The beginning of high school is a time of exploration and discovery. Connecting with teachers, identifying areas of interest, and engaging in the life of the school are all ways to begin building a strong foundation for high school and beyond. The best preparation for the college process is to simply be a high school student. The College Counseling Office hosts 9th grade parents at a Meet and Greet in the winter to introduce our program and field questions about how to plan for college.

Sophomores continue to deepen their engagement in the high school experience. In 10th grade, students will sit for the PSAT exam in October, which will be their first exposure to college admissions testing. In the spring, parents are invited to schedule an individual meeting with a college counselor in order to begin discussing their student’s interests and goals and to get any questions about the college process answered.

We guide students at every stage of the application process. At each point, our approach focuses on empowering students to make decisions and to present themselves authentically in their applications. Students also have the opportunity to meet with more than 100 college admissions representatives who visit the School.

Throughout the fall of senior year, students and college counselors meet frequently to:

• Shape the college list
• Discuss application strategies  
• Establish individual timelines to complete all application components
• Brainstorm, draft, and edit essays that reflect students’ authentic goals and interests
• Prepare for interviews
• Review applications
• Make final enrollment choices