College Counseling

Independent, conscientious, inventive. These are the words colleges consistently use to describe our graduates.

 

Just as we help students develop personal agency and mindfulness during their high school education, college counseling at Bay empowers students to calmly, mindfully, and competently navigate the many stages of the college application and enrollment process, preparing them for one of the first significant life decisions they will make for themselves.

Learn more about Bay's college counseling philosophy.


Support for Every Student

Unique among independent schools, Bay approaches the college search process with the same intentional, balanced mindset shown in our mission and precepts. After a kickoff meeting with families in December of junior year, students have a dedicated flex period once a week that is built into their regular schedule and extends through December of their senior year.

During their weekly sessions, students meet with college counselors, research colleges and programs of interest, do test preparation, write college essays, and complete college applications. The careful design of this process as part of the regular schedule is driven by our commitment to equity for all of our students and ensures they are able to continue focusing on academic and other pursuits as they dream, design, and pursue their future plans. 

Using state-of-the-art resources, students work with Bay's college counselors to consider their values, interests, and needs; research which colleges and universities may fit those criteria; and evaluate how their credentials position them for admission. In addition to traditional print and online resources, The Bay School uses web-based technology from SCOIR, the most comprehensive platform available for college research, to create an open and transparent link between Bay's college counselors, the student, and their family.

Learn more about why Bay chose to partner with SCOIR and the importance of an equitable, student-driven approach to the college search process.


College Acceptance and Matriculation

Graduates of the Class of 2023 were admitted to 172 different schools and matriculated to 61 colleges across the world, with 89% of the class attending one of their top-choice schools.

Download the full acceptance and matriculation list for 2019–2023.

Class of 2023 Matriculations 

American UniversityLehigh UniversityTufts University
Arizona State UniversityLoyola Marymount UniversityTulane University of Louisiana
Babson CollegeMacalester CollegeUC Davis
Bard CollegeMcGill UniversityUCLA
Bates CollegeNew York UniversityUC Merced
Boston UniversityNortheastern UniversityUC San Diego
Bowdoin CollegeNorthwestern UniversityUC Santa Barbara
Cal Poly HumboldtOccidental CollegeUniversity of Colorado Boulder
Chapman UniversityOhio Wesleyan UniversityUniversity of Denver
City College of San FranciscoParsons School of Design at The New SchoolUniversity of Miami
Colby CollegePomona CollegeUniversity of Oregon
Colgate UniversityPratt InstituteUniversity of Southern California
Cornell UniversityReed CollegeUniversity of St. Andrews
Drexel UniversityRhode Island School of DesignUniversity of Virginia
Duke UniversitySaint Mary's College of CaliforniaUniversity of Washington
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical UniversitySarah Lawrence CollegeUniversity of Wisconsin
Emory UniversitySavannah College of Art and DesignVanderbilt University
Hamilton CollegeStanford UniversityWashington University in St. Louis
Hobart and William Smith CollegesThe Boston Conservatory at BerkleeWhitman College
Kenyon CollegeTrinity College DublinWillamette University

 


College Representative Visits

Each year, representatives from more than 160 institutions, representing a broad range of programs and specialty areas, visit Bay to meet with students and share information. This is far more visits than our Bay Area peer schools receive—because these colleges and universities have seen that our students are uncommonly well prepared for the type of learning they will engage in during their higher education years.

If you are a college representative interested in scheduling a virtual visit with Bay seniors, please visit our resources page and SCOIR to view our online calendar.


Gap Years 

As part of the college counseling process, students who express an interest in a gap year between high school and college are given the resources and support to understand the process and possibilities for this transitional time.

Helpful Links

FastWeb: Comprehensive list of private scholarships; scholarship search

FinAid: Reliable information about financial aid, estimating family contribution, scholarship scams

California Student Aid Commission: Information on Cal Grants. Assists in the search for state, federal, and institutional financial aid information for funding post-high school education

Guide to FAFSA: Guide to applying for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid with a link to the online application; provides eligibility requirements and guidelines for those applying for federal student loans and aid.

College Board Profile Guide: Guide to completing the CSS Profile for financial aid with a link to the online application

University of California

NACAC - National Association of College Admission Counseling

This site includes helpful updates regarding deposit deadline extensions for seniors as well as virtual admission events.

NCAA - National College Athletic Association

SCOIR Student Resource Document

UCAS - UK Admission Service