Curriculum
The University Counseling Office (UCO) curriculum has been developed by its experienced and dedicated counselors, who are passionate about helping King’s students navigate Upper School with confidence and make university choices that reflect their individual aspirations, interests and needs.
University counseling begins when a student enrolls in the Upper School. Counselors advise students on course selection, helping them choose classes that align with their interests, aptitude and appetite for challenge. As students progress through the Upper School, they also begin to consider their university goals.
Students are assigned a UCO counselor in Grade 11, providing individualized support over the next two years as their university ambitions take shape. In addition to academic planning, counseling helps students explore their interests and build their profile through activities beyond the classroom. These include the co-curricular activities that are a hallmark of King’s Academy and reflect the school’s commitment to experiential learning and an integrated life, as well as student-led clubs and initiatives that reflect the King’s community’s broad range of interests, commitments and values.
With guidance from the UCO, Grade 11 students begin preparing for university with clear intent. Junior year grades are an important part of a student’s academic record, and the SAT is an important component of many university applications. Students sit for practice SAT exams in the fall, while UCO counselors meet intensively with juniors in the spring to help them assess their academic performance, define their university goals, begin their research and develop an admissions strategy. Many juniors also use the summer to pursue activities and programs that deepen their knowledge, develop new skills and explore their interests.
The university application process begins early in senior year, with entry test dates in the fall and many application and scholarship deadlines as early as September and October. The UCO begins Grade 12 advising with workshops covering application fundamentals and helping students understand their requirements and responsibilities. Counselors also meet individually with each student to refine their university choices and application strategy. Ahead of every official deadline, the UCO sets an internal deadline, giving counselors time to thoroughly review applications with students and prepare the necessary supporting documentation.
As part of its curriculum, the UCO provides King’s students with resources to help them approach the university process with confidence. These include on-campus university briefings and visits, daily postings about online university information sessions, guides to scholarships and summer and other enrichment programs, and how-to videos and presentations on applying to universities in the US, UK, the Netherlands and elsewhere.