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As in so many aspects of Trevor, students drive this process, for they come to it having experienced the opportunity to push limits, to explore what ignites them, to develop a strong sense of purpose, and identify passions. Now, College Counseling Program Co-Directors Adam Exline and Susan Powers guide students to further articulate what makes them tick and how that will help them excel in life after Trevor. e college office begins tracking each student when they enter the Upper School. Both co-directors attend grade-level advisory meetings and faculty meetings, noting challenges, successes, and gathering insight into what makes each student unique. In addition to conversations and meetings with teachers, they read every student transcript and report card at the end of the semester. As juniors, students are often floored when they start the College Guidance Program and realize how much their counselor already knows about them. Next, the juniors, their parents, and the College Counseling Department meet for an introduction to and broad discussion of the process ahead. (A panel of seniors, who recall this experience, offer anecdotal advice to those beginning it.) A family conference is another essential element. e college application process can be intimidating; weekly gatherings called College Clusters help to demystify it. Mr. Exline and Ms. Powers begin by flipping the lens on the process: ey put the students in the driver's seat and give them the opportunity to view the experience from the decision makers' perspective. Juniors are given two imaginary student profiles: Jake and Lesley. ey are asked to select the best college for each, based on the interests provided in their profiles. Where, for example, would they excel—in a city or on a rural campus? Students realize there is no right or wrong answer when it is based on interest; instead, it's about finding a good match. 1 2 T R E V O R D AY S C H O O L n W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 – 2 0 1 7 Students are then given the task of sitting on the Admissions Committee of Redbrick University, an imaginary university with a diverse body of applicants. Assigned fictional applicants are paired with Trevor students, who take their applications, essays, and supplementary materials and consider all the factors that admissions committees address every year. When students reconvene, they discuss whether or not these individuals would thrive at Redbrick. Eventually, the committee must agree on who—and who not—to admit, within the allotted number. Senior Franny C. remembers the exercise: "Everyone really liked their candidates, which made it difficult to say 'no' to some… If we do experience rejection, it helpes us to understand it's not a reflection of how much people like you." Senior Joe C. adds, "I found the mock interviews and committees especially helpful. It simplified what I always thought was a convoluted process. And it felt consistent with the Trevor ethos—active participation. It brought the process down to earth, made it a little calmer." By the fall of senior year, students have gained a better understanding of themselves and what they are seeking in a school. Joe C. recalls that he "had quite the journey, and that happens to everybody—thinking you know what you want and then doing a complete 180°. at can be scary. But Trevor provided the support and the resources to make it exciting, not terrifying. I came into the Clusters thinking I wanted to go to a technical school like RIT or Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Now, I'm applying to liberal arts colleges. It's quite a shift, but I'm loving it and am excited about the future." As part of Trevor's mission—some might say its culmination—the College Guidance Program is thoughtfully and comprehensively designed to empower, support, and engage students in activities and investigations that help take them to their next step: selecting their best match for a school of higher education. Left: Talia Mendal '16 proudly displays her Trevor diploma and first-choice destination of Tulane University at commencement in June 2016; Right, top: As acceptances pour in, jubilant students write their school name on the wall outside the College Counseling Department; Right, bottom: A College Cluster meeting, led by Mr. Exline and Ms. Powers. T R E V O R T R A N S L AT E S : upper school college guidance

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