The RCS Counseling Experience
College Counseling is an online course using the SCOIR software. The course begins in 9th grade for all RCS students and continues until graduation. The college counseling office prides itself on its open door policy that encourages students to visit often if they have questions or concerns, need assistance with their schedules or college planning process, or just want to check in! This policy allows the counselor to get to know the student(s) very well, offering a great opportunity to better advocate for them in the application and recommendation process.
Selecting the “RIGHT” College
Starting in 9th grade, students are given access to SCOIR, a college and career planning platform. With SCOIR, parents, students, teachers, and the counselor can be actively involved in planning and preparing for the college application process as a team.
SCOIR offers interest, personality and career intelligences profilers to help our students develop a strong grasp of their strengths and weaknesses and begin to build a future understanding of that data. Additionally, SCOIR makes career and college planning easy with benchmarks, searches, and planning tips.
With unlimited access to the program, the progress of our students is closely monitored and driven by the College Counselor to allow for a smoother application process during Senior year.
Preparing for Entrance Exams
Independent college counseling and infusions of test preparation skills into our curriculum assist RCS students in gearing up for the wide range of entrance examinations necessary for college applications. We support students through the registration process and offer classes to help students polish their test-taking skills, gain confidence in the test-taking process, practice for perfection, and more.
Students sit for the PSAT every spring starting in their 8th-grade year (PSAT 8/9, PSAT 10). As Juniors, students sit for the PSAT/NMSQT in October on the National Test Date. Additionally, students sit for the PreACT in the Winter of their Sophomore and Junior years. This offers our students ample opportunities to experience the two standards in college entrance exams before determining which test they feel more comfortable with.
For students requiring testing accommodations, the Director of College Counseling works closely with the Special Ed. Department, alongside families, to ensure all paperwork is processed for approval.
In the 2021-2022 school year, RCS will be officially approved to administer the PSAT 8/9 and PSAT10 on campus, making the testing process more convenient and comfortable for our students.
