Developmental Considerations:
- Engage in the fullness of your high school experience and explore new academic opportunities.
- Create community and try new activities and roles
- Identify strengths and apply academic skills in new ways
- Learn how to use your advisor, teachers, and peers for support and inspiration.
Logistical Considerations:
- Create a four-year academic plan to choose courses for this year and map a tentative future path.
- College counselors meet with ninth grade students during their student life classes.
Developmental Considerations:
- Refine study skills and organizational habits to support success in all academic areas.
- Join new clubs or activities to explore new areas.
- Begin to think about how your strengths and interests might apply to future opportunities.
- Consider the best use of summer to explore your interests.
- Learn about career areas of interest and what different types of colleges have to offer.
Logistical Considerations:
- Continue to hone the four-year plan, with an eye toward graduation requirements.
- Take the PSAT for practice; learn about the future standardized testing timeline.
- College counselors meet with sophomores as a class or in small groups several times during the year. Individual meetings as requested.
Developmental Considerations:
- Delve into academic topics of interest while maintaining steady progress in all courses.
- Find ways to demonstrate leadership as you present yourself in the community or in formal roles.
- Build relationships with teachers, advisors, and college counselors who will provide specific support in the college process.
- Balance your time and energy as you gain responsibility and independence in your academic, extracurricular, and social worlds.
- Dive into college research with an open mind! Reflect upon your interests and priorities to choose which colleges to explore.
- Consider college fit from three lenses: academic, social, and financial.
Logistical Considerations:
- Attend college information sessions hosted at Madeira in the fall.
- Take the PSAT again. With help from your college counselor, create a standardized testing plan.
- Develop a research list of specific colleges then hone that list. Attend information sessions and tours, virtually or in person.
- Attend essay workshop presented by College Counselors.
- Follow the Madeira process for requesting academic letters of recommendations.
- Complete summer work after junior year, including completing a questionnaire drafting essays.
- College Counselors meet with students as a class and in small groups several times; individual meetings begin in November and continue throughout the year.
Developmental Considerations:
- Pursue a challenging but manageable senior year schedule, reflecting your academic strengths and interests.
- Stay grounded in a positive high school experience, even as your focus shifts to the future.
- Combine self-reflection and effective college research to present yourself authentically in your college applications.
- Ensure your college list will serve you well.
- Ensure your college list is balanced, demonstrating a willingness to take risks and providing solid options.
- After receiving college decisions, consider academic, social, and financial elements to determine which option is the best fit.
- View graduation as commencement: the start of an exciting next step.
Logistical Considerations:
- Working with your college counselor, finalize application plans (Early Decision, Early Action, Regular) and develop a realistic timeline for success on these applications.
- Create a balanced application list of 8-10 schools that will serve you well.
- Stay apprised of specific schools’ expectations for interviews, financial aid deadlines, and scholarship opportunities.
- Work together as a family on financial aid applications, including the FAFSA and CSS Profile.
- Complete the enrollment process at the college of your choosing, and/or consider a gap year experience.
- College Counselors present application workshops in the fall, meet with the class frequently, and meet with individual students and families throughout the year.