Dear Juniors and Parents & Guardians,

We are excited to begin the college process with you this winter! In preparation, I'm writing to share important dates, events, and resources (this was also shared by email in June).

Mark Your Calendar for Required Events

Each junior and at least one parent/guardian must attend the events below:

Introduction to the College Process (Part 1): Dec. 9, 7-8:30 pm in-person or Dec. 16, 7-8:30 pm virtually
Introduction to the College Process (Part 2): January 8, 7-8:30 pm in-person or virtually
College Admissions Deans & Directors Panel for Parents/Guardians: May 7, 6:30-9 pm, in-person
College Admissions Deans & Directors Panel for 11th Grade Students: May 8 during school hours

A full calendar of events is on our Resources page under the “Calendar” tab.

Standardized Testing

Lakeside will offer a suite of exams, mock tests, and opportunities to learn about the PSAT, ACT, and SAT. (Any Lakeside junior wishing to test is guaranteed a space at the School Day SAT and/or ACT. ) Important dates include:

Coffee Talk for Parents & Guardians on Testing: September 25, 8:30 - 9:45 am, Fireplace Room or Virtual. Watch the Standardized Testing Video on the Resources page beforehand.
PSAT: October 17 (All classes canceled) - registration opens late September or early October
Mock ACT (virtual & remote): November 8 - registration opens in October
School Day ACT Exam: March 10 - registration opens in January
School Day SAT Exam: March 27 - registration opens in January

While most colleges no longer require testing, about two dozen do– and many of these are popular among Lakeside. Therefore, the college counseling office recommends that students take an official SAT or ACT at least once.

Resources at your Fingertips

We encourage you to watch the videos and read the frequently asked questions (FAQs) on our Resources page about activities, course selection, and more. Because the college counselors are unable to offer one-on-one meetings until winter of this year, our hope is that our Resources page offers helpful information and guidance. If you haven’t visited our Resources page before, watch this eight-minute video highlighting its many resources.

Preparing to Fund a College Education

Planning in advance is an important step for all families in funding a college education. If cost, especially that of private education (annual costs at private institutions range from $65,000 to $95,000), is concerning or out-of-reach, families should watch the webinar series on our Resources page (go to the “Financial Aid Resources tab”) by College Money Method. There might be steps families can take now to increase their financial aid eligibility. I’d encourage you to watch the following three webinars:

Learning how the financial aid process works and exploring your financial fit.
Understanding how colleges assess your financial situation and aid eligibility.
Building financial fit and affordability into your school lists.

Athletic Recruiting

In some sports, especially baseball, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, and volleyball, the Division 1 (D1) recruiting timeline begins early. Students considering playing a collegiate sport should watch our video and read the FAQs on the Resources page. In select circumstances, students might need to meet with a college counselor sooner if they are already being contacted by D1 coaches. The video explains this in more detail.

We hope your school year is off to a great start!

Ari B. Worthman

Director of College Counseling