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.
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Where Crystal Alumni Go to College
Crystal students from the classes of 2021-2024 have been accepted to the following institutions (matriculation in bold):American University
Amherst College
Arizona State University
Arizona State University-Polytechnic
Arizona State University-Tempe
Babson College
Barnard College
Bates College
Beloit College
Bentley University
Berklee College of Music
Boise State University
Boston College
Boston University
Bowdoin College
Brandeis University
Brigham Young University-Hawaii
Brown University
Bryn Mawr College
Bucknell University
California Lutheran University
California Northstate University
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
California State Polytechnic University - Humboldt
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
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
Carleton College
Carnegie Mellon University
Case Western Reserve University
Chapman University
Claremont McKenna College
Clark University
Clemson University
Colby College
Colgate University
College of San Mateo
College of William and Mary
Colorado College
Colorado School of Mines
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
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 College of Music
Elon University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach
Emerson College
Emory University
Endicott College
Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts
Florida International University
Florida State University
Fordham University
Franklin and Marshall College
George Washington University
Georgetown University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Gettysburg College
Gonzaga University
Graceland University-Lamoni
Grinnell College
Hamilton 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
Laguna College of Art and Design
Lehigh University
Lewis & Clark College
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola University Chicago
Macalester College
Marist College
Maryland Institute College of Art
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
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-Main Campus
Old Dominion UniversityOregon State University
Otterbein University
Pace University
Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Pepperdine University
Pitzer College
Point Park University
Pomona College
Portland State University
Pratt Institute
Princeton University
Purdue University-Main Campus
Reed College
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rhode Island School of Design
Rice University
Richmond American University London
Ringling College of Art and Design
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
SUNY at Purchase College
Saint Mary's College of California
Salve Regina University
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 Visual Arts
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Scripps College
Seattle University
Skidmore College
Skyline College
Smith College
Sonoma State University
Southern Methodist University
Stanford University
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 University of British Columbia
The University of Edinburgh
Trinity College
Tufts University
Tulane University
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/Anschutz Medical Campus
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 At Urbana-Champaign
University of La Verne
University of Maryland-College Park
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
University of Massachusetts-Boston
University of Miami
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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 Toronto
University of Vermont
University of Virginia
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
University of Wyoming
University of the Pacific
Vanderbilt University
Vassar College
Villanova University
Wake Forest University
Washington State University
Washington University In St Louis
Wellesley College
Wesleyan University
Western Washington University
Whitman College
Whittier College
Willamette University
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
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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
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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!
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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.)
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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
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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
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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 - Journey Onward
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View our Philosophy
Academics
What drives excellence at Crystal Springs Uplands School. -
Express Yourself
Arts
Honor your individuality and creativity. -
Get In The Game
Athletics
Find the sport that speaks to you and soar with the Gryphons. -
Meet Your Teachers
Faculty
Your dedicated mentors and the champions of your success. -
Hear Their Stories
Meet Your Peers
Explore their stories, passions, and accomplishments. -
Consider Your Possibilities
College Counseling
Find guidance and prepare for your higher education.
Contact
General: 650-342-4175 | info@crystal.org
Admission Questions: admission@crystal.org
Middle School
10 Davis Drive, Belmont, CA 94002
650-645-1000
650-645-1000
Upper School
400 Uplands Drive, Hillsborough, CA 94010
650-342-4175
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@csus.org and we will work to resolve the problem as soon as possible.
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@csus.org and we will work to resolve the problem as soon as possible.