College Counseling

We work with each student individually to find the right college for the student's goals.

When a student enters BFA, one of the first things we do is develop a plan for graduation. In concert with the student's advisor, and the parents, our college counselors review all prior transcripts to develop a plan for each student.

Once the plan is finalized, the academic advisor works with the student to make a timeline for completing all graduation requirements. For a full-year student, this will include developing semester work plans for fall and spring, then month-by-month and week-by-week plans. Students see that the work they do each day and each week moves them closer to their graduation goal.

BFA's college counselors meet with each student individually to determine their interests, talents, and career goals in order to guide the student in the college selection process. In addition to the vast amount of information available on the internet, using online search engines specifically geared to colleges and college websites, we also use Naviance, an online system integrating college and career prep with college application organization.

These resources are complemented by visits from college representatives to BFA and our students' attendance at college fairs and to individual campuses of schools that interest them.

At the 10th grade level, students take the PreACT, a practice college admission test. The PreACT is a good diagnostic tool in that it helps identify any areas of weakness that need to be addressed in the junior and senior years.

At the 11th grade level, we also administer the PSAT for a student's consideration by the National Merit Scholarship program. We use the results of both tests to advise students on which college entrance test is best suited for them. During junior year, our counselors meet also with each student to start the college application planning process. We encourage students to visit colleges over school breaks and during the summer and begin to assess, with their family, which colleges might be most appropriate for them. We offer SAT and ACT preparation workshops to assist students in developing their test-taking skills.

In the 12th grade, the application process begins in earnest. Our counselors meet with students and parents in the fall to start detailed planning for SAT and/or ACT testing, college selection and application deadlines.