Ms. Johnson has seven years of experience as a college counselor, 
 at August Prep, at The Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore, Maryland, and 
at The Oak Grove School in Ojai, California.  She served as a college 
admissions officer at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois and at 
Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. Ms. Johnson has been 
Professional Development Committee Chair and presenter for NACAC, 
the National Association for College Admission Counseling, and Human 
Relations Committee chair for SACAC, the Southern Association 
for College Admission Counseling. Her professional affiliations 
and work experience have provided her with a wide range of contacts 
in the college admissions world. Tania Johnson Rachkoskie, Senior 
Associate Director of Admission at Guilford College, calls Ms. Johnson 
the “go-to person in the college counseling world.”

St. Gregory College Preparatory School – the name itself illustrates the expectation of students, parents, and faculty that our students are looking ahead to college. Because of the academic excellence found at St. Gregory, students find themselves prepared to compete and excel in selective college admission.

The Director of College Counseling provides strong advocacy for all college applicants through the entire college admission process. With personal attention and guidance, students are challenged to thoughtfully investigate higher educational and career opportunities. The process begins with freshmen and sophomores, who are instructed about course planning, time management, extracurricular activities, and career planning. This evolves into a more structured and comprehensive program during the junior and senior year. The goal is always to find a college or university that matches a student's interests, goals, and academic needs.

The college counseling center sponsors the following events:

• 9th & 10th grade college planning night	• Junior & parents college nights
• Senior counseling evenings with parents	• College essay-writing seminar
• College fair	• College representative visits
• Application workshops	• Mock application program.
• Monthly junior & senior seminar classes	• Meetings with juniors & seniors
• Junior & senior parent meetings

Freshman & Sophomore Program
For the college counseling program to function well, it has to correspond to adolescent development. During the ninth and tenth grade years, students are working to develop strong study skills, a sense of independence, and a sense of identity. The college counseling program for 9th & 10th graders focuses on helping students find out who they are and what they are looking for in higher education. 9th and 10th grade parents can expect the following from the college counseling office:

• Guidance with course selection and a plan of action for the full four years of high school.
• PSAT administration and review of results (10th grade).
• Advice regarding extracurricular activities and how to make the most of time outside of the classroom.
• Recommendations for summer programs, scholarship programs, and leadership opportunities.
• Information about the annual St. Gregory College Fair.
• Career Exploration
• General information about colleges and universities, standardized tests, and other pertinent aspects of the college selection process.

Junior Program
Juniors begin the college counseling process in earnest in January. The first step in planning for college is taking a personal inventory. Once students know and understand themselves, the excitement level increases as they begin to research and create their college lists. Along with individual meetings each month, the junior class meets in small groups to review important college counseling topics. Topics covered include the following:

• An overview of what to look for in a college and how to prioritize these aspects
• Creating and working with college lists
• How to build and add to a résumé
• SAT, ACT, SAT II, AP testing information and preparation
• Financial aid information and scholarship searches
• Discussion of and information about summer options
• How to make the best use of a visit to a college campus (interview tips, etc.)

Senior Program
The college counseling program for seniors is a combination of small group sessions, individual meetings, and evening parent presentations. This approach allows students to be introduced to topics in small group settings, but also to have the opportunity to discuss confidential and personal issues in individual student and parent meetings. Students begin the senior year with the college essay-writing course and, in the first week of school, individual counselor meetings. Seniors review the following topics:

• College lists	• Final application concerns
• Transcripts	• Choosing a college
• Housing/Orientation	• Financial Aid
• Scholarship information	• College visits to campus
• College Fair	• Visiting colleges
• Interviews	• Application Timeline
• Courses and grades senior year	• Recommendations