Counseling and Guidance

Freshman year:

Freshmen and their parents are introduced to the importance of grades, getting involved and sharpening their study skills. A student’s GPA is the primary factor in college admissions. Freshmen are introduced to Naviance, our web-based, college planning program, and they begin to build their résumés. Counselors meet with all freshman families.

Sophomore year:

Using a program in Naviance, sophomores take personality profile tests to discover their career interests. They learn a little more about themselves, which is central to the college process. They begin to research colleges and update their résumés.

Junior year:

Each junior participates in a year-long college advising seminar, a curriculum-based program that helps students to self-assess, determine their goals and identify colleges that will further those goals. Testing plans, college research and college admissions case studies are pieces of the seminar. Juniors are encouraged to attend college admissions visits, which are held daily in the fall and the annual college fair with over 130 colleges in attendance. Counselors meet individually with each junior family in the spring to review goals and develop college lists. Students also  have the opportunity to attend our College Essay Boot Camp, a workshop given in early summer following their junior year.

Senior year:

On Senior Kick-off Sunday, seniors begin the application process. Individual meetings, application workshops and college admissions visits continue during the fall. Throughout the year, counselors meet with students to review admission decisions from colleges and financial aid packages in order to guide the students to their final college decision.

Serra counselors work extensively with each student throughout the college process to support the boys, while suggesting schools that are suitable to their academic achievement, social interests and career goals. The college planning seminar, junior family meetings and individual meetings help students to develop their college lists. This includes recommending colleges that students might not have previously considered.

Students should visit colleges during the junior year, although it is never too early to step on campuses whenever it is possible. Some of our families visit campuses during family vacations, which is an excellent idea. Serra also hosts an annual, extensive college fair on campus during the fall; this past October more than 130 college representatives participated. In addition, we welcome visits from college admissions representatives throughout admissions season each year. Exposing students to a broad range of colleges and universities early enables them to set academic goals, which is the most important factor in college admissions.

Serra counselors work closely with each student and provide opportunities for students to attend application workshops for the UCs, CSUs and four-year private and out-of-state colleges.

We recommend that students explore both the SAT and ACT to see which test fits them best. The most common time for testing is in the spring of junior year. During the summer prior to senior year, students should prepare for additional testing in the fall, based on their earlier test results. Counselors work with students individually to determine how many times they should retest, if at all.

The personal statement gives admissions counselors a sense of who a student is and a glimpse of his writing skills. It reveals a student’s personality and character, which grades and test scores do not show. Senior English classes work on the narrative style of writing in support of students’ college essays early in the fall of senior year. In addition, a College Essay Boot Camp is offered at Serra during the summer prior to senior year.

The biggest challenge students face is to learn who they are, what interests them and what they want to do with their lives. In that self-discovery, it means staying open-minded and not limiting their college searches to the most well-known schools. To reduce stress, we provide students and parents with all of the information they need. This is accomplished through e-newsletters, evening presentations, student and family meetings, and other college workshops. Our advice to parents is to stop listening to what everyone else says, and to focus on finding schools that are the best fit for their sons.

The public impression of the college admissions process has generated considerable anxiety over the past several years. The application process has become more competitive, as the number of college applicants surpasses the number of available seats at many colleges and universities.

Over the past 10 years, most colleges and universities have seen an increase in applications, including some from a few thousand applicants to 30,000 or more. During this same period of time, the number of students accepted by these colleges has increased only slightly. This has lowered admission rates at the most popular and well-known schools. To ensure that they have suitable options for college, students apply to more schools today than in previous generations. Technology has made it easier for students to apply to multiple schools without having to complete additional applications.