model provides is a powerful way of enabling educators and community members to take on enhanced leadership,” said Executive Office of Education Secretary Paul Reville. “The opportunity for teacher leadership and community involvement abounds in Innovation Schools.”

The Innovation Schools initiative is a signature component of the Patrick-Murray Administration’s education reform efforts and was authorized as part of the Achievement Gap Act of 2010. Innovation Schools provide educators, and a wide range of community stakeholders, the opportunity to create in-district schools that operate with greater autonomy and flexibility while keeping school funding within districts. These schools can implement creative and inventive strategies related to curriculum, budget, school schedule and calendar, staffing, professional development, and school district policies to improve learning outcomes for all students and reduce achievement gaps.

“I extend my thanks and appreciation to Governor Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Murray for their commitment to Springfield and our school district,” said Mayor Domenic J. Sarno. “It is pleasing to be recognized and awarded funding to allow our students to achieve education excellence. I commend Principal Steve Mahoney, teachers, staff, students and parents on their innovation status.”

“Innovation schools are an important part of closing the achievement gap for students here in Springfield as well as across the Commonwealth,” said Senator Gale D. Candaras. “These investments in education are imperative to the success of our young people.”

Innovation Schools are approved by local school committees through a collaborative process that invites community and school stakeholders to engage in solving their communities particular issues by taking advantage of the flexibilities and autonomies afforded to Innovation Schools. These schools have been established for varying grade levels (e.g. elementary, middle and high school) and school types (such as new or converted schools or programs within an existing school).

Many of these schools are organized around specific themes like Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), dual language instruction, International Baccalaureate (IB) programs, alternative education opportunities (such as dropout prevention and dual enrollment at community colleges), virtual platforms and wraparound services. Many of the schools also operate with novel schedules that will significantly increase instructional time for students and professional learning opportunities for educators. There are currently 18 established Innovation Schools located across the state.

Class of 2012 Starts the Year with College Planning Workshop 8.31.2011

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Aug 282011

Beginning with two years of 100% college acceptances behind them, the Class of 2012 has a tall order to fill – Threepeat!!! Seniors will start the year with a College Planning Workshop on Wednesday, August 31st from 6-8pm, where they and their parents and guardians will have a chance to take advantage of workshops geared to help them negotiatiate all aspects of the college application process. Joseph Paige from Springfield ACCESS will join to conduct a workshop on Finacial Aid and the FAFSA, workshops will also include Common Application, Finding the Right Fit, and writing the college application essay. Seniors and their families will also learn of the requirements and deadlines specific to The Springfield Renaissance School. This year seniors will have a College Planning Handbook to help guide them through every step of the process.

Ultimately The Springfield Renaissance School’s College Planning Team is acutely aware of the need to ensure that students make good college choices to ensure that they graduate from college within four years. This is an important hurdle for many students who enter college and falter due to lack of academic preparation or financial aid.

One Stop College Planning for Rising Phoenixi

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Jun 222011

College Planning do it yourselfers (with some support from the college planning team…)

http://about.me/renaissancecollegeroadtrip

Class of 2011 Graduates Repeat 100% College Acceptance!!!

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Jun 062011

By Michael Beswick, The Republican

All 78 from Springfield Renaissance School Class of 2011 headed to college

Graduation Photos from Masslive.com

By Patricia Cahill, The Republican
SPRINGFIELD – On the cover of the commencement program of the Springfield Renaissance School was an exotic, fiery bird, a phoenix rising from the ashes.
It was a fitting symbol, though 18-year-old Renaissance student Shannon Monaghan, of Springfield, never knew it when she painted the cover three weeks ago.
Monaghan was one of more than a dozen students at the school whose lives were affected by the tornado of June 1.
The twister shattered glass and tore up trees while she and her mother and sister waited in the basement of their home in East Forest Park.
Yet the following Monday evening Shannon Monaghan was at Symphony Hall in her white graduation robe, her mother beside her, waiting for the graduation ceremony to begin.
“The resolve of the young men and women of Springfield has been outstanding,” said Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno when he addressed the Renaissance School graduates and their families.
“Sometimes life throws you curveballs. This is a valuable lesson to you. With adversity, strength builds, perseverance builds, fortitude builds,” said Sarno.
Monaghan was one of 78 seniors who graduated from the Springfield Renaissance School on Monday.
She was a member of the second class to graduate from the school.
“So far we’re two for two,” said Stephen Mahoney, principal of Renaissance, referring to the fact for both years, 100 percent of the graduating class went on to college.
Valedictorian of the class was Kristen DeAngelo, who will attend Catholic University in Washington, D.C. Her main interest is psychology.
Salutatorian Monasia Caesar was also chosen by her classmates to speak at the ceremony. She and Janelle Clark were the two chosen for the honor from the top 10 achievers in the class.
Besides Sarno, guest speakers were Springfield schools superintendent Alan J. Ingram and School Committee member Peter Murphy.
For faculty speaker, the students selected social studies teacher Mark Loevy-Reyes. “He’s an attorney who is becoming a teacher,” said Mahoney, “and he’s awesome. He’s smart and he connects really well with the kids.”
What’s unusual about Renaissance commencements is that each of the students gets walked down the aisle by a family member, the way a bride is walked down the aisle in a wedding.
“This is our second graduating class,” said Mahoney, “and in many respects they had a tougher job than the first graduating class. They had to avoid ‘sophomore slump.’ It’s hard being the second kid, the second class. But our seniors matched that achievement.”
© 2011 masslive.com. All rights reserved.

College-Bound: The Springfield Renaissance School Announces 100 Percent of Graduating Class Accepted to College

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Jun 052011

College-Bound: The Springfield Renaissance School Announces 100 Percent of Graduating Class Accepted to College

Students step out of the rubble of devastating tornado to accept their diplomas and help rebuild their city

SPRINGFIELD, MA. (June 6, 2011) –For the 2^nd year in a row, 100% of The Springfield Renaissance School’s graduates have been accepted to college. The school, part of a nation-wide network of Expeditionary Learning schools, will maintain its perfect college acceptance record with it second graduating class – the school opened in 2006.

