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College Counseling

College Acceptances

We believe that building trust and a deep understanding of each student’s future goals enables us to accurately advise them on a variety of options and set them up for success.

LREI’s College Office helped me navigate the balance of being in high school with the importance and significance of the college process. College Class, which starts in January of junior year, was collaborative and helped me get my bearings. Throughout the process, I was encouraged to meet with any of the counselors and never doubted that they knew my story and where I was in my college journey (we did not get assigned to a counselor– we could meet with anyone in the College Office, which is unique). I felt supported and heard through every step and couldn’t be happier with the result. Go Blue!

Harvey, University of Michigan, LREI Class of 2022

My favorite part of the college application process at LREI was how the students in my class bonded over it. Instead of tearing us apart, the process actually helped us come together as a class. There was constant support. We celebrated with each other. I always assumed applying to college would be scary because students are competing to get into certain schools, but I did not feel that energy at LREI.

Sandro, Boston College, LREI Class of 2026

LREI’s College Office was a pleasure to work with, though more importantly, it was a pleasure for my kids to work with. What stands out most about their approach is how effectively they put the student in the driver’s seat, allowing the child to own their process. Equally important is their ability to reduce pressure in what is otherwise an intensely high pressure experience.

Dawn, Parent of Lucy, Class of 2026

Our College Guidance program prides itself on its individualized process, team counseling approach, and college seminar program. Research and experience demonstrates that students are happiest with their college choice when they have spent time discovering their interests, exploring a variety of possibilities and taking responsibility for the direction of their application process. At LREI, the college process is an invitation for students to slow down, reflect, and make thoughtful choices about what they want for their future. Our work is about helping them build the confidence and clarity to make decisions that will matter long after graduation day.

All members of the College Guidance team meet regularly with students and families. In addition to co-teaching the College Seminar, the team-based model ensures that multiple counselors are familiar with each student’s goals and progress so that support is continuous and informed throughout the college process. The team also works with students to develop individualized testing plans for College Board and ACT-administered standardized tests.

Ultimately, this process is about self-understanding. We want students to leave with a clear sense of who they are and what they value. With that foundation, they move forward with resilience, purpose, and the drive to pursue their goals.

The College Counseling Pathway

Entering high school is a major step forward. Once you settle into the rhythm of LREI, start practicing the skills that will eventually make the college process feel manageable—things like organizing your time, speaking up for what you need, and taking ownership of your learning.

Academically, let yourself wander, question, and discover. Use your classes as a way to test out interests, deepen existing passions, and show up fully engaged. Aim to be the most curious, committed version of yourself in every subject.

Beyond the classroom, dive into the parts of LREI that light you up—arts, athletics, clubs, service programs, or anything else that sparks joy. Seek out spaces where you can contribute, lead, and build meaningful connections. Colleges notice students who genuinely invest in their communities.

And don’t forget about summer! It’s a perfect chance to stretch yourself in new ways. Try a job or internship, return to camp in a leadership role, take a course on a college campus, or explore the world through travel, service, or study. What matters most is choosing something authentic to you. Great experiences don’t require a big budget—just intention, curiosity, and heart.

In the spring of tenth grade, parents attend small, informal discussions that include, but are not limited to, the philosophy of the LREI College Office, what colleges look for in an application, creating a game plan for standardized testing, and what to expect in junior & senior year. Tenth grade students sit for a diagnostic ACT and SAT exam, and the College Office meets with sophomores as a group toward the end of the year to give an overview of the upcoming process.

Junior year is the last full year colleges see when they review a student’s application, so make this your best year yet. Grades and rigor always matter, but passion and intellectual curiosity do too. Our unique elective program showcases each student’s budding academic interests at the beginning in the junior year.

Junior College Kickoff begins in January of students' eleventh grade year. The Kickoff is an evening event for students and families that includes an outline of the overall college process, a timeline of events, an introduction to Naviance, the online college guidance database, and a panel presentation from University admissions representatives. College Seminar and individual meetings also begin in the winter trimester of eleventh grade.

In twelfth grade, College Seminar resumes in September until the end of January. As seniors, students work individually with the College Office staff during class time to complete portions of the Common Application, edit admissions essays and finalize college applications. As a class, students are also guided through the "nitty gritty" aspects of the application process: reporting test scores to colleges, preparing for admissions interviews, understanding important dates and deadlines and the importance of articulating interest.

This weekly seminar meets once a week during the second trimester of junior year and continues through the first trimester of senior year. The junior class is divided into sections so that counselors can better understand students' individual needs and concerns. 

As juniors, students read relevant articles related to today's college landscape, discuss the issues that frequently arise during the early stages of the college process, and explore their own strengths and interests as they relate to the college search. Through interactive discussions, online scavenger hunts and mock admissions case studies, students learn to better understand the admissions process and conduct meaningful college research. Other topics include how to craft a college list, how to research colleges, how to schedule visits and interview preparation.

An evening event for students and families that includes an outline of the overall college process, a timeline of events, an introduction to Naviance, the online college guidance database, and a panel presentation from University admissions representatives.

