Miss Porter's School ~ College Counseling

College Counseling

College Counseling - Overview

Information for Colleges

College Office Staff

Philosophy
College advisors at Porter’s serve multiple roles. First, we are a resource for the information and advice students and their families need to understand and navigate the increasingly complex college admission process. Second, we serve as a link to the college community, working closely with college admission officers to help them interpret our students’ experiences and accomplishments in the context of Porter's rigorous academic program and rich extracurricular life. Finally, and most importantly, we are enthusiastic advocates for our students and our school, and strive to provide a constant source of encouragement and support as our students prepare for the next exciting phase in their academic career.

We believe that the college search and selection process is an integral part of our students’ experience at Porter's. We view ourselves as educators, rather than college placement officers, and seek to expand our students’ knowledge and horizons in the context of a highly individualized counseling process.

Our ultimate goal is to foster our students’ academic, intellectual and personal growth and to empower them to take ownership of the college process and their futures.

The Program in More Detail

Though the College Office offers a variety of programs to sophomores and freshmen, the formal college planning process begins during the junior year. In the winter of the junior year, Porter’s college counselors guide students through a process of self-assessment. They schedule individual and group meetings and offer college planning workshops covering topics such as the interview and the effective college essay. Each year, at the February College Planning Weekend, parents and students officially kick off the college search process by attending various sessions with college admission professionals and current students and parents meant to prepare families for the landscape of college admission. In April, juniors attend the Hartford Area Independent School College Fair, which exposes them to still more institutions from across the country.

A significant aspect of the admission process is the creation of the college list - a group of colleges that aligns with the student's academic and extracurricular interests. We encourage students to visit colleges over their spring break and the summer and take careful note of their preferences. In the fall of their senior year, students meet with several of the approximately 125 college representatives who visit Porter's and continue to refine the list of colleges to which they plan to apply. We work closely with the students as they approach teachers to obtain recommendations, complete their college applications and essays, and meet early and regular decision admission and financial aid application deadlines. The journey closes with a college transition panel in May once students have decided on and are preparing for their college destination.

Planning Calendar

Junior Year

Senior Year

Worthwhile Reads

Recommended Readings

An Annotated College Reading List for parents and students.