Dedicated to the Process

How our college search curriculum guides and supports students

The college search can be a stressful time in a student’s high school experience. Yet it can also be most rewarding. At Governor’s, we appreciate each student’s individual college search goals and needs. At the same time, we know that students must have a college search curriculum that provides the guidance, structure, and support they need for their ideal college search.

To help our students prepare fully for their college search, the The Governor’s Academy’s College Counseling Office includes three college counselors dedicated fully to the college admission process. All three counselors have extensive experience as college counselors in independent secondary schools and as admission officers at selective colleges. This combined experience ensures that all Govs students have full access to the resources and insight necessary to make their best college search decisions.

Within the college counseling curriculum at Govs, all new students in ninth through eleventh grade are matched with a college counselor in their first semester on campus. And while the college search process officially begins for Govs students in the fall of junior year, the counselor pairing for students in all grades allows the college counseling team to connect with students at important points throughout their Govs experience. From advising ninth and tenth graders on course selection, to guiding student athletes through the college athletic recruitment process, or advising students on an optimal standardized testing timeline, Govs college counselors are an important resource for all students and their families.

Through individual college counseling meetings and our signature College Search Seminar Series, juniors learn to more purposefully articulate their moments of learning and discovery. Juniors are also encouraged to identify social issues and causes important to them. More pragmatically, students at Govs learn to identify the dimensions of the college process they can control, empowering them to make the most of their busy school schedules. For example, students learn that they can control the narrative of their college admissions candidacy, by crafting a compelling college essay before their senior year. They can also craft a balanced college list that yields their best college options. This active, purposeful approach helps ensure optimal college admission outcomes. Equally important, the college search curriculum equips students to consider their college experience well in advance, encouraging them to make the most of their opportunities and resources at the college they ultimately choose.

Author: Joe Coletta, Director of College Counseling