On Nov. 9, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., the KO college counseiling office hosted a Virtual College Night for Form 5 families.
Each year, College Counseling has hosted this event to relay important information regarding the college admissions process. Representatives from Emory University, Tulane University, Union College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute came to this event to present information, as well as review a mock application to showcase the process. The parents were able to follow along with a case study.
Director of College Counseling Jami Silver has enjoyed hosting this event and believes in its importance regardless of its form. “We shifted it so that instead of doing an evening program for only students, we now do the evening programs for the families,” she said. “We used to do one in January. But, we shifted about four years ago to doing it in October or November because the college processes started earlier and earlier.”
Despite the switch to virtual hosting, the College Night has still provided much-needed details from admission officers. Ms. Silver also enjoyed the benefit of recording the event so families who could not make it could still receive the same information.
The college admission process has proved itself to be a stressful one, and hosting these events can help families prepare. “There’s a wealth of information out there, and some of the information out there is actually misinformation,” Ms. Silver said. “The opportunity for parents to hear directly from college admission officers that we have relationships with just gives families a chance to ask questions to the people who can answer them best.”
The entire college counseling office has truly emphasized the importance of the student experience. “[The college application process] is a whole-person experience,” Ms. Silver said. “It’s an individualized process for every single person involved, and it’s not one size fits all. I think we spend a lot of time thinking it’s a one size fits all, but we as an office really center the student in this experience.”
Junior Alyssa Temkin attended the event with her family. “For me as a junior, the idea of applying for colleges in the future has been daunting,” she said. “College Night gave me a safe environment to be able to ask questions about college applications processes, overall beneficial to my family and me. It was a really great experience and I am happy I attended.”
Overall, the Virtual College Night was an educational experience that provided families with an opportunity to hear more about the college application process. College counseling has continued to be a special place on campus, and there will be many more informative college events to look forward to in the future.
