2022 End of Year College Counseling Reflections

On May 1st, National College Decision Day, all seniors paid their deposits and declared where they plan to enroll for next year. Despite it being a record-breaking year in terms of quantity of applications and historically low acceptance rates, our seniors were very successful in receiving acceptances from a number of attractive options and in finding right-fit institutions from those choices where they will thrive. So much of the college experience depends on what you make of it, and we can't wait to see what our seniors accomplish over the next four years!

After visiting 10 colleges in 5 days during our junior college tour to California, our juniors recently had an opportunity to dive more deeply into their college research by participating in a spring mock college fair. In an unusual twist to the traditional college fair experience, our juniors role-played as admissions directors by presenting their research about a college of their choice for our freshmen and sophomores. According to one sophomore, “it was great learning about colleges directly from our peers” and for the juniors, the project “clarified why I’m still interested and made me even more excited to apply.” These are some of the outcomes we were hoping to cultivate: a purposeful and educated intentionality when putting together a college list, excitement and enthusiasm for post-secondary planning, as well as curiosity, inquisitiveness, and an open-minded outlook when considering options.
  Looking ahead to next year, we expect that many of the same factors at play for our graduating seniors will also impact our current juniors, including test-optional admissions at most colleges. But unlike our seniors, the Class of 2023 has had the opportunity to visit colleges, benefitted from admissions insights during our inaugural College Application Case Study Program in October, classes were fully in-person and not hybrid, test centers have been open, and they can glean valuable perspective about college admissions from this year's outcomes.

The trick, of course, is balancing priorities now with future planning. Seniors need to stay focused on their academics and continue to uphold the values of The Meadows School. At the same time, we hope they will cherish and celebrate these last few weeks of their high school experience. As we all know, these years go fast and we want them to continue making memories that will last a lifetime, taking advantage of every moment.

Juniors, the road ahead may seem daunting, but know that with College Counseling, Advisory, and your teachers and parents here to support and empower you, you will be prepared for the challenges you encounter. Sophomores, we are thrilled that many of you are electing to take classes in a wide variety of subjects and we look forward to working with you and learning more about you. Freshmen, continue working hard, exploring the curriculum, and getting involved with extracurricular activities.

Last, but certainly not least, parents, teachers, and staff thank you for all the time and effort, love, and guidance that you have devoted to our students. Due to Covid, the past few years have been stressful and exhausting, but through it all, your passion for education and support of The Meadows School community have been inspiring. We hope that everyone enjoys some much deserved time to relax and rejuvenate this summer!

Melissa Lustig
Director of College Counseling