Admissions Team Hosts 'Case Study' Night
The college counseling team at the Upper School has been working closely with students in all four grades to help navigate their college application and admissions process. Ninth and 10th graders spent the morning of February 1 in Benjamin Hall with Ana Saul-Sykes from Brown University. Saul-Sykes discussed what factors the underclassmen should consider when making a college list. She emphasized the importance of knowing yourself and what facets of a program - like size, location and curriculum - matter most to you.
Eleventh grade students spent the morning in the library with Ms. Wright, where they learned about interacting with admission officers and prepared for the evening’s Case Studies Event. The event, for Junior students and their parents, featured break out small committee groups representing a college. The committees read mock application files for three students and decide their admissions fate.
Students and their parents were joined by admissions representatives from Brandeis University, Brown University, Rollins College and the University of Miami.
“The Case Study night was an interactive way for students to look at the application process. They got to read the application information of someone they don't know and learn how the pieces of the application come together. Then we will fully engage them in the decision making process. We hope that they fight for their favorite student and have fun debating the final outcomes,” said Director of College Counseling Anna Wright.
“Most importantly, we hope that they see that there is no clear answers or formulas in this process. The second benefit is that they received advice directly from experts in this field. These four admissions officers are in the middle of reading applications right now and are making admissions decisions every day. It was a wonderful opportunity for our students to hear their advice and gain that insight before they create their own applications.”
All four admissions representatives discussed how they look closely at the high school a student attends, including what percentage of students go on to attend a university, as well as the rigor of the school curriculum. They explained that it is their job to know the schools in their region well and be able to distinguish between them.
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A premier PK3 - Grade 12 independent, coeducational day school with campuses in North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens. Since 1960, The Benjamin School has provided a challenging college preparatory education to a diverse student body in a structured, nurturing community environment.