The Road to College

Choosing a college is one of the biggest decisions that our students will make! It is a very exciting time, full of academic focus, discovery and dreaming about the future. The Class of 2022 took another step on the road to college when they attended College Boot Camp on Monday led by Joy Rice, Director of Counseling and College Counselor. The Boot Camp covered topics such as upcoming visits from college representatives, updating Naviance, institutional applications, the Common App, choosing teachers for recommendation letters, and the importance of adhering to deadlines.

To ensure that all our students are ultimately prepared to make an informed college decision, the Upper School grade level counselors actively engage with their students in the college process throughout high school.  The process is an important period of self-reflection and self-direction.

Beginning in 9^th grade students are encouraged to explore academics, clubs and activities, interests, and service. This is the first step in becoming aware of their strengths, interests, and goals. They are also introduced to Naviance so they can immediately begin to build their resumes.

 “We encourage our freshmen to formulate their Personal Engagement Plan with the guidance of their counselor, to explore colleges and majors and careers, and to begin setting their goals.  Setting an early college vision gives our girls a growth mindset for college planning,” said Mrs. Rice.

During 10^th and 11^th grade, students are given guidance to challenge themselves-through accelerated academic coursework, extracurricular pursuits, and service opportunities. Students can explore career interests by taking the Naviance Career Interest Profiler and discussing these results with their counselor one-on-one. In addition to the College Boot Camps for seniors, Mrs. Rice also holds Road to College meetings for freshmen, sophomores and juniors.

Each student's path in this process is unique and the students must take the lead in this meaningful time of self-exploration. Our Upper School Counseling Center takes a proactive, collaborative approach among students, counselors, teachers, and parents to prepare our graduates with the knowledge, skills, and mindset to succeed and contribute to our diverse world.

Working in conjunction with students and parents throughout the high school years ensures the most positive results in the college selection process, providing our graduates endless opportunities. Our 2021 graduates earned $10 million in scholarships and were accepted to 65 colleges and universities worldwide!