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College Counseling

The College Counseling office’s main goal is to prepare and educate students on college readiness, career exploration, college applications, and financial aid throughout their secondary education at The Phelps School. By the end of 11th Grade, students have a better understanding of their individual skills, talents, and career pathways along with an acute knowledge of different college programs and the application process to set them up for a successful application season during their senior year. Seniors and Post-Graduates meet with our Head of College Counseling weekly to develop their applications and consider issues related to financial aid, living independently, and major selection.

EXPLORING COLLEGE OPTIONS IN THE JUNIOR YEAR

Students and their families are encouraged to meet with the College Counselor as early as they would like to begin thinking about the college search process. 

In the third trimester, juniors are expected to take the College Explorations trimester long course. Through personal college exploration, students start to define a specific plan before the application process begins. Some examples of questions we want to clarify before application season are:

  • What type of degree do I want to obtain?

  • What area of study do I want to major/minor in?

  • Do I want a big university or smaller liberal arts college?

  • Do I want to live in an urban, rural, or suburban setting?

  • Does the college have the extracurriculars that I want?

  • How can I pay for college?

Students are expected to visit a few colleges before they complete their junior year and will have an opportunity as part of this class to draft their college essay.

THE SENIOR YEAR EXPERIENCE: TRANSITIONS TO COLLEGE

The senior class meets weekly with the College Counselor as part of the Transitions to College experience. Students explore a variety of topics related to the transition from high school to college, such as time management, goal setting, study habits, and relaxation. Students also meet individually with the counselor to discuss their college search plan and work on their applications and essays. 

Students will also get a general understanding of the financial aid process and spend time filling out applications like FAFSA if relevant. Students are given a detailed explanation of each financial aid application, how to apply, and what types of financial aid can be rewarded. They eventually work with the College Counselor to analyze the packages they received closer to the end of the year. Our hope is that students will gain the ability to advocate for themselves, gain a greater understanding of finances in regard to higher education, and get to pursue post-secondary education that is affordable.

All seniors end their Phelps experience in the spring with a course in Speech Writing Capstone that culminates with the writing of their senior speech.

COLLEGE VISITS

Phelps looks forward to hosting admissions offices and scouts from the colleges and universities in the Philadelphia area as well as some from the greater Mid-Atlantic region. This page will be updated soon!