Congratulations, Seniors!
We are so proud of the members of the class of 2012. Whether they have been here for four years or 14, we send the seniors out into the world ready to investigate, collaborate and innovate.
Among the last challenges of an LREI student’s secondary career is the making of the perfect match between student and college or university. Working with our skilled and resourceful guidance team—Director of College Guidance Carey Socol, and her Associate, Analisa Cipriano, LREI ’05—the seniors and their parents move through a well-defined college guidance process. Carey describes LREI’s college process as, “incremental, supportive, and revelatory.”
At tenth grade college night, Carey, Analisa, and Ruth give a preview of the college process that begins formally in January of eleventh grade and culminates with matriculation in the spring of twelfth. They also help the underclassmen to focus on building a solid high school transcript. When the more formal process begins a year later the initial goals, as described by Carey, are:
“It [the process] starts slowly, purposefully, and in a genuine manner. Whether it is in weekly college class, assemblies, various school performances, family or individual meetings, or the junior college trip, we take this time to build a relationship with each student in a purposeful and appropriate manner. We believe that building a trust and deep understanding of each student’s future goals enables us to accurately advise them on a variety of options for post high school opportunities.”
More specifically, the components of our college guidance process are:
- Tenth grade college night
- Eleventh grade college night—includes an outline of the overall process, a review of calendar of deadlines/requirements, introduction to our online college guidance software, and a presentation from a university admissions officer. Our most recent visitors have been an associate director admissions from Brown University and the Director of Admissions from NYU
- Individual meetings for each family with Carey, and often Analisa, to identify a list of colleges to which the student will apply
- College Class-Weekly discussions of researching colleges/universities, writing essays and other application components, interview techniques, etc.
- Spring College trips—two days of visits, two colleges each day
- Various test prep opportunities.
An item that is not on this list may actually be the most important, and frequent, piece of the process—daily, sometimes hourly, visits to the welcoming college office for a check-in, a conversation or some comfort from Carey and Analisa. I have never visited the college office when there wasn’t a junior or senior there, chatting, laughing, and gently receiving direction.
When I spoke to Ruth about the college guidance process she rightly pointed out that:
“Our college process really begins when we first meet our students. It is essential that we know our students as well as we do. Whether they began at LREI in the Fours or in ninth grade, we know the children so well that when the process begins in earnest we already have a true partnership with students and families and can offer meaningful assistance in the search for their best-fit college. We can help them to consider a range of excellent schools. We have long standing relationships with families and this helps us to ease what is often a stressful process.”
Ruth also noted that, “what may be the most important component of this process is that our students know themselves so well and can comfortably and honestly reflect on their intellectual and personal needs. This lets them choose well. And they will have choices.” (See the links to our seniors’ college options and choices below.)
In summing up the process, Carey said, this year, “our seniors handled the college process with grace and determination. Not only did they embrace this journey, they were also incredibly supportive of their peers. I believe the college process at LREI is so successful because each student is looked at and treated individually. There are no quotas or limitations. There is honesty and a real focus on ‘match’”.
The seniors, their families and the institution are grateful to Carey, Analisa, Ruth and the high school faculty for guiding the students through a challenging time. The community is so proud of this year’s graduating class and we look forward to celebrating their successes at LREI’s 67th Commencement Exercises in a few short weeks.