College Counseling

Greetings from the College Counseling Office!

At CSN, our approach to helping students and families through the college process is grounded in an awareness of our students and respect for them as individuals. In addition, our individualized approach empowers students to know themselves better, meaningfully engage the many choices they will confront in the process, and arrive at a more informed college enrollment decision. 

A successful college search experience has several features, each overseen closely by our team of college counselors. Students need to get to know the Upper School - academically, culturally and socially. We encourage exploration of extracurricular options to help students identify their talents, strengths, interests and leadership possibilities.

 

Excellence is fundamentally rooted in the student experience here at CSN, and it is through and in conjunction with their experiences here that students will find those passions that propel them forward. 

 

Through meetings with students and families in group settings, college counselors come to understand each student. Students, meanwhile, continue to learn about themselves, their interests, and their strengths. By the end of tenth grade, they have taken some national testing, established their extracurricular interests, and are working on their academic potential. They are now ready to meaningfully begin their college search and are urged to consider summer options that may include taking classes, doing community service, developing individual talents and, of course, visiting colleges.

Throughout the year, we host various college admissions deans, and hold college forums and seminars. These are designed to more fully expose families to information that will prepare students to launch the formal application process by the beginning of senior year.  By then, students and counselors are ready to discuss potential college matches for the individual student. At this point, students should be ready to meet with the college representatives who visit CSN either in-person or remotely.

As college counselors, we are eager to guide and assist, and view this process as a partnership of students, parents, and the school. Ultimately, though, the complexity of the college process requires students to reflect deeply upon themselves, their goals, their abilities, their interests and their values. They hold two of the most critical decisions in their hands - where to apply to college, and once accepted, where to enroll. We are confident this varied mixture of individual, family, small group and large group approaches will provide students with a list of appropriate schools and ultimately yield a college that is the right fit.  We also believe that the unique combination of rigorous academic setting, rich exposure to extracurricular opportunities, and purposeful mentorship available at CSN will best prepare your student for the adventure ahead. 

Sincerely,

Ms. Elizabeth Frosini

Dean of College Counseling

Planning & Preparation