Camille M. Bertram
Educational Consultants
The Next Journey Begins…
For Email Marketing you can trust 
Welcome to Bertram Directions, our new e-newsletter for parents, educators, and others committed to educational excellence.
Autumn is an exciting and challenging time for families. Graduate and college applications, essays and recommendations, school visits, academic evaluations, balance between school and social pressures -- all swirl around households like so many wind-blown leaves. But our team can create a sense of purpose, direction, and calm during this busy season, helping you find the right path at each stage.
This is also a season when children tend to act out in ways that may require new educational options. We help parents in their search for an appropriate, safe, and healthy environment.
Our seasoned team of professionals ensures that every student and family gets an edge -- the Bertram Edge -- in achieving educational excellence. We welcome your suggestions for future issues.
Warmly,
Cammie Bertram and The Bertram Team
http://www.cmbertram.com/
191 Post Road West, Westport, Connecticut 06880
203.255.2577
Signs and Signals
The Changing Education Landscape
According to this recent trend study, the number of applications to four-year colleges and universities has increased for the fourth year in a row. 3.33 million students graduated from high school in 2008-09, reaching a peak in a decade of consistent growth.
In March of 2009, the New York Times launched "The Choice," a blog devoted to the college application process. Real-time data and interactive media are terrific, but we believe that nothing can replace one-on-one counseling and guidance.
LSAT and GMAT test-taking seem to be on the upswing, as many college graduates and adult job-changers see graduate school as an attractive option during an uncertain economy. Bertram has recently expanded its counseling team to ensure that our clients have an "edge" in the application process.
What is the "right education" for the years ahead? Thomas Friedman's perspective on the "new untouchables" can be found in this thought-provoking editorial from the New York Times.
The Right Road
Planning and Parenting Guidance
College, graduate school, independent day and boarding school applications and school visits, essay editing, sports and social schedules are all activities of the season. Combined with the upcoming demands of holiday planning, it's enough to stress even the calmest of families.
Working with an independent advisor can often relieve some of the parent/child tension points that occur during this busy time. Be sure to:
- Plan family activities that do not involve academics;
- Encourage your child to exercise and eat well. Did you know that 14-18 year olds eat the equivalent of 34 teaspoons of sugar every day?;
- Resist the temptation to over-book, building some "chilling-out" time into everyone's schedule.
Having trouble talking to your teenager? You can now get guidance directly from the mouths of babes. Two 17-year olds have authored this book to help parents "break the code" on communication.
Students applying to college and graduate school and those who are job-hunting need to watch their manners in the virtual world as well as the real world. 10% of college admission officers confess to looking at applicants' Facebook profiles. Here is some useful guidance.
Our Footprints
Latest News from Bertram
Please welcome these two experienced professionals to the Bertram team…
Melinda L. Irwin, Ph.D., M.P.H. is no stranger to research and care. She is now applying her extensive academic background, passion for mentoring, and experience with admissions to counsel Bertram's clients on college and graduate school acceptance. She is an Associate Professor and researcher at Yale University.
Nuria O. Rubert has more than 20 years of college advisory experience, counseling, tutoring, and mentoring hundreds of secondary school students (including her own three children -- all student athletes). A Princeton graduate herself, she joined the Bertram team in the spring of 2009.
Be sure to consult us with your questions about high school post-graduate and gap year opportunities and executive coaching for adults. We pride ourselves on being involved in all aspects of the education process -- from childhood through adulthood.
We listen carefully to Bertram families and their changing needs. We will expand our services in January 2010, adding new specialists to our team and focusing on new options at all levels of education.
The Savvy Guide
Expert Insights
Marcie Swift, M.Ed., a Nationally Certified School Psychologist has designed a program called Roadmap for Success (now available to Bertram families). She believes that students need to better understand their passions, abilities, and motivators before they can make rational decisions about college and graduate school. Each student gets a 60-page "self-analysis" and can then develop a personalized mission statement and action plan. "This simple and actionable process can save a student years of costly major-changing and uncertainty," says Swift. Contact us for more information and to schedule a personalized assessment.
Interested in learning about trends and new developments in boarding schools right now? Our colleague Peter Baron of AdmissionsQuest publishes a terrific blog for parents and students seeking insights and information. Check it out here.
The Compass
Chart the Course
November - December
The Socially-Responsible Highway: A Greener Route
Each month, this section will focus on an aspect of education related to sustainability.
Green careers are an area of growth, and these schools have developed programs geared toward helping future graduates prepare for sustainable jobs. And many colleges have taken significant steps to "green their campuses." This College Sustainability Report Card is an ideal way to see how a particular school is faring in its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.
For Email Marketing you can trust 
