Although formal college counseling does not begin until junior year, we do offer parents of freshman in the fall of the year a perspective-opening workshop, which helps families think about how a student’s performance in the years ahead will impact college admissions. Long term academic performance (course selection and grade patterns), sustained extra-curricular involvement, and standardized testing (which tests when) are the chief topics of discussion. Although there is no magic formula guaranteeing admission to a most competitive college, parents do appreciate this early orientation to the current admissions landscape, since it provides them with a way to think ahead strategically about the opportunities and possibilities related to college admissions.
Conference Details for 9th Grade Parent Workshop in December:
• overview of CC process
• academic planning
• non-academic planning
• standardized testing
• academic patterns and admissions
• reading report cards & interaction with teachers
• early college activities
In the fall of the tenth grade, students participate in a group workshop designed to acquaint them with factors related to college admissions. Most of the issues reviewed with parents in the previous year (see Freshman) are covered in a slightly different key with our sophomores. The intent of the workshop, essentially, is to ensure that students understand the impact of their actions (in and out of the classroom) on college admissions, and thus to encourage them to maintain a long-range view of their education, stimulating their best efforts in the years ahead.
Conference Details for 10th Grade Parent Workshop in December:
• overview of CC process
• academic planning
• non-academic planning
• standardized testing
• academic patterns and admissions
• reading report cards & interaction with teachers
• early college activities
Early in the fall of this year, parents receive the St. Luke's School College Counseling Guide, which comprehensively covers topics of a practical nature related to college admissions and so starts families’ thinking about nuts and bolts issues prior to College Night in January (for all juniors and their parents). Following College Night, the official start of the counseling process, we begin our individualized family conferences. The three spring conferences assist students in developing search criteria and creating a long list of colleges that match their needs and desires. At the end of the year, the counselor helps families decide which colleges to visit during the summer in order to gather initial impressions.
Junior Year Timeline:
• September
o College Counseling Guide & cover letter mailed to junior parents
• December
o College Night reminder
• January
o College Night: process, philosophy, guest speaker (admissions workshop)
• Feb-March: first individual conference (student only)
o Selection criteria
o Admissions profile
o Researching colleges
o Standardized test reminders (May SAT I)
o Hwk: generate long list of colleges (primary research)
• April: second individual conference (student and parents)
o Review: selection criteria, admissions profile, standardized testing (June SAT II & ACT)
o Candidate colleges: student & counselor lists discussed and merged
o Hwk: acquire info from target colleges, further research to select favorites (secondary
research)
• May: third individual conference (student and parents)
o Discuss senior course selection
o Discuss teacher recommendations
o Review/update admissions profile
o Review test registration
o Compare favorites on long list
o Tertiary research (college catalogues)
o Double check suitability of safeties
o Summer college visits (which ones, how, when) & summer activities (admissions impact)
• June & July
o Application essay workshops
Post Junior Year Summer:
Families travel to a range of colleges on the long list to gather initial impressions. Summer conferences are easily arranged with the counselors for further conversation about colleges. Two week-long application essay workshops are offered by the counselor to interested students at no charge.
In the first conference of the fall, counselors help students trim the long list to a balanced, short one based on their reactions to campuses during summer visits. Equally important, we help students establish a detailed, strategic plan to ensure they not only remain organized and focused during the fall as they move through the application process but also that they know how to present themselves in the best light possible to colleges, including a consideration of whether an Early Decision/Action application is in their best interests. Following this conference, counselors run a series of group workshops for seniors on how to avoid common mistakes when filling out applications, how to write an effective application essay, and how to make a positive impression during the interview. In the second individualized conference of the fall, we review with our counselees an information packet summarizing their special accomplishments, long-standing hobbies, particular activities of note, general outlook on life, and personal qualities—all of which prepares the counselor to write a comprehensive and powerful recommendation on behalf of each student. Throughout the late fall and winter seniors will confer with their counselor whenever they have questions or need advice about the admissions process. After students have submitted applications, counselors mail school documents, including teacher recommendations, and then follow up with phone calls to the admissions office at target colleges.
Senior Year Timeline:
• September: fourth individual conference (student and parents)
o update admissions profile
o standardized testing: which ones, when, registration
o generate short list (distribution from reach to safety)
o organizational points: who does what when and how
o strategy points: , interview, essay theme, recommendations, calls, connections, etc.
o Interview workshop
• October: counselor activity
o Essay workshop
o Application workshop
o Additional parent/student conferences as necessary
o College visits to SLS (hosted by cc, srs. invited)
o ED recommendations
o Individual essay help
o Information data sheet (to prepare counselor to write comprehensive rec)
o College visits to SLS (hosted by cc, srs. invited)
o Individual essay help
o Recommendations
o Phone calls on ED applicants
o Additional parent/student conferences as necessary
• December-February
o Additional conferences as necessary
o Essay help
o Rec writing
o Phone calls
