As the school year winds down to a close, most high school seniors and their parents naturally have their thoughts on graduation and the college experience that awaits them next fall. That is always especially true in Roslyn, where nearly all graduates plan to attend college.

On average, 90 percent of Roslyn High School's college-bound seniors attend four-year colleges, including some of the most renowned institutions of higher learning in the country. There is always much to admire in the educational ambitions of Roslyn High School's graduating class, and this year is no exception. Some 22 percent of our seniors received acceptances to Ivy League colleges, and many, many more are on their way to dozens of outstanding public and private American universities.

While we, as a school community, are justifiably proud of the levels of accomplishment which enable our students to gain acceptance into such fine schools, there is much more to the story of applying for college than just sending students to the "best" colleges and universities. The goal of the high school's guidance department is to help students and their families find the right school for each individual child.

There are many factors besides a student's past academic record and a college's scholastic requirements that contribute to a decision to apply to a particular school. Of course, the field of study a youngster wishes to pursue is vitally important, but so are his or her special talents or abilities. The cost of tuition and the availability of financial aid are certainly major considerations. A school's size and location, its history and traditions, its unique individual culture and atmosphere are all aspects of a college's profile that must be taken in to account. Though two students may have very similar academic backgrounds and interests, a large urban school may be right for one while a small-town college is preferable for another. All colleges, like all students, are different, and the decision is therefore a complicated one.

In addition to the individual, one-on-one assistance that our guidance counselors provide to students in their pursuit of higher education, Roslyn High School undertakes a number of other initiatives during the course of each school year to assist in the process. Just a few weeks ago, for example, Roslyn hosted a regional "College Night" program in which parents from a half-dozen neighboring schools gathered to meet with representatives from several dozen colleges and universities. This exceptional evening enables parents to become acquainted with the many options available as their children begin to think about special colleges to which they might apply.

Earlier in the school year, the guidance department held its annual "College Planning Night" for parents of students in their junior year. This program provides a valuable opportunity to become acquainted with the application process itself. The department publishes a College Admission Planning Guide, a very valuable booklet that covers a variety of topics including entrance examinations, early decision and early action, interviews, college athletics and financial aid in addition to the selection of a college itself.

The lengthy process culminates in this very special time of year in which students, their parents and families deservedly enjoy the satisfying results of much hard work, dedication and support that have led our graduates to the milestone of graduation and to the doorstep of promising college careers. The entire school community, through its consistent support for public education, also deserves a share of that wonderful success.