Staying true to the school’s mascot of the Phoenix, seniors went to school last Friday to practice for Monday night’s ceremony, despite the fact that Springfield Public Schools were closed for two days following the devastating tornado that ripped through the city on Wednesday. Several seniors were sleepless after spending more than 48 hours helping to clean up their neighborhoods. Seniors Robin Dilone and Hector Carrasquillo were boarding up buildings destroyed by the tornado and completing Red Cross paperwork before they arrived at school for graduation practice. These young men were not alone in their effort. Hundreds of the Renaissance students responded to a Facebook call to action to assist those in need. Springfield Renaissance School principal, Dr. Stephen Mahoney, states, “Our students’ academic achievements have re-established the concept of ‘citizen-scholars’. Like the Phoenix emerging from the ashes, our city can show the world that no matter how bleak and desperate things appear, there is always hope and opportunity. Their instinct to make a difference in the face of adversity is something that I’m especially proud of. It gives me tremendous hope for the future of our city, our state, and our nation.”

The school’s 75 seniors have been admitted into both two and four year colleges, and have been awarded 2.0 million dollars in scholarships and grants. More than 70 colleges or universities have admitted Renaissance students. The schools include UMass Amherst, Brandeis University, Northeastern University, Catholic University, Westfield State University, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and Springfield College, among others.

During the months November through May, Dr. Mahoney called off seniors’ names as they received their first admissions letters. The school’s college admissions ‘graffiti wall’ is littered with the signature of each college-bound senior, along with pictures and admissions letters. This, along with a motley assortment of hand made posters, deck the school’s hallways to congratulate the seniors each time they are admitted to a college. The college-bound culture at The Springfield Renaissance School is unmistakable.

The students at The Springfield Renaissance School study a rigorous college prep curriculum where they delve deeply into core content during ‘learning expeditions’, which are in-depth studies that often span an entire semester. In all learning at the school, there is a focus on critical thinking, problem solving, and strong habits of work.

Graduation is Monday,June 6^th at 6 pm in Symphony Hall in Springfield, MA.

About The Springfield Renaissance School

“Our school’s mission is to provide a rigorous academic program for college-bound students in a small, personalized setting that impels and supports students to use their minds well, to care for themselves and others, and to rise to the challenges and duties of citizenship”.

About Expeditionary Learning

Expeditionary Learning partners with school districts and charter boards to open new schools and transform existing schools at all levels, pre-K-12, and in all settings – urban, rural, and suburban. The EL model challenges students to think critically and to take active roles in their classrooms and communities, resulting in higher achievement and greater engagement in school. The national network of EL schools and professional colleagues includes 165 schools, 4,000 teachers, and 45,000 students.

College-Bound: The Springfield Renaissance School Announces 100 Percent of Graduating Class Accepted to College

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Jun 052011

College-Bound: The Springfield Renaissance School Announces 100 Percent of Graduating Class Accepted to College

Students step out of the rubble of devastating tornado to accept their diplomas and help rebuild their city

Graduation is Monday,June 6^th at 6 pm in Symphony Hall in Springfield, MA.

About The Springfield Renaissance School

About Expeditionary Learning

Wesleyan University

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Jul 022009

Flickr Video Advice on how to choose your college from the Wesleyan tour guide Jayvan.

Wesleyan University is a highly selective liberal arts college (SAT 750+ in CR, Math and Writing) located in Middletown, CT. Over 10,000 students applied last year and only 2,200 or so were admitted. Just over 700 students enrolled. Majors range from African Studies to a 3+2 Engineering Program that sends students to MIT or Columbia for their final 2 years of college. They are really proud of their Film Studies program, but really all of the programs prepare students well for graduate study – most students go on to graduate study within 3 years of graduating. At a Glance, Wesleyan has 2,700 students provides both undergraduate and graduate degrees. It is a coed school, public school students make up 50% of the school population (90% of the nation!) and 1/3 of the students are students of color. Takes a lot of pride in its diversity compared to similar high selective colleges like it.

Financial aid is all need based and the school commits to meeting 100% of an admitted student’s demonstrated family need. Wesleyan has a “need blind” admissions policy, which means you are admitted based on your ability versus your family’s ability to pay the bill.

The admissions officer at the school emphasized that regardless of a student’s school what admissions offiers at Wesleyan look for is evidence that a student has taken full advantage of the course offerings at his or her school (Honors, AP, dual enrollment ,etc) and is a fully active member of the school and greater community.

No core requirements, but students must take 9 courses (3 each) in Natural Sciences and mathematics, social and behavioral sciences, and the humanities and arts. The idea is that students who graduate from Wesleyan have what are referred to as Essential Capabilities. This reminds me of Expeditionary Learning’s Design Principles and the expected outcomes for students.

Wesleyan is definitely worth a look for a high achieving student at The Springfield Renaissance School.

Marymount Manhattan

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Jul 152009

Marymount Manhattan College is located in the posh Upper East Side of Manhattan. It is a small (2,000), liberal arts college. The student:faculty ratio is 12/1 and classes generally have 16 students in them. The college is housed in two buildings on East 71^st Street. Security was tight and I had to provide my license to gain entry. I received a nametag with my photo on it – serious stuff! I was greeted by the admissions office’s administrative assistant, Nicole who was incredibly helpful and knew everyone that entered the office by name. She made sure that I was able to meet with admissions office from our region, David Thomas (see video), after the tour and information session.

The information session highlighted the curriculum, which has a core requirement. Students need 120 credits to graduate. The cool thing is that Manhattan is very much the school’s campus and many students have access to an incredible list of possible internships (only school with an internship at the United Nations), something the college considers a particular strength. Marymount Manhattan has your typical Majors (Accounting, English, Psychology, etc.) and has dual programs that allow students to gain Masters degrees in several areas. Marymount also has pre-professional programs in Dentistry, Law, Medicine and Veterinary Sciences.

The college was in the midst of a 25 million renovation that made the tour a little bit difficult, but our tour guide, Freddie’s enthusiasm made the tour enjoyable. Freddie was a drama major (musical theater) and he said theater, and dance was a strength of Maymount. At one point on the tour we were able to hear a student belt out a show tune and it was pretty impressive!

Housing guaranteed at Marymount and students live in traditional dorm, apartments and suites (one is the tallest dorm in the country). It is truly city living. By the same token, there are no official school sports (although the club soccer team won the trophy this year). Students seem to know each other and Freddie said that professors know their students well. There is a Writing Center to support students, all courses are taught by professors who have office hours, and free tutoring is available as well. Additionally there is a substantial ACCESS program for students with learning disabilities. Another program called Jump Start gets Freshmen on campus during the summer so that they can take a class, and learn “how to do Marymount”.

Admissions is rolling. Tuition is around $35,000. Financial Aid is provided to 85% of students. There are merit (3.0+ GPA and 1150 combined SAT gets students $6,000) and leadership scholarships. Tuition is around $35,000.

