College CounselingAspiration and strategy

Expert, Experienced, Enthusiastic Support

The College Counseling Office (CCO) at Crystal Springs Uplands School provides expertise, experience, and enthusiasm to support Crystal students on their college path. We help all students develop individually tailored and targeted sets of collegiate options at which they will thrive intellectually and personally, and we help students prepare applications that present their life story in an authentic manner. Through this guidance, we empower students to own their collegiate choice as the independent, adult decision that it is. Deciding what college to attend is the beginning of a journey, not the end; therefore, we support a college application process that focuses on self-reflection, self-discovery, and personal growth.

List of 1 items.

  • Where Crystal Alumni Go to College

    List (in alpha order) of college admits for the Classes of 2022-2025; names appearing in bold represent college matriculations.
    American University
    Amherst College
    Arizona State University
    Babson College
    Barnard College
    Bates College
    Beloit College
    Bentley University
    Berklee College of Music
    Boston College
    Boston University
    Bowdoin College
    Brandeis University
    Brigham Young University
    Brown University
    Bryn Mawr College
    Bucknell University
    California Lutheran University
    California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
    California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
    California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
    California State University-Bakersfield
    California State University-Channel Islands
    California State University-Chico
    California State University-East Bay
    California State University-Fresno
    California State University-Fullerton
    California State University-Long Beach
    California State University-Los Angeles
    California State University-Monterey Bay
    California State University-Northridge
    California State University-Sacramento
    California State University-San Marcos
    California State University-Stanislaus
    Carleton College
    Carnegie Mellon University
    Case Western Reserve University
    Chapman University
    Claremont McKenna College
    Colby College
    Colgate University
    Colorado College
    Colorado School of Mines
    Colorado State University
    Columbia College Chicago
    Columbia University
    Connecticut College
    Cornell University
    Cornish College of the Arts
    Dartmouth College
    Davidson College
    DePaul University
    Drew University
    Drexel University
    Duke Kunshan University
    Duke University
    Eastman School of Music
    Elon University
    Emerson College
    Emory University
    Endicott College
    Florida International University
    Florida State University
    Fordham University
    Franklin and Marshall College
    George Washington University
    Georgetown University
    Georgia Institute of Technology
    Gonzaga University
    Grinnell College
    Hampton University
    Harvard College
    Harvey Mudd College
    Haverford College
    Hawaii Pacific University
    High Point University
    Hofstra University
    Howard University
    Indiana University-Bloomington
    Jackson State University
    John Cabot University
    Johns Hopkins University
    Kentucky State University
    Kenyon College
    Lafayette College
    Lehigh University
    Lewis & Clark College
    Louisiana State University
    Loyola Marymount University
    Loyola University Chicago
    Macalester College
    Marist University
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    McGill University
    Menlo College
    Miami University-Oxford
    Michigan State University
    Middlebury College
    Montana State University
    Morehouse College
    Mount Saint Mary's University
    New York University
    Norfolk State University
    Northeastern University
    Northwestern University
    Oberlin College
    Occidental College
    Ohio State University
    Old Dominion University
    Oregon State University
    Otterbein University
    Pace University
    Pacific University
    Pepperdine University
    Pitzer College
    Point Park University
    Pomona College
    Portland State University
    Princeton University
    Purdue University    		Queen's University
    Reed College
    Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
    Rhode Island School of Design
    Rice University
    Richmond American University London
    Rochester Institute of Technology
    Rutgers University-New Brunswick
    Saint Mary's College of California
    San Diego State University
    San Francisco State University
    San Jose State University
    Santa Clara University
    Sarah Lawrence College
    Savannah College of Art and Design
    School of the Art Institute of Chicago
    Scripps College
    Seattle University
    Simon Fraser University
    Skidmore College
    Skyline College
    Smith College
    Sonoma State University
    Southern Methodist University
    Stanford University
    Stony Brook University
    SUNY At Purchase College
    SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
    SUNY Polytechnic Institute
    Swarthmore College
    Syracuse University
    Temple University
    Texas Christian University
    Texas Southern University
    The American University of Paris
    The Juilliard School
    The New England Conservatory of Music
    The New School
    The Pennsylvania State University
    The University of Alabama
    The University of British Columbia
    The University of Edinburgh
    Trinity College
    Tufts University
    Tulane University of Louisiana
    Union College
    University of Arizona
    University of Bristol
    University of California-Berkeley
    University of California-Davis
    University of California-Irvine
    University of California-Los Angeles
    University of California-Merced
    University of California-Riverside
    University of California-San Diego
    University of California-Santa Barbara
    University of California-Santa Cruz
    University of Chicago
    University of Colorado-Boulder
    University of Colorado-Denver
    University of Connecticut
    University of Delaware
    University of Denver
    University of Florida
    University of Glasgow
    University of Greenwich
    University of Hawaii At Manoa
    University of Idaho
    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    University of Iowa
    University of La Verne
    University of Maryland-College Park
    University of Massachusetts-Amherst
    University of Massachusetts-Boston
    University of Miami
    University of Michigan
    University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
    University of Nevada-Las Vegas
    University of Nevada-Reno
    University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    University of North Carolina-Wilmington
    University of Notre Dame
    University of Oregon
    University of Pennsylvania
    University of Pittsburgh
    University of Portland
    University of Puget Sound
    University of Redlands
    University of Richmond
    University of Rochester
    University of San Diego
    University of San Francisco
    University of Southern California
    University of St. Andrews
    University of the Pacific
    University of Toronto
    University of Vermont
    University of Virginia
    University of Washington
    University of Waterloo
    University of Wisconsin-Madison
    University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
    University of Wyoming
    Vanderbilt University
    Vassar College
    Washington and Lee University
    Washington State University
    Washington University in St. Louis
    Wellesley College
    Wesleyan University
    Western Washington University
    Whitman College
    Whittier College
    Willamette University
    William & Mary
    Williams College
    Worcester Polytechnic Institute
    Yale University

