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College Counseling Spotlight: Preparing for Decision Day

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Every year on May 1, students are cementing where they will attend college on National Decision Day. What are we doing to prepare our students for this big, impending decision?

This year, our College Counselor, Ms. Abrams, has been working with students and parents in grades 9-11 to ensure they feel confident and comfortable with the college admissions process, and we are also pleased to share some of the standout internships and programs our soon-to-be seniors are doing this summer.

Our students learn a lot about the college process and how this journey will be unique for each one of them. During the vital junior year, grade 11 students have:

Individual, weekly meetings in the College Counseling office to form college lists and identify the “right fit” schools that suit their personalities and support their academic goals.

Group sessions to discuss major college application checkpoints, such as essay writing, resume building, and summer program enrollment.

Collaboration time with teachers to share information and prepare for the recommendation letter writing process.

Our grade 9-10 students have access to Ms. Abrams’ resources and are encouraged to stop by her office to start discussing their plans for the future. She helps them choose high school courses that will be beneficial for completing their goals, and her door is always open for them to discuss volunteer and summer program opportunities, and college research.

Once students reach their senior year, they take a daily college counseling course to help them succeed in successfully planning for the next stage of their education journey.

Admissions Reps Visiting Our Campus
Further, we host college admissions representatives on campus in the fall, and this year we welcomed reps from over 50 colleges and universities. These visits provide an advantageous opportunity to learn straight from the source about what makes a college unique, and they allow students of all grade levels to get their questions answered. This process helps our students hone their college choices to the point where they will be happy to attend anyone on their list.

Supporting Parents in the Process
Every month, Ms. Abrams distributes an informational newsletter on local college fairs, parent workshops, and organizations in the community that can help build student resumes. For example, families have access to a curated list of hundreds of Pre-College Summer Program opportunities and volunteering.

Additionally, Ms. Abrams hosts various webinars for parents about topics such as Financial Aid, The Common Application, and the SAT/ACT tests. She also makes time for individual check-ins to ensure that she, the families, and the student are all on the same page and that everyone’s goals align.

Preparing for Senior Year
Our students are currently brainstorming for their personal statements and supplemental essays, which will help them get ahead before the rush of college applications in the fall semester. After their AP tests, juniors will work on these essays in their English classes with Ms. Abrams and their English Subject Expert Teacher to ensure they receive constructive and valuable feedback.

Additionally, students are working on leveling up their resumes and conveying themselves in the best way possible. They are visiting colleges both in person and online, and we are excited to take all of our high school students to SUNY New Paltz this May to get a feel for a college campus.

Pre-College Summer Programs for Our Students
Many students will engage in pre-college summer programs at major universities or through community organizations. These programs help teach students important skills for their futures, such as collaboration, time management, organization, and advocacy. See below for some student highlights!

Ashley W. (Class of ’24) is attending New York University’s Pre-College program this summer. She is so excited to dive into two courses: Applied Psychology and Intro to Marketing. Ashley has loved NYU for a very long time and is looking forward to making new friends and expanding her passions this summer.

Deniz E. (Class of ’25) has lots of plans for this upcoming summer. First, he will attend Columbia University’s three-week Summer Immersion Program where he will focus on two courses: Globalization and Challenges in International Economics and Politics, and Political Economic Ideologies of The Modern World. Deniz loves New York City and is excited to work on Columbia’s campus this summer. He will also work at the USTA’s Tennis Summer Camp as a Junior Coach and help young children improve their tennis skills.

Hudson L. (Class of ’25) is excited to attend The University of Pennsylvania’s Pre-College Summer Program. After thoroughly enjoying both his AP Biology and AP Psychology courses, Hudson is enrolled in UPenn’s Neuroscience Research Academy. He is looking forward to learning more about the brain and how it connects to our emotions. Specifically, he is excited to spend time on a beautiful college campus.

Julia N. (Class of ’26) will attend Columbia University’s Pre-College program for Architecture this summer. Besides being a dedicated student and soccer player, Julia loves art. She is eager to explore her more creative side while working alongside like-minded peers on a college campus this summer.

Teacher Perspectives: An Insight into our Classroom Culture and Environment

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When you step into a BASIS Independent Bellevue classroom, you know you are somewhere different. There is an energy in the classroom with students eager to learn and Subject Expert Teachers who are excited to teach students to love their discipline as much as they do.

BASIS Independent Bellevue opened fall 2022, and the sixth campus to open in the BASIS Independent Schools network. As a school new to the area, many families are curious about the classroom dynamic and teacher difference. We recently sat down with Mr. Tyler, a History Subject Expert Teacher, to articulate the classroom and teacher difference for families, and bring to life our learning community. From their teaching strategies to their personal insights, our teachers have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share.

This school year, Mr. Tyler teaches middle school world history and Grade 4 history. He is new to the BASIS Independent Schools family and offers a fresh perspective on how he and his peers ignite the fire, soul, and mind of their students.

Who is a BASIS Independent Bellevue Student and what are their characteristics?

Mr. Tyler: What stands out to me about our students is that they are not only advanced learners; they are more than I expected. They have an itching to dig deeper and expand their learning into real avenues and apply their learnings in real ways. They always have a drive to complete their work and go beyond what is expected to expand the connections in the world around them. They have a ton of curiosity, and this is so rewarding as a teacher. My classroom slogan is “Come in with a smile, work hard, and leave with a smile,” and my students are equipped to do just that. They themselves want to discover what they are made of and that excites me each day in the classroom.

What stands out about the BASIS Curriculum?

Mr. Tyler: Our curriculum is aligned with the skills needed to take on high level content, which we provide. Our students are prepared for the Advanced Placement (AP) curriculum that is utilized in our High School Program, as they will already have the fundamental thinking skills from their time in our middle school, which are needed to excel in college related content, such as the AP curriculum provides. The BASIS Curriculum is balanced in focusing on both liberal arts and STEM, and teaching students deep content within history. The curriculum is also collaborative in nature, which allows students to create connections and motivate them to step away from memorization of facts to developing historical content knowledge skills.

Who is a BASIS Independent Bellevue teacher?

Mr. Tyler: All of the Learning Expert Teachers (LET) and Subject Expert Teachers (SET) at BASIS Independent Bellevue are not just experts in their field but also do an exceptional job of passing their knowledge down to their students. The teachers continuously collaborate between Subject Advisors at other campuses across the BASIS Independent Schools network, and in the Primary Program, between LETs and SETs. The teachers are willing to make it happen, they believe in the model, and no teacher is too much of an expert to learn from one another. Everyone is open and willing to learn and this partnership between the teachers is what builds collaboration.

How would you describe the classroom dynamic and culture?

Mr. Tyler: It is not just that we have an advanced curriculum, but we have a learning culture that brings it to life. Teachers and students push each other in productive ways, which helps the expansion of the curriculum. We owe so much of the success to teachers and students; they create an environment where everyone is at their best and students needs are met. Each co-hort of students is supportive. What is also unique to our culture is that the competitiveness is focused on ‘wow isn’t it incredible I can achieve this,’ versus a pursuit for the top score.

We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of our teachers, and are excited to share their stories and perspectives.

BASIS Independent Bellevue, a private school, opened with Grades 2 – 7 to start and will add a grade level each school year as we expand to a full middle and high school (Grades 5 – 12).