David Thomas will be in town for the National Hispanic College Fair at HCC on November 3^rd and he’ll visit Renaissance at 2:30pm on that date. Check MMC out.

Columbia University

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Jun 212009

Flickr Video

Columbia University is located smack dab in the middle of a neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan called Morningside Heights. In fact, in some ways it is Morningside Heights as it is on of the top three land owners in the city (Catholic church and the state of NY are the others!). You emerge out of the 1/9 subway at 116^th Street and you have to step lively into the hustle and bustle of the big city. Once you enter the campus gates, things slow down a little and the place looks like any other college campus with quads of grass, you are surrounded by a square of buildings. Well, it is a SUPERSIZED “any other campus”. What immediately catches your eye is a massive staircase and a VERY LARGE domed building. Between you and the door is Alma Mater a majestic sculpture that is in any movie that has Columbia in it. I headed past Alma for the admissions tour. The crowd of people in the room was incredibly diverse. I was the only person from New England and students and families had traveled from China, Mexico, Chicago, Oregon and Arizona for the tour.

Columbia is considered an Ivy League School and is Very Highly Selective. 25,000 applied last year and 9% were admitted. Nearly 50% of admitted students scored between 1400 and 1540 on the math and critical reading sections of the SAT! In addition to that students are the top 10% of their class or have the top GPAs in their schools’ grade distribution. Students apply to either Columbia College or the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

The admissions officer, Diane McCoy had worked in admissions at Columbia for nearly 30 years. She admitted that there was no need to convince that Columbia was the place for you, but she wanted to talk about opportunities at the school and the admissions process. Around 4,100 students are in Columbia College and 1,400 are in The Fu Foundation of Engineering and Science. More than 25,000 students at Columbia University are graduate students working on Masters and PhDs.

Basically, Diane McCoy said that students need to demonstrate who they are as students and make clear why they feel that they want Columbia specifically “Columbia, Columbia, I love you!” were her words. The Common Application is not accepted. So, it is important that students know what is offered at Columbia specifically. 500 students sent essay with the WRONG NAME to Columbia – Uggh. She also said students should take the interview if they are offered one, refusing the interview doesn’t look so good!

Students must take a Core Curriculum (and 2 semesters of P.E.) – books from what is called the Western Canon (sometimes called Dead White Males because they are all dead, white and male…). Everyone reads The Iliad and The Odyssey and there is a common experience for all the students in Columbia College. The idea is that students gain a sense of the texts that underline the philosophical basis for politics, ethics, science and education in our society. Science and Engineering students take ½ of the Core Curriculum.

Financial Aid is Need Based. Students must fill out the FAFSA and CSS Profile. Tuition is over $50,000 a year! Families that make under $60,000 a year will be funded for all four years with the expectation that they will have work study and summer work. NO LOANS!!! Families that earn $60,000 to $100,000 expect to pay a percentage of their tuition. $100,000 may have access to low interest loans. There is a National Opportunity Program for low income students who demonstrate potential that provides summer support and 5 years of financing for school.

Barnard College

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Jul 142009

Flickr Video

Barnard College is literally across the street from Columbia University. A small women’s liberal arts college, Barnard is highly selective (combined SAT 2050/2400 and GPA 3.84). The admissions office was incredibly approachable and I immediately received an email reply and had a meeting set up with Jessica Lee (MA region) and Chloe Woodward-Magrane for the day of my visit. Ms. Lee took nearly 30 minutes to sit with me, talk about Barnard and the admissions process and learn about students at The Springfield Renaissance School. She’s is excited to get to know our students! Addition Chloe spent 30 minutes taking about Barnard Opportunity Program (see below) after the tour. What an amiable and helpful bunch! They are following the Renaissance College Road Trip on Twitter!!! Wow.

I went on a tour with a sophomore who is a native New Yorker who chose to stay in the City for college. Barnard has general education requirements which must be satisfied in 9 areas and four semesters of a language – students take two first year foundation courses (First Year Seminar and First Year English) which are intended to provide students with critical thinking and analysis skills – something Barnard describes as “ways of knowing”. Students also have to take two years of P.E. Women at Barnard enjoy small classes and many are seminar style with 12 or so students and professor. No hiding there! One notable strength is the internship agreements that the school has in fashion, on Broadway, and the United Nations among others. The tour was a little hard because major construction is going on to build a student activity center. We were able to move around through tunnels that are throughout the campus. Housing is both on the campus and in typical New York City apartment buildings and over 90% of students live on campus.

Barnard accepts the Common Application with a supplement portion (four questions). Chloe Woodward-Magrane described the process as being “wholistic”, meaning getting to know the student versus being simply numbers driven (“not really huge on SATs”) – taking the SAT in December is too late. Even so, the expectation is that students will take the SAT and two SAT II or the ACT with the writing portion. Ms. Woodward-Magrane said they want to know who you are as a student and a person. Recommendations should be teachers from your junior or senior year – school counselor and two academic teachers. The essay needs to be a topic that explains, “What gets you out of bed in the morning?” She emphasized that proof reading and checking for grammar mistakes are a must before you send. Interviews are available for rising seniors on or off campus, but are not required.

Tuition at Barnard is $50,000. Financial Aid is Need Blind. Barnard wants to know what families can afford and this is based on the FAFSA and the CSS Profile. The school meets 100% of a family’s demonstrated need and is a combination of loans, grants and work study. Barnard has a program called BOP (Barnard Opportunity Program which provides low-income students of promise with 5 years of financial, academic support and an opportunity to start in the summer in order to get acclimated to college life, NYC and the rigors of Barnard academics. Seems like a nice opportunity for the right student.

FAFSA Form is Changing

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Jun 252009

I’m psyched about Education Secretary, Arne Duncan’s announcement that the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is being simplified. I cannot believe how excited I got listening to NPR and reading the New York Times(which is a tremendous resource – check out my links) article today, “The Obama administration is moving to simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or Fafsa, a notoriously complicated form that asks students seeking financial aid for college as many as 153 questions.”

As a student myself, the FAFSA struck fear in my heart and I have always struggled not to intimidate families regarding the financial aid process when I explain. Money is one of the top reason couples get divorced and since you cannot divorce your children all you tend to get is tons of anxiety around the college financial aid process.

We are going to spend a lot of time with students and families with the financial aid process next year and I’m hopeful these changes will help the College Process team bring the information to families in a kinder and gentler fashion.

All families can start to become familiar with the FAFSA with the FAFSA4caster, a preliminary estimate program on the web. Also, MEFA (Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority) is a resource rich source of financial aid information for MA residents.

