Upper School
College Counseling
While contact with the College Counseling Center begins during the first two years of a Bush School student’s career, the formal college search process begins in earnest during the winter term of the junior year when enough information is available to allow for initial, exploratory list-building and realistic self-assessment. Students and families are invited to attend the junior year college information night and then move on into individualized advising sessions throughout the remainder of the school year. Subsequently, all seniors enter into their final year at Bush well equipped to begin the college application process with the support of the College Counseling Center and their families.
The College Counseling Center at Bush helps students to think critically about the college environment that would best fit them. We demystify the anxiety-provoking mythology that media and marketing have cast over the college admissions process and instead, direct attention to the amazing diversity and quality that exists within a wide range of institutions of higher education. We believe that a healthy college search should remain independent of considerations of prestige and hearsay that are external to the real quality of the experience. By extension, we believe that students should be allowed to fully engage in their high school academics and activities without the distraction of commercial pursuits that are designed to “package” them or construct “desirable” profiles. Such efforts are almost always misguided and ultimately, contradict the experience of real growth that resonates with admission officers as they seek students who will contribute to their communities.
Congruent to the unique educational philosophy of The Bush School, college admission officers have particular respect for our students. Repeatedly, they have referred to Bush applicants as engaging, independent, intellectually curious, and intriguingly multidimensional. The emphasis on writing, discussion and critical thinking at Bush, combined with exposure to “hands-on” applications, are ideal preparations for college academics. Colleges see our students as proven classroom contributors and acknowledge the value of GPAs earned in our challenging curriculum. Each year, more than 100 admissions officers visit The Bush School—far more than the number of students who graduate each year! In turn, our students choose to enroll in a wide range of colleges and universities from around the country and overseas.
The Bush School College Counseling Office is a member/supporter of:
Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools, Founding Member
National Association of Independent Schools
National Association for College Admission Counseling
Pacific Northwest Association for College Admission Counseling