College Counseling

At Buffalo Seminary, the goal of college counseling is to help students successfully discover and examine their own academic aspirations and to guide them to those institutions that best fulfill those aspirations. Our college counseling program is, by intention, a very individualized process in which students, their parents and a college counselor together assess a student's interests, needs, strengths and abilities to work toward making the best college choices. At every step, the student is encouraged to "own the process": to take advantage of opportunities and instances in which she can educate herself to make informed decisions.

Although a college counselor is available to meet with interested students or parents at any time, the process begins formally in January of the junior year with a student-parent breakfast. At that time, the College Handbook is distributed, parents and students are introduced to the web-based college counseling program, Naviance, and the timetable for the college application process is described. During the next few months students meet individually with a college counselor. Goals and aspirations are discussed, and together student and counselor begin to create a list of colleges to research and explore. During the spring of the junior year, parents meet with their daughter and a college counselor.  Together parents, the student and the college counselor plan ways to investigate and research colleges, plan trips to see schools and determine possible timetables for applications.  College counselors can offer advice about summer employment or volunteer experiences.  

In the fall of the senior year, a Case Study Night is scheduled, during which parents and students form mock admissions committees and, with the help and expertise of visiting directors of admissions, study and discuss actual applications and determine whether an applicant should be admitted or denied. College representatives from universities across the country and around the world schedule visits to Buffalo Seminary, most often in September and October. Thus, students who are unable to travel extensively during spring break or the summer have the opportunity to meet with members of a college admissions office. During the fall, the college counselors hold a workshop with the students, explaining the intricacies of the Common Application and describing how and when to ask for teacher recommendations. As rising college costs and tough financial times make financing a college education an even more important consideration for families, the December Financial Aid Workshop led by seasoned financial aid professionals is a critical component of the process.

Sem students are well prepared for standardized testing, but some students wish to consider additional preparation for the SATs. Two SAT Prep courses are provided for Sem students, sponsored by Kaplan, and geared for both the January and May test dates.

Throughout the process, the college counselors try to communicate regularly with both the students and parents.  While the formal process does not begin until the junior year, students are encouraged to talk to a college counselorand to meet with the Dean of Students, their teachers and their adviser to ask questions about how to prepare to have the best college options.  The librarian can assist students with research as they investigate schools through various college guides and computer software.

College counseling at Sem encourages exploration.  There are many good choices and not just one "right" school for each student.  The college counselors at Sem want every student to make a college match that will continue the academic development, student leadership, and community spirit that have been engendered during high school.

Important Resources:

collegeboard.com
commonapp.org
actstudent.org
fafsa.ed.gov
naviance