At Cristo Rey St. Martin (CRSM), the college preparatory process for Juniors and Seniors begins in the first weeks of school. Our college counselors, Sharon Holdvogt and Ana Aguilar, and their dedicated team of volunteers work hard to prepare our students to search for, apply, and be accepted into college.
Armed with working spreadsheets of different college programs, knowledge from weekly seminars, college visits, and information from college representatives at the college fair, our seniors are ready to apply to college by winter break, thanks to the collective efforts of the college counseling department.
“August through October, we meet with seniors multiple times a month one-on-one. When having these meetings, we like to reassure the students that every workshop is for a purpose and to trust the process. We will end up figuring it out, you’re not in this alone”, said Ana Aguilar.
The process begins in Junior year for our students, where the counseling team lays the groundwork for what’s to come in the application process, and integrates drafting personal statements into English classes. The team also offers a multitude of summer college programs that are accessible and affordable for our students. By the beginning of their Senior year, the students know what’s to come in the college decision process.
Although the process repeats itself every year, the counselors are “in awe every year as the new classes of kids come through. It’s important for us to keep in mind that it’s their first time going through this, and it’s powerful to wit with them and see their excitement and stress going through the process”, reflects Sharon. “We love supporting these students in such a pivotal moment of their lives. Most often it’s not only the student’s dreams to go to college, it’s their parent’s dreams for them too, especially in families where the parents are immigrants and the student is a first-gen college student”, she adds.
Not only do Sharon and Ana assist our students in the college application process, but a group of generous volunteers also comes periodically to help students write their personal statements and supplemental essays, and make sure everything is ready before they officially submit their applications. Jeanie has been volunteering with the department for almost 10 years now and comes in on Wednesdays and Thursdays throughout the first semester to assist students in writing their college essays.
“Every single student I’ve met with has been motivated and appreciative. They know why they’re here at this school, and the school has done something so right that by the time they are seniors, the students get it and know their role in the college process”, remarks Jeanie. Jeanie also comments on the preparation students receive in their English classes junior year, “I would like to give kudos to the great English teachers at CRSM. I have been impressed in recent years by the high caliber of the student’s writing. Their teachers obviously prepare them well and that makes my job so much easier”.
Cristo Rey St. Martin seniors start and leave prepared for their college journey ahead of them thanks to our college counseling program. Last May, for the fifth year in a row, 100% of our seniors were accepted into a four-year college program, and 97% were accepted into three or more college programs. The numbers speak for themselves, and they are a testament to the dedication, hard work, and support provided by the CRSM community.