New York University

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Jul 182009

New York University is in the middle of everything Greenwich Village, Union Square and SOHO; Washington Square Park, Broadway, hip hop performance art, street vendors, the coolest of the cool stores and restaurants, and a wide array of people – 8 million. Step off the R Train at 8^th Street or the A, C, B, D at West 4^th and WHAM you are in the heart of gritty Gotham. Nestled amongst all that grit is NYU. When you start to look carefully you see that many of the buildings hoist the purple flags of NYU. The NYU Welcome Center is a building on the southeast corner of Washington Square Park. You have to register online to book a spot and the seats fill quickly. Once you sign in and get your name tag you join 120 or so students and families (maybe some school counselors) in an auditorium. Two LCD screens straddle the podium, the admissions office introduces themselves, the lights dim and a sophisticated film featuring four NYU students begins. Each featured student speaks of his or her experience at NYU with volunteerism, science research, film studies, or HIV/AIDS activism in Ghana. The theme is resources. What is made clear is that the resources made available to NYU undergrads are vast; sky is the limit.

NYU is a large, highly selective university. 90% of admitted students carry a 3.7 GPA and gain combined SAT (CR & Math) of 1400 and SAT II around 600. Two recommendations are required; one recommendation from a school counselor and one from an academic teacher. The admissions counselor made it clear if you submit a ton of recommendations, they are only going to read two! Basically, she said that the admissions process is looking for students who are taking advantage of what is offered at their high school. So, enrolling every AP offered is not necessary, but challenging yourself wisely and being involved in your school community is a plus.

Financial Aid is available. Tuition is over $50,000 dollars. The FAFSA is due on February 15^th.

There are over 21,000 undergraduate students (17,000 men and 25,000 women, when you include the grad students). Students are from all 50 states and 140 nations. Obviously there is tons of diversity and lots of ways to measure it; there are 5% African-American students and 6% Hispanic. There are 1,000 or students who are admitted into the college of Arts and Sciences. Some students may not be admitted to the school of his or her choice but gain a spot in the Liberal Studies program (study at one of the other NYU campuses and guaranteed admission to the school they’d originally applied to in a year). Engineering students gain a dual degree in a 3+2 year program with NY Polytechnic. There is support for students interested in medicine or law, but no “pre” programs and a high rate of acceptance into graduate schools. Other schools students can apply to are The Tisch School of Drama, Stern School of Business, Nursing school (within liberal arts curriculum). There are general education requirements and all freshmen must take an expository writing course.

At the end of the information session four tour guides fanned up to the front of the group and introduced themselves. We broke into smaller groups and I picked up with Oren, who remembered I was a school counselor (seems college admission folks love school counselors because we ask questions…). No photos or video. Oh, well (I took pictures of buildings afterwards…). The tour group headed to the library, which is huge and has millions of materials. The president lives on the uppermost floor. Housing for students ranges from traditional dorms that surround Washington Square Park to luxury apartments in Gramercy Park for upperclassmen. (I have to admit after having lived in NYC 12 years, it hadn’t really fully registered to me that there was a college right in the middle of The Village! I walked by some of these building everyday. What a wild college experience!). NYU makes itself smaller with a heavy duty residential system and by establishing learning communities. Oren described the school as having a large dose of academic support with opportunity programs for low-income students, a Campus Learning Center, Writing Center and office hours for professor and Teaching Assistants (TAs). We showed our id to the security officer (security is high on campus – swipe cards, safety boxes, and “green light” safe havens) in the Arts and Sciences building and went in a well-apportioned classroom that had any technology imaginable. Oren spoke of the majors, internships, Study Abroad and other academic opportunities available. One thing he said that stuck with is that rather than Googling Degas, students are told to get their subway pass and head to the Metropolitan Museum and look at the actual Degas! Oren actually gave us his email if we had further questions.

No interviews. I did learn that the admissions counselors for our area are Jonathan Beauford and Christopher Perlongo. I will send an email introducing The Springfield Renaissance School to both of them. I’m guessing they’ll visit the school in the fall.

Saint Francis College

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Jul 192009

Flickr Video

St. Francis schedules admissions tours and appointments on a case by case basis. I sat with the admissions officer Sylvia Carrion (see video), who is also Class of 2009 from the school. St. Francis is a small liberal arts college, which is associated with the Franciscan order of monks. Located in Brooklyn Heights, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, the college occupies two buildings. The school prides itself in individualized attention and Sylvia said that professors know students by name and are very approachable. Interestingly enough, this small school is Div I athletics for men and women (a VERY tall student passed us by in the hallway)!

The curriculum is composed of core requirements (42) – some of the courses include religion, 3 Philosophy, and 2 credits of health among other traditional core requirements. Generally, students need 128/9 credits to graduate in their major. Classes are small and in many cases and in many cases are seminar style (15 or so). Students have an advisor through Freshman Advising and their schedule is designed by their advisor for their first year. As the other NYC colleges and university, internships are available in industries all around the city.

Housing is provided for out of state students in an apartment building shared with a number of area colleges. Many students do commute though. Financial Aid is need based, but there are also merit based scholarships available.

The Richard Stockton College of The State of New Jersey

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Jul 192009

Flickr Video

The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey is located on the New Jersey Shore in the middle of acres and acres of pinelands. Atlantic City and miles of beaches are the closer landmarks. The buildings have a space aged 70s feel and are interconnected and the school is in the middle of a huge building project on a student center. A small, liberal arts state college with just under 7,000 students attending. Admissions are competitive (SAT CR/M1130) and admitted students are in the top 25% of their high school class. An interesting feature of the school is Instant Decision Days – show up with your admissions materials, meet the criteria and you are in! Otherwise, when your file is complete, you receive a decision (latest application submissions for this fall was May 1^st). It is a Div III school and seems to have a bunch of “Osprey” spirit – Men’s soccer has done very well.

Academically, Stockton describes itself as hands on. There is an Honors Program that allows students to work directly with a professor on a research project and present at a conference prior to graduation. There is a General Studies requirement that makes up 25% percent of the courses a student will take in order to graduate. Criminal Justice, Nursing, Dance, Literary Studies, Business, Computer Science, Biology and Marine Biology are some of the majors that students can choose.

Tuition with room and board for out of state students in 2008-2009 was $26,153. There are both need based and merit based scholarships.

There are colleges similar to Stockton closer to Springfield, so a student interested in Stockton would have to want to attend for a specific major or to be in this location (i.e. Marine Biology).

