College Advising

The college search and application process is an opportunity for students to exercise their decision-making skills and independence. Brearley offers a comprehensive college advising program that builds upon the personal and academic advising given in earlier years and begins formally in the fall of Class XI. The students meet in seminars with the college advisors throughout Class XI and through the fall of the senior year.

In the second half of Class XI, girls 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 girl well and is thus prepared to serve as her advocate throughout the college application process. As the school’s representative to the colleges, the college advisor writes a lengthy letter of recommendation for each student that draws upon her knowledge of each girl; the recommendation is supplemented by substantial commentary from teachers and advisors and is endorsed by the Head of the School.

The college advisor is available as counselor and editor as the students complete their applications, and she remains a source of information and guidance until a student has made the decision about which college 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 the self-knowledge that are the culmination of their Brearley experience.

Carolyn W. Clark
Director of College Advising