College Timetable

Below is a very general timetable of the college process at Berkshire School which will provide you with an idea of when the counseling process begins, standardized testing dates, etc. FOURTH FORM YEAR October: Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (PSAT). June: College Board (CEEB) SAT II: Subject Test(s) - We encouraged fourth formers to take Biology Subject Test when appropriate. FIFTH FORM YEAR September: Your fifth form grades are very important from the college admission standpoint. Complete the year in style and with vigor. Attendance at on-campus sessions with visiting college admission representatives is encouraged whenever possible. October: Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (PSAT). January: Individual conferences with College Counselors begin. March: Spring vacation - time for college visits. April: The American College Test (ACT) is administered at Berkshire School.      Parents Weekend - attend special events geared toward college planning. May: You will take the SATs at Berkshire School for the first time. Listen for announcements at all school meetings. June: SAT II: Subject Tests - Theses tests must be taken at the site nearest each student's home; Berkshire will not be session. You may want to apply for Early Decision or Early Action, and December Subject Tests will be too late. You may also be concluding your study in a subject area (U.S. History, Chemistry, etc.) and the June test will be your best opportunity to score well. Be sure to discuss this with your college counselor before departing for summer vacation. Not all colleges require these tests. Summer College visits and interviews - It is very important that a major college trip (five to seven college campuses) be made before returning to school in September. Plan these in advance; some colleges are visited by as many as 800 students in the month of August. Remember to research the so-called "back-ups" as carefully as your "reach" colleges. SAT Prep - You should devote some time to preparing for the SATs. Reading of any sort will help and conscientious work in practice books can be very useful. Assignments - You will be given a packet of information to complete over the summer which will include practice application, some essays to prepare, etc. SIXTH FORM YEAR September: Individual conferences with College Counselors to review summer visits and update plans. These conferences continue until each student has decided upon a reasonable range of colleges. Throughout the fall sixth formers are encouraged to attend some of the many sessions with college admissions representatives who visit campus. October: SATs - administered at a testing center near Berkshire School: Hotchkiss, Miss Hall's or Salisbury. Fall recess: College visits are encouraged. November: Deadline for many Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA) applications. SATs - administered at Berkshire School.     Thanksgiving Recess - further college visits possible. December: SATs - administered at Berkshire School. ACTs - administered at a testing center near Berkshire School: Hotchkiss, Miss Hall's or Salisbury. Majority of applications are mailed.     Winter Break - Last good chance for college visits to be scheduled. January: Financial Aid Forms mailed by parents. Many of these forms are available through the College Office. Last SATs - optional - Berkshire not a test site. First semester grades mailed out to colleges. Mid-April Notification by all colleges not already heard from. May 1 Common Reply Date for seniors. June: Final grades and transcripts mailed to colleges students plan to attend.