COLLEGE
Personalized College Counseling
The College Counseling Office (CCO) serves juniors and their families as they officially embark upon their college search process. College planning does not begin in the second half of high school, however. Rather, it begins on the first day of high school, where everything counts from that moment forward for admission and scholarship consideration. It begins even earlier as students discover how they best learn, build a foundation for a strong work ethic, and determine where their talents lie, what their weaknesses are, and how to continue improving themselves in these areas. Taking this into consideration, programming (PSATs, college tours, writing exercises, college questionnaires, college and financial aid nights, etc.) exists for all four class years to prepare them for the road ahead at Latin and the world beyond.
The school recognizes the vast diversity in its students and families and its obligation to give individual guidance, and so our college counseling process focuses upon each student’s particular needs, goals, and abilities. The school encourages every student to discover the best match between his or her own background and the offerings of specific colleges. Some students will choose an Ivy League school or similarly competitive institution. Others may gravitate toward a much smaller, more intimate or specialized college or learning environment. The College Counseling Office maintains an unbiased regard for a broad spectrum of colleges as we evaluate their appropriateness for the individual student in terms of size, type, affiliation, reputation, and selectivity.
Personalized College Counseling
The College Counseling Office (CCO) serves juniors and their families as they officially embark upon their college search process. College planning does not begin in the second half of high school, however. Rather, it begins on the first day of high school, where everything counts from that moment forward for admission and scholarship consideration. It begins even earlier as students discover how they best learn, build a foundation for a strong work ethic, and determine where their talents lie, what their weaknesses are, and how to continue improving themselves in these areas. Taking this into consideration, programming (PSATs, college tours, writing exercises, college questionnaires, college and financial aid nights, etc.) exists for all four class years to prepare them for the road ahead at Latin and the world beyond.
The school recognizes the vast diversity in its students and families and its obligation to give individual guidance, and so our college counseling process focuses upon each student’s particular needs, goals, and abilities. The school encourages every student to discover the best match between his or her own background and the offerings of specific colleges. Some students will choose an Ivy League school or similarly competitive institution. Others may gravitate toward a much smaller, more intimate or specialized college or learning environment. The College Counseling Office maintains an unbiased regard for a broad spectrum of colleges as we evaluate their appropriateness for the individual student in terms of size, type, affiliation, reputation, and selectivity.
For Current Students
For College Representatives
For Current Students
For College Representatives
Crys Latham
Director of College Counseling
Crys Latham is the founding Director of College Counseling at Washington Latin Public Charter School. The 2020-21 school year marks her eleventh year at Latin. She previously worked in college admissions at Oberlin College, The College of Wooster, and Ohio Northern University. She has a bachelor’s degree in African American Studies, History, and Education from Mount Holyoke College.
Crys Latham
Director of College Counseling
Crys Latham is the founding Director of College Counseling at Washington Latin Public Charter School. The 2020-21 school year marks her eleventh year at Latin. She previously worked in college admissions at Oberlin College, The College of Wooster, and Ohio Northern University. She has a bachelor’s degree in African American Studies, History, and Education from Mount Holyoke College.
Sayaka Smith
College Counselor
Ms. Smith joined Washington Latin Public Charter School in 2021. Prior to that, she worked in college admissions at Tufts University (MA) for five and a half years working with first-year and transfer students in the DMV and around the world. As a first-generation college graduate, she is passionate about helping students and their families to feel more confident navigating the college search process. Ms. Smith holds a bachelor’s degree in Japanese and a master’s degree in Theory and Practice of Translation (Japanese) from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in the United Kingdom.
Sayaka Smith
College Counselor
Ms. Smith joined Washington Latin Public Charter School in 2021. Prior to that, she worked in college admissions at Tufts University (MA) for five and a half years working with first-year and transfer students in the DMV and around the world. As a first-generation college graduate, she is passionate about helping students and their families to feel more confident navigating the college search process. Ms. Smith holds a bachelor’s degree in Japanese and a master’s degree in Theory and Practice of Translation (Japanese) from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in the United Kingdom.
Eric M. Price II
College Counselor
Eric M. Price II is a College Counselor at Washington Latin Public Charter School. Mr. Price joined the Washington Latin family in 2023 after the previous seven years working in academic advising. Mr. Price has previously worked in various roles including academic advisor, program manager, and Assistant Director of Student Affairs at universities such as Georgetown University, Trinity Washington University, George Mason University, VIrginia Wesleyan University and Howard University. He has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a concentration in Social Inequalities from Winston-Salem State University, and master of professional studies in Higher Education Administration from Georgetown University.
Outside of his professional work, remains active in the DC community with the non-profit organization BeGreatDC and active involvement as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Mr. Price is a big fan of DC History, sneaker culture, music, podcasts, and the performing arts.
Julia Toews
College Counselor
Ms. Toews (pronounced Taves) joined Latin in 2022. She holds a B.A. in English from Reed College and an M.A. in English from Johns Hopkins University. She has been working in secondary education for over 20 years, first as an English teacher and student advisor and then as College Counselor, Head of School, and, ultimately, Chief Academic Officer. She has worked in both private schools and public charter schools, and was the founding college counselor for the BASIS Charter School network, where she designed the senior year program. At Washington Latin, College Counseling is just one of the many “hats” she wears: she is also the Chair of the Middle School English Department and an 8th grade English teacher.
