College Planning
College planning at Pilgrim is a highly personalized, student-centered process that is focused on helping each student identify individual goals and pathways to achieve them. This program and its processes aren’t simply limited to selecting suitable colleges, though; emphasis is placed on mindfully readying students for their futures.
Pilgrim School's Director of Achievement & College Planning, Robin Lau, takes a unique approach to College Planning that has been proven to be highly beneficial for students and families. Ms. Lau takes a significant amount of time getting to know each student, starting in 8th grade. Throughout their four years in high school, students receive personalized guidance and a high-touch counseling experience that provides opportunities for them to explore, engage, and reflect, as they move through high school. By senior year, our students are prepared to pursue their best college fit based on their academic profile, aspirations, talents, and interests.
Our graduates attend a wide range of schools, including some of the most selective universities, liberal arts colleges, and art schools in the world. We measure success not only by the number of acceptances but by how well the school matches the student.
To learn more about our college planning process, please contact our Director of Achievement & College Planning, Robin Lau, at rlau@pilgrim-school.org.
Approach to Planning By Grade
- Students are introduced to our Director of Achievement & College Planning.
- Initial questions are asked during this school year, such as:
- When have you felt proud of yourself?
- Who do you want to be in the future?
- Where do you feel activated, excited, purposeful, empowered?
- What spaces, classes, activities, ect.excite you? What is it about those settings that make you feel that way, and how might you pursue more of it?
- In the Spring, each student meets again with our Director of Achievement & College Planning to make their schedules and discuss co-curriculars they may enjoy for the following year.
- Initial questions are asked during this school year, such as:
- Students begin meeting individually with our Director of Achievement & College Planning in the Spring to plan coursework, and strategizing begins.
- Students are taught to evaluate how class selections relate to college requirements, how to approach college planning and are guided through thinking critically about their futures.
- A variety of college representatives visit throughout the year to meet with the students and discuss the strengths of their school. Previous representatives include USC, UCLA, UCSD, Brown, NYU, RISD, SCAD, Boston University.
- Students continue to delve into what interests and activates them so that building their schedules becomes a primary vehicle for these college planning conversations.
- Emphasis is placed on extracurricular choices, developing socially beneficial activities, leadership on campus, etc.
- Entrance exams such as the PSATs, ACTs, and AP tests are prepared for and discussed at length.
- A variety of college representatives visit throughout the year to meet with the students and discuss the strengths of their school. Previous representatives include
- College trip
- What: School college tour trip during Trips Week - visit 9-10 colleges in one region.
- Who: 10th and 11th grade students
- Where: Select region based on student interest and also diversity of college types.
- Why: We mix large and small schools, public and private, national research universities and liberal arts colleges, different environments so that the students can get an idea of not only what is offered at colleges in general but how these types of colleges can differ from one another. Students may be interested in specific colleges, but the big takeaway is learning what different types of colleges have to offer to aid the student's personalized college search process.
- In addition to taking the SAT, ACT, and/or AP tests, students formulate college research plans and discuss intended areas of study with our Director of Achievement & College Planning.
- It is vital during this process to collaborate with students about what they’ve learned about themselves and the environments in which they thrive.
- Students participate in a college planning workshop before the summer with the Director of Achievement & College Planning. Parents/Caregivers meet with the Director during this time as well.
- A variety of college representatives visit throughout the year to meet with the students and discuss the strengths of their school. Previous representatives include
- College trip
- What: School college tour trip during Trips Week - visit 9-10 colleges in one region.
- Who: 10th and 11th grade students
- Where: Select region based on student interest and also diversity of college types.
- Why: We mix large and small schools, public and private, national research universities and liberal arts colleges, different environments so that the students can get an idea of not only what is offered at colleges in general but how these types of colleges can differ from one another. Students may be interested in specific colleges, but the big takeaway is learning what different types of colleges have to offer to aid the student's personalized college search process.
- The fall of senior year is focused on college planning coursework, which includes finalizing the college list, framing and executing strategies for successful applications, and creating clear expectations for healthy transitions.
- A variety of college representatives visit throughout the year to meet with the students and discuss the strengths of their school. Previous representatives include
- Spring is focused on discernment of post-secondary options and a healthy transition to college. This includes comparing admissions offers and financial aid, defining college success, ensuring financial literacy, and focusing on a social-emotional—as well as cultural—transition.
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