Enhancing School Visits through Student-Admission Counselor Connections
R
ETHINKING
THE
H
IGH
S
CHOOL
V
ISIT
: I
MPLEMENTING
P
ROGRAMS
TO
C
ONNECT
S
TUDENTS
AND
A
DMISSION
C
OUNSELORS
Gregg Murray
Michael Nation
Karen Rowe
Viewpoint School
Oaks Christian School
The Meadows School
O
VERVIEW
Why Connect Students and Admission
Counselors?
Programmatic Overview
The Meadows School
Viewpoint School
Oaks Christian School
Admission Counselor Survey Results
Student Survey Results
Supporting Students’ Noncognitive Growth
W
HY
C
ONNECT
S
TUDENTS
AND
A
DMISSION
C
OUNSELORS
?
Add authenticity and depth to the high school visit
Allow admission counselors to interact with students
Educate admission counselors about student life
Enable students to serve as ambassadors of the school
Support student engagement in college process
Encourage active participation in college search
Allay student fears of the “scary” admission counselor
Enhance students’ noncognitive learning opportunities
Provide alternative methods to develop “soft-skills”
T
HE
M
EADOWS
S
CHOOL
Las Vegas, NV
Independent
PK – 12
270 upper school students
2 College Counselors for graduating class of
~70
100% college acceptance , very high achieving
“College Ambassadors Club”
C
OLLEGE
A
MBASSADOR
R
ESPONSIBILITIES
Greet college admission counselors
Members used for panel discussions
Senior members speak with 9
th
and 10
th
grade
advisory classes
Sponsor
account
Write for the college blog
Make treats for recommendation appreciation
F
UTURE
I
NITIATIVES
Sponsor May 1
st
celebration
Sponsor “college of the week” during
announcements
Sponsor a college assembly
Write thank you notes to admission counselors
Make a podcast highlighting the school
P
ROGRAMMATIC
A
DVICE
Change can be tough
Teacher buy-in
Getting more underclassmen involved
V
IEWPOINT
S
CHOOL
C
ALABASAS
, CA
•
Independent, co-ed., college prep, PK-12,
day school
•
500 students in grades 9-12
•
4 college counselors for a graduating class
of ~120 students
•
100% college acceptance, very high
achieving
F
OUNDERS
’ C
LUB
R
ESPONSIBILITIES
Greet college admission counselors
Provide campus tour option for college admission
counselors
Assist with check-in and serve as college
representative hosts for Junior Case Studies
Night
F
OUNDERS
’ C
LUB
G
OALS
Encourage active participation in college process
Build productive relationships
Create an inviting experience for college
admission counselors
Promote and spread college knowledge within the
school through sponsored activities
Promote non-cognitive learning opportunities for
students
F
UTURE
I
NITIATIVES
Write college visit blog from student perspective
to post on social media
Assist with Summer Enrichment Fair
Establish leadership roles within Founders’ Club
for individuals interested in assisting with
student-to-student scheduling and
communications
Encourage students to create tour route and
informal script for other Founders’ Club members
P
ROGRAMMATIC
A
DVICE
Logistical issues
Matching students with college admission
counselor
Maintain Counselor-to-Counselor relationship
Student leadership & Communication
O
AKS
C
HRISTIAN
S
CHOOL
W
ESTLAKE
V
ILLAGE
, CA
•
Independent, co-ed., college prep, 6-12, day
school
•
950 students in grades 9-12
•
5 college counselors for a graduating class of
240 students
•
98% college acceptance, high achieving
C
OLLEGE
C
OUNSELING
A
MBASSADORS
Provide opportunities for students to become
comfortable and familiar with admission counselors
and the college exploration process
Create an inviting atmosphere for college admission
counselors with at least 1 student and 1 college
counselor in attendance
Promote an environment for students to see that
“great colleges” are not defined by rankings
C
OLLEGE
A
MBASSADOR
C
LUB
G
OALS
Interact with students and have them be active
participants in the college admission process
Create an inviting experience for college
