College Counseling

A Mercersburg Academy college counselor works with one of their students on the college application process.

College counseling means finding your “best fit” college or university—but it’s about much more than that.

College counseling at Mercersburg Academy is more than a perfunctory search for colleges and universities; it’s a meaningful, engaging, holistic experience that’s as much a part of a Mercersburg education as what happens inside the classroom.

Mercersburg’s college counselors guide students through the college search experience and partner with families to find colleges and universities that satisfy a student’s needs and aspirations. Best fit happens when academic interests, athletic and artistic opportunities, other extracurriculars, school size and location, campus culture, and price tag all converge.

College Counselors

Our college counselors nurture a core set of skills and characteristics in every student. Students are active participants in the college counseling process, undertaking a journey of self-reflection and self-discovery that prepares them for a successful transition to higher education.

Meet the Team

The College Counseling Experience

College counseling plays an essential role in helping you to navigate the increasingly complex college search and application process, and this is how the process unfolds at Mercersburg in a personalized, grade-appropriate way.

9th Grade

10th Grade

You’ll continue to develop your self-awareness, work on self-management, learn to manage stress and navigate relationships with others, and refine your academic skills. You’ll also grow to understand your own learning style and to articulate your strengths and weaknesses. This is the year when you will be paired with a specific college counselor.

You’ll take the baseline SAT or ACT and meet with our test prep partner, Revolution Prep, to learn about our comprehensive test prep program. The Office of College Counseling will meet with the 10th grade as a class multiple times to frame expectations for the college search, and your college counselor will also meet with you to review your transcript and help you envision an academic plan for the next two years.

11th Grade

You’ll continue to refine your academic skills and discuss your interests and goals with your college counselor in order to define “best fit” and produce a prospective college list. You’ll discuss the list with your family and plan spring and summer visits to colleges and universities.

You’ll participate in a mock admission exercise and a college counseling seminar in the winter and spring terms, during which you and your counselor will review best practices for preparing your preliminary application materials. You’ll also receive professional personalized SAT or ACT tutoring (free of charge to your family) and sit for your first SAT or ACT.

12th Grade

You’ll have the opportunity to meet with admission counselors from more than 70 colleges and universities who will visit the Mercersburg campus, virtually or in person.

You’ll continue to work with your college counselor to understand college fit and match. Then you’ll finalize the list of colleges to which you plan to apply and complete the application process with their support. Your counselor will review your applications and essays before you submit them. Then you’ll wait to hear the results!

College Acceptances

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For Colleges and Universities

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Parent Advice

Hear from parents about the college search process and how to make the most of Mercersburg's Office of College Counseling and the resources they offer.

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