Visiting Instructions for College Reps

Virtual and on-campus college visits are offered. Crystal utilizes the MaiaLearning platform to schedule these visits. Visitors are welcome to park in the overflow parking area at the end of the driveway on the right after 10 AM.

Download the school profile

Chart your course college quest

College Application Timeline

List of 4 items.

  • 9th Grade

    Fall
    • Kick start your high school career
      • Work hard and to the best of your ability
      • Develop study skills and time management strategies that help foster success
      • Get involved in extracurricular activities you find interesting & fulfilling
    • Attend class-wide meeting with CCO (Nov/Dec)
    • Encourage your parents/ guardians to attend the CCO presentation for families of 9th & 10th grade (Nov/Dec)

    Winter
    • Optional: Research possible summer opportunities
    • Attend Summer Enrichment Meeting for grades 9-11 with the CCO (Jan)
    • Attend Course Selection Evening with parents/guardians (Jan)
    • Meet with advisor to discuss courses to take throughout high school (Jan/Feb)

    Summer
    • Vacation and possible summer program

  • 10th Grade

    Fall
    • Attend Pre-AP registration meeting and sign up for Advanced Placement (AP) exams if applicable (Sept)
    • Attend class-wide meeting with CCO (Oct)
      Take PSAT (Oct)
    • Encourage your parents/guardians to attend the Workshop for College Financial Aid (various fall dates)
    • Encourage your parents/ guardians to attend the CCO presentation for families of 9th & 10th grade (Nov/Dec)

    Winter 
    • Start thinking about, researching and applying to summer programs/activities
    • Attend Summer Enrichment Meeting for grades 9-11 with the CCO (Jan)
    • Apply to summer opportunities
    • Attend Course Selection Evening with parents/guardians (Jan)
    • Meet with advisor to discuss/update courses for junior year

    Spring 
    • Apply to summer opportunities
    • Attend Case Study Night and College Fair at Sacred Heart School (April)
    • Take AP exams if applicable (May)

    Summer
    • Take SAT and ACT diagnostic tests to determine which is best option for you (early June)
    • Summer program / activity and vacation
    • If vacation plans take you near an area with colleges and universities, swing by for a visit!

