Would you like to submit an article to the biweekly e-newsletter? Go to www.venturescholar.org/hs/answers/submission.asp.

About the Author: Bola A. is from Salisbury, MD and attends Parkside High School. Bola would like to major in biomedical engineering.

Summer Programs
I recently returned from the Carnegie Mellon Summer Academy for Math and Science and it was the best 6 weeks I've ever spent. The camp does require a long stretch of summer break, but I believe that it was worth every minute. All students take a math class and SAT prep; the juniors take physics and master student and the seniors take english. At the end of the day, everyone spends two hours in an engineering project of their choice and the choices vary from music engineering to forensics. What attracted me most to the program was that after acceptance, room, board and tuition were completely paid for by the university. I couldn't have afforded a $5000 camp and without a program like this, I would have spent another boring summer at home. I learned so much from this program and strongly encourage all rising juniors and seniors to apply. The SAMS program was a great experience.

About the Author: Hi, my name is Sarah. I am now a senior at Pacifica High School. I enjoy doing Tae Kwon Do, dance, and lab experiments.

My Experiences at Kettering University
In the early spring of my junior year, I was accepted to Kettering University's Lives Improve Through Engineering summer program. It was a two-week experience where about 30 other girls and I got to live in the dorms, take various science classes, and conduct relevant lab work. In addition to that, We got to take a tour of Pall Corporation, Milford Proving Grounds, and McLaren Hospital. This was not two-weeks of mere class time; at Kettering, as I have learned, they are all about hands on experience. During my time there, I did the following: put a cast on my partner's arm, drilled that same cast off, calculated the force exerted to hold a 50 gram weight, extracted the fat out of potato chips, assembled a car seat, dismantled a seat belt, compared DNA by gel electrophoresis, and simulated an AIDs lab. The best experiences there, however, were with the girls that I met. We were from all over the nation. I was the only girl from California, so while they questioned me about surfing and swimming, I asked them about snow and all the various snow sports. We were all interested in math and science, so we all appreciated the facilities and labs that we were exposed to. After a hard day in classes or labs, our mentors (female Kettering students) would take us to see a movie or a step aerobics class or a dance class being taught on campus. Other times we would go off-campus for a competitive game of whirly ball, a mix of basketball and bumper cars. My experiences at the LITE program were definitely one-of-a-kind.

I encourage all juniors interested in math and science to look at the website of this year's program: www.kettering.edu/news/archivedDetail.asp?storynum=301

It was one of the highlights of my summer and a great opportunity for young women to learn more about the applications of math and science.

About The Author: Elizabeth R is from West Hartford, Ct and attends Farmington High School. She plans to major in physical therapy.

Internships
My parents gave me the idea to pursue physical therapy, and after my "job shadowing" experience at two different hospitals I knew it was what I wanted to with my life.

During the summer before my senior year at Farmington High School I set up a job shadow at two hospitals, Special Care in Bristol and Children’s Hospital in Hartford. I went into these two experiences thinking I knew exactly what I wanted and exactly how I could go about doing that. Well I was very mistaken. After these two experiences, not only had I changed my mind, I was more sure than ever that this is what I wanted to do with my life. I highly recommend job shadowing a professional practicing the career you want to pursue. If not to verify you preconceived connotations then to gain valuable experience.

Ventures Scholars are invited to ask questions and obtain answers to the questions. Questions and answers will appear in the biweekly e-newsletter and on the Ventures Scholars Program Web site. To read questions posed by other Ventures Scholars, please go to www.venturescholar.org/hs/answers/experts.html. If you would like to submit a question, please email questions to webmaster@ventures.org.

This week's questions:

• Ivy League Colleges and Scholarships
  I intend to apply for admission to any Ivy League School this Fall. I have competitive grades and test scores that will help my application process. With the Ivy Leagues need-based admission policy I don't expect my parents to receive much assistance. Are there ways to attend an Ivy League school without going into considerable debt? What are some examples of scholarships that can be applied for an individual interested in attending an Ivy League school?
  Click here to view responses.

• Forensic Science on the West Coast
  I read about forensic science being given at Cedar Crest but I would like to know if there is any other college or university offering forensic science in the west coast. I would like to major in forensic science and if I don't find somewhere in the west coast where I can do that directly, then I would have to do a double major in biology and chemistry or biochemistry and criminology or anthropology. Also, do you have to be in police training or military training to be in forensic science and maybe work for the government? Thank you for your time.
  Click here to view responses.

• Membership for First-Generation College-Bound Student
  I am a rising senior in Boston, MA. I have been checked out your website about the Venture Scholars Program. I am Asian American, but I am a first generation low-income family. I also meet the requirements listed on the website. But I do not know why I have not been nominated to participate in this program. How can I get membership to this program? Thanks.
  Click here to view responses.

"I intend to apply for admission to any Ivy League School this Fall. I have competitive grades and test scores that will help my application process. With the Ivy Leagues need-based admission policy I don't expect my parents to receive much assistance. Are there ways to attend an Ivy League school without going into considerable debt? What are some examples of scholarships that can be applied for an individual interested in attending an Ivy League school?"

Responses were sent from:
Ventures Scholars Program.

Member Institution and Association Answers

"I read about forensic science being given at Cedar Crest but I would like to know if there is any other college or university offering forensic science in the west coast. I would like to major in forensic science and if I don't find somewhere in the west coast where I can do that directly, then I would have to do a double major in biology and chemistry or biochemistry and criminology or anthropology. Also, do you have to be in police training or military training to be in forensic science and maybe work for the government? Thank you for your time."

