Academics at Ursuline Academy
For Students
Our goal is that students be accountable and proactively engaged in the processes of self-evaluation and research that are paramount in helping each student find her perfect college fit. Open discussion and collaboration are encouraged with families. Counselors will help students learn to identify their goals and interests, understand how to manage the complex college admissions process and help them eventually make confident decisions about where and how they will pursue their higher education.
9TH GRADE
As a Freshman, you will get to know your counselor right away. Ursuline students will have the same counselor for all four high school years. From the start, your counselor will ensure you are on the best path possible to prepare you for college admissions, and you will receive your personalized Naviance account. With the help of your counselor, you will navigate our comprehensive course catalog, which sets you on the right academic path from the beginning by aligning our courses with your academic interests. In the fall, you will also learn about our extracurricular activities, including clubs, service opportunities, and leadership programs. You will begin to get more comfortable with college admissions standardized testing by taking the PSAT 8/9 in the winter of your freshman year, and your counselor will review your results with you in the spring. At that time, your counselor works with you to explain what colleges look for in a potential student and how you can best prepare for the process. In the spring, you will also select your sophomore-year courses with assistance from your counselor.
10TH GRADE
As a Sophomore, your counselor works with you to identify career and life goals through career discovery and exploration activities, including several personality and career-interest inventories. With your personalized results, you explore various career awareness opportunities and informational resources tailored to your specific interests, paving the way toward a potential career path. In October, you take the PSAT/NMSQT as practice for the SAT and receive your results in December. At that time, you review how colleges use standardized testing scores in admissions decisions and work with your counselor to identify the steps and resources necessary to achieve your goals. In the spring, you and your family start digging deeper into college admissions with specific programming that focuses on what to remember as you begin visiting and researching specific universities. Also, in the spring, you select your junior-year courses with assistance from your counselor.
11TH GRADE
As a Junior, you will again take the PSAT/NMSQT in October for continued practice and possible recognition as a National Merit Scholar. You are encouraged to meet with the many college representatives visiting our campus throughout the fall. In the second semester, you will be enrolled in our small-group Junior Seminar course, which focuses on the college research and application process. Junior Seminar will help you better understand what you are looking for in your college experience. Upon completing the course, you will have a realistic list of colleges that fit your criteria and profile as a student to continue visiting over the summer. The Counseling Department also offers a series of nighttime events in junior year, including sessions on financial aid, the realities of the college admission process, and strategies in college admissions.
12TH GRADE
As a Senior, you hit the ground running and begin preparing for college applications over the summer. Your counselor works with you individually and as often as necessary to advance your college applications. Your counselor reviews all applications, and all supporting documents are gathered and officially submitted through the Counseling Department. You will use your Naviance account to track your applications throughout the fall. You will also continue to meet with the college representatives that visit our campus. In the winter, you attend our Senior Transition Workshop to prepare you for the academic and social adjustment to college life, with a particular emphasis on campus safety and personal security. Our Counseling Department tracks admission results throughout the year, and assistance is provided in helping you decide which college to attend. You will receive unlimited support during every phase of the college selection, application, admission, and financial aid process.