Strategy 1: Present
students and parents with a broad perspective of the college counseling process
and expanding post-EHS options.
Approach: Action items include increasing families’
understanding and use of the resources provided on the College Counseling page
of the EHS website and encouraging students to aspire but also to remain
realistic and excited about a range of choices.
Strategy 2: Personalize
the college counseling process with parents and students so that it becomes more
educational and less transactional.
Approach: This strategy will be approached in a number of
ways. First, every effort will be made to ensure that all students receive a
consistent and high level of attention. There will be more extensive training provided
to faculty/advisors in guiding students in their academic planning, and the
college counseling staff will be increased by one-half full-time employee (FTE) to reflect best
practices with regard to student/counselor ratio. In addition, the college
counseling process will be launched with an enhanced college program during
Spring Parents’ Weekend to include sophomores, and periodic college counseling
updates will convey to students, parents, and faculty the program’s process and
energy.
Strategy 3: Clarify
responsibilities and increase engagement of faculty involved in key aspects of
college counseling process.
Approach: The School will provide clear explanations for
the processes around assessing the appropriateness of a student’s curriculum for
prospective college choices, application essays, faculty recommendations, and financial
aid applications. In addition, the School will analyze Naviance data to
identify trends in individual college acceptances with regard to the level of
coursework attained in various subjects.
Strategy 4 : Provide
students with greater understanding of and preparation for standardized tests,
particularly PSAT and SAT.
Approach: There will be an increase in communication and
education with regard to the PSAT so that students have a better idea of the
test’s purpose and how best to prepare for it. In addition, strategies to
enhance preparation for standardized tests and promote stronger results will be
put in place, and students will be encouraged to prepare for the SAT during the
summer of the junior year through courses or other methods of test preparation
recommended by the School. Finally, the School will provide increased structure
for the evening before and the morning of standardized test days to ensure
hygiene, sleep, and nutrition.
Strategy 5: Continue
to bring college deans of admission to Episcopal, educating them about the
strength and distinctiveness of an EHS education.