College Planning

Empowering journeys—supporting students in finding the college of their choice.

The primary goals of Friends Select’s college planning office are to guide students through the college planning and college application process, to assist students in identifying a list of colleges and universities that best reflect each student’s unique abilities and ambitions, and to provide guidance, support, and advocacy throughout the college process. Following Friends Select’s motto, “The Whole of Life,” the college planning office supports and upholds each student’s academic and extracurricular passions and strengths in an effort to help the student discover multiple colleges where they will thrive.

FSS

NAVIGATING THE COLLEGE PLANNING JOURNEY

Friends Select’s college planning process is structured, individualized, and collaborative. In ninth grade, we provide guidance on how to effectively approach high school. For tenth and eleventh grade students, we focus on standardized testing, course selection, and co-curricular opportunities. Students and parents meet individually with college counselors beginning in the eleventh grade, where we help students build their college lists and structure their standardized testing plans. In the senior year, we work intentionally with each student on their college essays and supplements, applications, and the financial aid process. The college planning office also hosts programming for students and families in grades nine through twelve.

MEET THE COLLEGE PLANNING TEAM

Friends Select has two full-time college counselors who also have college admissions experience, including a director who has been with us for 22 years. Our counselors advocate for students throughout the process and have relationships with college admissions officers across the nation and beyond.

Our 25:1 student-to-counselor ratio ensures that we can work individually with each student to help them identify colleges that suit their academic interests, passions, personalities, belief systems, and what they are seeking in a college community.

Tracey Matthews

Tracy Matthews

Director of College Planning and Testing/Registrar

Rachael Polton

Associate Director of College Planning

Email

Our goal is to help each student find schools that are the best match for who they are now and who they wish to become.

Our Voices

“Friends Select pushed me to be ambitious in choosing an academically good school. Swarthmore wasn’t originally very high on my list but Tracy encouraged me to look into it…”

Quaye Agoyo ’22

On navigating the college application process as a student-athlete

Where are we going?

Public Universities & Academies

Private Universities & Small Liberal Arts Colleges

Ivy League Colleges

Colleges for the Arts & Technology

Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs)

International Universities

Friends Select’s college list reflects the range and variety of our students’ interests, strengths, and talents. This is demonstrated in the colleges where our students apply and matriculate.	FSS JOURNEYS
If you are a former Friends Select student requesting your transcript.	REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS

Friends Select’s college list reflects the range and variety of our students’ interests, strengths, and talents. This is demonstrated in the colleges where our students apply and matriculate.	FSS JOURNEYS
If you are a former Friends Select student requesting your transcript.	REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS

Friends Select’s college list reflects the range and variety of our students’ interests, strengths, and talents. This is demonstrated in the colleges where our students apply and matriculate.	FSS JOURNEYS
If you are a former Friends Select student requesting your transcript.	REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS

Friends Select’s college list reflects the range and variety of our students’ interests, strengths, and talents. This is demonstrated in the colleges where our students apply and matriculate.	FSS JOURNEYS
If you are a former Friends Select student requesting your transcript.	REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS

Friends Select’s college list reflects the range and variety of our students’ interests, strengths, and talents. This is demonstrated in the colleges where our students apply and matriculate.	FSS JOURNEYS
If you are a former Friends Select student requesting your transcript.	REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS

Friends Select’s college list reflects the range and variety of our students’ interests, strengths, and talents. This is demonstrated in the colleges where our students apply and matriculate.	FSS JOURNEYS
If you are a former Friends Select student requesting your transcript.	REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS

College Planning