The Journey to College and Beyond!

The journey to college is about much more than applications and acceptance letters. It’s about discovering interests, exploring possibilities, building confidence and preparing for what comes next. We would love to take some time to introduce you to our SAA College Counseling team: Director M.L. Weber and Counselor Meghan Kilkenny. Together they work with our 9^th-12^thgrade students to guide them over the four-year process of preparing for their futures.

Meet the Team

M.L. Weber, Director of College Counseling, is dedicated to coaching students along their journey to college and beyond. She began on college campuses as an administrator advising Greek Life, student activities, and organizations with oversight for their budgets, facilities, and discipline. For the past 12 years, she served the mid-south community as a college counselor in secondary school leadership. M.L. enjoys a good college tour, baking cookies, reading, and traveling with her husband.

Meghan Kilkenny, College Counselor, is a St. Agnes alumna and has lived in Memphis most of her life. She began her career in education in Early Childhood as an Extended Day Care Counselor before serving as a Counselor in the Upper School for the last 10 years. In her previous role, Meghan advised SAA underclassmen in their academic tenure and provided social-emotional guidance. She enjoys cheering on UTK football and traveling to games, gardening, and sharing her love of St. Agnes with her daughter, who is in junior kindergarten.

What to Expect

College Counseling at St. Agnes focuses on Academic Advising, Vocational Exploration, and College Placement throughout each student’s Upper School tenure-with one-on-one meetings, family meetings, workshops, field trips, alumnae guest speakers, and summer enrichment opportunities. This year the focus is “What Makes Me Interesting,” to encourage students to learn more about themselves and to try new things, which can ultimately set their resumes apart.

9th Grade is about creating good study and time management habits, so the students’ academic foundation is solid. Joining clubs, volunteering in the midsouth community, taking the PSAT and PreACT, as well as participating in a summer enrichment opportunities are all a part of growth experienced in 9^th grade.

10th Grade is all about the “Sophomore Shine” as students home in on clubs connected to their professional interests or take on leadership roles. As academic rigor increases, students refine their time management, reassess their study habits, and increase their self-advocacy skills by meeting with teachers during office hours. Updating resumes, taking the PSAT and Pre-ACT, thinking about an ACT Plan, and attending a summer enrichment are all important. It’s also a great idea to jump into a new hobby!

11th Grade is when students find themselves leaning into how their interests, summer enrichment, and volunteering experiences connect to college and career plans. Juniors should ask themselves: Am I giving my best each day? Their study habits, routines, and time management skills are solidified, but there should still be room to add a new club or try a new sport. This year the ACT Plan is in full swing, the resume is updated, college visits are underway, and summer is spent preparing to apply for college.

12th Grade brings everything together for the college application process: submitting applications, applying for scholarships, completing the FAFSA, and deciding where to attend college. The SAA College Counselors support students and families through each step-from Let’s Go Day! in the summer for submitting early applications to reviewing the Common App before submission. Brainstorming supplemental materials, scholarships, and special program essays are also part of this process. Our students graduate and matriculate to the college of their choice, most with a merit-based scholarship.

Students do their part to prepare for college by attending college admission visits at SAA, meeting with alumna at Reach for the Stars events, and participating in college counseling workshops by grade level. Families can help students prepare by having important conversations about the opportunities available to them and by visiting colleges together for official tours and Preview Days.

Colleges Visiting SAA in October

10/15 University of Tennessee, Knoxville

10/16 Rhodes College

10/17 Spelman College Preview Day at 10:00 a.m. in the Hook Theatre

10/19 Rice University

10/21 University of Memphis

10/22 Imperial College London (UK)

10/26 Loyola Marymount University (CA)

10/27 University of Mississippi

(10-12th Grade Stars must sign up in Scoir to attend)

About the Upcoming PSAT

The PSAT is offered to students in grades 9-11 on Friday, October 23 during the school day. This is an important standardized test for several reasons: 1) It helps students determine whether the SAT or the ACT is the best fit for their college admission preparation, and 2) For juniors, it determines whether they qualify for National Merit Recognition, a highly selective scholarship program.

Mrs. Tartera, the Upper School Learning Specialist, shared a PSAT preparation plan with the girls, including practice questions in Math and English and a practice test offered through Bluebook.

Additional Support

We would be remiss if we did not discuss the elephant in the room: college cost. Just like preparing for the ACT or studying for an exam, it is never too early to start preparing for the cost of college. We hope our 7^th -11^th grade families will join College Counseling on Monday, October 19 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom or on Thursday, October 22 at 8:30 a.m. in the Library for the To Prepare for the Cost of College sessions.

At both offerings, we will be joined by representatives from Rhodes College, the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC), and Savannah Stovall (SAA alumna, CAP®, CPFA | Financial Advisor, Associate Vice President, Duncan Williams Asset Management) to share trends on the rising cost of college, advice for families to prepare academically and financially, and to answer questions.