If a student plans to attend a college or university after graduation from high school, he or she may find that they begin considering this fact early on when making many decisions regarding their high school academics. As the student approaches graduation, planning for college will increase in importance.  While there are many decisions to make and many things to submit when applying for college, it should be a very exciting time in a student’s life.  

Some general aspects of planning for college can begin early. For instance, if your student happens to have an idea of the type of school they would like to attend, it may prove helpful in choosing a graduation plan and high school course of study to contact the admissions office of a similar school and ask about their admissions requirements. Even though they may not end up attending that school, they can get a general idea of what it takes to be a competitive applicant at a school of that type. If they know what type of degree they may want to pursue, they can ask how to best prepare for it as well.  

Kolbe Academy’s Supporting Role in the College Planning Process 

When a student is enrolled in Kolbe Academy and working towards a diploma, our advisors can offer a great deal of support in the college planning process. Not only are we able to provide a diploma and an official transcript, but we can also provide letters of recommendation and submit documents on the student’s behalf through the Common Application (see more Common App here). The Academic Services Department also prioritizes the processing of 12th graders’ grade reports to help ensure that students can meet deadlines for submitting transcripts to schools and scholarship programs, etc. (see more about Grade 12 reporting here).

In addition, our Academic Services Department offers detailed college planning support information in the College Planning Folder in the Help Center. After you've referenced our Help Center resources, you may find you need more personalized support. College counseling appointments are available with your assigned advisor. During this appointment with your assigned advisor, we can help you plan or confirm that the student’s graduation plan will meet the student’s graduation requirements as well as answer any questions you may have about how Kolbe can help with the college planning and application process. You may request such an appointment in your Kolbe Portal account.

Kolbe Academy also hosts online events such as college planning webinars which parents may either attend “live” or by watching a recording. Those who attend the live webinar have the opportunity to ask the presenters questions that they may have about the college planning process. Kolbe also occasionally hosts “virtual” visits from colleges and college fairs, which allow parents and students to learn more about the academics and campus culture at different schools without traveling to the campus in person. For more information on our College Planning webinars and virtual college visits, please go to the Admissions Events under the Admissions dropdown on the website.