College Counseling - Girls Preparatory School
Girls Preparatory School - Chattanooga, TN

College Counseling

Individual attention is the hallmark of the GPS College Guidance office. Small group meetings with the counseling staff during the freshman year and the assigning of a girl’s personal college counselor in the sophomore year lead to a two-year college process of exploring colleges, identifying the girl’s strengths, working on applications and essays, and finally, celebrating each girl’s acceptance letters.  This attention has consistently resulted in an over 80% acceptance rate and better than average acceptance rates at schools around the country.  For example, the three year national acceptance rate at the University of Georgia is 56%; the GPS acceptance rate is twenty points higher (76%). The GPS acceptance rate at Emory University is almost 50% higher than the national rate. Working with college counselors, well over 50% of each graduating class has received merit, athletic, or talent based scholarships. While GPS is proud of the successes enjoyed by our alumnae at the college level, we understand that the process begins with the work and attention paid to each girl’s college search. For a look at some of the activities scheduled in the Upper School, click one of the class years below:

 

Freshmen 

Sophomores

Juniors

Seniors

 

 

Freshmen: College Admission 101 – “The Big Picture”

 

Student Goal:  concentrate on the big picture, have fun, start strong

Parent Goal:  talk about the future in a positive way and expose girls to all the options: big, small, urban, rural, drive through campuses.

 

  1. College File begun for each ninth grader 
  2. Upper School dinner for freshmen parents 
  3. Freshmen Open House to introduce all 9th graders to the College Guidance office
  4. Quarterly College Compass newsletters to parents
  5. Second semester advisory meetings with freshmen
  6. A variety of seminars and workshops for students and parents interested in financial aid, athletic recruitment, honors programs and more

 

 

Sophomores: College Admission 201 – “Staying Ahead of the Curve”

 

Student Goal:  focus on your extracurricular life; learn to tell your own story

Parent Goal: encourage your daughter to take appropriate risks, explore genuine non-academic interests, and keep an open mind about colleges she and you may not be aware of

 

  1. Parent mailing highlights steps in the college process that can be done now, schools worth a second look, suggested college tours, and the Underground College List. 
  2. College counselors meet with advisory groups.
  3. Quarterly College Compass newsletters sent to parents
  4. PSAT and PLAN tests
  5. College office hosts small group sophomore lunches.
  6. College Girl 101 – a monthly conversation with sophomores in the spring
  7. February meeting for parents
  8. Winterim College Tour
  9. Coast to Coast College Fair
  10. A variety of seminars and workshops for students and parents interested in financial aid, athletic recruitment, transition to college, honors programs and more



Juniors:  College Admission 301 – “A Purposeful Search”

 

Student Goal:  develop strong relationships with teachers as well as a solid list of prospective colleges

Parent Goal:  make time for college visits, encourage your daughter to seek out challenging summer programs

 

            A junior’s college folder will include her transcript, test scores, résumé, questionnaires regarding preferences and ideas about college, an autobiography, a parent “brag sheet,” counselor notes, and a preliminary list of schools the student is considering. 

  1. Monthly College Connections newsletters to parents
  2. Classes offered for test preparation
  3. “Countdown to College” luncheon for juniors
  4. Parent program in November with guest speakers from admissions offices around the country, parents and student panels, and financial aid information 
  5. College Girl 101 - a monthly lunch conversation with juniors in the fall
  6. GPS and McCallie college night programs; day visits by college admissions representatives to GPS.
  7. PSAT, PLAN tests
  8. College classes for the juniors are scheduled one day per week during the third quarter. Topics covered include SAT/ACT, identifying their strengths and weaknesses, college resources, web searches, admissions vocabulary, teacher recommendations, criteria for selection, the application process and how to fill out an application, a senior year checklist, sample applications, and the “Do What You Are Survey,” a career inventory.
  9. Individual student conferences and student/parent conferences
  10. Winterim College Tours
  11. SAT, ACT
  12. Coast to Coast College Fair, co-sponsored by GPS
  13. A variety of seminars and workshops for students and parents relating to financial aid, athletic recruitment, transition to college, honors programs

 

 

Seniors:  College Admission 401 – “The Time Is Now”

 

Student Goal:  complete college and scholarship applications, make decision by May 1

Parent Goal:  research financial aid/scholarship possibilities; offer support in the transition process

 

  1. Application Boot Camp – a “how-to” power session on the steps in the application process
  2. Monthly College Conversations newsletters to parents
  3. Required individual conferences with seniors
  4. Completion of the Application Planner
  5. Senior meetings every other week; special periods at the beginning of the year to discuss applications, interviews, essays, time/stress management, Greek life, (topics vary)
  6. Sample college essay assignments in English classes
  7. Milk and cookie application help session in the College Guidance office
  8. College night programs (co-sponsored with McCallie) and day visits by college admissions representatives
  9. Separation Seminar (a transition program) for parents and students in January
  10. Final “exit interview” regarding college choice and what comes next
  11. A variety of seminars/workshops for students and parents relating to financial aid, athletic recruitment, transition to college, honors programs