The goal of Browning’s college guidance program is to assist each student in recognizing and eventually capitalizing on the many options available to him and to empower him in the college admissions process. To reach this end, we provide a series of formal and informal meetings which show the boys how to evaluate accurately their own achievements and aspirations; how to prepare for standardized testing, which is an important part of the process; how to gather specific information about a variety of colleges and universities; how to organize the paperwork associated with college applications; and, most importantly, how to make informed and rational choices about their futures.

Throughout the process, the emphasis is on the individual. Beginning with an orientation for Form III parents, the program seeks to inform and educate parents and students fully about their roles and what they should do to prepare for the myriad challenges they face. In Forms III and IV, students attend group meetings every other week to learn about the college application process. In Form V, these meetings continue, but most counseling occurs between the Director of College Guidance and the individual student. Individual conferences usually begin in the middle of the Form V year after College Night for students and their parents and include one or more meetings with parents.

Students are also provided considerable support for standardized testing, beginning with SAT IIs in Form III and PSATs in Form IV. Some test preparation is provided in classes where students anticipate sitting for the SAT II subject tests, and extensive, formal SAT I preparation is provided in specially scheduled classes before the May administration of that test which all Form V boys take.

In the fall of the Form VI year, every student take the Advanced Expository Writing class that focuses on essay writing with the objective of creating several essays that will appropriately address their college application requirements.