College Counseling Starting Early With a Tailored Approach

Finding the right college can be overwhelming, and the admissions process is complex and often timeconsuming. King School has worked for decades to create a college counseling program that aims to alleviate this pressure by offering ongoing, personalized support to students and their families.

While most schools begin exploring colleges in 10th or 11th grade, King’s College Counseling program begins in Grade 9 with a unique, four-year developmental approach that helps students discover and target the colleges most suitable to their interests and personalities.

“My King friends have all sorts of interests, and they are at all sorts of amazing schools, including New York University, Georgetown, and Harvard,” said Max Helman ’18, who attended Columbia University after graduating from King. “I am just amazed by how King finds such perfect fits for everyone.”

The program includes a team of four counselors who develop relationships with students as soon as they enter the Upper School. By getting to know the students, they can draw on their expansive knowledge of colleges and universities both domestically and internationally to match students with the best fit.

“The college guidance process starts early at King,” Jenna Macrae ’19 said. “Teachers set high expectations for their students and create a plan to help you meet those expectations. Princeton was my dream, and they helped make that a reality and prepared me thoroughly to be challenged academically and athletically once I got there.”

“Our goal is to help students identify their unique talents and interests and then to match them with colleges that will help them flourish ”

—Jessica Landis, Director of College Counseling

Students are paired with experienced counselors who guide them through the process. In the early years of Upper School, counselors help students reflect upon who they are and how best to explore their interests. As students grow, they are ready to connect what they have learned about themselves to colleges that best support their goals. They continue working with their counselors to develop a list of potential colleges, write essays, and prepare for interviews. The program has helped many King students attend their top-choice colleges and universities.

“I started college counseling in ninth grade,” said Maeve Snover ’18, who went to Bucknell and worked with Director of College Counseling Jessica Landis during her time at King. “Ms. Landis helped me find schools I was interested in,” she said, “and helped me throughout the application process to figure out what I wanted to talk about when I applied to different schools. She also helped make sure that my application was up to par and that it showed who I was.”

Working with college counselors at the outset of high school is advantageous because it allows students to plan high school courses with an objective in mind. Counselors help students identify their academic strengths and guide their curricular choices, finding opportunities for engagement, and developing standardized testing strategies.

The college counseling support extends to student-athletes. In addition to their counselor, students also benefit from the Athletics program’s strong connections to college coaches and train in the school’s state-of-the-art athletic facilities. The school hosts an annual College Athletics Night, facilitating direct interactions between students and college coaches. Students work with their counselors and coaches to create personalized recruiting plans.

This commitment is reflected in the school's impressive track record, as numerous King graduates successfully join college and university athletic teams. The counseling program is a valuable resource for students aspiring to play sports at the collegiate level.

“Our goal is to help students identify their unique talents and interests and then to match them with colleges that will help them flourish,” Landis said. “We believe every student has something special to offer, and we want to help them find the place where they can best thrive.”

From The Counselors

JULIA NACLERIO

“I always encourage students to be openminded and curious . There are so many great schools for them to consider, and the number of virtual tours available makes it easy for students to explore their options . ”

DAVID VOLAIN

“I appreciate the ways in which our College Counseling program allows us to get to know students earlier in Upper School . By the time we’re discussing an initial college list in Grade 11, we’re past the ‘get to know you’ stage and can help students to consider options that align with their individual goals . ”

Another strength of the program is its emphasis on building relationships with students’ families.

“We take the time to get to know each student so we can best understand their needs and goals,” Landis said. “We also work closely with parents so they can be supportive partners in the college counseling process.”

The approach is working. In recent years, a range of outstanding colleges have accepted King students.

“Our students consistently succeed in the college admissions process because they are well prepared and have strong support from our counselors and their families,” Landis said.

Over four years, the counselors form deep connections.

“My college counselor was one of the most valuable advising resources I had at King,” Helman said. “In addition to my actual advisor, my college counselor was a key part of what I like to call ‘the circle of support,’ which is made up of my teachers and my peers.”

Taking the pressure off students early in the process sets them up to thrive and succeed in high school and leaves them poised to make a college decision with thoughtful and reflective care.

As Helman concluded, “Coming to King was the best decision I ever made, and it completely changed my life.”

EMILY PRINCE

“When I meet with students for the first time, I always talk to them about ‘doing high school well .’ I encourage them to explore every opportunity in front of them here at King . ”