College and Academic Planning
Each student at GWUOHS receives an Individualized Academic Plan and intensive, personalized college counseling and planning.
GWUOHS provides every student with an individualized high school experience. Our counselors work with each student to develop his or her own Individualized Academic Plan (IAP), with carefully mapped-out, personalized learning strategies that reflects assessments of skills, aptitude, and future goals, including discussions with the student and his or her parents. This plan becomes a living document that is revisited frequently as each student progresses.
The IAP is important because it reflects a student’s learning style and aptitude—focusing on strengths and areas of challenge, and giving us insight into goals and aspirations. If they're struggling with their work, we can offer them help; if they're ready to move on, they can.
The IAP is designed to organize and properly sequence the student’s course work. For example, your student may be particularly strong in math; GWUOHS can flexibly accommodate the level of math that’s right for your student, and provide additional opportunities for advanced study and enrichment. This helps put your student on a solid path for admission to the right set of colleges, to match your student’s goals and abilities.
Getting Out of the Box
In too many schools, students get put in a box. They are tracked in a group, even if their strengths vary by subject. Our counselors look at each individual student and put together a customized plan to meet that student’s needs. We get students out of the box by providing more choices to create personal course portfolios, instead of being restricted by the limited choices offered by other schools.
Students are encouraged to enroll in the most rigorous college preparatory courses they can manage. This generally means taking five core academic classes each year, plus Journeys Symposium.
College Planning
At GWUOHS we know college counseling at its best provides education, resources, and support to the growth of the whole child. We seek to educate and inspire academically talented and motivated students who seek membership in a school community that values and cultivates hard work, integrity, appreciation of diversity, love of learning, compassion, and high personal expectations. These community values run throughout the college counseling program. In conjunction with the GWUOHS Advising Program each year GWUOHS students set and work toward achieving three goals, one academic, one social, and one emotional. This culminates in a final, senior year Capstone Project where the GWUOHS students have the opportunity to present their tremendous achievements to a panel of judges. Additionally, the Journeys Symposium course is a five year sequence of classes focused on college and life planning that all GWUOHS students take.
The College Counseling Department at GWUOHS is dedicated to helping students find the college or university that will align with their interests, passions, and talents. Our counselors guide students year by year to prepare for the journey of college selection. This support is offered in a number of ways, individual meetings, assemblies, newsletters, and the Journeys Symposium course just to name a few.. Students and parents also gain access to the proprietary Naviance, GWUOHS Family Connections site. This site is used, in conjunction with the Journeys Symposium course to, plan and set goals, explore careers, research colleges, find scholarships, etc.
ACT/SAT Preparation
All full-time GWUOHS students receive unlimited access to Method Test Prep to assist them in achieving their best scores on key standardized tests (ACT/SAT) for college entrance
Lisa Bell, GWUOHS college counselor – lbell@gwuohs.com
Kristen Belcher, GWUOHS college counselor – kbelcher@gwuohs.com
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