Every parent hopes that their child will receive a high-quality education that prepares them to attend a college of their choice. A huge factor that contributes to our students’ success is the dedicated college counseling team that helps support our high school students at BASIS Independent Fremont.
Our college counseling staff supports students in a variety of ways that extend far beyond just helping students research and apply to colleges. Students are first introduced to college counseling in Grade 9, with the program becoming increasingly comprehensive as they progress through their high school years. In fact, our high school seniors even take a daily college counseling class for two full trimesters!
Read on to learn more about how the college preparation process supports students throughout high school at BASIS Independent Fremont, and what it means to graduate from a program with a track record of student success.
The first objective of our college counseling curriculum is to get our students into a growth mindset by helping them establish short, intermediate, and long term goals. These goals are assessed, reviewed, and refined as our students progress through their high school careers with us. We start by getting to know them on an individual level through one-on-one appointments, where we help them identify their strengths and their passions. This knowledge is integral when it comes time to hone in on which colleges they want to attend, what they hope to study, and what APs and Capstones they hope to complete to make their application to college as strong as possible. As a result of this approach, BASIS Independent Schools graduates are admitted to the world’s top colleges and universities and are poised to tackle whatever challenges come their way upon arrival.
To support our students in achieving the goals they set for themselves, our college counseling department provides students with academic support and guidance in both one-on-one and group settings throughout their time at high school. One of the key areas of academic support is course selection. Since our college counseling team has had the chance to work with students over the course of several years, and because they work closely with our faculty and academic teams, they are able to help students make informed decisions about their academic journey. The college counseling team works with students to pick the courses that will most benefit each student when it comes time to apply to, and ultimately attend, the college of their choice.
Additionally, we feel it is important for our students to feel prepared for every step of their academic careers. For example, students start to receive PSAT guidance as early as Grade 9. This allows them to feel confident and comfortable when they eventually take their SAT/ACT exams during their Junior and Senior years, leading to better outcomes. We also provide our students with recommendations for internship and volunteer opportunities during the summer.
What kind of application guidance do students receive?
Students start to meet with the school’s college counselor in one-on-one meetings throughout the school year as early as Grade 9. Introducing the topic of college admissions early on allows us to support our students with their developing interests. Exposing students to the topic early and often helps to mitigate a lot of the application anxiety often experienced by high school seniors. When our students reach Grade 12 we teach a dedicated class on college preparation, which is discussed below.
Throughout the tenure of a BASIS Independent Fremont student, they will have the opportunity to attend virtual and in-person college tours. Additionally, university representatives present their institutions to our high school students and parents. Some university representatives will be meeting with our current Grade 9 students this spring!
Our Senior Year:
Our college counseling curriculum culminates in a daily college counseling class during senior year, spanning two trimesters. This class helps students determine what college and university options will align with their personal, educational, and professional goals. Even more importantly, it gives them the time and space they need to work through this challenging process, both in terms of identifying their priorities, and in terms of getting the practical work done. Counselors ensure that students have plenty of support as they prepare their applications.
This course helps students research colleges, work on college and scholarship applications, manage and organize college-related correspondence, write essays, and conduct mock interviews to develop interview skills. Additionally, each student meets individually with their college counselor during class time. This builds up significant confidence in the student, while bringing a sense of relief to parents knowing that their child is receiving constant guidance through the college admissions process by someone who has known them throughout their high school career.
Our goal in this process is to empower students through guidance, support, and proper encouragement, so they have all the tools they need to succeed! As a result, BASIS Independent students have gained admission to some of the world’s most prestigious colleges and universities and are well-poised to make meaningful contributions in any field, from engineering to linguistics to neuroscience. Click here to read about BASIS Independent Schools’ recent college admissions results.
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