October 2026

Momentum is building!

September has been a busy month in High School Counseling. Our Grade 9 students have begun settling into high school and working with their counselors, while our seniors have officially moved from talking about university applications to completing them.

October will bring another important stretch of programming, including continued Counselor Courses, university visits, the PSAT, and our annual University Application Bootcamp. As always, our goal is to provide students with the right information, support, and opportunities at the right time

Grade 12: Application Season Is Officially Underway

Thank you to the students and families who joined us for University Night. We appreciated the opportunity to officially kick off application season together and discuss admissions trends, insights from the Class of 2026, application strategy, ASD procedures, and the timelines that will guide the months ahead.

Our seniors have also completed their first two Counselor Course sessions. We began by setting intentions for the application season and reviewing where students should be at this point in the process. From there, Counselor Course shifted into what it is designed to be: working time. Students have been assigned specific tasks and given dedicated time to complete them with a counselor nearby to answer questions, troubleshoot problems, and provide guidance.

Where Should My Senior Be Right Now?

At minimum, students actively preparing applications should have:

1. A finalized list of universities to which they intend to apply, with each institution accurately reflected in the Applying section of MAIA Learning.

2. Letters of recommendation logged in MAIA Learning after students have spoken directly with their recommenders.

3. A testing plan in place. Students intending to submit SAT scores with early applications should be preparing for this weekend's SAT administration.

4. Drafts of essays and/or personal statements underway.

If any of these items remain outstanding, students should connect with their counselor as soon as possible.

Counselor Course will resume after the break, when our attention turns specifically to essays and personal statements.

October 20 Is a Big Day!

Save the Date | October 20 University Application Bootcamp & Study in Boston

October 20 | 9:00 AM–12:30 PM

Three hours. Applications open. Counselors available. Let's get some work done.

Our University Application Bootcamp provides Grade 12 students with an extended block of uninterrupted working time specifically devoted to completing university applications.

Counselors will be available throughout the morning, and students who arrive with a draft of an essay or personal statement will also have an opportunity to receive feedback from a member of the English Department.

The goal is simple: Ready to submit

More information will follow.

Special Event: Study in Boston | October 20 at 7:00 PM Doha Time

Students considering Boston should take particular note of a special virtual presentation featuring representatives from Boston University, Boston College, Babson College, and Northeastern University.

For students interested in Northeastern, participation may be especially useful. Northeastern's current Common Data Set indicates that an applicant's level of interest is considered as part of its admissions process. University Decision Support

So what is demonstrated interest?

Simply put, demonstrated interest refers to the ways a student meaningfully engages with a university before applying. This might include attending an information session, participating in a university visit, joining a virtual program, or otherwise taking advantage of opportunities to learn about the institution. Not every university considers demonstrated interest, and students should never engage simply to "collect points." The most valuable engagement is genuine and helps a student determine whether a university is actually a good fit.

While our seniors are working on applications at Bootcamp, students in Grades 9–11 will be taking the PSAT.

PSAT | What Is It and Why Does It Matter?

The PSAT is part of the College Board's SAT Suite of Assessments and gives students experience with the Reading and Writing and Math skills assessed on the SAT. The digital assessment is administered through Bluebook and takes approximately 2 hours and 14 minutes, divided into Reading and Writing and Math sections. SAT Suite

For most of our students, we want the PSAT to be viewed as practice, not pressure.

It provides several useful benefits. Students gain experience with the digital testing format and pacing, receive information about their current strengths and areas for growth, and establish a baseline to guide future SAT preparation.

For eligible Grade 11 students taking the PSAT/NMSQT, the assessment can also serve as the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Program. Because ASD students test outside the United States, additional citizenship and residency requirements apply to participation in the National Merit competition. National Merit

What Should Students Be Doing Now?

There is no need to cram. A little intentional preparation is far more valuable.

Students can begin by opening Bluebook, becoming comfortable with the testing interface, and completing one of the full-length PSAT practice assessments now available in the application. College Board specifically added new full-length PSAT practice tests to Bluebook for Fall 2026. SAT Suite

After completing a practice assessment, students should spend more time examining why they missed questions than worrying about the practice score itself. Look for patterns. Is there a particular math concept that needs review? Are certain Reading and Writing questions consistently difficult? That information gives students something specific and manageable to work on.

And, as test day approaches, the basics matter: adequate sleep, a good breakfast, arriving prepared, and remembering that one test is simply one data point in a much larger academic journey.

Digital Readiness

Prior to October 20, we will conduct a digital readiness check to ensure students can access Bluebook and that their testing devices are prepared.

College Board recommends that students testing digitally arrive with a fully charged device and power cord or portable charger. Students may bring an acceptable calculator, although Bluebook includes a built-in calculator. Scratch paper is provided, and students may use a pen or pencil. Bluebook

We will communicate ASD-specific test-day instructions to students as the date approaches

Prevention Education | You asked for me, we heard you!

Our recent work with the team from Prevention Education left many of us wanting to continue the conversation.

In particular, discussions around addictive behaviors, vaping, gambling, and some of the increasingly sophisticated ways these activities are marketed and made accessible to young people generated significant interest.

Rather than guessing what our parent community would find most helpful next, we want to ask you.

What would you like to learn more about this year? What topics would help you better understand and support your teenager? Would you attend a parent coffee, an evening workshop, a webinar, or a parent-student program?

We are building future programming now and would love your input.

SHARE YOUR PROGRAMMING IDEAS

Your feedback will help us ensure that our parent programming responds to the questions and concerns that are actually present in our community.