The Eugene Lang College: The New School College for Liberal Arts

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Jul 202009

Flickr Video

The New School Welcome Center is just below Union Square and located in a funky, airy building. Multi-media abounded. I met with Eric Sherman (see the video), the admissions officer responsible for MA at the New School’s Eugene Lang College: The New School for Liberal Arts prior to the information session and tour. Eric was great – friendly, informative and just not rote at all (I loved his fun plaid shirt). He emphasized that Eugene Lang College is a small (300 freshmen), liberal arts college that students tend to self-select because they consciously choose a non-traditional, urban education. The student:faculty ratio is 8:1 and courses are all taught in seminar style. 40% of the students are international students. Eric was excited to hear about The Springfield Renaissance School and undaunted by our standards based grading. He mentioned that he has seen lots of different transcripts and would rely on school counselors to help decipher anything on a student’s application. The school is fairly new (1980’s) and has a fair amount of flexibility within its liberal arts curriculum. I hope some The Springfield Renaissance students take a look.

Eugene Lang is one of eight schools housed in the New School and was founded in 1985. Parsons School of Design (of Project Runway fame) is one of those schools, and students have some access to classes within those program. There are 5 year dual degree programs with Parsons and the Jazz and Contemporary Music Programs. The information session was across the street in a small auditorium, I’m not sure how we didn’t lose anyone in the traffic…The host outlined the eight schools within the New School and let the film roll. The presentation was pretty spectacular, I guess that is a perk of having a premier film school under your umbrella. The New School was founded in 1919 and points to progressive educator John Dewey (who said, “children learn best by doing”) as a linchpin in its philosophy. A couple of Columbia University professors frustrated by the “old thinking” of Columbia went downtown and founded the New School. It was home to many persecuted intellectuals from Europe after World War I. These “Exiled Thinkers” founded a school that emphasizes:

Critical thinking
Debate
Public engagement
Social Justice
Contributing to society (positively)
Theory AND Practice
Creating change
Being good citizens

One thing consistently emphasized is the experimental nature of the school. Students can sign up for class that allows them to design and build a boat and put it in the Hudson to see if it will float (I wonder if they have to get shots)! (see comment thread…)

Financial Aid is both need and merit based. As with all these Big City schools, the cost of studying in NYC makes the REAL cost pricier for sure.

Rutgers State University of New Jersey

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Jul 202009

Flickr Video

Rutgers is the flagship campus for the New Jersey state university system. It has a huge campus and is an interesting blend of old (as in colonial) and new. Initially, the college was Queens College, as in Queen of England, and some of the oldest buildings in the country are housed on the campus – one section of campus is modeled after Cambridge in England and is very beautiful. Now Rutgers has five campuses and takes up a large expanse of landscape in New Brunswick, New Jersey: Douglass (all women’s), Cook, Livingston, Mason Gross (Fine Arts and Music), and Busch. A shuttle system gets students around campus and students are encouraged to choose housing based on the environment they prefer versus the majors/programs that are on a particular campus. Freshmen tend to live in freshman housing and there is a pretty extensive freshman orientation program that happens over the weekend the summer before school starts to orient new students. There is an honors program at Rutgers and those students live together and have special programming as a result of their status. We had to tour by luxury bus because the campus was so large.

Our tour guide Alyssa (see video) was very comfortable on the microphone! One thing I won’t forget is the “Grease Trucks” where students can purchase a sub that contains chicken fingers, mozerella sticks, French fries and marinara sauce – fine college dining at its very best! Eeeewww.

The school is located 45 minutes away from New York City and 10 minutes from Princeton, NJ. Some students take advantage of such close proximity to NYC to get internships, but there are a number of corporate headquarters in New Brunswick like Johnson & Johnson (the baby powder and Q-tips). There is the host of majors and concentrations that you would find at a large state school. Rutgers is a Division I school for athletics, you may remember the Scarlet Knights’ women’s bball team and Imus In the Morning’s racist comments of a couple of years ago. These women tend to make it at least the Sweet Sixteen in March Madness (men’s – not so much). But if you want some crazy school spirit, Rutgers is a place to consider (the basketball arena is the LOUDEST in the nation!). Something to note is that NCAA championships provide schools with lots of $$$ – the science campus was pretty spiffy as a result. As the flagship university, graduate-level research is a big focus of academics.

Admissions is competitive. Rutgers uses its own application, it is online and asks that students submit their own transcript (Self Reported Academic Record SRAR) – they do check the grades you submit…Rutgers does have a number of out of state and international students. Prospective Students choose their top three programs when they apply (Liberal Arts, Nursing, Business, Marine Biology, etc.) Financial Aid is submitted using the FAFSA. An independent student, ready to be a little further from home might consider taking a look at Rutgers.

Get Your Pin On!!! FAFSA @ www.fafsa.ed.gov

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Aug 132009

Seniors, If you haven’t already, log on to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid at www.fafsa.ed.gov or www.pin.ed.gov and apply for a pin number. There’s an explanation of the pin number below from the www.fafsa.ed.gov site .

Write it down, fold it up and put it someplace safe. You’ll need it to submit your application for financial aid. The majority of financial aid comes through this process. So, get it together now!

Your parents and/or guardians will need to the same.

____

from www.fafsa.ed.gov

PIN Information

A PIN is a 4-digit number that is used in combination with your Social Security Number, name, and date of birth to identify you as someone who has the right to access your own personal information on Federal Student Aid Web sites, such as FAFSA on the Web.

The security of your PIN is important because it can be used to:

Electronically sign Federal Student Aid documents
Access your personal records, and
Make binding legal obligations.

You and your parents (if you are a dependent student) will need to sign your FAFSA. We cannot process your FAFSA until we receive your signature(s). Using a PIN to sign your FAFSA electronically is by far the fastest and most reliable way. However, you can print, sign and mail in a signature page, or provide signature(s) on your paper Student Aid Report (SAR).

Tip: You may use your PIN for the duration of your school experience and beyond. The PIN stays the same.

If you or your parents do not already have a PIN, we encourage you to apply for one. You can apply for a PIN while completing a FAFSA on the Web application, or you can go to the Federal Student Aid PIN Web site at www.pin.ed.gov to apply.

Important Note A PIN that is selected or viewed instantly online or is sent to you in an e-mail is considered to be conditional until your information is verified with the Social Security Administration (1-3 days from the date you first apply). You may sign your FAFSA with it, but nothing else. Once we complete this verification, you will be able to use your PIN for other purposes (such as correcting your SAR or accessing other Federal Student Aid Web sites).

