NewsUpper SchoolFaculty/StaffAcademicsCollege Guidance
College Guidance details benefit seniors
Sep 1, 2003 8:00 AM
By Stefan Eady - Faculty
Nearly all Darlington graduates go to college. This statement should come as no surprise since the School’s description is a vivid picture of a strong and successful college-preparatory community:
Darlington School is a coeducational college preparatory day and boarding school established in 1905. The School has a proven track record in preparing students well for college. Impressive facilities and wealth of academic, athletic, and social opportunities make it an attractive choice for parents. But more significantly are the friendly spirit of the School and its long history of inspiring students to take full advantage of their God-given gifts to grow intellectually, spiritually, socially, morally, physically, and culturally.
Statistics show the strong track record: typically since 1992, each year, Darlington seniors are accepted to 120-150 different colleges and universities in approximately 22 different states. In the past 10 years, 1403 Darlington seniors have attended, on average, 55-65 different colleges and universities each year. Four hundred and ninety of those graduates earned 1402 scholarships valued at more than $22.5 million.
In 2003, 114 seniors were accepted to 151 different colleges and are attending 63 different colleges in 21 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and France. Fifty-five seniors (48 percent) earned a total of 96 scholarships valued at approximately $4.1 million.
These are impressive statistics, especially considering that college admission is not an easy feat and competition is high. Why do Darlington graduates have such strong results? What makes the difference?
Darlington offers a strong academic program including an array of Advanced Placement and Honors courses plus a sound adviser program. The School provides ample opportunities for student involvement and leadership through community service, fine arts, athletics, student government, after-school activities (ASA), and intramurals. These elements strongly contribute to a successful program but there is even more: Darlington’s college guidance program.
The function of the office of college guidance is to assist every Darlington student in selecting and gaining admission to colleges well suited for him or her in terms of interests, ability, and ambition.
Associate Headmaster and Dean of College Guidance Sam Moss knows college guidance and has meticulously formulated the key to college guidance and admission success. He provides each student with support in various formats; keeps college on their minds; and is involved. Moss wrote the book on college guidance, literally! A college guidance handbook, written by Moss, which is a good source to answer college guidance questions, is available on the School’s Web site.
Under the guidance of Moss and 12 college advisers, college counseling begins in the freshman and sophomore years, with general information provided in class meetings. Formal counseling begins in the junior year, through a series of group sessions on the specifics of the college admission process. In the spring of the junior year, each student is assigned a college adviser, an Upper School instructor, head of house, or administrator, who assists the student in preparing a list of appropriate colleges to consider.
In addition to counseling, class meetings, various handouts, and a handbook, the college guidance office requires that every Upper School and campus faculty member write 10 senior evaluations at the beginning of each academic year. These recommendations are included in each student’s application packet. “I don’t know of another school that does this. It’s highly effective. Before I came to Darlington, I worked in admission at Stetson University. I was very impressed by the faculty comments,” Charlotte Smith, annual fund gift officer, said. “It was so very helpful to be able to read recommendations from Darlington because they were written by faculty members who were familiar with the students in so many different areas.”
When preparing students for college admission, Moss remembers every detail. At his request, seniors perfect college admission essays in English classes. He schedules meetings with students beginning with the freshman year. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are required to take the PSAT (as practice for the SAT) and juniors and seniors are expected to take the SAT twice. Moss and Celina Dellinger, administrative assistant to Moss, manage all the paper work for applications. The office of college guidance also hosts college admission representative visits to the Darlington campus, organizes a college fair at Darlington, and sponsors trips to additional college fairs.
In addition, Darlington’s college guidance program benefits from Moss’ involvement off campus. “I need to be involved. Today, college counseling has grown into a separate profession that, like many professions, is supported by professional organizations,” Moss said. “When I can get to know admission representatives from colleges and universities through professional organizations, then Darlington benefits. Sometimes colleges from different districts that would not usually travel to our campus or participate in our college fair plan a visit because of the contacts I’ve made and relationships that are built through my involvement. It simply puts us in the scope of their radar.”
Moss is the past president of the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling; past member of the Executive Board of the National Association for College Admission Counseling; currently serves on the Credentials Committee of the National Association for College Admission Counseling and recently completed a three-year term on the National Merit Scholarship Selection Committee; and is currently chair, Guidance and Admission Division, Southern Region of the College Board and serves on the Southern Regional Council of the College Board.
His deeds, reputation, and diligence pay off. “When Sam Moss, as a Darlington representative, does a good job and is highly visible then Darlington is highly visible and benefits from his work and reputation,” Headmaster David Rhodes, said. “His reputation alone won’t get our students into a college but it certainly gives our students an advantage in that admission officers are more aware of Darlington, know the reputation, and often know Sam Moss; therefore, occasionally when our students are in the gray area of admission, they do not fall between the cracks but are given strong consideration.”
