At Clariden, it's personal.
At Clariden, our College Prep program is as individualized as our curriculum. Being a small private school, we have the opportunity to work one-on-one with each junior and senior student as they work through the college research process. Our college counselors know their students: their aspirations, strengths, and uniqueness. Counselors offer personalized support to students and their families, meeting with them regularly and assisting them through the research and application process. Our goal is for each Clariden student to find and be admitted to a college or university that meets their personal interests and ambitions.
College Prep
- The college counseling process spans all four years of Upper School (9th-12th grade).
- Parents and students learn about the college admissions process through parent and student educational meetings and presentations.
- Clariden’s experienced educators/counselors meet individually with each student, providing customized guidance through the college selection and application process.
- Clariden takes time with each student assuring they have a full understanding of the application process and various application tools used for submission.
- College admissions officers are welcomed to campus (virtually or in person) to meet with our students.
- Clariden aids students with finding and applying for scholarships.
- Clariden’s curriculum requires students to take College Readiness courses in Grade 11 and Grade 12.
Griffin, Alexander
Middle School and Upper School Educator
Alex Griffin graduated in 2017 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Classical Archaeology and Minors in History and German. He also holds Master’s Degrees in Archaeology (2019) and Teaching (2022), from the University of Cincinnati and UNC respectively. His time as an archaeologist allowed him to work on a number of incredible excavations across the Aegean, and provided him with a global perspective on social studies education. Prior to joining Clariden in 2022, he completed his student teaching at Hillside High School in Durham, North Carolina. Today, Alex teaches a wide range of courses in the humanities and is the head coach of the Clariden basketball team.
College Readiness
COLLEGE READINESS I – JUNIOR YEAR
- Students research colleges/universities and begin to identify and develop prospective colleges/universities they are interested in.
- Students learn about the college selection and application process and do prep work for taking the ACT and SAT.
- Students learn about the qualities of successful college students and do self-assessments to aid them in learning more about themselves and their interests.
- Students begin developing writing samples and learning how to write effective admissions essays.
- Students are advised on how to schedule and approach campus visits.
- Students practice interviewing skills, mock interviews and connecting with admission officers.
COLLEGE READINESS II — SENIOR YEAR
- Students identify their list of colleges/universities.
- Work on college applications and essays during dedicated time in the weekly schedule
- Seniors intentionally visualize all of their deadlines and set up personalized timelines to ensure all applications are completed punctually.
- Students inventory and document their academic and extra-curricular accomplishments.
- Students' communication, writing, peer review, and editing skills are honed throughout their high school experience, culminating in a robust preparation for college application essay writing and proofing.
- Research and apply for scholarships
- Students set up accounts on the admissions tools used by most higher educational institutions.
- Learn skills needed for them to be successful in college
- Our college readiness program helps students to prepare for the social and emotional challenges of the college transition. Teachers familiarize students with resources in place to help with this new chapter.
College and University Representatives
As we partner together this fall to connect our students with you and your institutions, we are excited to host in-person visits and welcome you all back to campus. If your university is still restricting travel, we will be happy to arrange a virtual visit. To make an appointment, please call +1 682-237-0400.
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College Acceptances: 2020-Present
American University, DC
Arcadia University, PA
Austin College, TX
Baylor University, TX
Bradley University, IL
California College of the Arts, CA
Clemson University, SC
Colorado State University, CO
Concordia University, Quebec
Dallas Art Institute, TX
Eckerd College, FL
Elon University, NC
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, AZ
George Washington University, DC
Hawaii Pacific University, HI
Hendrix College, AR
Iowa State University, IA
Kent State University, OH
Kettering University, MI
Louisiana Tech University, LA
Miami University, OH
Northeastern University, MA
NYU Shanghai, China
Oklahoma State University, OK
Oral Roberts University, OK
Oregon University, OR
Ringling College of Art and Design, FL
Rochester Institute of Technology, NY
San Diego State University, CA
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), GA
Southern Methodist University, TX
Southwestern University, TX
Stephen F. Austin University, TX
SUNY Geneseo, TX
Texas A&M, TX
Texas Christian University, TX
Texas State University, TX
Texas Tech University, TX
Texas Women's University, TX
U.S. Naval Academy, MD
University of Alabama, AL
University of Arizona, AZ
University of Arkansas, AR
University of Auburn, AL
University of Colorado – Boulder, CO
University of Colorado – Denver, CO
University of Denver, CO
University of Georgia, GA
University of Kansas, KS
University of Massachusetts, MA
University of Mississippi, MS
University of North Texas, TX
University of Oklahoma, OK
University of San Francisco, CA
University of Texas — Arlington, TX
University of Texas — Austin, TX
University of Texas - Dallas, TX
University of Texas - San Antonio, TX
University of Texas - Tyler, TX
University of Washington, WA
Webster University – St. Louis, MO
Williamette University, OR