College Planning

"College is a match to be made, not a prize to be won."-Frank Sachs

College Planning at American Heritage is a long-term process.  Guidance Counselors for grades 7-10 are well versed in the requirements for college admissions, and academic requirements are tracked carefully.  In addition, students are encouraged to pursue extra-curricular activities both within the school community and throughout the South Florida area.  Overall, the goal is to help students get a good sense of who they are, how they learn and where their talents lie.

Starting in their junior year, students are assigned a College Advisor.  Heritage College Advisors have collectively visited over 300 schools across the country.  They attend national and local conferences to ensure that they stay on top of the latest admissions trends.  The college planning process is comprehensive and supportive.  In this nurturing environment, students learn to identify their goals and interests, to manage a complex and stressful process, and to make healthy and confident decisions about higher education. Fundamentally, we believe that each student should control the self-evaluation, research, and application writing that is essential to good college selection.

Evening Programs

• Athletic Recruiting 101 (with follow-up workshops)
• Sophomore College Night
• Junior Workshop on College Admissions Part I
• Junior Workshop on College Admissions Part II
• Application Nuts and Bolts (for seniors & parents)
• Making Financial Aid Count

Family Connection
Family Connection is a web-based resource that links the counselor’s office to course, career, and college planning. On Family Connection, students are able to share plans, complete surveys, and research and compare colleges. Students may also complete college profiles and resumes, and manage their applications during senior year.

SAT Preparation
As a college preparatory school, we feel we are entrusted with the responsibility of preparing all of our students for the standardized test often required for college admission.  Research has shown that steady and consistent test preparation over time is the best way to increase scores on standardized tests.  At American Heritage, all students receive SAT preparation as part of their math and English curriculum.  In addition, a course is offered(for an additional fee )as an elective to all high school students who want to prepare for the SAT or ACT, or to improve scores. Online test preparation is also available to all students in grades 9-12 through Family Connection.

Interview Specialist
Students who apply to competitive schools benefit from the help of an interview specialist who meets individually with students and conducts a mock interview.  She then provides feedback to the students and advises them on their preparation for and participation in interviews at their selected colleges. 

Colleges On Campus
Admissions representatives from various colleges are invited to our campus to share the latest information with students. Colleges and universities, such as Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Emory, The George Washington University, Brandeis, Yale, Johns Hopkins, University of Florida and University of Miami visit annually. On average, 60-70 individual colleges send representatives for scheduled visits throughout the year.

College Fair/Tours
Each fall, tenth through twelfth grade students from both Heritage schools come together at the Plantation campus to participate in the annual College Fair which features more than 100 colleges. Students gather information from admissions representatives to help in the college decision-making process. Tours are offered each year to various areas of the country, such as New England, Pennsylvania, California, and Southeastern US.  Students spend three to four days visiting campuses and gathering information on specific schools. Members of the American Heritage Guidance and College Planning Department chaperone these tours.

College Corner
The Upper School Library/Media center features a “College Corner” where students can research universities through brochures and DVD’s, and meet with college representatives.  College and scholarship guidebooks are available and are updated annually.

Scholarships
The department’s Scholarship Specialist researches funds available nationally, locally and at individual colleges and universities to effectively match each family’s needs with monies available for their college-bound student. Collectively, our recent graduating classes (05 - 10) have been awarded scholarships totaling over 100 million dollars.