College Counseling

A student holding a laptop sits on a couch chatting with an advisor sitting behind a desk in a colorful office.

college counseling

 

A speaker wearing a Wyoming sweatshirt points to a screen presenting college options to a group of students at Santa Fe Prep.
 

 

Pairing Passion with Programs

  • A Prep education is intended to guide students in their academic, artistic, and athletic pursuits; to help them build courage, curiosity, respect,  resilience, and integrity; and to engage students in active discourse in preparation for lives of uncommon purpose. These guiding principles, along with recognizing our students as multi-faceted young people, are the foundations of our college counseling practice.        
  • Through our personalized approach, we seek to connect with every student by encouraging them to lead their own unique college search, with parents and counselors in a supporting role. Our partnership with students enables us to curate a balanced list of schools based on their academic and co-curricular interests. We believe in and practice the idea that students should find the college that best fits them not only academically, but also socially and financially. This emphasis on “fit” gives students the best opportunity to experience the transformative power of education. We also know that college may not be the best option for everyone, and we offer support for all students as they plan for life after Prep.         

 

 

The Process

Our Timeline
10th grade timeline

Goals:

  • It’s still early to be thinking about your college list. But working hard and achieving your academic goals will set you up for success later.
  • Pursue your passions both in and outside of the classroom.
  • Colleges love sustained commitments, so try building on an activity you enjoy, and pursuing leadership opportunities when they are available.

  • If you visit colleges over the summer, it’s not so important to see specific schools, instead, focus on genre of college -- large vs. small, public vs. private, urban vs. rural -- in order to determine what you like in a college community. It’s an opportunity to learn what’s out there!

     

JANUARY

  • Take a look at the Summer Programs List (provided by College Counseling) to explore your options for summer activities

FEBRUARY 

  • Take the practice ACT

MARCH

  • If you are interested in participating in collegiate athletics, attend the College Athletic Recruitment session

APRIL 

  • Sophomores are assigned a college counselor

MAY 

  • Meet with your college counselor to discuss your 11th grade schedule (optional)
  • Complete “self-survey with College Counseling

SUMMER

  • Use the summer to rest, recharge and do something meaningful to you

 

11th grade timeline

AUGUST

  • Attend the “Intro to Scoir” session with College Counseling

SEPTEMBER

  • Over 75 Admission Officers start to visit Prep. Plan to attend at least 5 of these visits

OCTOBER

  • Take the PSAT

NOVEMBER

  • Complete the College Counseling Questionnaire
  • Attend Junior Family College Night
  • Start thinking ahead about Spring Break college visits

JANUARY

  • Schedule your individual meeting with your college counselor
  • Begin researching summer opportunities - jobs, internships, study abroad, etc.
  • Attend the annual Alumni Forum
  • If you are interested in being a recruited athlete, attend the Athletic Recruitment session

FEBRUARY

  • Schedule your family meeting
  • Research initial college recommendations from your counselor
  • Plan ahead for any college visits during Spring Break
  • Visit UNM with College Counseling
  • Register for the spring SAT or ACT test dates (if applicable)

MARCH

  • Individual and family meetings continue
  • Visit colleges (virtually or in person) over Spring Break

APRIL

  • Continue researching colleges using Scoir, The Fiske Guide, visits, etc.
  • Participate in the annual Case Studies
    Complete a draft of your personal statement in English class

MAY

  • Identify one or two teachers for letters of recommendation
  • If you plan to apply to an art school/program, start work on pieces for your portfolio

SUMMER

  • Use the summer to rest, recharge and do something meaningful to you

 

12th grade timeline

AUGUST

  • Common App opens Aug. 1
  • Attend the Application Workshop during the first week of school
  • Schedule an individual meeting with your college counselor
  • Sign up for fall SAT/ACT test dates (if applicable)

SEPTEMBER

  • Over 75 Admission Officers start to visit Prep. Plan to attend visits for schools you’re applying to or interested in
  • Schedule admission interviews with reps while they’re in town
  • Finish your Activities List and Personal Statement