  • 11th Grade

    Fall
    • Attend Pre-AP registration meeting and sign up for Advanced Placement (AP) exams if applicable (Sept)
    • Attend class-wide meeting with the CCO (Sept, Dec)
    • Encourage your parents/guardians to attend College Night for 11th graders (Sept/Oct)
    • Take PSAT (Oct)
    • Encourage your parents/guardians to attend the Workshop for College Financial Aid (various fall dates)
    • Complete homework to begin scheduling individual meetings with CCO, discuss PSAT results and test prep options if needed (Dec)

    End of 1st Semester
    • Thanksgiving / Winter Break: If your travel plans take you to an area with colleges and universities, swing by for a tour!
    • Start thinking about, researching, applying to summer programs/activities
    • Attend Summer Enrichment Meeting for grades 9-11 with the CCO (Jan)
    • Apply to summer opportunities

    Winter
    • Prep for SAT (March or May) or ACT (Feb or April)
    • Attend Course Selection Evening with parents/guardians (Jan)
    • Meet with advisor to discuss / update courses for senior year
    • Start thinking about, researching, applying to summer programs/activities
    • Continue individual/family meetings with CCO to discuss college process, course selection, college visits, summer plans
    • Make a plan to visit colleges during school breaks or during February/Spring Break

    Spring 
    • Apply to summer opportunities
    • Attend class-wide meeting with CCO (March, May)
    • Register and take SAT (March or May or June) or ACT (Feb or April or June or July) if applicable
    • Attend Case Study Night and College Fair at Sacred Heart Preparatory (April)
    • Visit colleges and/or attend local college fairs / presentations during Spring Break (late March/April)
    • Put your name on mailing lists (through admission website) for interesting colleges
    • Explore Net Price Calculators on college websites to estimate financial aid offerings
    • Continue individual CCO meetings to discuss progress, next steps, summer goals
    • Complete teacher recommendation match survey and follow up with matches (April/May)
    • Take AP exams if applicable (May)
    • Attend panel discussion with current Crystal 12th graders about college process (May)
    • End of May: Attend Essay Application Workshop to kickstart your college application essay writing

    Summer
    • Research scholarships and college financial aid resources including Net Price Calculator
    • June 1st: Begin college financial aid process, get FSA ID from https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm
    • Register with NCAA Eligibility Center (https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/) if you intend to play sports in college
    • Schedule college visits and interviews (if applicable)
    • Summer program/activity and vacation
    • July 1st : Colleges begin to update and post application forms on their website
    • Complete drafts of college essays, update your college list on MaiaLearning
    • If available, schedule meeting with College Counseling Office to update list, review essays, etc.
    • Plan to attend College Application Boot Camp (Aug)
    • End of Summer or by Sept 1st: One completed application (essays, forms, etc.)

  • 12th Grade

    Fall
    • Attend weekly College Quest class
    • Attend Pre-AP registration meeting and sign up for Advanced Placement (AP) exams if applicable (Sept)
    • Complete requests of two teachers for letters of recommendation (if applicable)
    • Encourage your parents/guardians to attend the College Night for 12th grade (Sept)
    • Encourage your parents/guardians to attend the Workshop for College Financial Aid (various fall dates)
    • Beginning Oct 1st: Complete and file financial aid forms and apply for scholarships
    • Register and re-take SAT (Oct, Nov, Dec), ACT (Sept, Oct, Dec) as needed
    • Develop art supplement / portfolio to showcase talent (if applicable)
    • Attend local info sessions and college meetings held at Crystal with visiting admission reps
    • Meet with CCO to narrow and finalize college list of 8-10 schools
    • Note application deadlines and requirements, including counseling office deadlines
    • Schedule interviews (if applicable)
    • Make plan to visit colleges during school breaks in 1st semester (if needed)
    • Write college essays and complete applications, leaving time to proofread!