PIN Information

The security of your PIN is important because it can be used to:

Electronically sign Federal Student Aid documents
Access your personal records, and
Make binding legal obligations.

Tip: You may use your PIN for the duration of your school experience and beyond. The PIN stays the same.

The Common Application – Start Now!

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Aug 142009

It is not too early to create your profile for The Common Application and start on the application itself. Log on to www.commonapp.org and create a profile. Take a look at the 6 essay questions and get started on the essay that looks interesting to you know during the last couple of weeks of vacation. Have a family member, friend or mentor take a look and make editing suggestions!

Make the start of your senior year STRESSLESS and start now!

Seniors – A Good Timeline to Check Out (and follow…)

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Aug 232009

There are tons of timelines out there. This is a good one from Allen Grove at about.com. He runs a terrific college admissions website.

About.com

College Admissions

Month-by-Month Senior Year College Application Timeline

Keep Track of Important Dates and Deadlines in 12th Grade

By Allen Grove, About.com

College Prep: Middle School1 | 9th Grade2 | 10th Grade3 | 11th Grade4 | 12th Grade

Senior year is a busy and extremely important time in the college admissions process. This is your last chance to get the ACT5 and SAT scores you need6, and senior year is when you have to narrow down your college options to the handful of schools to which you’ll apply. You’ll need to get your college essay up to snuff, line up your letters of recommendation, and apply for financial aid. During the application process, you’ll need to keep active in extracurricular activities and maintain high grades.

August before Senior Year

* Register for the September ACT if appropriate (check ACT dates7).

* Come up with a preliminary list of colleges that includes reach8, match9 and safety10 schools.

* Explore the websites of the colleges that interest you to learn about admissions requirements.

* Check your senior year class schedule to make sure you’re taking the English, Math11, Social Science, Science, and Foreign Language12 classes you’ll need for your top-choice colleges.

* Look over the Common Application13 and begin thinking about potential topics for your personal essay14.

* Visit campuses15 and interview16 with college representatives if appropriate.

September

* Register for October or November SAT I and SAT II exams (check SAT dates17).

* Meet with your guidance counselor to discuss the colleges to which you’re thinking of applying.

* Request letters of recommendation18, especially if you are applying early.

* Continue to visit campuses and interview with college admissions representatives.

* Request applications from all the schools to which you might apply.

* Create a chart of deadlines. Pay particular attention to early decision, early action, and preferred application deadlines.

* If appropriate, register for the October ACT exam.

* Work on your college essays19.

* Try to assume a leadership position in an extracurricular activity.

* Keep your grades up.

October

* Take the SAT I, SAT II and/or ACT as appropriate.

* Continue to research schools to narrow your list20 to roughly 6 – 8 schools.

* Take advantage of college fairs and virtual tours.

* Complete your applications if you are applying early decision.

* Research financial aid and scholarships. Do your parents’ places of employment offer college scholarships for employee children?

* Get your college essay in shape. Get feedback on your writing from a guidance counselor and a teacher.

* Request your high school transcript and check it for accuracy.

* Keep track of all application components and deadlines: applications, test scores, letters of recommendation, and financial aid materials. An incomplete application will ruin your chances for admission.

November

* Register for the December SAT or ACT if appropriate.

* Take the November SAT if appropriate.

* Don’t let your grades slide. It’s easy to be distracted from school work when working on applications. Senior slump can be disastrous for your admissions chances.

* Make sure you’ve submitted all components of your applications if you are applying to colleges with November deadlines for early decision or preferred application.

* Put the final touches on your application essays, and get feedback on your essays from counselors and/or teachers.

* Continue to research scholarships.

December – January

* Complete your applications for regular admissions.

* Make sure you’ve had your test scores sent to all colleges that require them.

* Confirm that your letters of recommendation have been sent.

* Submit the FAFSA21 (Free Application for Financial Aid).

* If you are accepted to a school through early decision, be sure to follow directions carefully. Submit required forms, and notify the other schools to which you applied of your decision.

* Continue to focus on your grades and extracurricular involvement.

* Have midyear grades sent to colleges.

* Continue to keep track of all deadlines and application components.

* Continue to research scholarships. Apply for scholarships well in advance of deadlines.

February – March

* If you submitted the FAFSA, you should receive the Student Aid Report22 (SAR). Carefully look it over for accuracy. Errors can cost you thousands of dollars.

* Contact colleges that didn’t send you a confirmation receipt for your application.

* Don’t put off applying to schools with rolling admissions or late deadlines — the available spaces can fill up.

* Talk to your school about registering for AP exams.

* Keep your grades high. Colleges can revoke offers of admission if your grades take a nosedive senior year.

* Some acceptance letters may arrive. Compare financial aid offers and visit campus before making a decision.

* Don’t panic; many, many decisions are not mailed out until April.

* Continue applying for appropriate scholarships.

April

* Keep track of all acceptances, rejections, and waitlists.

* If waitlisted, learn more about waitlists23 and move ahead with other plans. You can always change your plans if you get off a waitlist.

* Keep your grades up.

* If you have ruled out any colleges that accepted you, notify them. This is a courtesy to other applicants, and it will help the colleges manage their waitlists and extend the correct number of acceptance letters.

* Go to accepted student open houses if offered.

* A couple circumstances may warrant an appeal of a college rejection24

May – June

* Avoid senioritis! An acceptance letter doesn’t mean you can stop working.

* Most schools have a deposit deadline of May 1st. Don’t be late! If needed, you may be able to request an extension.

* Prepare for and take any appropriate AP exams. Most colleges offer course credit for high AP scores; this gives you more academic options when you get to college.

* Have your final transcripts sent to colleges.

* Send thank you letters to everyone who helped you in the application process. Let your mentors and recommenders know the results of your college search.

* Keep on top of procuring student loans. Notify your college if you receive any scholarships.

* Graduate. Congratulations!

July – August after Senior Year

* Read all mailings from your college carefully. Often important registration and housing25 material is sent in the summer.

* Register for your classes as soon as possible. Classes often fill, and registration is usually on a first-come, first-served basis.

* If you get your housing assignment, take advantage of the summer to get to know your roommate (email, facebook, the phone, etc). Figure out who will bring what. You don’t need two TVs and two microwaves in your tiny room.

