Best College Best Fit
College Counseling
The strength of our program is reflected in our college admissions, which echo the range of interests and abilities of our graduates. We believe that every student is blessed with multiple gifts and strengths, and our responsibility is to help them discover the best path for life after McLean.
The road to college can be overwhelming, but we work closely with our students and families to build strong, trusting relationships. Our College Counselors support students beginning in Grade 9 to identify post-secondary options that best fit their academic interests, social-emotional connections, and career aspirations.
Beyond graduation, McLean’s pioneering College Transition and Success Coordinator—the first of its kind among area schools—supports students as they adjust to college life.
The College Counseling staff is committed to ensuring that our students are empowered to make informed choices and advocates that there is a college for every student. Our responsibility is to empower and support them in making the best college choice, so they can thrive academically, socially, and personally, setting them up for a lifetime of success
Fast Facts
Recent acceptances and matriculations include Boston College Honors Program, Brandeis, Berklee College of Music, Howard, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Smith College, Syracuse University’s School of Communications, Tulane, Wake Forest, and Yale
100% of Seniors are admitted to one of their top three choices for college.
Over the last three years, our Seniors have received nearly $20 million in merit aid.
Match to What Matters
Our two College Counselors provide the following:
- Individual guidance and support for students in all 4 years, researching colleges, planning visits, writing essays, and practicing interview skills through individual meetings, workshops, and panel discussions.
- Fostering a student’s understanding of how they learn and how to advocate for themselves.
- Support in navigating and managing the college admission and financial scholarship process.
- Liasoning with college admission representatives. Over 80 representatives from colleges and universities, both national and international, visit McLean every year.
- Providing Parent Education Workshops throughout the four-year process.
- Design and teach a College Guidance Course, as part of the yearly CORE programming, beginning in grade 9. This course gives freshman an introduction to the journey that lies ahead, which becomes most focused during their junior and senior year.
The College Transition and Success Coordinator provides the following:
- Pre-college relationship-building and college skills instruction for Upper School students.
- Ongoing mentorship and coaching in time management, study skills, and self-advocacy for McLean alum in college.
- Emotional and social support to help students maintain a balance and promote their well-being.
- Campus outreach and travel to build partnerships with college support offices and better direct students to needed services.
- Workshops and alum engagement, such as return visits during college breaks and career panels.
Dive Deeper
Discover the McLean Experience
It’s critically important for a child to be in a school that respects them for who they are, and supports their academic strengths and challenges. This has always been true for McLean.