2016 College Admission Report

Class of 2016 College Admission Report Fall 2016 An important measure of the success of an academic program is the college admission and acceptance records of its graduates. As a result, Collegiate’s Board of Trustees instructs the Administration to undertake annual reviews of the School’s college admission and acceptance results.

We are pleased to share a summary of the 2015-16 report. Congratulations to our Class of 2016 graduates and their families.

College Admission Highlights ■ Seniors posted a high overall admit rate of 70% in 2016 (tied for the highest since 1996). Over the past decade, the admit rate has fluctuated between 64-70% with an average of 2 out of every 3 applications resulting in acceptances.

■ Our 2016 admit rates continued to exceed the institutional rates in every Barron’s selectivity benchmark category, this year by an average of 16%.

■ This year’s class of 126 seniors received 513 acceptances to 163 colleges and enrolled in 49 colleges in 24 states.

■ The Class of 2016 received more than $5.1 million in merit scholarship offers, including the prestigious National Merit Scholarship and two elite, full four-year scholarships — the Robertson (Duke University and University of North Carolina) and the 1693 (William & Mary). They also earned spots in nine honors colleges/programs.

SENIORS POSTED AN OVERALL ADMIT RATE OF 70% IN 2016.

OUR HIGH ACCEPTANCE RATES REMAIN REMARKABLY CONSISTENT OVER TIME.

75% 75% of the class received at least one acceptance from institutions in the “Most” or “Highly” Competitive categories.

College Admission Rates 70 11 19

11 70 70 68 1111 21 19 19

2016

10 yr Avg

2016 2016

68 64 1268 24

11 11 11 70 21 21 19

10 yr Low 10 yr High (2014) (2010 & 2016)

10 10-yr yr Avg Avg

12 % Accepts 64 64 12 % Waitlists 24 24 % Denies

70 70

10 10 yr yrLow Low 10 10 yr yrHH (2014) (2014) (2010 (2010 && 2

Collegiate’s Class of 2016: Beating the Odds ■ Barron’s Most Competitive Category Colleges accepting less than 33% Collegiate’s accept rate: 47%

■ Barron’s Very Competitive Category Colleges accepting less than 75% Collegiate’s accept rate: 87%

■ Barron’s Highly Competitive Category Colleges accepting less than 50% Collegiate’s accept rate: 79%

■ Barron’s Competitive Category Colleges accepting less than 85% Collegiate’s accept rate: 95%

Four-Year Comparison: Classes of 2013-2016

2016 2015 2014 2013

# of Seniors

126

136 122 125

Average GPA

3.7

3.7

3.6

3.5

Average SAT

1235

1238

1274

1278

Average ACT

29

27

28

27

Colleges Receiving 163 Applications

172

134

139

# of Applications and % of Admits, Waitlists, and Denies

737

758

622

670

70% Admits 11% WL 19% Denies

69% Admits 10% WL 21% Denies

64% Admits 12% WL 24% Denies

67% Admits 11% WL 22% Denies

97%

93%

91%

94%

27% Early Decision

34% Early Decision

29% Early Decision

34% Early Decision

5.1+ million

5.2+ million

3.7+ million

2.1+ million

% of Class Applying Early Merit Scholarship Offers in $

Students Receiving 19 National Merit Recognition

21

18

11

# of Seniors Competing in NCAA Athletics

14

15 15 13

% Enrollment

52% in VA

6 Div. I 8 Div. I 9 Div. I 6 Div. I 8 Div. III 7 Div. III 6 Div. III 7 Div. III

49% in VA

48% in 23 states 51% in 22 states

51% in VA

49% in VA

49% in 19 states & Scotland

51% in 21 states & Scotland

Class of 2016 College Acceptances PLAYING ON Fourteen members of the Class of 2016 will be taking their athletic and academic talents to the next level. We congratulate them on the commitment made and dedication displayed to be able to play at the NCAA Division I and Division III levels.

Albright College American University (5) Appalachian State University Art Center College of Design Art Institute of California Los Angeles Auburn University (4) Bates College Berry College Boston College (3) Boston University (3) Bowdoin College Brandeis University California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo Carnegie Mellon University Coastal Carolina University (3) Case Western Reserve University Catholic University (2) Centre College (2) Christopher Newport University (7) Clemson University (15) Colgate University College of Charleston (8) College of William and Mary (11) Colorado College Colorado State University (2) Connecticut College Dartmouth College (2) Davidson College (2)

DePaul University Dickinson College Drexel University Duke University East Carolina University Elon University (14) Emerson College Florida State University Fordham University (3) Furman University (4) George Mason University (3) George Washington University Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Technology Gettysburg College Hampden-Sydney College (11) Hampton University Harvard University Haverford College High Point University (3) Howard University Humboldt State University James Madison University (47) Kenyon College (4) Lafayette College (2) Lewis & Clark College Longwood University (2) Louisiana State University Loyola University - Maryland McDaniel College