* Off to college! Visit Kelci Lynn, About.com’s expert on College Life26

This About.com page has been optimized for print. To view this page in its original form, please visit: http://collegeapps.about.com/od/admissionstimeline/tp/12th-grade-timeline.htm

Links in this article:

1. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/admissionstimeline/tp/college-prep-junior-high.htm

2. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/admissionstimeline/tp/ninth-grade-college-prep.htm

3. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/admissionstimeline/tp/10th-Grade-College-Preparation.htm

4. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/admissionstimeline/tp/11th-grade-college-preparation.htm

5. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theact/f/goodactscore.htm

6. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/sat/f/goodsatscore.htm

7. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theact/a/ACT_Dates.htm

8. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/glossaryofkeyterms/g/reach_school.htm

9. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/glossaryofkeyterms/g/match_school.htm

10. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/glossaryofkeyterms/g/safety_school.htm

11. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theartofgettingaccepted/a/HighSchoolMath.htm

12. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theartofgettingaccepted/a/ForeignLanguage.htm

13. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/glossaryofkeyterms/g/CommonApp.htm

14. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/essays/a/EssayPrompts.htm

15. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/choosingacollege/tp/8-Tips-for-a-Campus-Visit.htm

16. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theartofgettingaccepted/tp/college-interview-questions.htm

17. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/standardizedtests/a/SAT_Dates.htm

18. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theartofgettingaccepted/tp/Letters-of-Recommendation.htm

19. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/essays/a/essay_tips.htm

20. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/choosingacollege/f/HowManySchools.htm

21. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/payingforcollege/f/fafsa_info.htm

22. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/glossaryofkeyterms/g/SAR.htm

23. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theartofgettingaccepted/f/waitlist_faq.htm

24. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theartofgettingaccepted/f/appeal_reject.htm

25. http://collegeapps.about.com/od/collegehousingfaq/College_Housing_FAQ.htm

26. http://collegelife.about.com/

Planning a College Admissions Visit

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Oct 052009

On October 5th 11 seniors from The Springfield Renaissance School hopped into a van with the school’s GEAR-UP staff. Here’s some advice for visiting colleges from Collegeboard.com…

Preparing for a College Campus Visit: Know before You Go

It may be tempting to just yell “roadtrip!” and head out to campuses, but you’ll get more out of your visits if you plan ahead.

Research the College

It’s important to know something about the college before you arrive on its campus, especially if you have an interview scheduled.

Review the viewbooks, course catalogs, and any other materials the college sends to prospective students.
Spend some time surfing their website.
Talk to currently enrolled students or alumni about their college. Some college websites let you contact them online, or you can get their contact information from the admissions office.

Scheduling Your Trip

Pick a time that’s convenient to you, but try to go when classes are in session. That way, you can sit in on a lecture or stay in a dorm overnight. You’ll only get a true feel for the campus if you’re there on a day when classes are in full swing.

Schedule your time on campus, too, to make sure you’ll have time for everything you want to do:

Find out how often college tours run, and if you have to sign up in advance.
Be sure to get a map of the school. You don’t want to spend half your day trying to park or find the admissions office.
If an interview is suggested, make an appointment. Also, consider meeting with the financial aid officer.
If you’re curious about a club, program, or a sport, arrange to attend a practice, rehearsal, or meeting.

Pack a Camera and Notebook

Was it X College or Y University that had that excellent exercise equipment in the gym? Where did I talk to that cool psychology professor? You think you’ll remember everything, but you’ll be surprised how colleges start to merge after you’ve seen a few.

What’s Important to You?

Make a list of what college characteristics are most important to you, so you know what to evaluate. Do you feel overwhelmed in a large lecture hall? Check out the class size. Do you have your heart set on joining a sorority or fraternity? See what the Greek system is like on campus. Is there a particular major that you want to pursue? Talk to current students or professors in that department.

Develop a list of your preferences. Take this list to the schools that you plan to visit, and compare them when you get back home.

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/csearch/college-visits/73.html

Class of 2010 is Off to College!

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Jun 172010

College-Bound:

The Springfield Renaissance School Announces 100 Percent of First Graduating Class Accepted to a College or University

Students have received more than $2.0 million in scholarships and grants

SPRINGFIELD, MA. (June 10, 2010) –The Springfield Renaissance School, an Expeditionary Learning school, has become the first public high school in the City of Springfield to see 100 % of its senior class accepted into college

On June 1^st, after the final student shared her admissions news with Principal, Stephen Mahoney, he announced over the loud speaker, “Today it is true, The Springfield Renaissance School is now the first public high school in Springfield to have 100% of its graduates be admitted to college! The founding senior class has worked hard and they deserve this honor!“. The 77 seniors have been admitted into both two and four year colleges, and are expected to enter the doors of colleges and universities around the nation armed with over 2.0 million dollars in scholarships and grants in the fall of 2010. To date, more than 60 colleges or universities have admitted Renaissance students. The schools include UMass Amherst, Hampshire College, Tufts University, Westfield State College, Macalester College, and Wheelock College, among others.

The Springfield Public school district reported that the high school graduation rate for the 2008-2009 school year was 54.5%, with only 52% of those graduates attending college in the fall.

During the months January through May, Dr. Mahoney called off seniors’ names as they received their first admissions letters. Admissions announcements continued for nearly two months. The college admission ‘graffiti wall’ is littered with the signature of each college-bound senior, along with pictures and admissions letters. This is a ritual enacted each time a senior brought their first admissions letters into school.

Springfield Renaissance School principal, Dr. Stephen Mahoney, states, “Our students’ academic achievements have re-established the concept of ‘citizen-scholars’. It gives me tremendous hope for the future of our city, our state, and our nation.”

The students at The Springfield Renaissance School have a rigorous college prep curriculum where they delve deeply into core content during ‘Learning Expeditions’, which are in-depth studies that can span a whole semester. “These expeditions allow us to teach the state and national standards in a way that is relevant and interesting to the students. The depth of our studies and the connection to real-world problems helps the students understand why we are learning what we are learning”, says Aurora V. Kushner, a founding high school science teacher. “Our students are ready to go into college and beyond, as they have already sat at the table with local decision-makers, sharing their learnings and their ideas.” In all learning at the school, there is a focus on critical thinking, problem solving and strong habits of work.

The school will hold its first graduation on June 15^th at 6 pm in Symphony Hall in Springfield, MA.

Contact

Dr. Stephen Mahoney

The Springfield Renaissance School, Principal

1170 Carew Street Springfield, MA 01104

phone: 413 750-2929

email: mahoneys@sps.springfield.ma.us

Class of 2010 Media Blitz!!!

