Education Guide 10.18.26 - Flipbook - Page 14
14
| Sunday, October 18, 2026
Helping Navigate the College
Application Process
High school counselors are a wealth of
information and source of calm
By Gregory J. Alexander, Contributing Writer
T
he college search and application process can seem daunting.
Will I get in to my top school?
Can we afford college? Will I
make friends? Do I need to decide upon
a major now? For both parents and
students, it can be a lot of information
to process, but luckily, your high school
probably has counselors who are well
versed in the college application process and can help you understand it
better.
Beth Green, a college counselor at
Calvert Hall, a Catholic high school in
Baltimore, says that having a team of
dedicated college counselors is a benefit for students and parents.
“We provide support to students and
families on both an individual and a
group basis, and our goal is to help
provide the information to families and
students to demystify the admission
process and break it down into information that’s not so overwhelming,” Green
says.
For parents, Calvert Hall sponsors
parent nights throughout the year broken into sessions for parents of sophomore, junior, and senior high school
students.
“We provide an overview of what
they should know at that point, how
they can support their child, and what
resources are available. This year, we
expanded our programming by partnering with the College Money Method, a
third-party group started by a financial
planner, Paul Martin. He was a first-generation college student and has a lot of
experience in financial aid and higher
ed and financial planning. Families can
attend a series of webinars on different
topics like understanding college costs
and how to estimate what the cost might
be for your own family.”
Start the process early
Green says that Calvert Hall likes
to begin discussing college during students’ sophomore year when it holds a
parent night and a college night event.
“We go into the sophomore counseling classes to talk to them about the
importance of grades, different types
of colleges, and things they can do to
start research,” she notes. “We kick it off
formally with a junior parent night in the
fall, and students attend sessions with
a college counselor and about 15 other
students.”
Green says that although the internet provides fantastic information, and
colleges have sophisticated websites
with virtual tours, nothing beats visiting
a college campus in person. She urges
families to consider visiting campuses
when they go on spring break, attend
a sporting event or go to another event
held near colleges. “It helps students
determine what environments resonate
with them,” says Green, who added that
Calvert Hall sponsors trips for juniors
to nearby schools such as Loyola
University Maryland and the University
of Maryland in College Park.
When researching colleges, Green
recommends that students look at the
university as a whole, instead of one
program or major as most students
change their major at least once. “It’s
important to look for an environment
where they will grow, have enough support, and where they will be inspired. If
they have a major in mind, they may also
look at other majors that interest them
in case they change their mind.” She
notes that a student may want to major
