College Counseling

St. Sebastian’s prepares young men for successful college careers. The art of selecting the right school— from initial research to final choice—is guided by the college counselor and supported by the faculty. Though the college counselor frequently consults, both formally and informally, with students and parents in the first two years of the upper school, preparation for the college search process begins in earnest in the junior year.

“St. Sebastian’s College Counselors provide the right combination of independence and support to help students choose the best path to a successful and fulfilling career in college and beyond. We empower them to engage in rigorous self-reflection in order to identify their priorities and aspirations for the next phase of their educational journey. ”

Mrs. Ellen B. Hinman Director of College Counseling Appointed to faculty in 2018 B.A., Dartmouth College, M.A., Boston College M.Ed., Columbia University Teachers College

A successful college search, application, and ultimately matriculation depends on three things: thoughtful, openminded reflection about a student’s strengths, accomplishments, and aspirations; proactive communication among students, parents, counselors, and colleges; and an organized, timely approach to all college-related activities. The college process yields the most positive outcomes when students engage fully, taking the lead on this educational journey, in order to develop the tools they will need for a successful and fulfilling career at a college appropriate to their individual strengths and interests.

The college search process begins in earnest in the junior year. Through individual and group meetings, each student and his college counselor embark on a two-way exchange of information; conversations start broad and ultimately narrow over the next 10-12 months to yield a carefully curated application list and finally an enrollment decision.

We provide personalized counseling; we help students tell their story; and we communicate clearly and promptly with families, welcoming questions at any time and giving them information they need to support their sons with confidence and wisdom.

Our College Counseling Office also works, in partnership with the Headmaster, to act as strong advocates for both individual students and the School as a whole. We visit colleges and universities throughout the year to maintain a current understanding of these institutions, and to familiarize colleges with the unique strengths and character of St. Sebastian’s and its students.

COLLEGE MATRICULATION Members of the last five graduating classes have enrolled at the colleges and universities listed below.

Boston College 38 College of the Holy Cross 25 Providence College 18 University of Notre Dame 15 Harvard University 12 Villanova University 11 Northeastern University 11 Wake Forest University 8 Duke University 8 Colby College 7 Georgetown University 6 Middlebury College 5 University of Wisconsin (Madison) 5 Boston University 4 Babson College 4 Bucknell University 4 Skidmore College 4 Trinity College 4 University of Michigan 3 United States Military Academy 3 Amherst College 3 University of Massachusetts - (Amherst) 3 University of Richmond 3 Northwestern University 3 Fairfield University 3 Worcester Polytechnic Institute 3 Tufts University 3 Colorado College 3 Fordham University 3 Princeton University 3 Indiana University - Bloomington 3 Cornell University 3 Clemson University 3 Hobart and William Smith

Colleges 2 Tulane University 2 Dartmouth College 2 Dickinson College 2 Lehigh University 2 Bates College 2 George Washington University 2 Connecticut College 2 University of Miami 2 University of Virginia 2 Santa Clara University 2 Syracuse University 2 Southern Methodist University 2 University of Southern California 2 University of Pennsylvania 2 Furman University 1 University of Maryland 1 The College of William and Mary 1 Christendom College 1 James Madison University 1 Washington University 1 University of Denver 1 University of San Diego 1 Colorado School of Mines 1 Union College 1 Bowdoin College 1 University of Chicago 1 Emory University 1 University of California (Los Angeles) 1 Washington and Lee University 1 IE University Segovia 1 Birmingham City University 1 Salem State University 1 Georgia Institute of Technology 1 IE University 1 Oberlin College 1 University of Georgia 1 Columbia College 1 New York University 1 Coastal Carolina University 1 Texas Christian University 1 University of California - Irvine 1 Pitzer College 1 Stonehill College 1 Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences 1 Vanderbilt University 1 Bentley University 1 Saint Anselm College 1 Howard University 1 St. John’s University 1 University of Florida 1 University of Hartford 1 Merrimack College 1 Clarkson University 1 University of Massachusetts (Boston) 1 St. Lawrence University 1 Lake Forest College 1 Hamilton College 1 Ohio Wesleyan University 1 The Ohio State University 1 Occidental College 1 University of Louisville 1 Johns Hopkins University 1 Harvey Mudd College 1 University of Connecticut 1 Brown University 1