Rice University’s Glasscock School Demystifies College Application Process for High School Students
Nearly 100 local high school juniors and seniors attended a two-day workshop entitled Navigating the Pathway to College Admission, hosted by Rice University’s Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies’ Center for Education April 29-30.
This in-person program is designed for rising juniors and seniors in high school who are applying to college and interested in learning more about the admissions process. During the workshop, the students learned about the application process, timeline and testing planning, college list-building, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, financial aid and transition planning.
“A primary function of the Glasscock School is providing access,” said Robert Bruce, dean of the Glasscock School. “For the students we had the privilege of hosting this week, access means gaining the knowledge necessary to guide them into and through college successfully. We are thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to open their eyes to the possibilities and provide the practical knowledge to make them into realities.”
In addition to receiving instruction on navigating the pathway to college, attendees also participated in a campus tour. This guided experience gave the college hopefuls a firsthand preview into campus life as they visited key locations around Rice’s beautiful 300-acre tree-lined campus.
Rice President Reginald DesRoches spoke to the group April 29 about his own experience as a first-generation college student, encouraging the participants to “think big and dream big,” and shared his belief that the “world is in good hands with bright minds like yourselves.”
The workshop was facilitated by Nick Accrocco and Mia James, instructors in the Center for Education’s College Access Counseling program.
“For many students, this process can feel overwhelming,” Accrocco said. “Our goal is to demystify and clarify what the college application process entails and what it does not. Our students participating in this program have asked excellent and timely questions. We are happy to be a part of their college search process and excited to see what they accomplish.”
“Nowadays, counselors’ caseloads are extremely large, and it is difficult for students to get the one-on-one attention they need to get through each part of the process, especially for first-gen students,” James said. “Going into the process with a working knowledge of each component is invaluable and can ultimately set them up for success in the long run.”