9th Grade
Semester 1
August or October | Freshman Quarterly Meeting (1 hour)
- Provide overview of high school planning and college consulting process
- Review CG Information resources:
- Personalized Dropbox folder
- Student Portal account
- Acquire foundational knowledge of student
- Review student’s academic history
- Review student’s extracurricular experiences
January | Freshman Quarterly Meeting (1 hour)
- Review academics, learning and performance, time management
- Review activities, community service, summer plans
- Plan 10th grade courses
Semester 2
March | Freshman Quarterly Meeting (1 hour)
- Review academics, learning and performance, time management
- Review activities, community service
- Finalize summer plans
May or June | Freshman Quarterly Meeting (1 hour)
- Review 9th grade academics and goals for 10th grade
- Review 9th grade activities
- Review goals for summer activities
10th Grade
Semester 1
August or October | Sophomore Planning Meeting (1 1/4 hour)
- Review 9th grade academics
- Review upcoming or current 10th grade courses, including motivation, performance, relationships with teachers
- Review 9th grade and summer activities, community service
- Discuss whether to discontinue any activities or add new activities
- Discuss standardized testing, including AP exams
- Advise on test prep options for 11th grade PSAT
November – December | Sophomore Bi-Monthly Meeting (1 hour)
- Review academics, learning and performance
- Discuss strategies for strengthening relationships with teachers and guidance counselor
- Review typical schedule and time management strategies
- Discuss potential areas of interest for future activities
- Discuss preferred balance between academics, activities and social life
- Advise on appropriate summer activity options
Semester 2
February | Sophomore Bi-Monthly Meeting (1 hour)
- Review first semester academics
- Plan second semester academic goals
- Plan 11th grade courses and tentative sequence for 12th grade
- Review first semester activities
- Review options for summer plans and finalize applications if appropriate
April | Sophomore Bi-Monthly Meeting (1 hour)
- Review academics, learning and performance
- Review typical schedule and time management strategies
- Finalize summer plans
June | Sophomore Bi-Monthly Meeting (1 hour)
- Review 10th grade academics, learning and performance
- Discuss goals for 11th grade
- Review goals for summer activities
11th Grade
Semester 1
August | Junior Planning Meeting (1 1/2 hour Milestone Meeting)
- Provide overview of college consulting process
- Review CG Information resources:
- Student Portal
- Personalized Dropbox folder
- Acquire foundational knowledge of student
- Review student’s academic history
- Review student’s extracurricular experiences, including activities, summer plans, internships and employment
- Develop standardized testing schedule and test prep
October | College Features Meeting (1 hour Junior Monthly Meeting)
- PowerPoint on framework of college features
- Identify student’s “best-fit” college features
- Introduce College Match Chart (CMC) evaluation approach
- Plan visits to local colleges to confirm features of importance
- Review academics: learning, progress report, relationship with teachers
- Review status of test prep
November – December | Status Review (1 hour Junior Monthly Meeting)
- Review College Match Charts
- Share feedback from college visits
- Review academics: learning, progress report, relationship with teachers
- Refine standardized testing schedule and prep for SAT, ACT, AP exams
- Plan summer activities
Semester 2
January | Personality and Interest Assessments (1 ½ hr Milestone Meeting)
- MBTI Myers Briggs Personality Type Indicator and Strong Interest Inventory: administer, validate and interpret assessment of innate personality
- Discuss relationship between personality and interests
- Academics: review approach to midterms
February | Status Review: Testing, Recs, Visits, Senior Courses (1 hr Monthly Meeting)
- Review 1st semester academics; plan Senior Year courses
- Refine standardized testing schedule and prep: SAT, ACT, AP exams
- Discuss summer plans
- Plan visits to additional local and distant colleges
March – May | College List Meeting (1 ½ hour Milestone Meeting)
- Review colleges, features, admissibility, testing requirements
- Review college visits; plan future visits; introduce CVT (College Visit Tracker)
- Review test results and further testing plans for SAT, ACT, AP exams
- Finalize teacher recommendations
- Finalize summer plans
March – May | College Visit Review (1 hour Junior Monthly Meeting)
- Review college visits; refine list of preferable college features
- Review academics: learning, progress report, relationship with teachers
- Review activities and College Resume
May – June | Junior Meeting (1 hour)
- Modify College List based on visit feedback, college features, academics
- Establish summer meeting schedule
- Review essay editing policies
12th Grade
Summer
July | Essay Brainstorming (1 ½ hour Milestone Meeting after July 15)
- Brainstorm the following essays:
- Personal Essay topic; create outline
- Activity Essay (supplement essay)
- College Match Essay (supplement essay)
August | Admissions Workshop (2 Hours): OPTIONAL & RECOMMENDED
- Begin to fill out Common Application form
- Finalize College Resume
- Develop Top Ten list of extracurricular, summer activities and employment, for use in Common Application Activity Grid
- Draft a College Match Essay for a favorite college
August – November | Essays and Applications (1 hour Bi-Weekly Essay Meetings)
- 6-8 meetings
August | “Core” Essays and Common Application (1 hour Essay Meetings)
- “Core” Essays: write, multiple edits, finalize the following:
- Personal Essay
- Activity Essay
- Community Essay
- College Match Essay (for a favorite college)
- Complete Common Application form by September 1
September | “Non-Core” Essays (1 hour Essay Meetings)
- Brainstorm topics and strategize timing for Non-Core essays for up to 8 supplement applications or colleges’ own applications
- Write, multiple edits, finalize
- Participate in a mock interview with feedback
Semester 1
September – October | Early Admissions Apps (1 hour Essay Meetings)
- Finalize essays and applications for colleges with ED/EA/SCEA/Rolling admissions plans
September – October | Fall Status Meeting with Parents (1 ½ hour Milestone Meeting)
- Finalize College List
- Finalize approach to early admissions: Early Decision, Early Action, Single Choice Early Action
- Finalize teacher and other recommendations
- Review status of essays and applications
- Review plan for college interviews
- Review plan for taking and reporting standardized testing
October | Mock Interview (3/4 hour)
- Prepare for college interviews
- Conduct mock interview with feedback
October – November | Regular Admissions Apps (1 hour Essay Meetings)
- Complete essays and applications for colleges with RD plans
- Review Q1 report card and recommend whether to send to ED/EA colleges
- Review relationships with teachers; potential additional teacher recommendations for RD applications
- Review activities, time management, balance; discuss whether to discontinue any activities
Semester 2
January or February |College Applications Follow-Up (1 hour Meeting)
For students who have not committed to an ED/EA college:
- Discuss follow-up letters to colleges from which student is deferred
- Discuss update letters to all colleges
- Review additional college visits
- Review interview approach
April | College Matriculation Decision (1 hour Meeting)
- Review options of colleges to which accepted
- Discuss relative fit of colleges
- Provide frameworks for evaluating which college to attend
May | Transition to College (1 hour Meeting)
- Discuss with students issues of independence, freedom, responsibility, safety
- Discuss with parents issues of transition and independence
- Address questions about transitioning to college