St. Andrew's Episcopal School - Students & Parents

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School is an independent, coeducational day school in Potomac, Maryland whose purpose is to challenge and nurture students of diverse abilities and interests in Preschool- Grade 12. Study in the arts, athletics and spiritual life balance the academically rigorous curriculum. Small classes, dedicated faculty and strong service learning teach values in a safe college preparatory environment.

College Counseling

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Thursday, January 29, 2009
7:00 - 8:30pm

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Look here for the latest news on the college search and application process.

Colleges Visiting St. Andrew's - Fall 2008 • Updated on 10.10.08

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As a college preparatory school, St. Andrew's maintains an active college counseling program to help students take the next crucial step in their development. The goal of the program is to help each student find the right "match," the place where the student will find the right environment to learn, complete the process of becoming an adult, and prepare for his or her unique future.

St. Andrew's believes that the Upper School, while preparing students for college, has each student's intellectual, moral, spiritual, and social growth and development as its primary goals. The college counseling program is designed to support that philosophy and integrate with it.

The role of the college counselor is to help students understand the college search, selection, and application process and to assist them through it to a successful conclusion. Since no one college or group of colleges is right for every student, the college counselors begin by helping students clarify their educational and personal goals, match themselves with colleges which help them reach those goals, and guide students through the application process.

The College Search
The college counseling program begins in a directed fashion midway through the junior year. At that point, students and parents complete comprehensive questionnaires and begin a series of meetings with the college counselors. These meetings help the college counselors learn more about each student's college plans and to become more effective advocates for them. The counselors assist students in developing their college lists and in negotiating the college research and application process. The process itself requires that each student devotes time and energy to developing a customized list of colleges based on research and realistic self-assessment which enables the matching process to occur.

The college counselors also help each student develop a final list of colleges based on involved research, visits to campus, talking with college representatives on campus, and using the many resources available in the College Counseling Office. When the list is developed, the college counselors assist students through the actual process of applying to college.

The Application Process
The college counselors work to make the application process efficient and effective. They review applications and supporting materials and develop positive letters of recommendation which provide insight into each student as an individual, a key element in presenting each student to their colleges.

The college selection process takes work and commitment. Choosing a college takes time for the student to come to understand his or her own strengths and needs, time to understand what the student wants from the college experience, time to research the available options, and time to prepare applications and complete the required standardized tests. But when students see their choices develop, they learn that it is time well spent.