Taking the Next Step
Seabury graduates matriculate to colleges from coast to coast and everywhere in between. Our students find success at private colleges and state universities, liberal arts colleges and large universities.
The key element in successful college planning is finding the right fit for each student – there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Students often ask me, “Which college is the best?” The only answer to this is that there is no single best college out there. For each student, there is a range of colleges that would be suited to their interests, needs, values, and expectations, and the process of exploring those options is where college planning begins in earnest. It generally ends during the second semester of senior year, when students and their families sit down with me to discuss admissions and scholarship offers to find out which of these schools will be a student’s home for the next four years.
In addition to helping students and families to select appropriate colleges, I work with students on preparation for standardized tests, help them to explore their ideas when they compose college admissions essays, and work with them on brag sheets and resumes. I answer questions and dispense advice, but ultimately it is the student who assumes ownership of this process. For many students, this is the first major decision of their adult life; it marks the transition from youth to adult. And it is a testament to the quality of our students that they plan so successfully for their futures.
The purpose of educating students at Seabury is to send them off successfully to the next stage of their academic and personal development. I am justly proud of the results we have achieved in doing so!
Matt Patterson, College Counselor
Four-Year Planning Cycle
9th and 10th grades:
Mr. Patterson schedules semesterly college planning discussions, PSAT practice sessions, enrichment opportunities, and optional preliminary meetings with individual students as requested.
11th grade:
Students receive consistent guidance from Mr. Patterson, prepare for the October PSAT/NMSQT, attend with parents the January College Planning Night, schedule individual college planning meetings, develop personal statements, and take the ACT and SAT exams.
12th grade:
Mr. Patterson meets regularly with seniors and provides individualized navigate the college, scholarship, and financial aid application processes. A student is more likely to achieve their highest potential if they can find a college that is a good fit for their particular interests, needs, values, and personal character. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, and no single “perfect college” for any students.
Mr. Patterson has consistently guided students to success at private colleges and state universities, liberal arts colleges, STEM institutes, art academies, and major research universities.