Miami University - Ohio (10) Middlebury College (2) Montana State University New York University (2) North Carolina State University (7) Northeastern University (3) Occidental College Old Dominion University Otis College of Art & Design Pennsylvania State University Point Park University Princeton University (3) Radford University (3) Randolph-Macon College (4) Rhodes College Rice University Rider University Roanoke College (4) Rocky Mountain College Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design Rutgers University Saint Joseph’s University Salisbury University Savannah College of Art & Design School of the Art Institute of Chicago Sewanee: The University of the South (8) Skidmore College

Southern Methodist University (4) Spelman College St. Mary’s College - Maryland Suffolk University SUNY-Oswego Syracuse University Temple University Texas Christian University (3) Trinity College Tufts University Tulane University (8) University of Alabama (18) University of California - Berkeley (3) University of California Los Angeles (3) University of Cincinnati University of Colorado - Boulder (3) University of Delaware University of Georgia (24) University of Kentucky (5) University of Maine University of Mary Washington University of Maryland University of Miami (3) University of Michigan (3) University of Mississippi (14) University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (8) University of North Carolina Wilmington (3)

University of the Pacific (2) University of Pittsburgh (2) University of Portland University of Richmond (3) University of Rochester University of South Carolina (28) University of Southern California University of Texas - Austin (2) University of Vermont (3) University of Virginia (42) University of Wyoming Vanderbilt University (5) Virginia Commonwealth University (8) Virginia Military Institute (2) Virginia Tech (19) Virginia Wesleyan College Wagner College Wake Forest University (4) Washington and Lee University (8) Wesleyan University West Virginia University Institute of Technology Whitman College Willamette University Wofford College

ACCEPTANCES AT THE 10 COLLEGES RECEIVING THE MOST APPLICATIONS FROM 2016 COUGARS

100% 100%

University University of of Alabama Alabama 18/18 18/18

97% 97%

University University of of South South Carolina Carolina 28/29 28/29

92% 92%

James James Madison Madison University University 48/52 48/52

86% 86%

Virginia Virginia Tech Tech 18/21 18/21

78% 78%

Elon Elon University University 14/18 14/18

71% 71%

University University of of Georgia Georgia 24/34 24/34

69% 69%

College College of of William William & Mary & Mary 11/16 11/16

65% 65%

Clemson Clemson University University 15/23 15/23

59% 59%

University University of of Virginia Virginia 42*/71 42*/71 University University of of North North Carolina Carolina 8/18 8/18

44% 44%

* School record for # of acceptances at UVA

College Counseling at Collegiate – Helping Our Students Achieve Their Goals FINDING GREAT FITS This is no mere tagline for Collegiate’s College Counseling Office. This phrase embodies the spirit of the School’s five counselors and what they do. “Very few students embark on the college process with a clear direction, and that makes our work together all the more meaningful,” asserts Brian Leipheimer, Director of College Counseling. “We’re committed to guiding each student and family through a process of discovering an exciting set of college options that best ‘fit’ or match them as individuals. But we’re also lucky enough to walk hand-in-hand with them through their simultaneous – and ultimately more profound – process of self-discovery. Learning and sharing their stories, witnessing their growth and development as they find their great fits, and celebrating their satisfaction are our rewards.”

Surveys conducted with graduating seniors from this past year, their parents and young alums currently in college, tell a compelling tale: Across the board, satisfaction levels with the college counseling experience at Collegiate, and with the individual college counselors, remain steady at 95%.

“Because we feel so strongly that the selection of a college is based upon the fit for the individual student, we begin our personalized work with students as early as freshman year,” says Kim Ball, Associate Director of College Counseling. “The focus for freshmen and sophomore years involves self-exploration, reflection and identification of interests and passions, both inside and outside of the classroom. Once students understand themselves and begin deeply exploring their interests, they can better identify colleges that will nurture their growth.”

WORKSHOP AND CAMP OPPORTUNITIES APPLICATION WORKSHOP

JUMPSTART CAMP

This all-day program takes our juniors on a deep dive through the application process with 10-12 veteran Deans of Admission from across the country. The day is punctuated by a mock committee session – students spend several hours in small groups acting as admission committees, each led by an actual dean, deciding whom to admit and deny amongst a set of four full applications – a true insider’s look into the process.

For a full week in the summer, our college counseling staff invites rising seniors to get a head start on their applications, with the goal of completing a full application draft with essay by week’s end.

Highlights include in-depth focus on each element of the application, organizational materials, individual feedback, a communication seminar and one-on-one practice interviews conducted by local admission reps.

