College Counseling

College Counselors

The College Counselors act as a resource for families at every stage of the college application process. The goal of the College Counseling Office is to work closely with students and encourage them to discover their interests, explore possibilities, and take ownership of their college application process. Ultimately, we seek to support students in their effort to identify and enroll in the college that is the best fit for them.

The college counseling services available to each student vary depending on his/her enrollment status. All Seoul Scholars students are provided access to college counseling presentations and workshops, and are encouraged to use the office as a resource throughout the college search, application, and selection process. The College Counseling Office also offers a college counseling course in the spring for SSI diploma candidates which covers key aspects of the application process and prepares students for work on their college applications.

For diploma candidates, the College Counseling Office acts as the main point of contact between the students and their prospective colleges. Diploma candidates are provided access to Naviance, a college application management program. All official student documents, including student reports, letters of recommendation, and transcripts are sent to colleges through Naviance by the College Counseling Office.

Seoul Scholars students attend diverse and reputable institutions both in the United States and abroad, ranging from small private liberal arts colleges to large public universities. They have been successful in the college application process, and the College Counseling Office seeks to support them in this endeavor.

College Planning

The college search and application process is an opportunity for students to exercise their decision-making skills and independence. Seoul Scholars offers a comprehensive college advising program that builds upon the personal and academic guidance provided over the years. The students meet in seminars with the College Advisor several times in the beginning. This will give students a general idea of the approach they want to take when it comes to studying at a university.

In the later years of their secondary education careers, students begin to meet individually with the Advisor in a series of conversations that eventually include their parents. The process is a very personal one in which the Advisor comes to know each student well and is thus prepared to serve as their advocate throughout the college application process. As Seoul Scholars’s representative to the colleges, the College Advisor writes a lengthy letter of recommendation for each student that draws upon knowledge of the individual student; the recommendation is supplemented by substantial commentary from teachers and advisors and is endorsed by the Head of the institution.

The College Advisor is available as a counselor as the students complete their applications, and remains a source of information and guidance until a student has made the decision about which college he/she will attend. While the primary relationship is forged with the student, the College Advisor serves as a resource for parents as they, too, navigate the college application process. Our students’ college choices reflect the strength of their academic preparation and self-knowledge, both of which are the culmination of their Seoul Scholars experience.