Upper School
College Placement
We expect 100% of each class to enroll in college. Typically, 95% to 99% of St. Margaret's seniors enroll in a four-year college directly from Upper School. Some students choose to begin their college education at a California community college because the system provides guaranteed access to the prestigious University of California.
I always feel a sense of pride and accomplishment when the seniors gather for the annual college sweatshirt photo. This is a St. Margaret's tradition that did not exist at the other schools I have worked at. Each year I look at the group with a sense of wonder about how disparate conversations inevitably come together and every student finds a "home" for the coming fall.
This year, like every year before it, brought its share of nail biting as I tried to figure out the college admissions landscape, which was exponentially more uncertain this year than any year in memory. I received an e-mail from the dean of admissions at an east coast university that read, simply, "This is a strange year."
This year's seniors, for the most part, adapted to this "strange" year admirably. The college counseling office talking points of "spread a wide net" and "responsibly research colleges that might be a match" kicked in, which resulted in our students having great options at the end of the application process. Statistically, this year's seniors gained admission to the colleges they applied to at the highest rate we have on record. Ms. McColgan and I counseled our students to consider the merits of the colleges on their lists, irrespective of magazine rankings or "on the street" wisdom. Responding to our advice, students applied to 217 colleges and universities. To put that number in context, last year's seniors applied to 195 colleges, and the year before students applied to 171 colleges. The importance of the "wide net" is that students worked closely with the college counselors in thoughtfully assembling their lists. We believe this process has provided more options for them. Students gained admission to 162 different colleges and universities, and plan to attend 59 colleges and universities in 19 states. Sixty-one percent of the students will attend college outside of California. Notably, there are more small liberal arts colleges on the matriculation list than in the past, which is a direct result of students responding to our prompting to look for colleges that are a "match" to their interests and talents.
Roland M. Allen,
Director of College Counseling