Responses were sent from:
Ventures Scholars Program.

Member Institution and Association Answers

"I am a rising senior in Boston, MA. I have been checking out your website about the Venture Scholars Program. I am Asian American, but I am from a first generation low-income family. I also meet the requirements listed on the website. But I do not know why I have not been nominated to participate in this program. How can I get membership to this program? Thanks."

Responses were sent from:
Ventures Scholars Program.

Member Institution and Association Answers

Juniors

• Register for the October PSAT.
• Meet with your guidance counselor to review your courses for this year and plan your schedule for senior year.
• Save samples of your best work for your academic portfolio (all year).
• Maintain your co-curricular record (all year).

Seniors

• Make sure you have all applications required for college admission and financial aid. Write, phone, or use the Internet to request missing information.
• Check on application and financial aid deadlines for the schools to which you plan to apply. They may vary and it is essential to meet all deadlines!
• Meet with your guidance counselor to be sure your list includes colleges appropriate to your academic and personal record.
• Review your transcript and co-curricular records with your school counselor to ensure their accuracy.
• Register for the October/November SAT Reasoning Test and/or SAT Subject Tests, or September/October ACT.
• If the colleges require recommendations, ask the appropriate people to write on your behalf. At least three weeks before the due date, ask your counselor and teachers, employers, or coaches to write letters of recommendation.
• Provide recommendation forms, any special instructions and a stamped, addressed business envelope to the people writing your recommendation. Be thoughtful! Write thank-you notes to those who write recommendations and keep them informed of your decisions.
• Plan visits to colleges and set up interviews (if you didn't get to them during the summer or if you want to return to a campus for a second time). Read bulletin boards and the college newspaper. Talk with current students and professors.

As a Ventures Scholar, you can access information about programs, opportunities and resources from over 200 member colleges and universities in 35 states.

Go to www.venturescholar.org/hs/undergradlist.html to link to the Ventures Scholars Program member colleges and universities.

Ventures Scholars can complete a questionnaire which will be submitted to member colleges, universities and professional associations for feedback. Please remember to use complete sentences, check your grammar and reread your answers before submitting them. College and university admissions personnel will notice your mistakes!

Please go to www.venturescholar.org/hs/hsquest.asp and complete the questionnaire.

We hope you are planning to visit your favorite member institutions. Open houses offer opportunities for Ventures Scholars to visit a college campus and learn about their programs. Some member institutions provide a one-day open house, others offer overnight programs. If your favorite member institution is not listed in this section, please go to www.venturescholar.org/hs/undergradcontact.html and locate the name of the admissions representative. Call or email them to obtain information about the open house at your favorite member institution. Below is a list of schools hosting open houses in August, September, and October.

The Ventures Scholars Program understands the importance of linking with professional associations and organizations that can help Ventures Scholars prepare for math- and science-based careers.

Go to www.venturescholar.org/hs/associntro.html to learn more about our professional associations and to get your career-related questions answered.

The American School Counselors Association has just released a report titled Parental Attitude and Frequency of Initiating Contact, which is based on a telephone survey of over 2000 adults. The survey results found nearly one-quarter of parents did not initiate contact with their child's school counselor during the previous school year. Sixty-eight percent of parents agreed that their child's school counselor plays an
important role in their child's school experience.

To read the results of the survey, go to:
http://www.fhidc.com/asca/downloads/ASCA_SurveyReport.pdf  (PDF File)

The Center for American Progress and the Institute for American's Future have just released a report titled Getting Smarter, Becoming Fairer: A Progressive Education Agenda for a Stronger Nation. The report provides an analysis of education by state and provides policy recommendations to strengthen education.

To read the report, go to:
http://emailimages.ctsg.com/caf/edureport_gsbf_full_report.pdf  (PDF File)

NCES has released a new report on American Indians and Alaskan Natives in elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education. The report titled Status and Trends in the Education of American Indians and Alaskan Natives presents a selection of indicators that illustrate the educational performance and attainment of American Indians and Alaska Natives, who make up 1 percent of the U.S. population. Over the past 20
years, American Indians/Alaska Natives have made gains in key education areas, such as increased educational attainment of its adult population. However, gaps in academic performance between American Indian/Alaska Native and White students remain, along with higher poverty, unemployment, and dropout rates.

To read the report, go to:
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2005108

Do you have an understanding of the your skills, abilities, values, and interests? Once you get a better understanding about yourself, career exploration will become a lot easier.

Go to www.venturescholar.org/resource/assessments-hs.html.

Make sure you are taking challenging coursework!

For information about courses, go to
http://www.venturescholar.org/resource/academicsuccess-hs.html#courses

Make sure you don’t forget about the upcoming ACT and SAT examinations!

Read more:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/calenfees/calenfees2.html
http://www.actstudent.org/regist/currentdates.html

Are you thinking of applying early action/early decision? Many of our member institutions are eager to speak with you!

Go to www.venturescholar.org/hs/ea_ed.html.

Are you thinking about the college planning process? Take some time to view these sites:

College Applications
http://www.venturescholar.org/resource/apply-hs.html#applications

College Interviews
http://www.venturescholar.org/resource/apply-hs.html#interviews

College Recommendation Letters
http://www.venturescholar.org/resource/apply-hs.html#letters

Take time to learn about your state's scholarship opportunities and other higher education opportunities. You might need to peruse the site to access the appropriate information.

Read more:
http://www.statelocalgov.net/50states-education.cfm

To access additional information about financial aid and scholarships, go to http://www.venturescholar.org/resource/finaid.html