HPA College Counseling Philosophy
"Like other schools with established college counseling programs, HPA is committed to the idea that college is a match to be made, not a prize to be won. But beyond this sound and lyrical philosophy, we see the planning and admissions process as critical for our students' personal development. It is our goal to ensure that the process be meaningful, manageable, humane, and as fun as humanly possible. As we work with our students, we treat each one with respect, aloha, and compassion. It is our belief that in choosing their colleges they are learning the skills to take the lead in deciding their own futures. Their college choice will not decide their future; it is the skills and lessons they pick up along the way that does that." --Andrew Kelsey, Director
Hawai'i Preparatory Academy has developed its own style of college counseling by adapting the best practices of other high schools to design a unique program that reflects the students, environment, and philosophy of our school community.
At HPA, the college planning and selection process is not seen as a high-stakes contest that simply ends the senior year; it is rather only one important piece of our commitment to educating, raising and caring for young people in our close-knit community. As part of a college prep education, underclassmen are encouraged to focus on academics, athletics, Hawaiian traditions, and involvement in clubs and service, while being exposed to the early steps of the college planning process: self-reflection, academic planning, standardized testing, goal setting, and college research. College Counseling has put in place key milestones and educational events to direct the planning process. Our office also provides oversight for academic advisors and parents to guide underclassmen through their first two years at HPA. By paying attention to these milestones, students and their families can be confident in knowing that they will be in a good position come junior year. To learn how parents and advisors are specifically involved in these first steps, please refer to our College Planning Guide.
By the end of the sophomore year, students have already worked through the first two sections of the Planning Guide with their advisors and/or parents, completed two PSAT tests, learned the significance of their grade point average (GPA), attended a minimum of four college information sessions, and completed a personality and interest assessment survey known as "Do What You Are." They also have attended several special college events that might include an Early College Planning Night or a Mock Admissions Session. Freshmen and sophomores also are familiar with the resources on this webpage and have started using two powerful internet research and planning tools: HPA's Family Connection and the College Board's My Road . Many of our families also have made a point of taking their children to visit colleges in Hawai'i and on the mainland to get an idea of different types of college environments.
Individual planning sessions with our professional college counselors begin in October of the junior year. HPA is fortunate to be able to provide six of these formal meetings with each of our students in the last two years of high school. This level of individualized attention is a hallmark of our program. Each meeting has a different focus as we move through the college planning calendar with required homework assignments between the meetings. Juniors meet with our counselors three times (October, January, and April); seniors will meet three more times (September, November, and April). To see the typical discussion topics and sequence, please refer to our Planning Guide. In addition, we encourage our students to feel comfortable visiting with us anytime to talk about college, life, or simply to hang out during their free time. All three of our counselors work full-time and enjoy developing strong personal relationships with students. As a result, the College Counseling Center is actually a popular and fun place for students on our campus.
So while "Aunty Joanie," "Cindy," and "Kelsey" work very hard to keep the process manageable and enjoyable for our students, they also pay careful attention to making certain that the programs, testing requirements, application calendars, and professional guidance are in place and being accessed by our students. Ultimately, by providing our students with the best information and resources, we are putting them in position to be strong applicants and make great decisions. To get the messages out there, our counselors are regular fixtures at our weekly class meetings and Monday assemblies. At these group meetings they provide students with timely reminders and useful information on important events or deadlines. While this information is available on the College Counseling Web site and in the counseling center, we appreciate that our busy students need plenty of reminders.
Our college counselors also are recognized professionals at the national level. In addition to hosting more than 50 colleges each year at the HPA campus, our counselors are members of the Hawai'i Association for College Admission Counseling and the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
While our counselors truly enjoy guiding and supporting each and every one of our students through the college process, they strongly believe that the academic preparation, the college selection process, the actual college applications, and the admissions results all belong to the student. With this level of respect, our students learn to take responsibility for their own efforts, trust their own judgment, and chart their own success in life.