The college counseling office guides and supports students through the experience of identifying and selecting a college or university that best fits their unique talents and interests. We work with a range of students at RHP, and we recognize that what may be a great fit for one student may not be the best match for another. We encourage students to reflect on their own personal strengths and to understand themselves while researching the learning environments that best suit them. We strongly believe that the college search and application process is a developmental process that should be student-centered, and as with every other developmental milestone, young people are on a continuum -- they do not always reach the same stage at the same time as their peers. We believe in working with students as individuals and we start with them wherever they happen to be in this stage.

Our goal for every entering freshman is for him or her to become fully engaged in the life of RHP. We encourage students to take full advantage of all that the school has to offer. Freshman year is the time for students to discover talents, develop interests, and to sample those activities that they may have always wanted to try. It is also the time to refine study habits and academic discipline as a foundation for future academic success. The college counselor is available on an as-needed basis to consult on program and extracurricular choices.

Having completed their transition to the Upper School, sophomores focus on enhancing their academic and extra-curricular profiles, take responsibility for their learning, and create involvement opportunities for themselves in the larger life of the school. While there is still some time to "sample," this is the year that students should begin to focus a bit more on the activities and classes that have become most meaningful to them. This is also the year that standardized testing will begin with the PSAT in October. The college counselor is available to meet with students and/or parents to discuss how the direction the student is taking will affect college opportunities.

The junior year presents students with the challenge of balancing their different responsibilities and engagements: they carry a rigorous academic course load, begin the process of researching specific colleges, and move into positions of leadership in their activities. The junior year coursework and grades provide important measures of student readiness for college. Grades earned in the junior year often serve as the primary evidence of academic preparation and level of engagement. The college counselor begins meeting individually with juniors during the second trimester when fall PSAT scores and first trimester grades become available. Juniors are encouraged to visit colleges during vacations, particularly during spring break, to get a sense of the different types of post-secondary education that are available to them. Most juniors will take the SAT, SAT II's and/or ACT for the first time in May and/or June.

During their last year at RHP, seniors enroll in specialized classes, lead the student body and shape the culture of the school year. They also choose the colleges to which they will apply. Admissions representatives from various colleges and universities are invited to RHP to meet prospective students to assist with the process. Seniors will take any additional standardized tests they need, ask teachers and counselors for recommendations, work on applications and write essays - all while keeping up their grades, participating in extra-curricular activities, and acting as school leaders. The college counselor will support the students and their parents throughout this very busy year. RHP students benefit from one of the lowest student to counselor ratios when compared to public and independent schools nationally. Seniors have unlimited access to their college counselor and some choose to meet weekly while others opt to meet less frequently. We work with a range of students and try to accommodate the needs of our students on an individual basis.

Our graduates come back to visit us from college and let us know how well-prepared they are for the experience. RHP graduates report that they are among the strongest writers in their freshman classes and that they feel more prepared than many of their peers for the time-management challenges of living away from home and juggling academic and extracurricular activities. RHP alumni graduate from their four-year colleges within four years at a rate of over 85% (compared to 22% of those attending four-year colleges nationally).