College Counseling

Chart the course to your future

Through the counseling department, students are guided to discover their own unique gifts and passions, translate them into actionable learning opportunities and intelligently articulate them to a college admission counselor. The counseling team is prepared to engage students in the college admission process from the moment they set foot on campus.

A PARTNERSHIP with you

College Counseling at SMPREP is a four-year program, and like everything we do, is a highly individualized experience.

Our team of skilled academic and college counselors — together with input from teachers, coaches, advisors and parents — takes a supportive and comprehensive approach with each student, helping them to discover passions, hone interests, set realistic goals and ultimately ensure that the very best shines through in college applications.

A Four Year Process

Year 1: Your Foundation

Your freshman year serves as the foundation for your personal and academic growth. During these early conversations with your advisor and Academic Counselors, you will gain insight into:

The wide array of resources at your disposal
Diverse academic options that SMPREP offers
The significance of building an academic transcript that demonstrates steady growth and success
The importance of developing effective study habits
The right balance between studies, social time and extracurriculars
The value of feeding your curiosity through clubs, athletics, arts and service

Our aim is to equip you with the tools and knowledge you need to begin your path toward academic and personal fulfillment.

Year 2: Your Connection

In the spring of your sophomore year, you'll be introduced to the college counseling team at SMPREP. Counselors will conduct sessions covering timely topics like standardized tests, course selection and summer planning for activities that align with your strengths and interests.

You'll take the PSAT in October as an introduction to the test you'll retake during your junior year. Additionally, a practice ACT is administered in the spring term to prepare you further.
You'll also have the opportunity to attend our on-campus college fair, featuring representation from over 100 colleges.

Year 3: Your Approach

In your junior year, your path toward college comes into sharper focus. In January, you'll meet individually with your college counselor to align your educational aspirations with suitable higher education institutions.

With your college counselors, you will:

Identify academic interests, majors/degrees and potential careers
Research and develop a balanced list of right-fit colleges
Prepare for campus tours and interviews
Schedule and prepare for standardized tests (e.g., SAT, ACT)
Create an activities résumé
Request letters of recommendation from faculty

The year's programming includes college fairs, campus visits and guest speakers from college admissions offices.

Throughout this process, we encourage you to view college selection as an opportunity for personal and academic growth, while making the most of your SMPREP experience.

Our comprehensive college preparation process culminates in the pivotal moment of submitting your college applications. Through individualized counseling and real-world insights, we ensure that you approach this milestone with confidence, clarity and a sense of empowerment — the necessary ingredients in letting your best self shine through in your application.

Year 4: Your Decision

In your senior year, you continue to meet in one-on-one consultations with your college counselor:

To collaborate closely with you on finalizing your list of college applications
To write and refine essays and personal statements
To manage deadlines
To guide you through the intricacies of the application and financial aid procedures, as needed
To ready you for college interviews
To deepen the understanding between you and your counselor for more personalized and nuanced decision-making

The College Counseling team provided me with tremendous support in formulating my plan of action for college applications. With their help, I achieved my goal of getting into one of my top universities.

NatHAN warmington '25 University of San Diego

Here you'll find your support

Advisory

A program designed to support social emotional learning and foster a sense of community.

Beginning your freshman year, you will form your advisory group consisting of a group of your classmates and a faculty advisor. This group will form your advisory group for your four years at SMPREP upper school. As an adolescent you are making your way from late childhood into early adulthood. In every dimension of your humanness - socially, emotionally, physically and spiritually - you are drawn to the questions that challenge your minds and hearts. In advisory you will explore these questions, find support and build kinship through meaningful experiences providing deep opportunities to internalize and reflect on various SEL competencies.

Application Intensives

The College Bootcamp is the beginning of your final push towards college acceptance. Between the end of your junior year and the beginning of senior year, you will begin your navigation of the complex college application process. You will identify your academic interests, perfect your college essay, learn to complete the FAFSA forms and begin your process to your ultimate goal of college acceptance. With your college counselor you will collaborate on finalizing your list of college applications, manage deadlines and ready you for college interviews. Throughout the process you will deepen the understanding between you and your counselor for more personalized and nuanced decision-making.

College Connections

Making college connections, visiting campuses, learning about private vs. public, large vs. small, urban vs. rural, will all contribute to your understanding about the types of schools that will best help you to achieve your ultimate goals. Students explore and learn about universities and leave in a variety of ways. You can participate in a college campus visit trip. Alternatively, the counseling department organizes college fairs where the colleges come to you. Additionally, as your passions and interests emerge, your counselors will help you seek opportunities for summer programs and residential college experiences to strengthen your knowledge and gain vital experience about college life.

For Parents and Guardians

At SMPREP, our College Counseling Office provides a comprehensive support network for parents and guardians throughout your college search journey.

REGULAR COMMUNICATION

The College Counseling Office maintains an open line of communication with both students and parents, sending out important updates and guidance via email. If you're in your junior or senior year, your parents can anticipate more frequent updates during the academic term.

ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTATIONS

Parents and guardians are invited to engage in individual discussions with your designated academic and/or college counselor at any point in your college search process. You child’s counselors will work with you to ensure that you are engaged and informed during your child’s application process.

For College Admission Representatives

If you would like to set up a visit to Saint Monica Preparatory or are interested in participating in a college fair, please contact:

Christina Mollison
College Counselor

By phone: 310.394.3701 ext.1417
By email: cmollison@smprep.org

2025 -2026 School Profile

Finding Just the Right Fit

We are proud of our strong record for placing SMPREP graduates in outstanding colleges and universities. Our College Counseling staff makes periodic visits to college campuses on behalf of SMPREP students and works closely with Mariner teachers and coaches to find the best opportunities for our students. In the last five years, Mariners have gone on to play Division I, II and III college athletics.

View Matriculation

Academic and Support Counseling Services

Academic support services at Saint Monica Preparatory offer students with Learning Disabilities/ADHD the support they need to develop and grow academically, socially and emotionally. The Academic Support Coordinator/Counselor (ASC) will have an initial meeting with parents and student to create a Formal Educational Plan based on documentation stating diagnosis and recommended school/classroom accommodations. The ASC will have recommendations based on the individual student’s needs to help make the transition into a new school.

Throughout the year, the ASC meets with students for check-ins, communicates with and supports parents and teachers, and works with outside providers as needed. At the start of each academic year, the ASC will meet one-on-one with the student, and in small groups, to help the transition from summer to the school year.

Questions? We are here to help