Breaking down the data from the Class of 2018
A class of deep thinkers, talented artists, gifted athletes, songful musicians, life-long learners, eager leaders, caring friends, and now: prepared, college-bound graduates. Since their first day at Gould in 2014, the Class of 2018 has become an accomplished group of students with much growth and success.
Annual bonfire for rejection-letter-burning
Where they’re headed…![]()
Thoughts from Brooke Libby, Director of College Counseling:
Tell us about the Class of 2018 from a College Counseling perspective.
“The Class of 2018 was the second largest in school history, and they submitted the largest number of applications on record, making it a very busy year in College Counseling! Even so, our students only submitted 7 applications on average, which — given the media hysteria about students applying to too many schools — is a number we like. In the end, our students made reasoned choices about where to apply. They were thoughtful and strategic in composing their college lists.”
What are your thoughts about Early applicants and the Gould students who used this approach?
“Similar to years past, 50% of this class applied to at least one school in the Early season, with 20 students applying with a binding Early Decision application. We’re very comfortable with this approach, on the one hand, because our Early appliers are generally successful; and on the other, because our students who choose to apply later do so with good reason. Again, they are thoughtful about the growth they hope to show during senior year, or the additional time they need to make a good decision about fit, so they don’t rush to apply Early “just because.” ”
Nearly a seventh of the Class of 2018 is first-generation college students. How does this impact their college process?
A group of students meeting with Ms. Libby and a college representative
“We’re especially proud that we had 10 students in this class who will be the first in their family to attend college or university. Working with First Generation students is a special privilege and responsibility; they often lean on their college counselors a bit more for advice about fit and financial aid because their parents haven’t navigated these questions before. We become a very tight team and, as counselors, we hope to continue mentoring them as they begin college. Our First Gen students are attending amazing schools, including Trinity College (in CT), St. Olaf College, St. Lawrence University, Washington University in St. Louis, George Washington University, Michigan State University, and the University of Maine, and we’re super excited to watch them flourish in the years ahead. ”
Student-athletes have to prove their talent across so many domains. How does this impact their years at Gould?
“We had 11 recruited student-athletes in skiing, basketball, and lacrosse. These students have worked hard in their sports and in the classroom, balancing a load that many of us could not. Not only do they spend lots of weekdays and weekends on the road, away from school and friends, but they juggle an additional piece in college admissions through the recruitment process — additional visits and interviews with coaches and teams, pre-reads of their academic qualifications, NCAA-eligibility, and sometimes real disappointment when a specific team or position doesn’t work out. But that process develops a lot of grit and strong self-advocacy skills that serve them long into the future. And once they find the right athletic “home,” these students are poised to make big contributions to their college teams. It’s really fun to follow them in college and cheer them on!”
Any other notable achievements or conclusions about the Class of 2018?
“All in all, our students are headed all over the world next year. We have one student headed to the Air Force Academy, and we have students headed to “both” Berkeley’s — UC Berkeley on the west coast and Berklee College of Music for piano performance on the east coast. We have engineers headed to GA Tech (a first for Gould!) and three to the Rochester Institute of Technology. We have two artists — an animator and a photographer — headed to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and a student studying music industry and recording arts at Loyola University, New Orleans. That shows the incredible diversity in this class — their interests and aspirations are all their own. It was our honor to work with them. We’re really going to miss their energy and spunk next year!”
The Lasting Legacy…
The most influential thing that links all Gould graduates is the quality of their experiences as students on our scenic campus in Bethel, Maine. This leaves them with memories that will last a lifetime and leaves Gould with the powerful legacy of their accomplishments.
Learn more about Gould’s College Counseling Program
The post Class of 2018 – College Counseling Review appeared first on Gould Academy.