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Jun 172010

CBS3 in Springfield

http://www.cbs3springfield.com/news/local/96441047.html

Springfield Republican

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/06/1st_class_graduates_from_renai.html

Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2010/06/15/all_springfield_high_school_grads_get_into_college/

Boston Herald

http://bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1261914

USA Today

http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20100617/states17_st.art.htm

MSNBC

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37749267

Connecticut Post

http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/All-Springfield-high-school-grads-get-into-college-525235.php

WHDH Channel 7 in Boston

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/12001445995875/

Education Week

http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2010/06/15/361264mspringfieldhighschool_ap.html?r=451180444

SCAM ALERT-College Admissions Assistance

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Sep 122011

SCAM ALERT!!! Do not pay to work with College Admissions Assistance. You get that advice FREE at Renaissance! http://ow.ly/1x17We

Over 200 Colleges Coming to Town!!!

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Sep 122011

Western New England College (University, now!)
Sunday, September 18th 4-6 pm

http://www1.wne.edu/admissions/index.cfm?selection=doc.1423

Financial Aid From Our Very Own “Joe College”!

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Jul 292010

Link to Masslive Article

The Republican / Michael S. Gordon

Joseph W. Paige, seated right, a financial aid adviser with the Access Springfield Promise Program, is surrounded by students talking about aid for college costs. Clockwise from the front are Giorver W. Brown, 18, Keishla M. Rosado, 17, and Xiomara L. Perez, 18. They are in Paige’s office at the high School of Commerce in Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD PROMISE

Here is a breakdown of the first-year $474,000 budget for the Springfield Promise program which ends June 30:
$116,750: Total scholarship funds issued for 189 students
$271,810: Financial aid counseling
$55,778: Administrative overhead, not including office space donated by Springfield Technical Community College
$29,662: Administrative start-up expenses
Source: Action Center for Educational Services and Scholarships

SPRINGFIELD – Miguelina Felix, 17, is on her way to becoming the first member of her family to attend college, and she thanks the Springfield Promise program for helping that dream become a reality.

Under the Springfield Promise program, Felix is among hundreds of high school seniors here who have received financial-aid counseling to help pursue college scholarships, grants and loans.

The Finance Control Board created Springfield Promise last July to provide both financial-aid counseling and “last dollar” scholarships of up to $1,000 to city students. The plan was to use interest from an initial $52 million, interest-free state loan to fund the program.

Today, the program’s future is uncertain as state legislators are weighing whether to tap into the $46.8 million left in the loan fund, taking $35.5 million to help balance the state budget. The Republican has also learned that even in this first year of the program, the interest received on the loan monies – now averaging $11,000 per month – will not cover all of the program’s costs.

The loan was granted to the city in 2004 to help the city deal with severe budget deficits, but the control board, which was disbanded last year, authorized the use of just the interest earnings to finance Springfield Promise.

Based on current earnings, the annual interest income will be $131,000, according to Timothy J. Plante, the city’s finance director. The first-year budget for the program is $474,000.

Plante said on Thursday the city “is working toward a more lucrative investment strategy to earn the maximum amount of interest possible.”

Felix, a senior at Central High School, is one example of how the program is marking success. She’ll be attending the Massachusetts College of Art and Design as a fine arts major with hopes of some day opening her own gallery.

“I feel very thankful,” Felix said recently. “It was really valuable. I got into the school I wanted, and I got the financial aid I needed.”

Without the help of financial-aid counselor Nicole Bihler, Felix says she wouldn’t have gotten through the process in time. “It is somewhat stressful. I applied to seven schools, each school mandating different things,” Felix said.

The Action Center for Educational Services and Scholarships – a Boston organization known as ACCESS – is being paid close to $300,000 a year under a five-year contract with the city for the program. to provide one-on-one financial-aid counseling to approximately 700 seniors, like Felix, and more than 600 students have attended financial-aid workshops, according to executive director Bob Giannino-Racine.

“I feel very thankful. It was really valuable. I got into the school I wanted, and I got the financial aid I needed.”

- Central High School senior Miguelina Felix

The program consists of a director and four advisers who assist students in 11 schools including charter schools.

Giannino-Racine cites the fact that applications for Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts Scholarships have climbed from 129 in 2009 to 248 in 2010 as one measure of the success of Springfield Promise.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno is urging the House to agree with a proposal from Gov. Deval L. Patrick, that Springfield would pay back the money immediately except for $11 million which would be forgiven and used for Springfield Promise.

Felix is among many students who hope Springfield Promise will continue.

Scholarship recipients, now in college, include Brendan C. Woodard. Woodard graduated from Sabis International Charter School last year and attends Springfield Technical Community College, aided by a $500 scholarship from Springfield Promise.

“I think they should keep running the program,” Woodard said. “It really helped me out. It gave me money to buy the books I need.”

The purpose of the Springfield Promise program is to fulfill two promises, said James O’S. Morton, chairman of the Springfield Promise Advisory Board and a former member of the Finance Control Board which created it. “One is to repay the state loan, and the other promise was to leave a legacy that supported Springfield youth in their efforts to attend college and hopefully bring back the intellectual capital that comes from going to college into the Springfield community so our community can ultimately benefit from that intellectual capital,” he said.

Thomas R. Durkee, a senior at the High School of Science and Technology, said his counselor, Gia Godette, helped him tackle what initially seemed “like a daunting task.”

“She really helped me out to ease my fears about transitioning to college life, not only financial aid, but also like a life coach,” said Durkee, who will be attending Westfield State College.

The program is very helpful in helping students access college aid that is out there and can be obtained, he said. “It gives us a level playing field,” he said.

Joseph W. Paige, of Springfield, a financial-aid adviser at the High School of Commerce and Renaissance School, said he gets great satisfaction from the job.

“I enjoy the program,” Paige said. “It’s one of the most rewarding jobs I ever had. We help kids realize their dreams of going to college.”

“We work with the kids to research as many grants and scholarships out there that might meet their needs and profile,” Paige said.

Azell M. Cavaan, chief communications officer for the Springfield Public Schools, said Springfield Promise has “helped educate students and families that a college education is a realistic objective that can be obtained when one understands the process, tools and resources available to help them meet the financial requirements.”

Many city students are “first generation college students” who serve as “trail blazers” for others in the family, Cavaan noted.

While the high schools already had counselors to help students with the financial-aid process, the addition of the ACCESS advisors has allowed existing staff to help students in other critical areas such as academic and career planning, personal and social counseling, she said.

Members of the Springfield Promise Advisory Board have praised the program. In a recent letter to the editors of The Republican, advisory board members Victor Woolridge and retired Judge William H. Abrashkin, said Springfield Promise “is a low-cost, high-impact program of vast importance to Springfield and the graduates of its high schools.”

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