OCTOBER

  • FAFSA and CSS Profile open Oct. 1
  • Meet with your counselor to confirm Early Action or Early Decision plan
  • Take screenshots of Net Price Calculator estimations at schools you are applying to (especially ED)
  • Work with your counselor to balance your list with reach, target, and likely schools
  • Last dates to take ACT or SAT prior to EA and ED deadlines

NOVEMBER

  • EA/ED Deadlines: Nov 1 or Nov 15
  • UC/Cal State Deadlines: Nov 30
  • Check your application portals to determine if colleges have received all necessary materials
  • Strategize to what schools you wish to send your test scores (if applicable)

DECEMBER

  • Determine if you plan to apply ED2
  • Continue working on ED2 / RD applications
  • Prepare for decisions and manage expectations
  • Colleges begin releasing ED1 and EA decisions

JANUARY

  • Attend the annual Alumni Forum
  • Final RD deadlines (usually Jan 1 - Jan 15)
  • Local scholarships start to open
  • LANL Scholarship application due (usually 2nd week of January)

FEBRUARY

  • Send “deferral updates” to colleges where you have been deferred
  • Continue to monitor your applicant portal to ensure that colleges have received all necessary materials
  • Attend “Transition to College” workshops hosted by College Counseling
  • Apply for outside scholarships

MARCH

  • Decisions begin to roll out from colleges
  • Update Scoir with all admission decisions
  • Visit colleges to which you’ve been admitted over Spring Break
  • Compare and assess financial aid offers
  • Apply to outside scholarships

APRIL

  • Attend Admitted Student Days
  • Meet with your counselor as you’re making your final decision
  • Apply to outside scholarships
  • If you’ve been waitlisted, accept your spot on the waitlist and consider a letter of continued interest.

MAY

  • May 1 - National Decision Date
  • Notify the other colleges that have accepted you that you are declining their offer
  • If you plan to defer your enrollment for a gap year, notify your college
  • Waitlists are active through June/July
  • Take pride in a job well done! You survived a tough year and made it through to the other side
  • Thank your supporters for their help

SUMMER

  • Placement exams, housing, course selection, roommate preferences, etc.
  • Relax and enjoy your summer

 

College Counseling Timeline

AUGUST

  • Common App opens Aug. 1
  • Attend the Application Workshop during the first week of school
  • Schedule an individual meeting with your college counselor
  • Sign up for fall SAT/ACT test dates(if applicable)

SEPTEMBER

  • Over 75 Admission Officers start to visit Prep. Plan to attend visits for schools you’re applying to or interested in
  • Schedule admission interviews with reps while they’re in town
  • Finish your Activities List and Personal Statement

OCTOBER

  • FAFSA and CSS Profile open Oct. 1
  • Meet with your counselor to confirm Early Action or Early Decision plan
  • Take screenshots of Net Price Calculator estimations at schools you are applying to (especially ED)
  • Work with your counselor to balance your list with reach, target, and likely schools
  • Last dates to take ACT or SAT prior to EA and ED deadlines

NOVEMBER

  • EA/ED Deadlines: Nov 1 or Nov 15
  • UC/Cal State Deadlines: Nov 30
  • Check your application portals to determine if colleges have received all necessary materials
  • Strategize to what schools you wish to send your test scores (if applicable)

DECEMBER

  • Determine if you plan to apply ED2
  • Continue working on ED2 / RD applications
  • Prepare for decisions and manage expectations
  • Colleges begin releasing ED1 and EA decisions

JANUARY

  • Attend the annual Alumni Forum
  • Final RD deadlines (usually Jan 1 - Jan 15)
  • Local scholarships start to open
  • LANL Scholarship application due (usually 2nd week of January)

FEBRUARY

  • Send “deferral updates” to colleges where you have been deferred
  • Continue to monitor your applicant portal to ensure that colleges have received all necessary materials
  • Attend “Transition to College” workshops hosted by College Counseling
  • Apply for outside scholarships

MARCH

  • Decisions begin to roll out from colleges
  • Update Scoir with all admission decisions
  • Visit colleges to which you’ve been admitted over Spring Break
  • Compare and assess financial aid offers
  • Apply to outside scholarships

APRIL

  • Attend Admitted Student Days
  • Meet with your counselor as you’re making your final decision
  • Apply to outside scholarships
  • If you’ve been waitlisted, accept your spot on the waitlist and consider a letter of continued interest.

