Upper School

College Counseling

Annie Wright students can go anywhere and do anything after high school. No matter their goal - large research institution, small liberal arts college, international university, visual arts conservatory, service academy - the college counseling team is here to support them every step of the way.
Preparation for the college admission process is embedded in the curriculum starting in Grade 9, allowing students to participate in activities that not only prepare them to be competitive for the process, but also to empower them to be strong students and engaged community members. College Counselors know and care deeply about each student as an individual, and can help them discover colleges where they will thrive.

Year after year, an overwhelming number of recent graduates tell us they are happy with the support for the college process, as well as the outcome.

College Counseling at a Glance

List of 4 items.

  • Grade 9: Laying the groundwork for a successful high school experience

    • Select the most challenging courses appropriate to you.
    • Explore extra-curricular activities such as sports teams, school activities or volunteer opportunities outside campus.
    • With guidance and encouragement from faculty, develop a love for reading and writing.
    • With guidance and encouragement from the 9th Grade Dean, focus on issues of wellness, study skills and time management.
    • With your Academic Coach/ Advisor and the Director of College Guidance, evaluate your interests, activities, and strengths to set ambitious goals for the next school year.
  • Grade 10: Beginning to think seriously about college

    • Continue to focus on appropriately rigorous academics and good study habits.
    • Take the PSAT a year early, for practice.
    • With support and encouragement from faculty, get involved in the life of the school and consider opportunities for leadership.
    • With your parents, attend the sophomore International Baccalaureate & College Counseling night.
    • With guidance from Academic Coach/ Advisor, identify and explore an area of interest and use the Spring Showcase as an opportunity to share it with the rest of the school.
    • If you are interested in playing a sport in college, meet with Annie Wright’s Athletic Director to map out a plan for recruitment.
    • With faculty guidance and support, evaluate your interests, activities, and strengths to set ambitious goals for the next school year and plan for an enriching summer.
  • Grade 11: Entering the heart of Annie Wright's college counseling

    • Excel, with faculty guidance and support, at appropriately rigorous academic coursework. In addition to earning the AWS Diploma, students can pursue the full IB Diploma or IB Course Candidacy.
    • Step into leadership roles in activities where you can make the most impact.
    • Take the PSAT in October (scores will be submitted to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for consideration) and a practice ACT.
    • Work with your college counselor to create a customized plan for standardized testing in the spring and summer of junior year.
    • Visit several college campuses and attend information sessions during several day trips in the spring with the junior class.
    • Meet with college admissions officers that visit campus in the fall. (Some 75 colleges and universities visit the Annie Wright campus to meet with our students.)
    • Start regular meetings with your college counselor to build a strong relationship and get individual advice on how to shape a tentative list of colleges.
    • Together with your parents, meet with your college counselor to create a customized strategy for your college applications that meets your academic, financial and career goals.
    • After a two-week essay-writing workshop in English class, write multiple college essay drafts before leaving for summer break.
    • With the help of your college counselor, identify teachers for letters of recommendation, work through NCAA eligibility questions, shape a tentative list of schools and finalize summer enrichment opportunities.
  • Grade 12: Choosing a college

    • Continue academically rigorous coursework throughout senior year, as your counselor will keep colleges updated on any exemplary performance.
    • Register to take your final SAT and/or ACT exam.
    • Meet with college admissions officers that visit campus in the fall, and when feasible, meet for an interview as part of your application. (Some 75 colleges and universities visit the Annie Wright campus to meet with our students.)
    • Attend College Week, where you will: finalize the application list, review deadlines, workshop your activities list and resume, meet with an assigned essay advisor to fine-tune application essays, and meet with your counselor for a final review of all applications. (The vast majority of seniors are done with their applications after College Week.)
    • Work with your teachers and college counselor to make sure all recommendation letters and applications materials are submitted on time.
    • Make any final trips to visit colleges.
    • Take any IB tests, as the vast majority of Annie Wright students score well enough on IB test to earn credit at colleges and universities.

