Preparing for College at a Therapeutic Boarding School
By Meghan Vivo
As junior year approaches, high school students all over the country are abuzz with talk of college visits, entrance exams, and acceptance letters. This time can be particularly stressful for parents of teens who have struggled in more traditional school environments. Does my son have the grades for college? Who can help my daughter with the application process? Will my child get into a four-year college at all?
At Oakley School, a coed college preparatory therapeutic boarding school for teens, the answer is a resounding yes.
Teenagers who have been faced with emotional or behavioral issues during high school may have gaps in their transcripts that need to be filled before applying to colleges. They may have fallen behind in their coursework or need to re-take courses for which they earned failing grades. At Oakley, the teachers and staff create an individualized plan for each student to ensure that all essential courses are taken and any gaps are filled in the student’s transcript.
As testimony to the academic and therapeutic progress students make at Oakley, 100 percent of Oakley School graduates who apply to four-year colleges and universities are accepted. Roughly 95 percent of graduating seniors proceed to enroll in a four-year college. Oakley’s list of placements covers all types of schools in all different tiers, based on each student’s particular qualifications and interests.
College Counseling and Resources
In addition to a wide range of academic support services, such as study halls, tutoring, and academic advising, and intensive individual, group, and family therapy, Oakley School offers comprehensive college counseling services to its students. The school’s full-time onsite college counselor is available year-round to assist with researching colleges and financial aid, completing college applications, developing essay topics, preparing for interviews, and every aspect of the college search and admission process.
From September to March, Oakley’s college counselor focuses on helping seniors prepare college applications and essays, submit SAT scores, and satisfy college admission requirements. From March to August, she helps sophomores and juniors get a head start in researching colleges and determining which schools will be the best fit after graduation. Oakley School also facilitates SAT workshops in the fall and ACT workshops in the spring to help students perform their best on college entrance exams.
“There’s a lot to think about when it comes to getting ready for college – scholarships, application requirements, finding schools that accommodate disabilities, if necessary,” says Lauren Alexander, the college counselor at Oakley School. “The process can be overwhelming for students as well as parents, which is why I’m here – to help take away some of the mystery.”
Finding the Right Fit
Throughout the college prep process, the Oakley School’s primary goals are to guide students who have shown an interest in attending college through the process, and to help the student find a college that fits him both academically and socially. Because teenagers are quickly growing into adults, it’s not enough for parents to pressure their child to attend college – the student has to have the drive and motivation, and has to take some responsibility for the process himself.
“My goal is to find a school that understands the individual student and sees him as a person, not just a transcript,” explains Alexander, who has a master’s degree in community and school counseling and experience working in various public and private boarding school settings. “A student may get accepted to a handful of colleges, but the best place for him is wherever he’ll be a successful graduate.”
College preparation at Oakley becomes a broader part of student life as well. “There is a lot of anxiety around the transition from high school to college,” notes Alexander. For that reason, many Oakley students take advantage of the “college transition group,” where students feel safe talking through their feelings about college and getting feedback from their peers outside of individual college counseling sessions.
Support also exists for the family during the college application process. Alexander regularly provides progress updates and information to parents, who also experience a great deal of anxiety during this time.
When Oakley students graduate and go on to attend college, the contact with Oakley staff and peers doesn’t end. The staff follows up with each student to find out how she is enjoying college and whether the school is a good fit. Many students are interested in networking with current Oakley students who are going through the same anxiety-provoking process the graduates just completed. In this way, students continue to be part of the Oakley community even as they continue on their path toward responsible adulthood.
College Is an Option
With the right amount of academic and therapeutic support at the right time, troubled teens can and do attend college and go on to enjoy productive careers and lives. If you thought college was out of reach for your struggling teen, call Oakley School today at (435) 783-5001. When given the tools to succeed, you may be surprised at what your teen can do.
