At Delaware Valley Friends, the College Counseling Department is always working to provide students and families with the necessary tools to make informed decisions about their future through comprehensive, individualized guidance.
Hallie Ciarlone, Director of College Counseling, meets with students and
families to evaluate LD accommodations and create a personalized plan,
helping students find their individual voices and use them to recognize
their “best fit” post-secondary options. By doing so, students will be
empowered to investigate their options by identifying schools that meet
their academic, social, career, co-curricular, and personal aspirations.
From the start, the College Counselor is the DVFS student’s advocate throughout their college search,
providing guidance on college selection, serving as a link to college
admissions offices, and supporting each application with a letter of
recommendation. The counselor is also here to help minimize the family’s
anxiety and confusion during this process, while assisting students
with securing academic accommodations as well as completing the
application forms and essays. To provide further support, DVFS students
receive accounts at the end of sophomore year to sign onto the
DVFS Naviance Family Connection. This online portal helps keep track of important dates, college visits, and college search criteria.
In junior and senior years, students receive extensive support in all
aspects of the college application process with emphasis on application
completion, interviewing, essay-writing, academic support self-advocacy,
evaluating potential schools, and securing financial aid. Students
begin meeting regularly with the College Counselor during the fall and
winter of their junior year. At that point, the entire family will also
meet with the College Counselor to plan for the upcoming year. DVFS
also hosts a significant amount of colleges and universities every fall
for in-school information sessions. Several community meetings and
college counseling events are held throughout the year for various grade
levels.
The college search process can be complex but also extremely rewarding.
Taking advantage of the resources offered by the DVFS College Counseling
Department can help students gain direction and focus for success.