Darlington School is a coeducational college preparatory day and boarding school established in 1905. The School has a proven track record in preparing students well for college. Impressive facilities and wealth of academic, athletic, and social opportunities make it an attractive choice for parents. But more significantly are the friendly spirit of the School and its long history of inspiring students to take full advantage of their God-given gifts to grow intellectually, spiritually, socially, morally, physically, and culturally.
Statistics show the strong track record: typically since 1992, each year, Darlington seniors are accepted to 120-150 different colleges and universities in approximately 22 different states. In the past 10 years, 1403 Darlington seniors have attended, on average, 55-65 different colleges and universities each year. Four hundred and ninety of those graduates earned 1402 scholarships valued at more than $22.5 million.
In 2003, 114 seniors were accepted to 151 different colleges and are attending 63 different colleges in 21 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and France. Fifty-five seniors (48 percent) earned a total of 96 scholarships valued at approximately $4.1 million.
These are impressive statistics, especially considering that college admission is not an easy feat and competition is high. Why do Darlington graduates have such strong results? What makes the difference?
Darlington offers a strong academic program including an array of Advanced Placement and Honors courses plus a sound adviser program. The School provides ample opportunities for student involvement and leadership through community service, fine arts, athletics, student government, after-school activities (ASA), and intramurals. These elements strongly contribute to a successful program but there is even more: Darlington’s college guidance program.
The function of the office of college guidance is to assist every Darlington student in selecting and gaining admission to colleges well suited for him or her in terms of interests, ability, and ambition.
Associate Headmaster and Dean of College Guidance Sam Moss knows college guidance and has meticulously formulated the key to college guidance and admission success. He provides each student with support in various formats; keeps college on their minds; and is involved. Moss wrote the book on college guidance, literally! A college guidance handbook, written by Moss, which is a good source to answer college guidance questions, is available on the School’s Web site.
Under the guidance of Moss and 12 college advisers, college counseling begins in the freshman and sophomore years, with general information provided in class meetings. Formal counseling begins in the junior year, through a series of group sessions on the specifics of the college admission process. In the spring of the junior year, each student is assigned a college adviser, an Upper School instructor, head of house, or administrator, who assists the student in preparing a list of appropriate colleges to consider.
In addition to counseling, class meetings, various handouts, and a handbook, the college guidance office requires that every Upper School and campus faculty member write 10 senior evaluations at the beginning of each academic year. These recommendations are included in each student’s application packet. “I don’t know of another school that does this. It’s highly effective. Before I came to Darlington, I worked in admission at Stetson University. I was very impressed by the faculty comments,” Charlotte Smith, annual fund gift officer, said. “It was so very helpful to be able to read recommendations from Darlington because they were written by faculty members who were familiar with the students in so many different areas.”
When preparing students for college admission, Moss remembers every detail. At his request, seniors perfect college admission essays in English classes. He schedules meetings with students beginning with the freshman year. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are required to take the PSAT (as practice for the SAT) and juniors and seniors are expected to take the SAT twice. Moss and Celina Dellinger, administrative assistant to Moss, manage all the paper work for applications. The office of college guidance also hosts college admission representative visits to the Darlington campus, organizes a college fair at Darlington, and sponsors trips to additional college fairs.
In addition, Darlington’s college guidance program benefits from Moss’ involvement off campus. “I need to be involved. Today, college counseling has grown into a separate profession that, like many professions, is supported by professional organizations,” Moss said. “When I can get to know admission representatives from colleges and universities through professional organizations, then Darlington benefits. Sometimes colleges from different districts that would not usually travel to our campus or participate in our college fair plan a visit because of the contacts I’ve made and relationships that are built through my involvement. It simply puts us in the scope of their radar.”
Moss is the past president of the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling; past member of the Executive Board of the National Association for College Admission Counseling; currently serves on the Credentials Committee of the National Association for College Admission Counseling and recently completed a three-year term on the National Merit Scholarship Selection Committee; and is currently chair, Guidance and Admission Division, Southern Region of the College Board and serves on the Southern Regional Council of the College Board.
His deeds, reputation, and diligence pay off. “When Sam Moss, as a Darlington representative, does a good job and is highly visible then Darlington is highly visible and benefits from his work and reputation,” Headmaster David Rhodes, said. “His reputation alone won’t get our students into a college but it certainly gives our students an advantage in that admission officers are more aware of Darlington, know the reputation, and often know Sam Moss; therefore, occasionally when our students are in the gray area of admission, they do not fall between the cracks but are given strong consideration.”