College Week

Each fall, an entire week is dedicated to working on and submitting college applications. All academic classes are cancelled for seniors, faculty and staff are available to help proofread essays and write letters of recommendation, and students have the opportunity to devote themselves to preparing for their future without the added stress of juggling homework and courses.

Here are some of the things our AWS graduates found the most helpful about College Week:
  • Picking the brains of our super-smart faculty members!
  • The free work time to work on college essays and ticking boxes. I didn't know how much there was to do...
  • The amount of time and support offered. Wow. 
  • Having teachers readily available to review my essay.
  • Being around my classmates that were also working on college essays (being focused together and supporting each other!)
  • Having constant people around to answer our questions/

Class of ’24 Interactive College Map

To contact the Office of College Counseling, please reach out to Monica Huggins, Director of College Counseling, +1.253.284.4348, or Jarrod Larse, Assistant Director of College Counseling +1.253.284.4339.

Nadine G. ’23

"My teachers and peers at AWS pushed and supported me to reach personal and academic goals that allowed me to see myself at excellent institutions. I also learned where to blaze my own path."
Read this issue of Strength magazine to learn about the college process, including how to plan, test, choose, pay, talk about it and more.

For College Admission Professionals

We welcome you to visit our campus and meet our juniors and seniors this fall! All sessions are in person after academic hours, but when students are still required and/or encouraged to be on campus. We use SCOIR for scheduling. Please contact the Director of College Counseling, Monica Huggins (monica_huggins@aw.org) with any questions, or requests for virtual meetings. 

List of 1 items.

  • 2019-2024 College Acceptances

    Graduates from 2019-2024 were accepted into the 4-year colleges listed below. They chose to attend those institutions listed in bold. Women’s colleges have an asterisk. HBCUs have two asterisks.