    Winter
    • Complete all college applications before the start of Winter Break
    • Complete and submit financial aid forms and apply for scholarships
    • Update MaiaLearning with your college results, meet with CCO to discuss results and options
    • Write thank you notes to teachers for letters of recommendation
    • Mid-Year Reports sent by CCO to colleges on your list which require 1st semester grades

    Spring     
    • Update MaiaLearning with your college results, meet with CCO to discuss results and options
    • Visit colleges to which your application has been admitted
    • By May 1st: Send in your deposit to one college to secure your place in the incoming class, and notify other colleges to which you were admitted about your intention to enroll elsewhere
    • Submit college housing forms / deposits promptly to receive priority consideration
    • Take AP exams (May) if applicable
    • Hooray! Finish your high school career strongly and enjoy graduation with friends and family
    • CCO sends your final transcript to college where you’ve enrolled (early June; after graduation)

College Counseling FAQs

List of 4 items.

  • How many college counselors do you have? What is the average caseload?

    We have three full-time college counselors, all former admission officers at highly selective universities.

    Our counselor's average caseload is 30 students per graduating class. This is among the lowest student-to-counselor ratios among our peer schools. While each student is assigned to a primary counselor at the start of 11th grade, students in grades 9-11 are always welcome to visit during Office Hours to ask individualized questions. Additionally, all three college counselors get to know the entire class by serving as co-counselors in the first few individual meetings in grade 11. 

  • What kind of support does the CCO provide?

    What kind of support does the CCO provide? A lot! At every stage of the post-high school planning process, we work with students and families helping them to identify the individual pathway that works for them.

    How we provide support
    • College research
    • Exploration process
    • Planning and preparing for standardized testing
    • Course selection and planning
    • Application support, including essay review
    • Understanding college financial aid and scholarship opportunities
    • Taking time off between high school and college
    • Two-year and four-year college pathways

  • When do the college counselors start individual meetings with students?

    Individual meetings usually commence in January of 11th grade unless special circumstances warrant an earlier meeting (e.g., athletic recruitment, international university attendance, etc.). All students are welcome to ask questions during office hours. 

    Additionally, the CCO conducts grade-level meetings throughout the school year to discuss college counseling-related topics, such as course selection and preparation for the college process.

  • Does Crystal offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses?

    As of the 2012-2013 school year, Crystal no longer offers AP courses. The curriculum was uncoupled from the Advanced Placement (AP) model in order for teachers to design challenging courses that allow for more student-initiated projects, investigative research, and global experiences. All of our courses are rigorous, college preparatory level, and the most advanced, capstone courses are designed as honors-level. While Crystal no longer offers AP-designated courses, students can sit for some AP tests administered on-site, for which an honors-level course will prepare them for the exam.

Upper School College Counseling Team

List of 4 members.

  • Photo of Alexis Richardson Pagnia

    Alexis Richardson Pagnia 

    Director of College Counseling
  • Photo of Ashley Rochman

    Ashley Rochman 

    Associate Director of College Counseling
  • Photo of Aurora Kearney

    Aurora Kearney 

    Associate Director of College Counseling, Associate Director of US Crystal FIRST
  • Photo of Anna Luk

    Anna Luk 

    Registrar, College Counseling Assistant

Upper School - Journey Onward

This is the start of Your Journey

Contact

Admission Questions:  admission@crystal.org

Middle School

10 Davis Drive, Belmont, CA 94002
650-645-1000

Upper School

400 Uplands Drive, Hillsborough, CA 94010
650-342-4175
Nondiscriminatory Policy: Crystal Springs Uplands School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

Website Accessibility Statement: Crystal Springs Uplands School is committed to making this website accessible to visitors with disabilities and is continually working to increase its accessibility and usability. We are on a regular basis seeking opportunities to bring all areas of the site up to the same level of overall web accessibility. If for any reason, you cannot access any of the material on our website, please email webadmin@crystal.org and we will work to resolve the problem as soon as possible.