Academics

College Counseling

Beyond PINE

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The Philosophy of our Comprehensive College Counseling Program

Our goal is clear and simple: to prepare every student at The Pine School to be a competitive candidate for entrance to the college or university of his or her choosing.We believe that the journey is as important as the destination and nowhere is that notion more appropriately applied than the college process. Our program is based on the notion that college is a match to be made and not a prize to be won.

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Kathleen Bracken

Director of College Counseling

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About The College Counselor
Kathleen Bracken brings many years of college counseling experience to PINE. Previously, she worked at the Doane Stuart School in Rensselaer, New York, serving as Director of College Counseling from 2008-2021, and Assistant Director from 2005-2008. She sees her role as both great fun and a tremendous privilege. PINE’s favorable faculty-to-student ratio allows her to provide individual attention to each of our students, while establishing a rapport and relationship with their families. She is a proud graduate of the University at Albany.

Below are some tips from PINE’s College Counselor, which speak to the philosophy of our comprehensive College Counseling Program:

Embrace the process.

There are many colleges in the United States, and many schools that will be good matches for your child. College counseling at PINE is not an evolution toward that one “perfect school.” We want our students to identify multiple institutions at which they could be happy. This is done through a program that includes both structured meetings and informal conversations, to help students consider their own values, as they also contemplate what qualities they seek for their post-PINE life.
Be open minded!

It is not necessary to know your intended major at any point in high school. If you have some ideas – great! Do not feel you must have a career plan to begin researching schools. A great question to ask on a tour of prospective colleges is how they support undecided students. The same advice is true when exploring schools. PINE annually hosts anywhere from 70-100 colleges and universities on our campus (yes, that is more colleges than graduating seniors), and this is a great opportunity to explore many places with a minimal time commitment. It is also a compliment to our students that so many schools make the trip to Hobe Sound to meet them.
Have fun!

Looking at colleges is exciting and can be a memorable bonding experience for students and parents. A favorite tradition at PINE is the Off-Campus Education Week, which includes a college trip for the sophomores, who are accompanied by our College Counselor. It’s great fun to see which schools have the best selection of cereals in the dining hall, the most luxurious freshman dorms, unusual intramural sports, or celebrate the quirkiest campus traditions. Take advantage of school breaks to see very different universities and compare them. Our College Counselor jokes that if this process was a drag, she wouldn’t have been doing it for so many years.
This process is personal.

Spending time comparing yourself to other students will not help you find good matches. Reflect on your own experiences and interests and let that guide your journey. Similarly, remember that one person’s opinion or experience is just that. Instead of relying on others’ rankings, create your own! Don’t assume U.S. News knows the “best” colleges – they are in the business of selling a product, not helping you.
Remember that many of the factors in a college’s decision are beyond the student’s control.

Understanding the roles of academics, test scores, finances and more at different schools can be overwhelming – but the information is out there. PINE’s College Counselor is lucky to be able to work closely with every student, -making sure they understand how to maximize their opportunities at schools that are looking for kids like them.

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Information for College Representatives

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Visitor Information

The Pine School welcomes visits from colleges and universities each year in order for our students to learn more about your school, and for you to learn more about what distinguishes The Pine School.
To Schedule a Visit

Visits can be scheduled online, using this link: https://repvisits.com. If you prefer, you may also arrange your visit by calling or emailing Kathleen Bracken. If interested, interviews with potential applicants can also be arranged.
Directions to Campus

The College Counseling center is located on the second floor, adjacent to the library.
Directions to Campus
Parking

Parking for guests is available in the south parking lot. Continue on the main entry road and down the hill until the campus is on your right. The parking lot will be on your right just past the main campus building.