Reach for the stars
How Our College Placement Program Elevates Student Aspirations
100%
College acceptance rate
255 Hours
spent with ULS college counselor
$3.6 million
in scholarships awarded in 2021
$122,603
average scholarship award to each student, 2021
ULS proudly celebrates a 100% college acceptance rate, millions of dollars awarded in scholarships annually, and admissions into universities across the country. Recent graduates have earned acceptances to a variety of universities including University of Chicago, Notre Dame, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, Dartmouth, Duke, Middlebury, and Vanderbilt, and many have continued graduate school at prestigious institutions like Brown, MIT, and Juilliard.
One-on-One College Counseling
College counseling activities and self-reflection begin in the 9th grade. In the Upper School, students spend an average of 255 contact hours with our college guidance counselor to find their unique path, move through the application process, and make sure they are prepared for college life. This extensive process includes:
- Self-examination exercises
- Career exploration
- Program and college research
- Campus visits
- Seminars with admissions representatives
- Essay writing
- Application completion
- Mental health and wellness while in college
- Finance management
A Personalized Approach
A small but mighty senior class allows for a hyper-intensive, individualized approach to college counseling. Students also embrace admissions representative visits, field trips to college campuses, parent education nights, and job shadows. Lakers are qualified to compile a robust resume, draft unique essays, and inspire authentic teacher recommendations that bring their applications to life.
Our strong alumni network of Olympians, politicians, and composers return to Hawk Hill as guest speakers, Barn Bash attendees, and even teachers and coaches, often citing their time at ULS as the catalyst for awakening passions, transforming self-conceptions, and cultivating a love of learning.
Milestones for Placement
ULS believes the key to success in college placement lies in strategic preparation. Our college placement program is personalized for every student and their family. A student’s college selection is an individualized choice, and ULS strives to find the optimal school for each of our students based on a variety of student-centered factors. Here’s how we maximize your child’s college preparation at ULS.
- Introduction to high school transcript and resume
- Write a letter of advice to yourself as a college freshman
- Critically review 9th grade academic record
- Preview and goal set for 10th grade
- Review Covey’s key concepts of “The Highly Effective Teen”
- Speak to college admissions counselors onsite at ULS
- Participate in October ACT practice test
- Attend ULS college breakfast with parents in February
- Analyze performance of first half of high school career and establish benchmarks and goals for second half
- Attend local college fairs and speak with college admissions counselors
- Practice test prep strategies and take the PSAT in October
- Attend the ULS college breakfast with parents in February
- Complete a college planning self-audit
- Investigate the inner workings of several college admissions offices
- Generate a college comparison spreadsheet
- Gather and organize resume items
- Contract for faculty college recommendations
- Establish short- and long-range plans for summer college search
- Attend college application essay-writing workshop in June
- Attend local college fairs and speak with the many college admissions counselors who frequently visit ULS
- Establish a timeline for the college application process
- Generate a college short-list
- Create a resume
- Draft final copies of college application and scholarship essays
- Examine financial aid opportunities and procedures
- Discuss the final college choice process
- Identify and review college transition and survival skills