admission counselors
Promote and spread college knowledge within the
school community through sponsored activities
C
OLLEGE
A
MBASSADOR
A
CTIVITIES
Students volunteer at the beginning of the year
Greet admission counselors
Host the admission counselor at a roundtable
discussion (using a questionnaire as a guide- when
needed)
Offer a tour of the campus
Walk the admission counselor out
Write handwritten thank you notes (newer addition to
program)
Help admission counselor get a glimpse into Oaks
Christian
C
OLLEGE
C
OUNSELING
P
REFECT
One student selected by a committee
Announces which colleges will be on campus to peers
during an all-school assembly
Recruits volunteers for college counseling events
Announces events that the College Counseling Office is
offering
Coordinates all college counseling ambassadors
hosting dates/times
Meets with a college counselor each week
I
MPORTANT
F
ACTORS
Teacher/Administrator buy-in
Well advertised (Weekly Counselor e-mails, Posted on
TV’s, announced at assembly each week, updated on
School calendar and Naviance)
10
th
grade students are required to attend two visits
Prefect does a lot of daily tasks
Any given period we have 100-200 students with open
periods
If missing class, students get a teacher permission slip
signed
Closed Campus- one place to check in for admission
counselors
I
S
I
T
W
ORTH
T
HE
E
FFORT
?
Admission Counselor Responses
Student Responses
Learning Outcomes
College Admission
Counselors surveyed
College Admission
Counselors greeted by
students
College Admission
Counselors offered
tours by students
College Admission Counselors
responding that fewer than 1/5
of high schools they visit had a
greeter
College Admission
Counselors responding
that fewer than 1 out of
every 10 high schools
they visited offer a tour
R
ATING
OF
P
ERSONAL
E
XPERIENCE
P
LEASE
INDICATE
WHETHER
THE
GREETER
/
GUIDE
HAD
AN
IMPACT
ON
YOUR
PERCEPTION
OF
THE
FOLLOWING
:
SAID
TOURS
IMPROVED
THEIR
UNDERSTANDING
OF
THE
S
CHOOL
C
ONTEXT
.
“There is a great level of
authenticity with the
personal greeting and
conversation”
25%
OF
RESPONDENTS
SAID
THE
TOURS
DID
NOT
IMPROVE
THEIR
UNDERSTANDING
OF
THE
S
CHOOL
C
ONTEXT
.
Least
favorite Aspects of Greeter/guide programs
Not enough time to take a tour (cannot do it/feel bad
saying no)
When the student greeter replaces the opportunity to
meet with a counselor
Would like to know a tour is available ahead of time
If it is a lesser known college, students often lack
enthusiasm or are dismissive. Students should do
some research before greeting them
When shy, non-talkative or socially awkward
student hosts greet or tour
W
HAT
DO
YOU
PREFER
WHEN
VISITING
A
HIGH
SCHOOL
?
Students surveyed
Thought the program
to greet/give a tour
was beneficial to
themselves
Thought the program to
greet/give a tour was
beneficial to their high
school
Rated their experience
greeting and/or touring
the admission
counselor as excellent
Improvements were also reported in Professionalism and
Communication
W
HY
DID
STUDENTS
BECOME
INVOLVED
?
“To build a relationship with the college I want to
go to”
“Get a kick-start on the admissions process and
get acquainted with who’d be reading the
applications for our school”
“I wanted to show the rep the real me and not
just the paper version they will see in my
application”
“It helped my ability to greet and connect with
complete strangers”
F
IVE
C
ATEGORIES
OF
N
ON
C
OGNITIVE
F
ACTORS
A
c
a
d
e
m
i
c
B
e
h
a
v
i
o
r
s
A
c
a
d
e
m
i
c
P
e
r
s
e
v
e
r
a
n
c
e
A
c
a
d
e
m
i
c
M
i
n
d
s
e
t
L
e
a
r
n
i
n
g
S
t
r
a
t
e
g
i
e
s
S
o
c
i
a
l
S
k
i
l
l
s
S
TUDENTS
’ S
ELF
-R
EPORTED
N
ON
-
C
OGNITIVE
L
EARNING
O
UTCOMES
Professionalism
Conversation Skills
Communication
Confidence
Self-Advocacy
Networking
Public Speaking
Leadership
Initiative
Accountability
Time Management
Organization
58%
55%
40%
36%
36%
32%
28%
25%
24%
16%
14%
14%
QUESTIONS?
