The College Admission Paradox: Being Present and Looking Ahead

Immerse yourself completely in the present

The start of the school year at The Governor’s Academy has been its typical whirlwind, sucking new and returning students alike into the vortex of summer reading quizzes, varsity tryouts, ropes course bonding, and lip sync competition preparation.

Now that the frantic pace of those first weeks back is shifting into a more familiar daily routine, it is tempting for students and families to begin looking ahead and wonder what they can do to best position themselves for the college admission process. Governor’s is, after all, a college preparatory school, and naturally, students and families have one eye on the future even as the school year is just beginning. 

Thus, we arrive at the paradox of college admission: that the best way to prepare for the future college search and application process is to immerse yourself completely in the present. Colleges are looking for students to bloom where they are planted—to take full advantage of the opportunities offered in their school community, both in and out of the classroom. Our 9th, 10th, and 11th graders should be thinking about which classes they find most engaging and whether they’d like to pursue additional study in those areas. They should be finding the right balance of challenge and support in their course load to allow them to find success without feeling overwhelmed by the rigor and sacrificing their health. And they should be exploring new opportunities outside the classroom to discover what they want to be more deeply involved in at the Academy and what they can live without doing again.

You may have noticed that the word college is nowhere to be found in that list. At Governor’s, we intentionally begin the formal college search process in the late fall of junior year. As college counselors with decades of experience in highly selective college admission and independent school college counseling, we know 18 months is plenty of time to conduct a thoughtful, thorough college search process. We also know that by the middle of junior year, our students are ready to handle that responsibility confidently and maturely. 

Though the formal college search process does not begin until junior year, the College Counseling Office actively supports our students’ college goals from day one while allowing them space and time for self-discovery. All students are paired with their college counselor at the end of their first quarter on campus, giving them a contact person in the College Counseling Office when questions arise about course choices, summer programs, or athletic recruitment. That early pairing also allows the college counselors to get to know the students in their counseling group early on and build a strong foundation for their work together in junior and senior year. The College Counseling Office holds class meetings with every class each year to provide needed space for reflection and goal-setting. We also work closely with advisors, coaches, and teachers to ensure all the adults in our students’ lives are aware of what matters in the college application process.

Above all else, what colleges seek is authenticity, to hear each student’s voice clearly as they share the narrative of their high school years, what they have learned about themselves and the world, who they hope to become, and how that college might help them get there. That self-awareness comes from being fully present while at the Academy. So embrace the paradox of college admission by focusing on the present, knowing the College Counseling Office is here to help you tell your story and find the colleges that match your interests best when the time is right!
 

Author: Heather Shows, Director of College Counseling