R each H igh S cholars

1. Reach High Scholars

2. Tonight’s Program Why Attend a Highly Competitive College? You Can Afford It – Even in This Economy How to Get In Progress to Date of the Reach High Scholars Program

3. Why Attend a Highly Competitive College? • Greater intellectual stimulation from professors who are leaders in their field • An energized group of fellow students, many of whom will become future leaders • Availability of more academic facilities (classrooms, libraries, labs, etc.) • More small, seminar-type classes • Better job opportunities after graduation • Better chance of acceptance in top graduate schools (business, law, medicine) • Better long-term support system among alumni and faculty

4. Salary Potential From Highly Competitive Colleges Median Salaries ($$) StartingMid-Career Ivy League Schools56,200-66,500107,000-134,000 Large State Universities52,600-59,900 93,000-112,000 Small Liberal Arts Colleges 46,100-54,50085,800-110,000 Engineering Schools71,800-75,500122,000-126,000 UNH41,80078,300 Source: www.payscale.com. Based on graduates with Bachelors degrees (and no higher degrees)

5. You Classmates May Become Famous Amherst Calvin Coolidge, Dan Brown Bates Bryant Gumbel Bowdoin Franklin Pierce, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry W. Longfellow Brown John D. Rockefeller, Jr., John F. Kennedy, Jr., Mary Chapin Carpenter Dartmouth Daniel Webster, Robert Frost, Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss) Harvard Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Al Gore, Bill Gates Princeton Woodrow Wilson, Ralph Nader, Michelle Obama, Bill Bradley Tufts Bill Richardson, Tracy Chapman

6. You Can Afford It –Even in This Economy Financial aid is the one sacrosanct expense category that is not being reduced. Many highly-competitive colleges have: - increased the aid budget for next year - eliminated or reduced student loans. This results in increased admissions competition

7. Endowment per Student at Selected Colleges

8. Great Schools, Great Prices Total Cost and Grants (Avg. 34 Top Colleges) Slslll Student Debt % Grads Avg. Amount w/ Debtof Debt Avg. of 14 Top Colleges For Which Data Available* 31% $7,655 UNH $25,000 St. Anselm 82% $33,36 * Five of which have eliminated student loans

9. Important Financial Aid Policies Need-Blind Admission vs. Need-Aware Admission Need-Blind An applicant's ability to pay for their education will not be a factor in the admission decision. Financial need is not taken into consideration when deciding to admit, wait list or deny an applicant. Need-Aware Account is taken of the ability of the applicant to pay the full cost. A portion of the incoming class will receive financial aid based on their needs. Once most of the available aid funds are committed, acceptances will be based on an ability of applicants to pay substantially all of the full cost.

10. Important Financial Aid Policies (cont.) Need-Based Financial Aid vs. Merit-Based Scholarships Need-Based Aid Solely on the basis of financial need. The aid is not based on academic merit, athletic ability or special talents. It remains available so long as the financial need exists. Merit-Based Scholarships Scholarships awarded for academic, athletic and other extracurricular achievement. The awards are frequently without regard to financial need and normally are subject to continuing fulfillment of certain conditions.

11. Steps to Get Into a Highly Competitive College Start working on these in freshman year: • High school courses and grades • Activities and sports • Standardized tests • Supplemental academic activities • Familiarization with colleges RHS is not well known in Admissions Offices

12. Supplemental Academic Activities Residential Summer Programs: Private Boarding Schools Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford, CT Phillips Academy Summer Session, Andover, MA Philips Exeter Academy Summer School, Exeter NH St. Paul’s School Advanced Studies Program, Concord NH Universities Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Lenox MA Brown University, Summer@Brown, Providence RI Dartmouth College, Summer Enrichment At Dartmouth, Hanover NH Harvard University, Secondary School Program, Cambridge MA Johns Hopkins, Center for Talented Youth, Baltimore MD Research Science Institute at Caltech and MIT, Pasadena CA & Cambridge MA

13. RHS Students Attending Summer Programs St. Paul’s School Advanced Studies Program Karry Anne Belanger ………………Intro to Chinese Language & Culture Cassie Chamberlain………………..Studio Arts Randy Carlson………………………Artificial Intelligence Holly Montmarquet………………….Ecology Cassie Tracey……………………….Molecular Biology Phillips Exeter Academy Summer School Sophomores: Kristina FrancoeurFreshman: Collin Spinney Samantha Harmon Jake Leavitt Jonathan Lemay Ami Neeper Abrielle Webster

14. Supplemental Academic Activities • Residential School-Year Program (one term): • The Mountain School of Milton Academy, Vershire, VT • On-line Honors and AP Courses: • Virtual Learning Academy Charter School, Exeter, NH

15. Acceptance Rates at Selected Highly Competitive Colleges for Class of 2013 College% ApplicantsSAT 25th-75th# of RHS Class AcceptedPercentile of ‘09 on W/L Harvard 7 1400-1590 Yale 7.5 1400-1590 Stanford 7.6 1340-1550 Princeton 9.8 1390-1580 MIT 10.2 1380-1560 Brown 10.8 1330-1530 Dartmouth 12 1330-1550 1 Amherst 15.8 1330-1530 Bowdoin 18.5 1300-1470 2 Wesleyan 22 1300-1490 Middlebury 22.2 1300-1490 Bates 25.1 1260-1410 1 Cornell 26.1 1290-1500 1 (w/ trans. option) Hamilton 29 1280-1460 2 Colby 33.9 1280-1440 2

16. Next Tier “Competitive” CollegesNational Universities

17. Next Tier “Competitive” Colleges Liberal Arts Colleges