Karen Rowe - The Meadows School
k
rowe@themeadowsschool.org
Gregg Murray - Viewpoint School
g
regg.murray@viewpoint.org
Michael Nation - Oaks Christian School
mn
ation@oakschristian.org
Gregg: Welcome guests and thank them for choosing to attend our session.
Explore innovative programs to cultivate meaningful interactions between students and admission counselors during high school visits. Learn how these initiatives can foster student engagement, personal growth, and provide valuable insights for both parties, ultimately transforming the college application process. Gain insights from The Meadows School, Viewpoint School, and Oaks Christian School on the benefits of connecting students and admission counselors. Discover practical advice and future initiatives to enhance the high school visit experience.
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Presentation Transcript
RETHINKING THE HIGH SCHOOL VISIT: IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMS TO CONNECT STUDENTS AND ADMISSION COUNSELORS Gregg Murray Viewpoint School Michael Nation Oaks Christian School Karen Rowe The Meadows School
OVERVIEW Why Connect Students and Admission Counselors? Programmatic Overview The Meadows School Viewpoint School Oaks Christian School Admission Counselor Survey Results Student Survey Results Supporting Students Noncognitive Growth
WHY CONNECT STUDENTSAND ADMISSION COUNSELORS? Add authenticity and depth to the high school visit Allow admission counselors to interact with students Educate admission counselors about student life Enable students to serve as ambassadors of the school Support student engagement in college process Encourage active participation in college search Allay student fears of the scary admission counselor Enhance students noncognitive learning opportunities Provide alternative methods to develop soft-skills
THE MEADOWS SCHOOL Las Vegas, NV Independent PK 12 270 upper school students 2 College Counselors for graduating class of ~70 100% college acceptance , very high achieving College Ambassadors Club
COLLEGE AMBASSADOR RESPONSIBILITIES Greet college admission counselors Members used for panel discussions Senior members speak with 9th and 10th grade advisory classes Sponsor Instagram account Write for the college blog Make treats for recommendation appreciation
FUTURE INITIATIVES Sponsor May 1st celebration Sponsor college of the week during announcements Sponsor a college assembly Write thank you notes to admission counselors Make a podcast highlighting the school
PROGRAMMATIC ADVICE Change can be tough Teacher buy-in Getting more underclassmen involved
VIEWPOINT SCHOOL CALABASAS, CA Independent, co-ed., college prep, PK-12, day school 500 students in grades 9-12 4 college counselors for a graduating class of ~120 students 100% college acceptance, very high achieving
FOUNDERS CLUB RESPONSIBILITIES Greet college admission counselors Provide campus tour option for college admission counselors Assist with check-in and serve as college representative hosts for Junior Case Studies Night
FOUNDERS CLUB GOALS Encourage active participation in college process Build productive relationships Create an inviting experience for college admission counselors Promote and spread college knowledge within the school through sponsored activities Promote non-cognitive learning opportunities for students
FUTURE INITIATIVES Write college visit blog from student perspective to post on social media Assist with Summer Enrichment Fair Establish leadership roles within Founders Club for individuals interested in assisting with student-to-student scheduling and communications Encourage students to create tour route and informal script for other Founders Club members
PROGRAMMATIC ADVICE Logistical issues Matching students with college admission counselor Maintain Counselor-to-Counselor relationship Student leadership & Communication
OAKS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA Independent, co-ed., college prep, 6-12, day school 950 students in grades 9-12 5 college counselors for a graduating class of 240 students 98% college acceptance, high achieving
COLLEGE COUNSELING AMBASSADORS Provide opportunities for students to become comfortable and familiar with admission counselors and the college exploration process Create an inviting atmosphere for college admission counselors with at least 1 student and 1 college counselor in attendance Promote an environment for students to see that great colleges are not defined by rankings
