Going for the Gold in Class Selection
Men's Mogul
While watching the Olympic men’s moguls, I saw each contender balance speed, form, and difficulty. The skiers had to find that perfect combination of challenge and speed to win and avoid losing control. For students planning their classes, it is a similar goal: create a schedule that will challenge you but not make you lose control.
Selecting Classes for the Coming Year
1.Identify your goals for college. If you know that you would like to be competitive for a highly select college (those schools accepting fewer than 50% of their applicants), then your schedule should be the most challenging for you. If you do not care about attending a highly select college, then you have more leeway in selecting your classes.
2.Push yourself beyond your comfort zone in areas of strength. For subjects that come easily for you, push yourself further. Just like the Olympic medal hopefuls, you get more points for rigor than for taking it easy, even if it is not perfect.
3.Go for your interests. Once you have fulfilled all of your graduation requirements, take classes that interest you. If you have a passion for science and no interest in foreign languages, it may be okay to double up on science senior year in lieu of foreign language. The key is to substitute equally rigorous classes in your area of interest.
4.Know your limitations. Some kids overshoot what they can handle and that can end up just as problematic. (Think missing the jump and crashing into the spectators!) Most college students take between four to five classes per semester. So four AP classes along with all your other classes and activities may be too much.
5.Understand what it means to override a recommendation. Depending on your school, you may get into AP, IB, Honors, or Accelerated classes based on your previous teacher’s recommendation. Some schools require you to take a qualifying test. In the former situation, if your school allows you to override the recommendation, be sure you understand what that means if you get into a class that is too hard the following year. Can you drop down right away, or must you wait for the full marking period to change?
Save The Date: Monday, February 28, 2022 @ 7 PM
Embracing Uncertainty and 
Pivoting Toward Success in College Admissions
Presented by the Westfield PTC-Gifted Ed Committee
 Lisa Bleich
 CEO, College Bound Mentor
Author of "Surviving the College Application Process"
Stefanie Forman
Independent Educational Consultant @
College Bound Mentor
How do I catch up from Covid? Should I submit my test scores? Which activities should I focus on? How can I show leadership if things get canceled again? 
 
The college admissions process has become increasingly uncertain and competitive, however, students who understand their strengths and can maximize them amidst uncertainty, will have a clear advantage in the admissions process.

Come join Lisa and Stefanie as they help you navigate these unprecedented times in the college application process.

Monday, February 28, 2022
7:00 PM via Zoom

*The event is free, but REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Please register in advance to receive the Zoom link.
What's on Our Minds
A Growth Mindset: The Key to College Admission Success During Uncertain Times

During May of 2020, we led a webinar with admissions counselors from WashU, Bowdoin, Vanderbilt, and San Diego State (formerly GW) where we discussed how the college admissions paradigm has changed and how students can develop a growth mindset to best position themselves for the college application process and beyond. We wanted to reshare it with you as it is more applicable than ever.
What We're Reading
What's Next

Juniors:  

If any of you decided to venture out on college visits during President's Day to further develop your lists, we'd love to hear about your experiences. Lisa wrote an article for Grown and Flown called “Creating a Balanced List.” It's also time to plan your summers and classes for senior year. You can schedule a meeting below.



Freshmen/Sophomores: 

We are available to meet with you to help you plan classes and your summer. You can schedule a meeting below.
You bring your friends, we provide the info. If anyone is interested in setting up a free interactive workshop on how to maximize students’ high school years leading up to college, please reach out to stefanie@collegeboundmentor.com
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