During the coldest months of the year, there is no better time to focus on college placement, especially for the junior class. This month, The Storm King School’s College Counseling Office is busy assisting our 11th-graders as they focus on launching their college search journeys and finding colleges and career paths that may be a good fit for them.

Director of College Counseling Dr. Martha Kwon stresses that January and February are “the best months of the year to encourage juniors and their families to make plans for visiting potential colleges and universities over the upcoming spring break and summer. Many colleges are back to in-person visits and tours. I advise our juniors to get started early and plan as many trips and virtual visits as they can.”

To facilitate this, the junior class has been working one-on-one with Dr. Kwon to discuss their ideas about colleges and the career world. “Our objective is to help students take the first steps in exploring their future aspirations and clarifying their educational and career goals.” As the second semester progresses, Dr. Kwon will continue to work individually with students to help them create a course of action. “Our aim is to encourage them to have thoughtful discussions with their teachers and advisors, the College Counseling Office, and their parents regarding their future plans,” she explained.

To help them during this process, the College Counseling Office has created a ‘To-Do’ list for juniors embarking on their college search journey:

• Email the College Counseling Office to schedule an individual meeting with Dr. Kwon
• Research admissions criteria and application requirements for the colleges you are considering
• Visit colleges during school breaks and summer vacation both in-person and virtually
• Log into your school Naviance account to start developing a well-rounded college list
• Request a letter of recommendation from at least one teacher before the close of junior year
• Start the Common Application and begin to draft your Personal Statement
• Proactively update the College Counseling Office on your plans, concerns, questions, progress, and results
• Stay informed about standardized testing policies for the schools you’re interested in and report testing in the manner recommended by each individual college
• Register with the NCAA Clearinghouse if you are considering playing sports in college