MILESTONES ON THE FOUR-YEAR PATH TO FIT 9th & 10th Grades ■ Focused initiatives themed around self-discovery and forward-thinking, including personality and learning style inventory, academic goal-setting, activities and summer planning, building a resume 10th Grade ■ One-on-one meetings with assigned college counselors that forge student-counselor relationships and begin the process of tailoring course selection and testing plans 11th Grade ■ Individual full-family meetings with college counselors that include the process of building the college list 12th Grade ■ One-on-one meetings with college counselors, assistance with application/essay review and strategies

RELATIONSHIPS MATTER Research, and conventional wisdom, point to younger students not being ready to engage meaningfully with the college process. However, given that the traditional model of starting individual college counseling halfway through the junior year has grown increasingly at odds with the acceleration of the process nationally, our counselors embrace a creative solution.

For Cougars, individual meetings with their college counselors begin in January of sophomore year, but those

meetings do not touch on college. Rather, they reflect a purposeful opportunity to begin a relationship, one upon which the student and counselor will build during junior and senior year. There are tangible outcomes from those first meetings, such as testing and course selection plans. Meeting after meeting, semester after semester, those one-on-one relationships form the cornerstone of Collegiate’s college counseling experience.

Our relationships with college admission officers matter as well. Each year, more than 100 representatives visit Collegiate’s campus to meet with interested students and with the college counselors. Our counselors also travel, and collectively they have visited more than 230 college campuses in the U.S., Asia, Canada, Europe and the Middle East, in addition to regularly attending national and regional conferences. Whether in person, on the phone or over email, the college counselors maintain close contact with college admission offices to cultivate and maintain strong relationships.

EXPERTISE Expertise in college counseling is a prerequisite, and our office offers a wealth of it. Collegiate is home to the region’s largest independent school office, with five college counselors who collectively offer more than 60 years in the profession. This not only affords our students a low student-to-counselor ratio, the experiences several of them bring from having worked in highly selective college admission offices is also a critical benefit. Just as importantly, they provide a caring commitment in working with both students and parents.

Meet Your Counselors Collegiate is fortunate to have five full-time counselors who possess an unwavering passion

DID YOU KNOW? ■ The unique foundation of Collegiate’s College Counseling program is a four-year developmental, stageappropriate model that begins in 9th Grade with small-group initiatives and moves to individual student meetings starting in 10th Grade.

■ Counselors host informational meetings for parents throughout the Upper School experience, ranging from informal Q&A sessions for 9th and 10th Grade parents and presentations for 11th and 12th Grade parents to a panel of 10-12 veteran admission deans and programs on financial aid and scholarships.

■ Students enjoy a bevy of programming as well, including small-group college counseling classes in junior and senior years, an essay workshop for juniors, a visit to a local college campus for sophomores and Myers-Briggs personality assessments for freshmen.

for working with students. They are your family’s committed resources, advisors and advocates.

Brian Leipheimer

Kim Ball

Erin Breese

Director of College Counseling

Associate Director of College Counseling

Associate Director of College Counseling

Education: College of William & Mary (History); University of Virginia (Educational Administration)

Education: University of Delaware (Finance & Management); University of Pennsylvania (Higher Education Administration)

Education: University of Vermont (Communication Sciences); University of Miami (Higher Education & Enrollment Management)

Prior Experience: Senior Assistant Director of Admission – Johns Hopkins University; Director of College Counseling – Indian Springs School (AL)

Prior Experience: Senior Assistant Director of Admission – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Assistant Director of Admission – University of Vermont

Liz Jackson

Andrew Reich

Jenn Earle

Associate Director of College Counseling and Upper School Counselor

Associate Director of College Counseling

College Counseling Office Assistant

Education: Beloit College (Psychology); University of Oslo (Comparative and International Education)

Education: University of Richmond (International Studies); Virginia Commonwealth University (Administration of Justice)

Prior Experience: Associate Director of College Counseling – Collegiate School (VA); College Counselor and Admission Officer – St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School (VA)

Education: Williams College (American Studies); Harvard University (School Counseling) Prior Experience: College and Career Counselor – Paul International High School (DC); College Counselor – Cesar Chavez PCS for Public Policy (DC); Guidance Counselor – Friendship Collegiate Academy (DC)

Prior Experience: Assistant Director of College Counseling – The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge; Admissions Counselor – Gettysburg College; International Undergraduate Admissions Application Reader – New York University

Prior Experience: Deputy Clerk – Hanover County Circuit Court (VA); Instructional Assistant – Columbus Elementary School (IL); Legal Assistant – Supreme Court of Virginia; Deputy Clerk – Supreme Court of Virginia

103 North Mooreland Road / Richmond, VA 23229 / 804.740.7077 / Fax: 804.741.9128