College Counseling: Supporting the Selection Process

For over 40 years, The New Community School has been preparing our students for a successful college career. An effective college counseling program is an important part of that process. Our college counseling office works to identify academically rigorous schools that will be a good fit for our students’ unique learning styles, counsels students to help them make the right choice for them, and advocates on behalf of our students to help schools understand the gifts and challenges within each student.

TNCS welcomes college representatives from a variety of schools to visit campus and talk to students and answer questions. Just this fall we have welcomed reps from 18 colleges and universities, allowing our students a face-to-face opportunity to learn about many more schools than they may otherwise have the opportunity to visit.

While visiting 18 schools may not be feasible, campus tours are an important part of the college selection process. In November, our Junior Class travelled to visit Longwood University, University of Lynchburg, and James Madison University. This is an annual event that provides TNCS juniors with an opportunity to experience a slice of college life by touring a variety of college types, sizes, and geographical settings. The students gain practical experience in asking critical questions while touring college campuses which sets them up to successfully navigate future college visits on their own. Upon reflection, the juniors individually recognize unique traits of colleges that appeal to them personally which helps the counseling office customize the college search process for each student. Another important benefit of this annual trip is the treasured time it provides for the juniors to foster relationships with their classmates.