The College Guidance staff meets as a team with each individual junior student, solidifying their student-centered approach. This is an opportunity to learn more their background, family circumstances, financial concerns, interests and initial college criteria/considerations. Students leave with a very broad list of schools to begin researching in preparation for their family meeting. Once the College Guidance staff has met with every member of the junior class, each student returns with their family for a meeting. This meeting covers initial research, college questions, potential spring visits, testing updates, and other general concerns.

Beginning in September and continuing until Thanksgiving break, over eighty college and university representatives from campuses across the country (and internationally) visit LREI and meet with prospective students. These visits are open to juniors and seniors. Juniors use this opportunity to begin their college search process, widen their perspectives and initiate conversations about schools they may otherwise not have considered. Seniors use these visits to focus their lists, ask any remaining questions, and connect with the representative who will eventually read their college application.
At LREI, all students take the practice SAT and ACT exams in their tenth and eleventh grade years. We partner with an outside test prep organization to offer both ACT & SAT Diagnostic exams (which help students identify their best testing platform) and after-school test prep courses and mock exams, all held at LREI. In addition, students can meet with the college office to plan the best test prep method for them.
Each year, recent LREI graduates share what they consider to be the most critical “tools for success” in college, highlight how LREI prepares students for post-secondary studies, and offer advice about how to best engage with the College Office.
Financial concerns are a crucial part of a family’s college process. The College Office maintains an up-to-date online financial aid website as a resource for families, and provides relevant brochures and FAFSA How-To Guides during family meetings. There is an online event early in the fall of senior year hosted by a financial aid expert in collaboration with the LREI Business Office and the Director of Financial Aid. In partnership with LREI's financial aid program, the College Office provides financial support for families to help send standardized test scores, visit colleges both before and after admissions decisions, and cover costly application fees.

College Acceptances

Boston College
Boston College
Cornell University
Cornell University
Emory University
Emory University
Brown University
Brown University
University of Southern California
University of Southern California
Yale University
Yale University

Members of the Classes of 2022-2026 enrolled at the following institutions:
Matriculations for the Class of 2026 are indicated in bold.

  • Allegheny College
  • Amherst College (3)
  • Anglo-American University
  • Bard College (9)
  • Barnard College
  • Bates College (2)
  • Berklee College of Music (3)
  • Boston College (4)
  • Boston University (3)
  • Brandeis University (4)
  • Brown University (5)
  • Carleton College (2)
  • Carnegie Mellon University (2)
  • Chapman University (3)
  • Claflin University
  • Colby College
  • Colgate University
  • Colorado College
  • Columbia University
  • Cornell University (6)
  • Davidson College
  • Denison University
  • Duke University
  • Emerson College (3)
  • Emory University (12)
  • Georgetown University (2)
  • Hamilton College (2)
  • Harvard University
  • Haverford College (2)
  • Holland College, Canada
  • Howard University
  • Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin
  • Hunter College (CUNY)
  • IE University - Madrid
  • Indiana University (3)
  • Indiana University-Bloomington
  • Johns Hopkins University
  • Kenyon College (2)
  • King’s College London
  • Lafayette College (5)
  • Lehigh University (4)
  • Loyola Marymount University (5)
  • Manhattan Marymount University
  • Marist University
  • Massachusetts College of Art and Design
  • McGill University (5)
  • Michigan State University
  • Middlebury College (2)
  • Montclair State University
  • Morehouse College
  • Mount Holyoke College
  • New York University (4)
  • Northeastern University (6)
  • Northwestern University (5)
  • Oberlin College (11)
  • Occidental College (2)
  • Ohio State University
  • Pepperdine University
  • Pitzer College (8)
  • Pomona College
  • Pratt Institute
  • Purdue University
  • Radboud University, Netherlands
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) (2)
  • Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)
  • Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
  • Rutgers University (2)
  • Sarah Lawrence College (2)
  • Savannah College of Art & Design (2)
  • School of the Art Institute of Chicago
  • Scripps College (2)
  • Skidmore College (10)
  • Smith College (5)
  • Stanford University
  • Swarthmore College (2)
  • Syracuse University (12)
  • The American University of Paris (2)
  • The George Washington University
  • The New School - Parsons
  • The Oberlin Conservatory of Music
  • Trinity College (3)
  • Tufts University (5)
  • Tulane University (9)
  • Union College
  • University of California, Berkeley
  • University of California, Los Angeles (7)
  • University of California, Santa Barbara
  • University of Chicago (5)
  • University of Colorado, Boulder (5)
  • University of Denver
  • University of Florida
  • University of Miami (5)
  • University of Michigan (4)
  • University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (2)
  • University of North Carolina
  • University of Notre Dame (3)
  • University of Oregon
  • University of Pennsylvania (3)
  • University of Pittsburgh
  • University of Richmond
  • University of Rochester
  • University of San Diego
  • University of Southern California (9)
  • University of St. Andrews (5)
  • University of Vermont (4)
  • University of Virginia (4)
  • University of Wisconsin (3)
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison (3)
  • Vanderbilt University (3)
  • Vassar College (5)
  • Wake Forest University (4)
  • Washington University of St. Louis (2)
  • Wellesley College
  • Wesleyan University (14)
  • William & Mary
  • Williams College
  • Yale University

Meet the College Guidance Team

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