Preparing for College

Juniors take the next step with Eagle Hill College Counseling.

Eagle Hill School’s College Counseling team recently took the junior class on a series of college campus visits, giving students the opportunity to explore academic pathways and imagine life beyond Eagle Hill. These experiences are a cornerstone of Eagle Hill’s comprehensive College Counseling program in Hardwick, Massachusetts, offering meaningful exposure to college environments as students begin planning their postsecondary futures.

Students visited campuses including Assumption University and Clark University, participating in guided tours and admission sessions that highlighted academic offerings, campus life, and the transition from high school to college. Experiencing a variety of campuses—from traditional settings to urban universities—gave students a chance to consider how location, culture, and daily life can shape academic success, independence, and overall college fit. Eagle Hill encourages families to take a similar approach by visiting as many campuses as possible throughout the college exploration process.

College Orientation

Throughout the visits, students engaged thoughtfully, asking questions and sharing observations about what stood out at each campus. These conversations reinforced key college counseling themes—including self-awareness, independence, and identifying the academic and social supports that best meet each student’s needs.

Nohea Mahan, College Counselor at Eagle Hill School, shared that one of the most distinctive components of the College Counseling program at Eagle Hill is the College Orientation class, which is designed to prepare students for every stage of the college exploration process. Leading up to the visits to Assumption University and Clark University, the College Orientation class modeled the college visit experience, helping students understand how to ask thoughtful questions, engage appropriately on campus, and interact meaningfully with college admission representatives.

Identifying the Right Environmental Fit

Following the campus visits, the College Orientation class continued the conversation by welcoming guest speakers who focused on identifying the right environmental fit—an important theme reinforced by the juniors’ experience of visiting multiple campuses with different settings in a single day. Together, these experiences helped students connect what they observed on campus to their own learning profiles, priorities, and college goals.

By introducing students to a range of college environments, Eagle Hill empowers juniors to make informed, confident decisions as they continue their educational journey with intention and purpose. By touring local colleges such as Assumption University and Clark University, students gain insight into how to assess academic, social, and environmental fit.

Building on these early exploration opportunities, Eagle Hill’s College Counseling program will continue to guide students through the college process with individualized planning, reflection, and purposeful decision-making.

Building on these early exploration opportunities, Eagle Hill’s College Counseling program will continue to guide students through the college process with individualized planning, reflection, and purposeful decision-making. In the months ahead, students will engage in additional campus visits, attend college fairs, and meet one-on-one with their EHS College counselor to refine their goals, deepen self-awareness, and move forward with intention.

These experiences are designed not just to prepare students for college, but to help them consider how their choices can reflect and extend Eagle Hill’s core value of Purpose—encouraging each student to pursue a path that aligns with their passions, strengths, and goals, and to approach the next stage of their education with intentionality, confidence, and a sense of personal meaning.