College Counseling

List of 4 items.

• Freshmen

  College counselors meet with freshmen students to introduce themselves and to discuss the importance of staying focused on academic work and extra-curricular interests that will enrich their high school experiences. Students are encouraged to engage in integrating themselves fully into high school and are invited to visit the college counselors if questions arise.  
  
  Freshman take a practice ACT and the PSAT in the fall to become familiar with standardized college entrance exams and to determine on which test they may show stronger results. 
   
  College counselors will also begin guiding the students on their journey of self-discovery by introducing them to tools and resources to begin realizing their strengths and interests.

• Sophomores

  College counselors meet with students to remind them to focus on class work that will prepare them for even greater academic challenges and allow them to develop critical thinking and writing skills.
  
  Sophomores take a practice ACT and the PSAT in the fall to determine on which test they may show stronger results. 
  Sophomores are also encouraged to explore new extra-curricular interests as well as delve more deeply into already established ones and prioritize according to time available as they make plans for the junior year.
  
  A number of college counseling events will be offered to sophomores throughout the year. Some will be mandatory and some will be optional, but we expect sophomores to take full advantage of such events.
  
  The college counselors will also conduct classroom guidance lessons to continue the students’ self-discovery and exploration of colleges.

• Juniors

  During the first semester of junior year, students will take the PSAT to determine whether or not they qualify as a National Merit Semifinalist or a National Merit Commended Scholar and also to use the scores in initial college planning. 
  
  The college counselors will also conduct classroom guidance lessons to continue the students’ self-discovery and exploration of colleges.
  
  During second semester, individual meetings are held to begin the process of planning senior year courses, developing a broad, working list of colleges to research, and formulating long-term educational goals. Juniors are encouraged to own the process of researching colleges and finding good matches, but they are advised to accept responsibility for communicating regularly with their families and staying open to guidance and suggestions. 
  
  Juniors have the option to visit with college representatives on campus. College counselors will schedule several rep visits each week during the fall and make this schedule available to all juniors.
  
  A number of college counseling events will be offered to juniors throughout the year. Some will be mandatory and some will be optional, but we expect juniors to take full advantage of such events. 
  
  Juniors are also encouraged to begin to visit colleges of interest if they have not already. Through self-reflection and realization, effective research, visiting campuses, and staying in touch with college counselors, juniors eventually develop a number of college choices to consider. 
  
  If they have not already, juniors are encouraged to take the ACT or SAT during the Spring.

• Seniors

  Throughout the summer and first semester seniors are engaged in meeting individually with college counselors to make final plans and prepare college applications. College counselors will assist students in completing applications, resumes, college essays, and scholarship searches. Seniors are encouraged to manage the process efficiently so that it does not overpower the senior year experience of working hard in challenging courses and participating deeply in genuine interests outside of the classroom. 
  
  In the Spring, college counselors meet with seniors to guide them as they make final decisions, including reviewing and comparing financial aid offers. Our goal is for each student to discover their own path on which they will grow, flourish, and become the greatest possible version of themselves in college and beyond.