The Hotchkiss School
College Advising
College Advising News...
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Getting Ready for the College Search
During a mid-February weekend, Upper-Mid students and parents kicked off the college admission process during a two-day forum sponsored by the College Advising Office.
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How to Succeed in College: Advice from Jeffrey Brenzel, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions at Yale College
Brenda Underwood
"Being accepted to college is just the first challenge; succeeding once you are there is another," says Dean Brenzel.
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Seven Tips for Success in College
Jeffrey Brendzel, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions at Yale College, offers this advice for students.
Philosophy
The Hotchkiss College Advising Office is here to help guide each student through the college admissions process. Informally, that process begins when a student enters Hotchkiss. The College Office works closely with faculty advisors and deans as they help students choose appropriately challenging classes.
Students begin working formally with college advisors during the second semester of their upper mid year. At this point, the office encourages students to reflect on their own interests, talents, and goals, and then to research and explore the colleges that will foster those abilities and aspirations. Advice and guidance are provided through frequent one-on-one meetings with students during this self-evaluation and research part of the process. Once a student’s list of schools is finalized, the focus of these meetings turns toward the applications themselves, followed by the final selection when acceptance letters are in hand.
College advisors also serve as liaisons to college admission offices, promoting an understanding of Hotchkiss and each of our students to the colleges, and sharing with the School community important information about college admission trends and procedures.
The College Office believes firmly that students must play the lead role throughout the college application process. It is, however, a collaborative effort among advisors, students, and their families, and the Office invites and welcomes parents to play an active role as well. A college information weekend is held for parents of upper mids each February, and regular information sessions and one-on-one conversations throughout the upper-mid and senior years allow us to work together in the best interests of each student.
Please read our College Office Newsletter for up-to-date information on what students are thinking about and working on at each stage in the process.