COLLEGE AMBASSADOR ACTIVITIES Students volunteer at the beginning of the year Greet admission counselors Host the admission counselor at a roundtable discussion (using a questionnaire as a guide- when needed) Offer a tour of the campus Walk the admission counselor out Write handwritten thank you notes (newer addition to program) Help admission counselor get a glimpse into Oaks Christian
COLLEGE COUNSELING PREFECT One student selected by a committee Announces which colleges will be on campus to peers during an all-school assembly Recruits volunteers for college counseling events Announces events that the College Counseling Office is offering Coordinates all college counseling ambassadors hosting dates/times Meets with a college counselor each week
IMPORTANT FACTORS Teacher/Administrator buy-in Well advertised (Weekly Counselor e-mails, Posted on TV s, announced at assembly each week, updated on School calendar and Naviance) 10th grade students are required to attend two visits Prefect does a lot of daily tasks Any given period we have 100-200 students with open periods If missing class, students get a teacher permission slip signed Closed Campus- one place to check in for admission counselors
IS IT WORTH THE EFFORT? Admission Counselor Responses Student Responses Learning Outcomes
Admission Counselor Survey 91% College Admission Counselors responding that fewer than 1 out of every 10 high schools they visited offer a tour 130 College Admission Counselors surveyed 85% College Admission Counselors responding that fewer than 1/5 of high schools they visit had a greeter 69% College Admission Counselors greeted by students 47% College Admission Counselors offered tours by students
RATINGOF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE 90 80 70 60 50 Very Somewhat Not Very 40 30 20 10 0
PLEASEINDICATEWHETHERTHE GREETER/GUIDEHADANIMPACTON YOURPERCEPTIONOFTHEFOLLOWING: 60 50 40 30 Positive No Change Negative 20 10 0
64% SAIDTOURSIMPROVEDTHEIR UNDERSTANDINGOFTHE SCHOOL CONTEXT. Enhanced my perspective of the school and/or a particular student Feel welcomed and that the HS values my visit Love seeing the HS from the students perspective There is a great level of authenticity with the personal greeting and conversation
25% OFRESPONDENTSSAIDTHETOURSDIDNOT IMPROVETHEIRUNDERSTANDINGOFTHE SCHOOL CONTEXT. Least favorite Aspects of Greeter/guide programs Not enough time to take a tour (cannot do it/feel bad saying no) When the student greeter replaces the opportunity to meet with a counselor Would like to know a tour is available ahead of time If it is a lesser known college, students often lack enthusiasm or are dismissive. Students should do some research before greeting them When shy, non-talkative or socially awkward student hosts greet or tour
Student Survey 51 88% Students surveyed Rated their experience greeting and/or touring the admission counselor as excellent 100% Thought the program to greet/give a tour was beneficial to their high school Thought the program to greet/give a tour was beneficial to themselves 94% Improvements were also reported in Professionalism and Communication
WHYDIDSTUDENTSBECOMEINVOLVED? To build a relationship with the college I want to go to Get a kick-start on the admissions process and get acquainted with who d be reading the applications for our school I wanted to show the rep the real me and not just the paper version they will see in my application It helped my ability to greet and connect with complete strangers
FIVE CATEGORIESOF NONCOGNITIVE FACTORS Academic Behaviors Academic Perseverance Academic Mindset Learning Strategies Social Skills Social Skills Interpersonal Skills, Empathy, Cooperation, Assertion, and Responsibility Academic Behaviors Academic Performanc e
STUDENTS SELF-REPORTED NON- COGNITIVE LEARNING OUTCOMES Professionalism Conversation Skills Communication Confidence Self-Advocacy Networking Public Speaking Leadership Initiative Accountability Time Management Organization 58% 55% 40% 36% 36% 32% 28% 25% 24% 16% 14% 14%
QUESTIONS? Karen Rowe - The Meadows School krowe@themeadowsschool.org Gregg Murray - Viewpoint School gregg.murray@viewpoint.org Michael Nation - Oaks Christian School mnation@oakschristian.org