    Adelphi UniversityGonzaga UniversityRoger Williams UniversityUniversity of Illinois at Chicago
    Agnes Scott CollegeGoucher CollegeRollins CollegeUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    Allegheny CollegeGrand Canyon UniversityRose-Hulman Institute of TechnologyUniversity of Iowa
    American UniversityGreen Mountain College (CLOSED)Rutgers University (Newark)University of Kansas
    Amherst CollegeGrinnell CollegeRutgers University (New Brunswick)University of La Verne
    Andrews UniversityHamilton CollegeSaginaw Valley State UniversityUniversity of Maine
    Arizona State University (Main Campus)Hampshire CollegeSaint Anselm CollegeUniversity of Maryland (Baltimore County)
    Arizona State University (Tempe)Hampton University**Saint Joseph’s UniversityUniversity of Maryland (College Park)
    Arizona State University (Polytechnic)Haverford CollegeSaint Martin's UniversityUniversity of Maryland (Eastern Shore)
    Babson CollegeHawai'i Pacific UniversitySaint Mary's College of CaliforniaUniversity of Massachusetts (Amherst)
    Bard CollegeHigh Point UniversitySalve Regina UniversityUniversity of Massachusetts (Boston)
    Barnard College*Hobart and William Smith CollegesSan Diego State UniversityUniversity of Massachusetts (Dartmouth)
    Barry UniversityHofstra UniversitySan Francisco State UniversityUniversity of Miami
    Bates CollegeHollins UniversitySan Jose State UniversityUniversity of Michigan
    Baylor UniversityHoward University**Santa Clara UniversityUniversity of Minnesota (Twin Cities)
    Beloit CollegeHult International Business School (Boston)Sarah Lawrence CollegeUniversity of Missouri (Columbia)
    Bennington CollegeIllinois Institute of TechnologyScripps College*University of Missouri (Kansas City)
    Bentley UniversityIndiana University (Bloomington)Seattle Pacific UniversityUniversity of Nevada (Las Vegas)
    Boise State UniversityIthaca CollegeSeattle UniversityUniversity of Nevada (Reno)
    Boston CollegeJackson State University**Seton Hall UniversityUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Boston UniversityJames Madison UniversitySewanee: The University of the SouthUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte
    Bowdoin CollegeJohns Hopkins UniversitySimmons University*University of North Carolina at Greensboro
    Brandeis UniversityJohnson & Wales University (Providence)Skidmore CollegeUniversity of North Florida
    Brown UniversityJuniata CollegeSmith College*University of North Texas
    Bryn Mawr College*Kenyon CollegeSouthern Methodist UniversityUniversity of Northern Colorado
    Bucknell UniversityKnox CollegeSouthern New Hampshire UniversityUniversity of Notre Dame
    California Lutheran UniversityLa Sierra UniversitySouthern University and A&M College**University of Oregon
    California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo)Lafayette CollegeSt Catherine UniversityUniversity of Pennsylvania
    California State University (Long Beach)Lake Forest CollegeSt. Mary’s College of MarylandUniversity of Pittsburgh (Main Campus)
    California State University (Northridge)Lawrence UniversitySt. Mary's UniversityUniversity of Portland
    Carleton CollegeLehigh UniversitySt. John’s College (Annapolis)University of Puget Sound
    Carnegie Mellon UniversityLewis & Clark CollegeSt. John’s College (Santa Fe)University of Redlands
    Carroll CollegeLewis-Clark State CollegeSt. John’s University (New York)University of Rhode Island
    Carthage CollegeLinfield UniversitySt. Lawrence UniversityUniversity of Richmond
    Case Western Reserve UniversityLouisiana State UniversitySt. Olaf CollegeUniversity of Rochester
    Central Michigan UniversityLoyola Marymount UniversityStanford UniversityUniversity of San Diego
    Central Washington UniversityLoyola University ChicagoStonehill CollegeUniversity of San Francisco
    Centre CollegeLoyola University New OrleansStony Brook UniversityUniversity of South Carolina
    Chaminade University of HonoluluMacalester CollegeSuffolk UniversityUniversity of South Florida (Main Campus)
    Chapman UniversityManhattan CollegeSUNY College of Environmental Science and ForestryUniversity of Southern California
    Claremont McKenna CollegeMarion Military InstituteSUNY College at GeneseoUniversity of St Thomas
    Clark Atlanta University**Marist CollegeSUNY Polytechnic InstituteUniversity of the Pacific
    Clark UniversityMarymount Manhattan CollegeSUNY University at BuffaloUniversity of the Sciences
    Clarkson UniversityMassachusetts College of Liberal ArtsSwarthmore CollegeUniversity of Utah
    Clemson UniversityMassachusetts Institute of TechnologySyracuse UniversityUniversity of Vermont
    Coe CollegeMcDaniel CollegeTacoma Community CollegeUniversity of Virginia (Main Campus)
    Colby CollegeMcKendree UniversityTemple UniversityUniversity of Washington (Bothell Campus)
    Colgate UniversityMedaille CollegeTexas A&M UniversityUniversity of Washington (Seattle Campus)
    College of CharlestonMenlo CollegeTexas Christian UniversityUniversity of Washington (Tacoma Campus)
    Colorado CollegeMercer UniversityThe College of IdahoUniversity of Wisconsin (Eau Claire)
    Colorado School of MinesMercyhurst UniversityThe College of WoosterUniversity of Wisconsin (Madison)
    Colorado State University (Fort Collins)Merrimack CollegeThe Evergreen State CollegeUniversity of Wyoming
    Columbia UniversityMiami University (Oxford)The New SchoolUrsinus College
    Concordia University (Irvine)Michigan State UniversityThe Ohio State UniversityUtica University
    Connecticut CollegeMiddlebury CollegeThe Ohio State University (Main Campus)Vanderbilt University
    Cornell UniversityMiles College**The University of AlabamaVassar College
    Creighton UniversityMills College*The University of MontanaVillanova University
    CUNY John Jay College of Criminal JusticeMontana State UniversityTrinity CollegeVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
    Dartmouth CollegeMount Holyoke College*Trinity UniversityWagner College
    Davenport UniversityMount Saint Mary’s University*Tufts UniversityWashington and Lee University
    DePaul UniversityNew College of FloridaTulane University of LouisianaWashington State University
    Dickinson CollegeNew York UniversityUnion CollegeWashington University in St. Louis
    Dominican University New YorkNorth Carolina Central University**University of Alaska FairbanksWellesley College*
    Drew UniversityNorth Carolina State UniversityUniversity of ArizonaWesleyan College
    Drexel UniversityNortheastern UniversityUniversity of California (Berkeley)Western Washington University
    Duke UniversityNorthern Arizona UniversityUniversity of California (Davis)Wheaton College
    Earlham CollegeNorthwestern UniversityUniversity of California (Irvine)Whitman College
    East Carolina UniversityOberlin CollegeUniversity of California (Los Angeles)Whittier College
    Eastern Washington UniversityOccidental CollegeUniversity of California (Merced)Whitworth University
    Eckerd CollegeOregon Institute of TechnologyUniversity of California (Riverside)Wilberforce University**
    Elon UniversityOregon State UniversityUniversity of California (San Diego)Willamette University
    Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach)Ottawa UniversityUniversity of California (Santa Barbara)William & Mary
    Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Prescott)Oxford College of Emory UniversityUniversity of California (Santa Cruz)Williams College
    Emerson CollegePace University (New York City)University of Central FloridaWittenberg University
    Emory UniversityPacific Lutheran UniversityUniversity of ChicagoWorcester Polytechnic Institute
    Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts at The New SchoolPacific UniversityUniversity of Cincinnati (Main Campus)Xavier University
    Fisher CollegePeninsula CollegeUniversity of Colorado BoulderXavier University of Louisiana**
    Flagler CollegePenn State University (Behrend)University of Colorado DenverYale University
    Florida Atlantic UniversityPenn State University (University Park)University of Connecticut
    Florida Institute of TechnologyPepperdine UniversityUniversity of Connecticut (Stamford)
    Florida Memorial University**Pitzer CollegeUniversity of Delaware
    Florida State UniversityPomona CollegeUniversity of Denver
    Fordham UniversityPortland State UniversityUniversity of Florida
    George Mason UniversityPrinceton UniversityUniversity of Georgia
    George Washington UniversityPurdue University (Main Campus)University of Hartford
    Georgetown UniversityReed CollegeUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa
    Georgia Institute of TechnologyRensselaer Polytechnic InstituteUniversity of Idaho
    Georgia Institute of Technology (Main Campus)Rhodes College
    Georgia State UniversityRice University
    Gettysburg CollegeRochester Institute of Technology









