GUIDE TO COLLEGE COUNSELING
EXTRAORDINARY TOGETHER
LIMITLESS AMBITION
At Tower Hill, our ambition for students is limitless. We empower students to dream bigger. Together, we reach new heights.
Tower Hill is rated #1 in Delaware and #24 in the nation in percentage of students attending eight top colleges -The Wall Street Journal
THE EXTRAORDINARY
SUMMER SESSIONS
Tower Hill’s College Counseling meets with the rising seniors for mock interviews, essay ideas, as well as continuing to update the college list.
>100 COLLEGES VISIT
Tower Hill to meet with seniors in small group settings. The college representatives are most often the same admission officers who evaluate Tower Hill applications.
100% of students attend a four-year college 95% of the class of 2024 received early admission acceptances
VISITING COLLEGES
Students visit several colleges to kick off the college search process and give a point of reference to start the students’ search.
PARENT INFO SESSIONS
Parent coffees are offered with cross divisional collaboration to discuss athletics, arts and music and financial aid.
NETWORKING
Tower Hill has a strong alumni network for graduating students.
The Class of 2024 were admitted to 145 COLLEGES $3 MILLION in scholarships was awarded to the graduating class of 2024
A GOOD MATCH
Tower Hill College Counseling and Networking
The Tower Hill College Counseling team is firmly grounded in the belief that discovering “good matches” between students and post-secondary institutions is what the college admission process is all about.
We care what students think, and we care about where they will feel comfortable and at home. Our team leads programming, hosts college representatives and holds one-on-one meetings to educate students and families about the many different pieces of the college admission puzzle. By senior year, Tower Hill students are well positioned to compete for entrance into first-year classes at colleges and universities that fit students’ aspirations and help them realize their academic potential.
Personalized Approach
We utilize Scoir as our college search and application portal for our students. Scoir is an all-in-one platform that houses each individual student’s academic and testing information; the portal allows students to customize and record their college searches, keep notes on their research and receive input from their college counselor and parents on their search. It also includes statistics on how well our students have fared in the application process at most individual colleges. Finally, Scoir is the portal through which the College Counseling office will submit all of your required application materials from Tower Hill School.
Parents are provided with individualized log-in information to access their students’ profile and observe their search and application process. The portal is kept up to date with college admission visits, application requirements and deadlines. The website also allows the student and parent to keep track of all required application documents and when they have been completed and submitted.
Meet the Team
MOLLY C. ELTON, P’28, P’31
Director of College Counseling
College Admissions Experience: University of Pennsylvania, Case Western Reserve University, Penn State University and Oberlin College
College Counseling Experience: Woodlawn School (North Carolina)
Education: Gettysburg College (BA) and Penn State University (M.Ed)
Associate Director of College Counseling
College Admissions Experience: The University of Delaware
College Counseling Experience: Wilmington Friends School and The Hotchkiss School
Education: Tufts University (BA) and Harvard University (M.Ed)
Associate Director of College Counseling
College Admissions Experience: Ursinus College and Neumann University
Education: Franklin and Marshall College (BA)
Assistant Head of School
College Admissions Experience: Yale University
Education: Yale University (BA)
LINDSAY ACEVEDO ’95, P’33, P’34
CASEY YUROS
JENNIFER MEEKER
Tower Hill students have access to an exceptional College Counseling office. Our counselors thoroughly understand the college admission process, having previously worked as admission officers at selective colleges and universities such as Case Western Reserve University, Penn State University, Neumann University, Oberlin College, The University of Delaware, University of Pennsylvania, Ursinus College and Yale University
With the clear vision that comes from working in college and university admission, our staff helps students and families understand how the process truly works. With a staff of four, the low caseload affords our students and parents the time to work in close partnership with the college counselors to develop the best list and application strategy for each individual student.
Multi-Year Process
While the focused work of developing college lists, writing essays and taking standardized tests happens in Upper School, the work of preparing for college and beyond begins much earlier.
Tower Hill offers rigorous college preparatory classes. Students who seek additional academic challenge can choose to take courses at the honors or advanced level. Honors and advanced courses are taught at a university level and offer more depth and breadth than AP and IB. Colleges and universities are familiar with the Tower Hill curriculum and acknowledge the rigor of the courses when evaluating students during the admission process.
TIMELINE
Ninth Grade
College counselors meet ninth graders as a part of a yearlong Freshman Seminar Course. Parents are invited to evening programs that introduce them to the college search process at Tower Hill. Students’ major focus should be on learning how to learn and on developing extracurricular and cocurricular interests.
Tenth Grade
Students take the PSAT and the PreACT. The results provide a baseline score for college entrance exams. We do not recommend formal test preparation prior to the end of tenth grade. Factors such as academic readiness and outside commitments determine the best time to engage in test preparation. For most students, the spring of eleventh grade is a good time to begin to prepare for the SAT or ACT.
Eleventh Grade
While all students have access to all members of the College Counseling staff, students are formally assigned a college counselor in the winter of their junior years. The College Counseling staff will work intensively with juniors to help them prepare for college list making, essay writing and interviewing. Juniors should take the SAT or ACT by June of eleventh grade.
Twelfth Grade
Seniors work closely to finalize their college lists and begin applying to college. Each fall approximately 100 to 125 colleges and universities visit Tower Hill to meet with our seniors in small group settings. The college representatives are most often the same admission officers who evaluate Tower Hill applications.
“My college counselor was essential to my college process. Any question, no matter how big or small, she’d be willing to answer and was even available during the summer to get extra help. My sophomore year chemistry teacher made me fall in love with chemistry and I even wrote one of my college supplements on the impact her class and passion had on my life. I can solidly say that without her, I don’t believe I would even be considering majoring in chemistry.”
- Cameron ’23
Duke University, Chemistry and Biology Major
“Tower Hill’s College Counseling Department prepared me well for how to research schools and build a strong application. Whenever I had a question about the process, my college counselor had the answers. After discussing my options with my teachers and parents, I quickly decided that Stanford would be the best choice for me. As for my major, U.S. Government and Microeconomics were two of my favorite classes at Tower Hill, so they helped push me in that direction.”
- Gautam ’23
Stanford, U.S. Government and Microeconomics
“Our counselor was my calm... helping me help my kids through the process. Applying to colleges is grueling, and Tower Hill does an incredible job with the college counseling classes. Their timeline is so thoughtful; the students are tasked with getting ready to apply long before deadlines creep up. Plus, they offer essay support, interview guidance and empathy when kids have to face the rejection that inevitably comes with taking risks and reaching. Now that I am on the other side of the process, and all three of my children got into wonderful schools that they are proud to attend, I can say wholeheartedly that I cannot imagine a better College Counseling office.”
- Jill, Parent ’24, ’22, ’20
Today’s college admission landscape is increasingly competitive and uncertain. The process doesn’t start senior year, it starts much earlier.
By combining personal challenge with individual support, Tower Hill is a college-preparatory school committed to building a foundation for lifelong learning in students. We believe that diversity in all aspects of school life broadens and enhances the educational experience. In keeping with our motto Multa Bene Facta—Many Things Done Well—we provide a rigorous and exhilarating program, engaging students in a variety of educational endeavors, while allowing them to develop their individual strengths and pursue their passions.
See how Tower Hill can support your child and family.
To be considered for our first round of admission decisions, our application deadline is Jan. 1, 2025.
Visit TowerHill.org to register for an open house or schedule a private tour.
