Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make an appointment with my guidance counselor?
The guidance counselors try to make themselves as available as possible to their students. Students are encouraged to get to know their counselor well, and should seek them out as much as possible. Students can request an appointment by filling out the appointment form outside the Guidance Office. Counselors have voicemail extensions as well.
How does a parent make an appointment with a guidance counselor?
The guidance counselors look forward to getting to know the parents of their students. Parents are highly encouraged to call their child's counselor to set up a meeting. The phone numbers and extensions of every counselor is on our contact information page. Counselors are also available on the evenings of our Fall and Spring conferences.
How can I stay in better contact with the school and my child's academic progress?
First, check this site frequently, as it will always have the distribution dates of report cards and progress reports. Second, you can have your child complete a weekly progress report from. Students can carry this form around and get the teachers to fill them out. This will provide more frequent feedback throughout the term. You are also encouraged to call your child's teachers.
When should I take the SAT exam?
It is our goal to have every student take the SAT at least one time by the end of their Junior year. The SAT is offered 7 times a year, so if a student takes it their Junior year, they can take it one more time in the Fall of their Senior year to improve their score. Of course students can take the SAT earlier in high school, and the SAT can be taken as many times as a student wishes.
How do I sign up for the SAT exam?
You can sign up two different ways. Most students find the most efficient way is to register online via The College Board. To register online you will need a valid credit card. There is also a mail-in registration form available in the Guidance Office. One major benefit of applying online though is that students find out at the time of registration which test center they get assigned to. Either way, you need to be signed up about 6 weeks prior to the test date to ensure a seat and to avoid late fees.
How often should I take the SAT's?
Every college bound student should plan to take the SAT's at least twice. A college will look at the best scores of each section, so it is advantageous to take it a second time to improve the first score. Research shows that students' scores improve with more experience with the exam format, which is why students should take the PSAT when it is offered. When you register for the SAT, be sure you are signing up for the correct test. If you are taking the general SAT and not the subject tests, make sure you are signing up for the SAT Reasoning Test!
When should I take the PSAT exam?
The PSAT is offered every October at Middleborough High School. It is a practice, condensed version of the SAT designed to give students exposure to the test format prior to taking the actual SAT. Students should take the PSAT in the Fall of their Sophomore and Junior years to get as much practice as possible. And to quote the College Board, "You should definitely take the PSAT/NMSQT in your Junior year. Many students benefit by taking it earlier, typically in their Sophomore year. Sophomores will be provided with a Sophomore percentile so that they can compare their performance to other Sophomores who are also planning on going to college. If you take it earlier, recognize that the PSAT/NMSQT is a Junior-level test, so don't get discouraged if your score is low. Your score will usually increase as your years of study increase. If younger students focus on the skills, not the score, they can work to improve those skills. This will help improve performance in high school, as well as better prepare them for college, the Junior-year PSAT/NMSQT, and the SAT."
What about the SAT Subject Tests?
The SAT Subject Tests are tests required by some of the more selective schools in addition to the standard SAT exam. The subject tests are one hour long each and you can take up to three in a test session. You cannot take an SAT Reasoning Test and an SAT Subject test on the same day.
What is our SAT School Code/CEEB code?
It's 221-405. You will probably see this for the first time when you sign up for the SAT exam. It will also be a question asked on many of your college applications.
What is the Test Center Code for Middleborough High School?
The test center code is 22535. Make sure you do not confuse our school code with our test center code. You only use our test center code to designate our school as the test center of your choice when we offer the SAT (May only).
What is the ACT?
The ACT is a standardized test used by colleges in the admissions process. The biggest difference between the ACT and the SAT is that the ACT has a Science section. The ACT also has sections for Math, English, and Reading. The ACT is scored differently as well. The maximum score for the ACT is a 36. Some schools that require SAT Subject Tests accept the ACT instead of the subject tests.
How do I apply for scholarships?
You can get leads for scholarships from many different sources. Every student should utilize Fast Web, a free scholarship search service. The town of Middleborough gives out a large number of scholarships to high school Seniors and alumni annually. There is a scholarship information evening every March to go over the process. Please also visit frequently the Guidance Department's Scholarship Page for scholarship leads that come into our office.
When should I start applying to colleges?
By the Fall of their senior year, students should have a good idea where they want to apply and should have their applications in hand. We encourage students to get their applications into the Guidance Office at least 2 weeks before the college's deadline. Even if a college's deadline isn't until springtime, we recommend students get their applications to us before our December vacation. Students will then be able to focus more on the financial aid process.
What about Early Action or Early Decision applications?
Students should approach these with caution. Early action/early decision means that a college will review an application submitted early (usually Nov. 1), and will give the applicant an admissions decision by mid-December. While it is nice to know a college's decision early on, students should be careful of several things. First, some of these programs are binding, meaning that a college will insist that you attend their school if they accept you. These early programs are also more competitive, and many schools won't let a rejected early applicant enter the regular applicant pool. Most students find it advantageous to apply regular admissions to all schools so they can decide for themselves which college to attend after all of the acceptances and financial aid packages have been determined.
How many colleges should I apply to?
This is a matter of personal choice. It's not so much the quantity of schools applied to, it's the selection of schools that is most important. Every student should apply to at least one school that the student and counselor feel is a "safe" school, meaning that the chances of acceptance are very high. Students should also consider a "reach" school, a college a student would love to attend if they got in, even if they are not sure if they can get in. The other schools should be reasonable based on a student's academic record, provided the school has everything a student is looking for in a college. The best way to avoid applying to too many schools is to start early on the college search so you can eliminate schools before you even get to the application process. Applying to 5 schools is usually plenty. Many students need to apply to fewer.
How do I apply to college?
There are several different ways to do this. Many colleges have online applications, which students are finding very convenient. You can find these on a college website under "admissions" or "prospective students". Schools provide paper applications at college fairs, guidance offices, and through the mail if a student requests it. Many students will find the Common Application highly useful. The Common Application is a universal application accepted by over 240 private college and a few state schools. If several schools of interest accept it, a student can fill out this one application and send it to those schools. This is a tremendous time saver, especially since that means just one college essay for those schools!
Will colleges look down on an applicant who uses the Common Application?
Absolutely not. Many students feel that colleges will think they are lazy for using it. However the colleges who subscribe to it welcome it. In fact, for many colleges, this is THE application form. Students should be aware that most schools have an additional "supplement" to the Common App, and should make sure they get submitted with the application. The Common Application has teacher recommendations (2) as well.
How do I get teacher recommendations?
The answer is quite simple: Ask them for it! But ask a teacher early on, even Junior year so you are ahead of the rush. If you feel a teacher will write you a good recommendation, there is a good chance many other kids feel the same about that teacher. You want to give the teachers ample to time to write you a nice one, so don't wait until the last minute to ask the teacher to help you. Furthermore, if you want a teacher to write positive things about you, you want to show maturity and responsibility by getting the recommendation forms to them on time. The Common Application has teacher recommendation forms, as do many college applications. If they don't have specific forms, a document on letterhead is just fine.