College Counseling

Tulsa’s only PreK-Grade 12 independent Episcopal school.

Welcome to College Counseling at Holland Hall.

Very few schools are fortunate enough to have the small college counselor to student ratio enjoyed by Holland Hall students. Three College Counselors attend to the needs of a class of approximately 90 seniors, affecting a ratio of 1:30. (According to The National Association of College Admission Counselors’ most recent report the national average is 395 students per counselor.)

Annual College Forum

About College Counseling

The College Counseling Curriculum

The best curriculum any student could have in order to succeed in the college search process is the strong academic one offered in classrooms at Holland Hall. College Admission directors and deans repeatedly advise students to take the most challenging courses in which they can succeed. At the core of our curriculum are teachers who, in addition to classroom activities, invite students to take advantage of office hours for personal help with the work they are assigned. Learning to take responsibility in asking for the help they need is central to their success in college.

In addition to this strong foundation, College Counseling adds these components:

9th Grade Year:

During the freshman year, College Counseling visits wellness classes to talk about goal setting and expectations. We visit with students about the importance of a strong transcript and how to calculate grade point averages. In the spring semester, we return with copies of their individual transcripts and work with students in Freshman Wellness to create a four-year curriculum plan.
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Another key component of the college counseling curriculum is familiarizing our students with standardized testing. All freshmen take the PreACT in October. Students will take the PreACT again in the spring of their sophomore year so we can track benchmark scores.

9th Grade Parent College Chat each February.

10th Grade Year:

During the fall semester of the sophomore year, students are enrolled in a one semester course, Sophomore Wellness, that is shared between College Counseling and the Wellness Team. The curriculum includes personality and career assessments, in addition to college application case studies. During the spring semester, College Counseling meets with the sophomore class to discuss the importance of leadership, maintaining a strong curriculum, a solid grade point average, and encourages them to begin visiting college campuses. A College Counselor is assigned to each sophomore student after the student’s fall semester.

Regarding testing preparation, all sophomores take the PSAT in October and the PreACT in late spring of the 10th grade year. We want all our students to see both preliminary forms of the SAT and the ACT to be informed about their testing options.

10th Grade Parent College Chat each February

11th Grade Year:

In the spring semester, junior students are in enrolled in College Seminar. This semester-long course offers classes in all aspects of the college search process, including resume building, personal statement writing, Common Application and college admission case studies. We ask junior students to register for and take a December or February ACT, or a December or March SAT, depending on the individual’s curriculum and extracurricular activities. Additional tests are available throughout the spring and summer.

11th Grade Parent College Chat each November.

12th Grade Year:

In August, just before the 12th grade year, College Counseling offers an optional “College Boot Camp.” These rising seniors complete the Common Application, update their resume, and write their college personal statements and essays. Boot Camp has proven to be an exceptional benefit toward helping reduce the stress of a very busy fall semester! Ideally, testing is complete, however, some seniors may need to test in September or October. Seniors are required to meet with their assigned college counselor once per cycle in the fall semester until all applications are complete and submitted. This meeting time affords both student and counselor the opportunity to monitor the application process and to get all questions answered.