MAY

  • May 1 - National Decision Date
  • Notify the other colleges that have accepted you that you are declining their offer
  • If you plan to defer your enrollment for a gap year, notify your college
  • Waitlists are active through June/July
  • Take pride in a job well done! You survived a tough year and made it through to the other side
  • Thank your supporters for their help

SUMMER

  • Placement exams, housing, course selection, roommate preferences, etc.
  • Relax and enjoy your summer

 

 

 

Below are several highlights of Prep’s exceptional College Counseling program:

We Know Our Students–This would be an expand tab that has the description pop out after spring break of their sophomore year, students are assigned a college counselor who serves as an academic advisor who collaborates with them to select appropriate courses based on their intellectual curiosities. By creating the relationship this early, their college counselor is able to build a robust and supportive partnership that contributes to a joyful college search process which starts in earnest in junior year. We begin formal meetings with juniors and their parents in January and continue to meet individually with students and parents on different aspects of the process: visiting colleges, determining what is a good fit, creating a list of schools to apply to, guidance on testing, editing and advice on applications and essays, and much more. Prep has two college counselors for approximately 50 seniors. We work very closely together to discuss students and their college processes.        

Standardized Testing–This would be an expand tab that has the description pop out while many colleges and universities are now test-optional or test-free, about 50% of Prep students choose to take the SAT or ACT to supplement their college applications. In order to get a feel for the experience of taking a standardized test, all Prep students take the Pre-ACT in sophomore spring, and the PSAT in junior fall. Practice scores can help a student and their college counselor determine if testing is likely to be strong enough to be additive to a college application (and therefore part of a student’s application process) and/or to determine which test to prepare for, ACT or SAT. Should a family decide to move forward with standardized testing, we can provide resources for individual tutoring and test preparation.        

To learn more about the current state of standardized testing in the college admission process, we highly recommend reading the blogs written by Compass Test Prep (particularly Keeping Options Open).  If you’re interested in the growing movement away from standardized testing, please consult Fairtest.org for articles about the current state of college admission testing as well as an up-to-the-minute list of test-optional schools.        

Helpful links:

ACT dates and deadlines
SAT dates and deadlines
Fairtest: The National Center for Fair and Open Testing

 

 

Programming–This would be an expand tab that has the description pop out

  • Admissions Rep Visits: Over 80 college admissions representatives visit Prep every fall to meet our students. It is a great opportunity for students to learn more about the schools they are considering. It is also a time for students to establish a relationship with the representative who will most likely be the first reader of their application.
     

  • Summer Essay Workshop: To prepare students for the college application process, the College Counseling Office offers an opportunity to get the ball rolling on writing the personal statement. To accommodate as many students and families as possible, we host the same essay workshop two different times throughout the summer. These workshops are full days that include sessions around brainstorming, executive functioning, and putting a pen to paper.
     

  • Case Studies: We invite over twenty college admissions reps to visit Santa Fe Prep in April to read real applications with students and parents. Participants will be split into admissions committees with 2-3 college admission officers leading each committee, guiding them through the process of evaluating “the fit” of the sample applications. Admitting, Denying, and Waitlisting applicants introduces students and parents to the different parts of an application, how each is weighed, and how those priorities differ among colleges and universities.
     

  • Athletic Recruitment at Prep: In collaboration with Prep alumni who are collegiate athletes, College Counseling offers high level data, advice, and best practices when it comes to NCAA athletic recruitment. Every year we have between one and three students who choose to go through the college admissions process as a recruited athlete.

