College counselors meet with senior parents
RE's college counseling team met with senior parents to engage them in the college process, sharing nuts-and-bolts information regarding dates, deadlines and procedures, and also highlighting the high level of personal attention provided to all members of the Class of 2020. Head of School Penny Townsend opened the Aug. 27 event at the Lewis Family Auditorium. Director of College Counseling Claudia Jolivert and counselors Daniel Creasy and Aleny Garcia each addressed the dozens of parents in attendance.
The counselors emphasized a heightened level of access to the college office in 2019-20, including through new "Senior Connections," before-school, drop-in hours every Friday, and an open-door policy among each counselor to all seniors and their families.
"Our job is to get to know every single student in the class," Jolivert said. "We take the time to collect and curate information from teachers, coaches and advisors, in addition to compiling insights and anecdotes from meetings, surveys and essays. We use this information to guide your student, but more importantly to write unique and compelling letters of recommendation for each student."
The college counselors also emphasized the ultimate goal of the college process: to find the college that is the right fit for each student. Parents in attendance participated in an exercise designed to illustrate "fit," each rating the importance of certain elements of the college experience and campus life. Many of RE families' priorities for their children, it turned out, are not factored into the ever-popular college rankings. Creasy recommended that parents not let a school's prestige govern their interest, but rather seek the college or university where their senior will be most engaged in and out of the classroom.
Garcia urged parents to contribute to the process by encouraging their students to enjoy their senior year, and limiting college discussions to a designated time each week. Jolivert also reminded families of students interested in collegiate sports to consult with Roger Caron, the Coordinator of Student-Athlete College Recruitment
Parents received a detailed calendar and other materials to guide them through the year. Those items and the full powerpoint from the evening can be found in the new "Parents' Corner" on myCOMPASS under "Resources" and "College Counseling." Parents and students will also find scheduling tools and other important resources at that site.
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"Our job is to get to know every single student in the class," Jolivert said. "We take the time to collect and curate information from teachers, coaches and advisors, in addition to compiling insights and anecdotes from meetings, surveys and essays. We use this information to guide your student, but more importantly to write unique and compelling letters of recommendation for each student."
The college counselors also emphasized the ultimate goal of the college process: to find the college that is the right fit for each student. Parents in attendance participated in an exercise designed to illustrate "fit," each rating the importance of certain elements of the college experience and campus life. Many of RE families' priorities for their children, it turned out, are not factored into the ever-popular college rankings. Creasy recommended that parents not let a school's prestige govern their interest, but rather seek the college or university where their senior will be most engaged in and out of the classroom.
Garcia urged parents to contribute to the process by encouraging their students to enjoy their senior year, and limiting college discussions to a designated time each week. Jolivert also reminded families of students interested in collegiate sports to consult with Roger Caron, the Coordinator of Student-Athlete College Recruitment
Parents received a detailed calendar and other materials to guide them through the year. Those items and the full powerpoint from the evening can be found in the new "Parents' Corner" on myCOMPASS under "Resources" and "College Counseling." Parents and students will also find scheduling tools and other important resources at that site.
Middle School
2045 South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 250 6850
Upper School
3575 Main Highway, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 460 8800
Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades School is a coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 6 - 12 located on two campuses in Coconut Grove, Florida. Ransom Everglades School produces graduates who "believe that they are in the world not so much for what they can get out of it as for what they can put into it." The school provides rigorous college preparation that promotes the student's sense of identity, community, personal integrity and values for a productive and satisfying life, and prepares the student to lead and to contribute to society.