It’s that time of year when the Junior Class is becoming initiated to the College Process. It’s been a real pleasure getting to know this crew of upcoming college applicants! Some have eagerly been knocking on the door since September, chomping at the bit to get the rest of their lives started, and some are like puppies being dragged by a leash to the vet’s office, fearful of the unknown and a scary, big office.

However they get here, once they sit in the chair and start to talk about their vision of their future, inevitably their faces light up. Even a student who is completely sure he or she is not going to college has a vision and that vision is exciting. We talk about how this year has gone and what they need to do next to take their academics to the next level. Some are taking a first look at their transcripts and realizing either - “hey, this is not as bad as I thought” or “yeah, I see how I can put more effort into finishing this year - hope is not lost.” We talk about ACTs and SATs and how they’ve got tools to draw upon to tackle these scary tests - attitude is everything in all parts of the college process and seeing that now is important. Then we take a look at their Naviance account and have them take a go at the College Search function which they will need to do on their own a few more times with different criteria. Once we get some colleges to put on their “Colleges I’m thinking about” list we look at what information Naviance has for them about each college. Eyes open with delight and the “this isn’t as hard as I thought” look flashes across their faces.

And then we talk about the way they are going to finish this year - how stepping up in leadership, letting their voices be heard in the community, taking risks and taking steps they’ve resisted will get them ready to be seniors and will lead to strong recommendations because faculty will get to know them and see their growth. Eyes get wider - but now it’s with doubt and reluctance: “can I do that?” Will I be a hypocrite because I’ve criticized the seniors all year for doing just that? Can I stand up to someone who is in refusal mode and not quit on them? Can I be a leader? Is what I have to say really important? And this is where the magic of Hyde really begins for me - because I get to help juniors connect the dots: their vision can be a reality if they walk this path and gain the confidence, leadership skills, resilience to not quit when things get tough, ability to put their best effort into their work and build their tool box for the trials and tribulations of life ahead. I get to talk them through walking into the threshold so that they can peak into the future where time and destiny are pulling them. I get to tell them that it’s possible and here’s how we’re going to do it - and they look at me and say “ok - let’s go.”

I gotta say - this is why I love my job!