A college counselor’s work is never done. Just ask Ms. Crys Latham and Ms. Sayaka Smith. The pair of high school counselors work tirelessly to make sure our Upper School students are prepared for and supported as they think about life after Washington Latin. Besides providing guidance during the college application process, they also help students consider other post-secondary options, including gap years. And they occasionally advise Latin alumni about graduate school. Ms. Latham was one of the key sources in the recent Legenda letter about our Washington Latin alumni continuing their education after college.
The college counseling program starts as early as ninth grade. The team visits English classes once a semester to explain how student GPAs work and preview options for honors and AP courses, community service, and clubs. The counselors advise students on building relationships and networking. All Upper School students, including those in their first couple of years, receive schedules for weekly visits by various college representatives. The college counseling team also publicizes details about summer enrichment programs, scholarships, local or virtual college fairs, and other resources to help support students in their journey. Their work is supplemented by Ms. Hope Foster’s “Beyond These Walls” programming on career readiness.
An intensive (and comprehensive) search and application process ramps up in the fall of the Junior year, when students and parents are assigned an interview in the first semester for the Junior Portfolio, with over 80 questions designed to understand student interests and career goals and family needs. The counselors then schedule a meeting in the winter with each of the Juniors to review the questionnaire, and ask follow-up questions. Ms. Smith and Ms. Latham provide five to eight college recommendations for Juniors to review. After that they schedule a family meeting to cover the transcripts, GPAs, graduation plans, standardized testing, and an overview of the financial aid process. Junior Jumpstart class meets in quarter 4 once a week during study hall to help with the college research, college essays, resume drafting.
During the month of August before Senior year, students attend Application Boot Camp, with another round in September. Students can also schedule check-ins with their counselor for application and essay support. Several English teachers provide help with the essay writing and editing process.
In the fall, the counselors continue to focus primarily on the Seniors’ applications, teaching a weekly Senior Seminar to provide additional support and guidance on time management and organization. Seniors are urged to schedule quarterly check-in meetings with their counselor, plus sign up for additional drop-in hours as needed. But the college counselors continue with Seniors even after acceptance letters arrive. During the fourth quarter of Senior year, the counselors teach a weekly “Life After Latin” seminar, to focus on the upcoming transition.
Both Ms. Latham and Ms. Smith have a wealth of experience working in college admissions. Ms. Smith worked for nearly six years in admissions at Tufts University before joining Washington Latin this year. Ms. Latham worked at Oberlin, The College of Wooster, and Ohio Northern. She also worked for two years during her undergraduate career in the admissions office at Mount Holyoke.
“As a first-generation [to college], low-income student, I wanted to create for Latin’s students the kind of post-secondary advice I didn’t get as part of a senior class of 471 students at my own high school,” noted Ms. Latham. “Ms. Smith, who is also a first-generation college student, values the kind of work we are doing here, so she wanted to be part of our team as well.”
Valete!
Head of School