The goal of our College Counseling Program at Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall is to help students find the right college “match," where the student will learn effectively, enjoy and contribute to their next community, as well as reach his or her full potential. The key goals of the College Counseling Program are to ensure that students are armed with the requisite knowledge to make good decisions and submit applications that are both professional in quality and true reflections of each student’s unique personality, character, and ability.

The centerpiece of CH-CH’s program is individual counseling. In formulating a college list, each student works with the Director of College Counseling to explore his/her academic and extracurricular interests and optimal school community, size, and location. Students consult with the counselor at each step of the process, such as developing resumes, writing essays, preparing for interviews, and completing applications. Through active and personalized interactions with students, the counselor and teachers are able to write very personal letters of recommendation that prove an invaluable component of student application packets.

Several programs supplement this one-on-one counseling. The junior program begins in earnest in January and includes guest speakers, participation in college fairs, test prep opportunities, a financial aid seminar, and the beginning of regular and frequent individual meetings. During the junior year, students and parents also begin using TCCi Family Connection by Naviance – a web-based application that is a valuable resource to help students, parents, and the counselor work together throughout the college admission process.

Naviance is a key component of the application process and also serves to track the status of each application submitted by the school. It represents the new standard in college counseling programs and is an ideal platform for integrating the latest technology into the process. It is vital that parents and students continually update the content on their Naviance account and stay in close communication with the College Counseling Office throughout the fall of senior year.

This use of technology is complemented by an annual schedule filled with personal visits to our campus from college admission representatives and weekly meetings between the Director of College Counseling and seniors that cover college planning topics and deadlines. In the spring, when the majority of applications have been submitted, the College Counseling Office works with seniors and families on issues of transition from high school to college and the “breaking away” process.

CH-CH’s Director of College Counseling and Registrar attend professional conferences annually in order to stay abreast of current admission trends. They visit colleges regularly and are constantly in contact with admissions representatives. These activities enable us to be better advisors and advocates for the Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School and our students.