The Wakefield School College Counseling program consists of a series of activities, group meetings, and individual appointments geared toward preparing students to make informed choices throughout the college selection and application process.
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This includes choices regarding goals and the objectives and strategies that will be employed to attain those goals. Through the completion of self-assessment exercises, students gain an understanding of what is important when selecting a college. In addition, Wakefield School students and their parents have special access to Naviance, a web-based college planning and advising system, which - among its many uses - enables students and their parents to research and identify a range of schools.
After establishing specific criteria for colleges/universities, students have access to various resources in the College Counseling Office. They can meet with college representatives who frequently visit Wakefield primarily during the fall, attend regional college fairs and receptions, and have an opportunity to participate in a College Tour of a diverse group of institutions in the spring of their junior year. The goal of this preparation is that the schools to which a student applies reflect his or her preferences, parental influence and the college counselor's suggestions in accordance with the student's personal, academic, and extracurricular record.
Goals of Wakefield School College Counseling Program
- The eighth grade program focuses on assisting students with the development of a sketch of desired accomplishments and achievements in the Upper School.
- The ninth grade program assists students with the transition to the Upper School community and its unique culture. This transition provides students with yet another opportunity to hone their decision-making skills. By the end of the ninth grade, students will have refined or established their initial plan for their Upper School tenure, understanding that goals are fluid and may change as priorities and interests change.
- The tenth grade program focuses on acclimating students to standardized testing and to examine quantifiable elements of their profile.
- The eleventh grade program focuses on the examination of self (i.e. quantitative and qualitative) and developing direction for the college search process.
- The twelfth grade program focuses on helping students refine their list of colleges, complete the application process and ultimately choose the appropriate school to matriculate.
For more detailed information on Wakefield’s College Counseling Program, please read our College Handbook.
Parent Testimonial
"Similar to the academics, Wakefield School college counseling is thorough and comprehensive. The process stresses preparation and identification of colleges which closely match the student's desires and interests. As a result, my daughter was accepted at ten highly selective colleges, based upon her accomplishments and Wakefield's outstanding academic reputation with college admissions officers. My wife and I were also extremely proud of the many prestigious merit scholarships that she was offered." Parent of '07 Graduate