Welcome to College Counseling at RPCS!
Welcome to the Roland Park Country School website! As you explore this site, you will learn about the breadth and depth of academic and extra-curricular offerings that make this School such a vibrant place to teach, learn and grow.
College Counseling Philosophy
At RPCS the goal of college counseling is to help students discover and gain admission to the colleges to which they are best suited. For that reason, RPCS’ college counseling program is a highly individualized process in which students, their parents and the College Counselor together assess students’ interests, needs, strengths and abilities to work toward making the best possible college choices.
College Counseling Process
The college counseling process begins in the Junior year. Students are encouraged to meet with college admissions representatives when they visit RPCS in the fall in order to learn about different types of colleges and to gather specific information about schools they may already be interested in attending. In December there is an informational meeting for students and parents after which time they will begin to have individual meetings with the college counselors. During these meetings, students’ goals and interests and the college selection process are further discussed. The college counselor also advises families on college visits and other issues such as standardized testing, financial assistance options, and more. In the spring, juniors attend a day-long essay-writing workshop designed to help them begin the process of writing their application essays. During the senior year, the process picks up speed as students narrow their list of college choices and work on completing their applications.
College Counseling Resources
The College Counseling office at RPCS has numerous resources available to students as they research their college options. In addition to guidebooks and individual college’s catalogues, students may also make use of on-line college search services, CD-ROM and video resources. In addition to all of these resources, over the course of the academic year, over 100 college admissions representatives from schools across the country visit RPCS to meet with students and talk with them about their college choices.
For nearly 10 years, we have a required course for seniors called Transitions. The class, co-taught by Leigh Martin Lowe, Director of College Counseling and Janet Weller, Associate Director of College Counseling, addresses specific college search related issues in the fall semester, such as test taking, essay writing, interviewing, and campus visits. During the spring semester the course focuses on the student’s actual transition to life at college with visiting speakers, including current college students and administrators.