Counseling Handbook for Juniors and Seniors

The Application Process Applying to college is a daunting challenge. Where does one begin? It is the purpose of this handbook to remove the mystery of the college application process that causes many parents and students great concern. This handbook will outline the answers to various questions and concerns that families have and, hopefully, will provide the necessary assistance to making the application process easier.

A person is not expected to read this handbook from cover to cover; it should be used when needed. The material is organized in the same order in which it will be needed in the application process.

Furthermore, it is indexed in such a way that answers should be readily accessible. If there is a topic that is overlooked or that we have not sufficiently addressed, please let us know. If we do not know the answer, we shall do our best to find the answer.

The college application process requires hard work and diligence. Students who are serious about the process should develop a realistic list of schools for consideration and obtain materials in a timely manner. If they observe deadlines and maintain close communication with their college counselor, they are more likely to be successful with their quest.

Parents can be very helpful in the college application process. This handbook suggests various appropriate ways that parents and their children can work together in this venture. Remember that parental over-involvement encourages student passivity. Neither parents nor counselors can supplant the student’s active engagement and responsibility.

Although the formal work of the application process does not begin until the spring of the junior year, preparation for college has been taking place throughout the upper school years, and indeed, throughout the student’s entire school career. Admission to college is the culmination of five years of hard work, appropriate course selection, responsibility for learning, and interests explored and developed.

The mission statement of Brunswick Academy reads The mission of Brunswick Academy, in cooperation with our parents and community, is to provide in a trusting environment instruction which affords our students a foundation on which to build their lives.

Our school faculty and staff strive to help students learn who they are and how to set goals for whom they wish to become. This should be a positive experience in self-discovery and a valuable opportunity for student, parents, and faculty to work together for the betterment of all.

Our goal is to assist each of our students in his/her quest for selecting the most appropriate individual college choice. We recognize the right of each student to strive for the choice(s) that he/she and family select. The goal of the Brunswick Academy College Counseling Office is to help each child be successful and gain admittance to his/her choice of school(s). While we recognize that this expectation is not always possible, we continue to work with the child and his family recommending various options in this endeavor.

We look forward to working with each of you through the college application process, and anticipate with high expectations the achievement of our mutual goals. Let’s begin…

-3-