 

 

Affording College–This would be an expand tab that has the description pop out

Affordability is among the most important factors in determining a college’s “fit” for a student. In support of Prep families considering affordability, we offer annual programming that guides families through the various parts of financial aid. By collaborating with experts from college financial aid offices, we are able to provide families with an overview of how "need-based" (determined by income and assets) and "merit-based" (awards given by individual colleges to attract talented students) financial assistance is awarded. We also help families walk line by line through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, as it is commonly known, as well as the CSS Profile. 

Through our partnership with Paul Martin of College Money Method Prep will provide webinars starting in 9th grade that will:

1. Develop early awareness and understanding of college financing and the financial aid process so that students and families establish their financial fit earlier in the college exploration process.

2. Guide students and families through the financial aid system, breaking down the entire process into manageable lessons with actions appropriate for each year of high school.

3. Resource students and families with personalized tools to move from passive learning to active planning in the college financial aid process.

4. Introduce students to key concepts and behaviors in personal finance by integrating these as part of financial aid planning.

If college affordability is on your mind, it’s never too early to begin researching college costs and getting a sense of your eligibility for need-based assistance. 

  • For a comprehensive overview of the financial aid process, we highly recommend navigating to https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college          
  • Finaid.org is an award-winning website that provides an excellent overview of need and merit-based aid.        
  • MyinTuition shows the projected cost of college once financial aid is factored in, helping families understand and plan for what college will actually cost.          
  • Every college is required to have a Net Price Calculator on their website. Very often, a simple Google search typing in the name of a college + “net price calculator” will take you to the right place.        
  • Book recommendation: The Price You Pay for College by Ron Lieber is a digestible, engaging introduction to the financial aid process.        

 

 

For College Reps

 
In-Person Visits

To schedule an in-person visit, please see our visit calendar on Scoir which is updated annually in July. While most visits will be offered during lunch or community time, as an office entirely run by former college reps, we’d never stick you in the cafeteria!

We hope to host most college visits outdoors (weather permitting) so please plan accordingly. Santa Fe Prep College Counseling also reserves the right to decline visits from for-profit institutions and military recruiters.

 
Parking and Visit Instructions 

Visitor parking is available in the main parking lot or in the overflow lot across the street from the entrance to campus. After parking, head directly to the building labeled “Main Office” to check in. Carolyn or Hayley will meet you there before your visit. Please do not head directly to the College Counseling offices, even if you know your way around Prep! Prep has a “phones away for the day” policy. Students will not be able to scan QR codes, so please plan ahead and bring physical inquiry cards. During the fall, most visits will take place outside on the portal. If you need access to audio/visual equipment, please communicate these needs ahead of time. 

 
Virtual Visits

While we believe student engagement is much stronger in-person, if you cannot visit us in person and would like to request a virtual visit, please email hburke@sfprep.org.

 
15 minutes from Prep: 

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A bit beyond Santa Fe: 

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Special Programming

 

Junior Jumpstart - April

The College Counseling office at Santa Fe Prep partners with the Davis New Mexico Scholarship, Sandia Prep, Albuquerque Academy, Bosque School, area public schools and CBOs to bring 35 admission officers to Northern NM for an annual comprehensive college access program (Junior Jumpstart) that includes case studies, financial aid workshops, and college fit sessions. This event encompasses the annual Santa Fe Prep and Tri-Schools Case Studies programs, and puts admission officers in front of 300+ college-bound students from Northern New Mexico, including the more rural pockets of our state. There is no cost to participate in Junior Jumpstart. If you would like to learn more or register your interest in joining our program, please contact Hanna Levin at hlevin@davisnm.org 

 
Frito Pie Night - September

A beloved annual tradition, Santa Fe Prep hosts Frito Pie Night the night before the RMACAC Albuquerque College Fair to bring our college friends together for a night of good food and great company! This event is purely social -- there are no students present. If you would like to join us for Frito Pie Night, please contact Hayley at hburke@sfprep.org

 
Exploring the Land of Enchantment

Check out this comprehensive guide to eating, drinking, and hiking your way through Santa Fe, put together by our counseling team. 

Resource Hub 

Scoir

College Money Method

 the school profile