    ART SCHOOLS

    INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
    Art Center College of DesignAberystwyth UniversityThe University of Edinburgh
    Berklee College of MusicBrunel University LondonThe University of Sheffield
    California College of the ArtsCentral European UniversityUniversity College Cork
    California Institute of the ArtsDuke Kunshan UniversityUniversity College Dublin
    California Lutheran UniversityFranklin University SwitzerlandUniversity of Alberta
    Columbia College (Chicago)Glion Institute of Higher EducationUniversity of Birmingham
    Cornish College of the ArtsGoldsmiths, University of LondonUniversity of Bristol
    DigiPen Institute of TechnologyInternational University in GenevaUniversity of British Columbia
    Fashion Institute of TechnologyJohn Cabot UniversityUniversity of Galway
    Maryland Institute College of ArtLeeds Beckett UniversityUniversity of Glasgow
    Massachusetts College of Art and DesignMaynooth UniversityUniversity of Limerick
    Otis College of Art and DesignMcGill UniversityUniversity of Melbourne
    Pacific Northwest College of ArtMonash UniversityUniversity of St Andrews
    Parsons School of Design at The New SchoolNagoya UniversityUniversity of Sussex
    Pratt InstituteNYU ShanghaiUniversity of Toronto
    Rhode Island School of DesignQueen's UniversityUniversity of Victoria
    Savannah College of Art and DesignQuest UniversityWaseda University
    School of the Art Institute of ChicagoRMIT UniversityYale-NUS College
    School of Visual ArtsThe American University of Paris

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