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August 2013

Dear Upper School Parents and Students,

I’m excited to send out my first newsletter as the Director of College Counseling! I come to DDS after six years at Furman University where I served as the Senior Assistant Director of Admission and the Athletic Liaison. In that role, I reviewed thousands of admission and scholarship applications each year, including all applications from Mecklenburg and Iredell counties. This means I had the privilege of reading all Davidson Day applications that were submitted to Furman since the inaugural graduating class of 2009!

During my time in admission, I watched DDS grow physically and improve academically, but most importantly, I gained a keen understanding of the curriculum and culture at this school, which has prepared me to serve as an advocate for our students during the college admission process. My counseling philosophy, in a phrase, is individualized and student-centered. I understand that DDS students are incredibly diverse and require a personalized approach to develop their full potential. My goal is to assist and empower students during the college process so they are prepared to choose the college of best fit and successfully move into the next phase of their education. I am excited to assist in all aspects of the college planning process, including researching colleges, creating a balanced college list, planning for standardized tests, college essay writing, the financial aid process, career planning and the myriad factors to think about in making that important final decision.

As a new member of the DDS community I am eager to get to know each of you, and I expect it to be a great year! Please be in touch if you have any questions.

Go Patriots!Tia Sullivan

Table of Contents

Welcome from Tia Sullivan

Letter from Tia..................Page 1

Campus Visit Tips.............Page 2

2013 Colleges of Choice...Page 3

Calendar of Events............Page 4

SAT/ACT Dates..................Page 5

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Visit, Visit, VisitOne of the most important components of the college admission process is the campus visit! Selecting a college is a commitment that will affect your entire life. This decision shouldn’t be based on what you read about a school or see on a website. Go see it for yourself!

In addition to attending information sessions, taking campus tours, and completing interviews, here are some ways to make the most of your campus visit:

1) Eat on campus and talk to students. Eating a casual meal in the dining hall, student union, food court, or grabbing a snack at the campus coffee shop is a great way to see students in their natural state. You will learn a lot through observations. Feel free to engage the students in conversation. Many of them are eager to talk about their school! Great questions for students include: As a freshman did you get all the courses you wanted in the registration process?, How many of your professors know your name?, Do you have enough academic support on campus?, How is school spirit?

2) Explore the city. The location of the school will make a big difference in your experience so walk around the city and experience it first-hand. You can check visitor bureau websites for tips on local hotels, restaurants, and entertainment options.

3) Visit residence halls. Most schools show a residence hall as part of the tour. As you can imagine these are often the nicest residence halls on campus – the rooms are clean and the hall is usually well-decorated! Make an effort to walk around and see residence halls that aren’t included on your tour. These halls and rooms will give you a better idea of the standard living arrangements.

4) Actively look for faculty. While you’re on campus you want to see faculty participation. Request meetings with faculty in the department of your choice if possible!

Fall is a great time for both seniors and juniors to visit colleges! Seniors have three excused college visit days, and many schools look at demonstrated interest as they make admission decisions. Be sure to do some research on each school before you arrive and prepare thoughtful questions. Always follow-up with an email or handwritten note to the admission office after your visit! If you would like feedback or suggestions before your campus visits feel free to contact Ms. Sullivan.

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American Academy of Dramatic Arts/WestBelmont Abbey CollegeCarson-Newman CollegeClemson UniversityCollege of CharlestonCornell UniversityEckerd CollegeElon UniversityGardner-Webb UniversityGuilford CollegeHampton UniversityHigh Point UniversityLoyola Marymount UniversityMars Hill CollegeNorth Carolina Central UniversityNorth Carolina State UniversityPresbyterian CollegeQueens University of CharlotteRadford UniversityRandolph CollegeRensselaer Polytechnic InstituteRhodes CollegeRoanoke CollegeSt. Andrews Presbyterian CollegeSt. Olaf College

The College of WoosterThe University of AlabamaUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillTufts UniversityUnited States Military AcademyUniversity of North Carolina at AshevilleUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillUniversity of North Carolina at CharlotteUniversity of North Carolina at GreensboroUniversity of South Carolina UpstateVirginia Military InstituteWake Forest University

Class of 2013 Colleges of Choice

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SAT Test Dates

October 5, 2013

November 2, 2013

December 7, 2013

January 25, 2014

March 8, 2014

May 3, 2014

June 7, 2014

September 21, 2013

October 26, 2013

December 14, 2013

February 8, 2014

April 12, 2014

June 14, 2014

SAT Registration Deadline

September 6, 2013

October 3, 2013

November 8, 2013

December 27, 2013

February 7, 2014

April 4, 2014

May 9, 2014

August 23, 2013

September 27, 2013

November 8, 2013

January 10, 2014

March 7, 2014

May 9, 2014

ACT Test Dates ACT Registration Deadline