Insight: Looking Ahead with Clarity

By Kelly Fox Violette, College Counseling Program Director 

May 1st is one of our favorite days of the school year in the College Counseling office. It’s the date by which seniors who are enrolling in college next year must commit to a college choice, and after years of hard work, campus visits, and a whole lot of essay drafts, it’s a moment worth savoring. The energy in the hallways is palpable, and it is always joyful to watch students celebrate the choices they and their peers have made.

Of course, excitement and nerves have a way of arriving together. Students who have spent four years building friendships, finding their footing, and growing into themselves can find that the closer college gets, the more they feel the weight of what they’re leaving—even as they’re genuinely thrilled about what’s ahead. This is a completely healthy response to a major life transition, and it’s one we take seriously.

One of the most powerful things we can offer seniors at this stage is clarity. The transition to college can feel mysterious and even a little intimidating—not because students aren’t ready, but because the move is so significant. Going to college isn’t just choosing a new school and a major; it is establishing a new home (sometimes in an entirely new region of the country or the world), learning a way of being in a new community, being exposed to new norms and ways of thinking, and putting oneself out there to make new friends. It is a lot to take on. Later in May, we’ll address those issues and feelings directly with two events designed to help students and families envision and prepare for what’s ahead. During the school day, seniors will gather for a Class Meeting featuring EPS alumni who are currently enrolled in college. These college students have a great deal to say about what college life is really like and offer valuable advice on how our senior class can improve their experience as they settle into their new school and community. That same evening, seniors and their parents & guardians are invited to join a virtual Transition to College event, co-hosted with several Seattle-area independent schools and featuring two deans from Occidental College and Washington University in St. Louis. Both speakers have years of experience supporting newly arrived college students, and their expertise is invaluable to students preparing to make the leap.

At EPS, care and clarity go hand in hand. May 1st is a day worth celebrating, and we want every senior to walk toward college feeling seen, supported, and ready.  famous for helping one another along with an encouraging word, running alongside for a stretch, or an arm extended around the shoulder.