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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.B.A. Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana
Certificate of College Counseling, University of California in Los Angeles
Kate Schmidt came to St. Gregory College Preparatory School in 2006. She began
her career in college admissions immediately upon graduating from Saint Mary’s
College in Notre Dame, Indiana. During her four years at Saint Mary’s, Kate
visited over 500 high schools, reviewed thousands of applications, and held an
active position on the admission committee. In addition to her work in admission,
Kate was also a member of the Indiana Association of College Admission
Counseling’s (IACAC) Professional Development Committee.
As the college counselor, Kate believes her role is to guide students and families in the
college selection, admission, and enrollment process. She provides direction, support,
and appropriate resources for families to be well-informed and confident while navigating
the issues surrounding college admission.
Kate is a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the Rocky
Mountain Association for College Admission Counseling (RMACAC), and the Association for College
Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS). She presented “Finding the Fit in College Admissions”
at the RMACAC spring conference in 2008. When she is not visiting college campuses or attending
conferences, she can be found reading or playing golf with her husband, Ryan.
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 |