Beginning this month, Mt. Lebanon High School students will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from colleges and universities without leaving the school.
From September through November, the high school will host representatives from approximately 100 higher education institutions. The visits give students an opportunity to learn more about academic programs and campus life, ask questions and gain a better understanding of what each school has to offer.
Hosted by the school’s counseling office, the visits are part of the postsecondary planning process available to students. The counseling office takes a holistic approach to guiding students through high school, offering support for their academic, social and emotional needs as well as planning for life after graduation.
When discussing options after high school, school counselor Casey Bowles emphasizes the importance of finding the right college fit by considering academic, social and financial factors.
“We talk about what’s a good fit academically — majors, minors, internship opportunities and career opportunities,” Bowles said. “Then socially — a campus that is in the city, more rural, bigger campus, smaller campus, sports, etc. Then the financial fit — which school is going to be a good financial fit for you and your family.”
At Mt. Lebanon, 96% of graduates go on to attend a two-year or four-year college, with 81% enrolling at four-year institutions. With such a high percentage continuing their education, opportunities to connect directly with college representatives can play an important role in helping students make informed decisions.
Timing also matters. While regular-decision application deadlines are often in January, many early-decision deadlines fall in early November and early-action deadlines later that month.
For some institutions, meeting with a college representative can also become a “touchpoint” — an interaction that demonstrates a prospective student’s interest. Other touchpoints can include campus visits, emails, interviews and conversations with admissions staff. The high school visits allow students to begin those conversations while learning more about schools they are considering.
This year’s visitors represent a broad range of institutions.
The school will host “small schools, large schools, schools in Pittsburgh and schools that are hours away,” Bowles said.
Among those scheduled to visit are Vanderbilt University, Davidson College, Penn State, Bucknell University, Purdue University and Ithaca College.
“What I think is great about our college visit program specifically is it gives students a chance to learn about some schools that might not be easy to travel to because it’s further away and they are busy on the weekends; getting off of school to visit can be challenging at times,” Bowles said.
While preparing for the college visits, counselors are also meeting with seniors to help them navigate the application process.
“In the first two weeks, we have already met with the vast majority of our seniors, in small groups, to go over the nuts and bolts of the college application process,” Bowles said. “We show them how they can connect their Common App and their Naviance accounts. We go over how to request transcripts and letters of recommendation from teachers and counselors here.”
The goal, he said, is to make sure students are prepared while also encouraging them to think carefully about what comes next.
“The hope is that they are more than equipped to get where they need to be, are able to be as thoughtful about this process, and thinking about what life after Lebo looks like for them.”
Colleges scheduled to visit Mt. Lebanon High School
Allegheny College
Alvernia University
American University
Amherst College
Auburn University
Berklee College of Music
Binghamton University, State University of New York
Boston College
Boston University
Bowling Green State University
Brandeis University
Bucknell University
Butler University
Carnegie Mellon University
Case Western Reserve University
Chatham University
Colby College
Colgate University
College of the Holy Cross
Colorado State University
Davidson College
Denison University
Dickinson College
Duquesne University
Elon University
Emory University
Fairmont State University
Gannon University
Geneva College
Georgetown University
Hampden-Sydney College
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Hofstra University
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Ithaca College
Jacksonville University
John Carroll University
Johns Hopkins University
Juniata College
Kent State University
Kenyon College
Lafayette College
Mercyhurst University
Miami University-Oxford
Michigan State University
Northeastern University
Northwestern University
Nova Southeastern University
Ohio University
Ohio Wesleyan University
Pace University
Penn State University Park
PennWest California
Purdue University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rollins College
Saint Vincent College
Seton Hall University
Seton Hill University
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Springfield College
St. Lawrence University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Susquehanna University
Syracuse University
The American University of Paris
The University of Arizona
Thiel College
Towson University
Trinity College
Tulane University
Union College
University at Buffalo, the State University of New York
University of California, Berkeley
University of Chicago
University of Cincinnati
University of Dayton
University of Delaware
University of Florida
University of Kentucky
University of Maryland, College Park
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Mount Union
University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
University of Richmond
University of Rochester
University of Toronto
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Vanderbilt University
Washington & Jefferson College
West Liberty University
Westminster College – New Wilmington, PA
William & Mary
Wittenberg University
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Xavier University
