College Counseling - Porter-Gaud School

FINDING THE RIGHT FIT

At Porter-Gaud School, the college search focus is on fit, not name recognition or prestige. We encourage our students to take ownership of their college search and explore a variety of college options to discover which characteristics are important to fostering their continued growth and development. Our college counseling team has developed a structured advising program that begins during the freshman year and continues through graduation. It is designed to provide students with personalized information, opportunities for reflection, increased self-awareness, support and resources to find a college that will be the best fit.

Timeline
For College Reps

Timeline

Freshman Year

Freshman Experience begins in late August. Throughout the year, faculty and staff meet with freshman during rotating study hall blocks to provide year-long support to students as they transition to life in the Upper School. Topics cover everything from effective study habits, multicultural awareness and best practices for technology to community service and mental and emotional wellbeing. College counseling begins here, with guided strengths assessments and goal setting practices to encourage our students to think about the big picture and make the most of their time at Porter-Gaud.
Freshman year is the basis for a strong academic foundation. We encourage students as they explore courses that both challenge and engage them.
We want students to pay attention to what they like and try new things; Porter-Gaud offers opportunities for community service projects, athletics, performing arts, debate and a variety of clubs and organizations.
Parents and students attend Freshman College Night in November. The program outlines our comprehensive college planning approach and features a keynote speaker to help demystify the world of college admissions.

Sophomore Year

We encourage sophomores to build on their progress from freshman year and focus on life as students, not on the college search. Porter-Gaud College Counseling offers sophomores opportunities to touch base through both structured meetings and more informal conversation-based meetings with their college counselor and peers.
Sophomore are given the opportunity to practice test-taking strategies through the administration of the PreACT.
Parents and students attend Sophomore Night in February. We invite several expert guests from different colleges and universities to give workshops on a wide variety of college admissions topics, such as creating an appropriate college list, planning college visits, standardized testing, and debunking admissions myths.

Junior Year

We encourage juniors to start exploring a variety of college-types so that they can begin to craft a list of schools that might meet their criteria. College representatives visit the Porter-Gaud campus throughout the fall. Visits are publicized on the bulletin board in the upper school, the College Counseling calendar on the PG website, or outside the College Counseling Office, and through the Remind app. Breaks during junior year are also great times to visit college campuses and explore them first hand.
Juniors sit for the PSAT in October.
Parents and students attend the Junior Night in January, our event designed to get families started with the actual process of applying to college. After this kickoff event, students meet with their college counselor one on one about their personal application process.
Students register for spring administrations of SAT I, ACT, and/or SAT II: Subject Tests.

Senior Year

Parents and students attend Senior College Night in late August.
Counselors meet with students as needed to refine college lists and touch base about the application process, requesting teacher recommendations, and registering for the SAT I, ACT, and/or SAT II: Subject Tests appropriate for a student’s list of colleges.
Most deadlines for Early Action and Early Decision are in November and December of senior year, and Regular Decision deadlines are typically in January. While the actual process of applying to colleges winds down with January application deadlines, the conversation around fit and where to enroll continues through the spring. Students will meet with college counselors throughout the spring to discuss options and where to enroll by the May 1 National Deposit Deadline.
Celebrate the accomplishments of our seniors as they head out to make a difference in the world!

For College Reps

We are delighted that you are interested in meeting our students at Porter-Gaud! You can sign up here: https://repvisits.com/ for either in person or virtual visits.

If your school is offering virtual admissions events through your own admissions page and you would prefer that students register for those sessions for their visit, please let us know and we will gladly point interested students to your website.

If you have questions about your visit or are not able to find a time that best suits your schedule, please contact Kate Gilliom, College Counseling Assistant, at kgilliom@portergaud.edu or at the direct extension (843) 402-4805. Thank you for thinking of Porter-Gaud, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Frequently Asked Questions

When does college counseling start at Porter-Gaud?

Our process begins in the ninth grade when we help students identify their strengths and interests so they can build on them as they progress through their Upper School development. As students continue through their sophomore and junior year, we provide developmentally appropriate support as they build on their unique set of talents. In their junior year, students meet individually with a college counselor to begin the college search process in earnest. They continue to meet regularly with their counselor through every aspect of the college application, admission and selection process.

Does ninth grade count for college?

When should Porter-Gaud students visit colleges?

Contact

JENNIE HARRIS
Director of College Counseling
843.402.4702
jharris@portergaud.edu

ALEX LeBLANC
Assistant Director of College Counseling
843.402.4758
aleblanc@portergaud.edu
KATE GILLIOM
Administrative Assistant to College Counseling
843.402.4805
kgilliom@portergaud.edu

410412

CollegeBoard/ACT Code

College Matriculation List

The classes of 2019-2022 matriculated at the following colleges and universities across the world, and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors.

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