College Counseling
College Seminars
The CRSM College Counseling Department promotes college and career readiness through a diverse assortment of opportunities offered to our students.
Freshman Year
Students are introduced to college-related concepts and the value of obtaining a college degree.
Sophomore Year
Students have the opportunity to learn what happens in a college admissions office and how their applications might be reviewed.
Junior Year
In small group sessions, students lay the foundation for the college application process. They create a resume, research colleges, and craft their college essays.
Senior Year, First Semester
Students participate in weekly college search and application seminars. They can also attend after-school application workshops for additional support.
Senior Year, Second Semester
Students participate in a six-week College Readiness Group. This group helps prepare students for what to expect when they begin college. They learn college terminology, identify resources on college campuses, and begin thinking critically about how to approach the next four years of their education.
Additional Supports provided by the CRSM Counseling Department include :
College Campus Visits
- Guided by the college counseling team, students visit various local colleges during the summer. Students tour the campuses, learn about what the colleges offer, and meet with college admissions representatives.
- Our college counseling team offers financial assistance to students and their families to participate in college campus visits.
Pre-College Summer Programs
- The college counseling team works with CRSM Juniors who are interested in participating in pre-college seminars. Our school partners with various Universities for these seminars, such as: Brown University, Carleton College, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Loyola University Chicago, and Saint Louis University.
College Rep Visits
- Every Fall, CRSM hosts a college fair at the high school. Over 60 colleges and universities are scheduled to meet with juniors and seniors on this day.
- CRSM hosts a limited number of small group sessions for students where they will meet college representatives from across the country. These sessions help students learn about what colleges offer as well as what college admissions representatives look for as they review incoming applications.
- For more information on how to schedule a visit with our students, please contact Ana Aguilar or Sharon Holdvogt.
Student and Family Support
- FAFSA Workshops: CRSM offers several workshops that assist families in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Trained volunteers and staff assist CRSM families, as well as other families in our community in completing this important financial aid process.
- SAT Prep Course: CRSM offers scholarships for Juniors to attend SAT prep courses.
- Networking with Community Resources: The CRSM Counseling Department collaborates with other community organizations: College Bound Opportunities (CBO), Schuler Scholar Program, Waukegan to College (W2C), and Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).
After graduation, CRSM alumni receive support from our Director of Alumni Support and Director of Alumni Career Support. Our alumni support team maintains contact with our graduates to ensure that they successfully transition to college and remain on track for graduation and career success.
College Counseling Staff
Melissa Chavez-Macagba
Mary Ann Hocter
Academic News
A Dream-Team of Counselors and Volunteers Prepare Students for College Decisions
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...
60+ Colleges and Universities Nation-Wide Travel to CRSM for Annual College Fair
Every year, our alumni and college counseling departments at Cristo Rey St. Martin (CRSM) host representatives from various colleges and universities across the country in our gym, to prepare our juniors and seniors for their upcoming applications and college...
Teacher Feature: Pati Ferrer
With a 93% teacher retention rate, Cristo Rey St. Martin ranks number one in all of the Cristo Rey Network for this metric. Many members of our faculty and staff have remained throughout the changes in buildings, branding, leadership, and many other elements in the...