Which college is the right one for me? What grades do I need for college? Should I enroll in an SAT preparation course? Will tutoring be helpful? What do SAT scores mean? Do I need extra curricular activities? Do I need AP courses? Do I need honors courses? Should I take Bio or American History? What if I am not a great math student? How do I navigate the four years ahead of me?
These and many other questions come to mind as a child enters high school. At Hillel Yeshiva High School, we care greatly about the success of each of our students. In order to reach their maximum potential, we have created a guidance system that is sensitive to the needs of every student. From the first day of school in the 9th grade until we see the students in the processional at graduation, we carefully monitor each student’s progress.
Our guidance department, under the able direction of Dr. Ben Leibowitz and in conjunction with Thomas Sheridan, our Director of General Studies, meets regularly with students and parents to discuss curriculum choices and student development. The most important aspect of these early meetings is for our staff to get to know each student and for the students and parents to realize that they have partners in achieving their goals.
By 10th grade, the students and parents are introduced to the more formal aspects of planning for their future. In an introductory session entitled “Academic Planning: What Colleges Look for in an Application,” the admission process is detailed through an informative multi-media presentation. Hillel offers two unique sessions to families in the 11th grade. In a program entitled “If I Knew Then What I Know Now,” Hillel alumni are invited to be part of a panel to address students’ questions and concerns. Our alumni are able to impart to our students their own encounters with the college process. Their message is “work hard, meet deadlines and continue to achieve the best grades possible.” “An Admission Counselor’s Perspective,” another wonderful program, offers our students a look inside the admissions process. College admissions officers help our students and parents understand how SAT scores, transcripts, essays and extra curricular activities are evaluated from the college’s point of view. They also discuss which factors should be considered in selecting a college, including: campus size, urban or suburban, Jewish life, course offerings and financial obligations.
Prior to summer recess, all 11th graders and their parents meet with the College Guidance Department to discuss a strategy that will allow our students to submit timely applications in the fall. Upon return to our campus, Hillel’s Writing Department provides tutorial sessions to help students formulate and write their college essays. As the application process continues, our Guidance Department encourages and supports our students as they ready their individual applications to the colleges of their choice. Students and parents are guided along every step of the college application process by an experienced, comforting and professional staff. We’re there to help you plan your options and to celebrate with you when the acceptance letter arrives.
At the present time, we anxiously await the results of the application process. Typically, our students have been accepted to: The University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, Columbia University, Yeshiva University, Boston University, NYU, LIM, SUNY Binghamton, Monmouth University, Hofstra University, Rutgers University, The University of Maryland, CUNY Baruch, Hunter, Brooklyn College, Penn State, The University of Connecticut, The University of Massachusetts and Brookdale Community College.
