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Academic & College Advising

Academic and College Advising

Welcome to the Academic and College Advising Department. Our mission at American Heritage School is to “graduate students who are prepared in mind, body and spirit to meet the requirements of the colleges of their choice.” The Academic and College Advising Department seeks to guide students along this path by providing a full range of services for all aspects of academic life and college planning. In order to help students stay organized and make well-informed choices, we provide counseling for all levels of the Upper School experience.

In addition to guiding the student through the course selection and scheduling process, Counselors coordinate academic accommodations for students with learning difficulties, enroll new students, and monitor academic progress. Most importantly, The Academic and College Advising Office is a place students can come when they are having difficulty either emotionally or academically during the course of the school year.

Current American Heritage families are encouraged to visit Academic and College Advising Department on the American Heritage Portal for the latest information including timelines, guides and forms.

Academic & College Advising By Grade Level

Grades 6th - 8th

Charting Your Course The Middle School Academic Planning Curriculum focuses on helping students develop good organizational and study habits. Focus is also placed on interpersonal behaviors including bullying and self-esteem. A career fair is held annually to introduce students to career options. Evening programs for parents introduce the college admissions process and assist with high school planning.

Grade 9

Getting On Track The focus in 9th grade is on the transition to high school. Students complete the Learning Style Inventory that helps them to discover how they learn best so that they can be as successful as possible during their high school career. Students are encouraged to think towards their future goals. To this end, the 9th Grade Academic Advisor works with students and parents to develop a four-year academic plan. An evening program in the fall for parents provides a comprehensive view of the high school years, including curriculum options, graduation requirements and the college admissions process.

Grade 10

Staying on Course By the time students reach grade ten, they have a good understanding of what it takes to be a successful high school student. During the first quarter, students are encouraged to push themselves academically through a presentation on study skills. All sophomores will take the PSAT in October. They will then complete the Career Interest Profiler and are guided to discover what careers might suit their skills and interests. In the spring, students are introduced to their College Advisor and guided through their first online college search. An evening career program for parents takes place in the Spring.

Grades 11 - 12

College Search & Application Process Starting in their junior year, students are assigned a College Advisor. American 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 supportive 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. Lear more about College Advising by clicking here.

College Planning

Faculty

Instructors are experienced, fully certified and teach in their field of expertise, over 60% of the faculty hold advanced degrees. Many instructors are also advisors to clubs and activities or coach a sport. This provides the high school student the opportunity to work with teachers in a less structured environment. Our teachers are committed to the positive academic, emotional, physical and social development of each student. Instructors offer weekly help sessions to students who need extra reinforcement of skills and concepts to succeed.

Technology

Heritage has an ongoing commitment to offer the latest technology to our students. There are four state-of-the-art computer labs and a computer graphics lab which serve the Upper School. Our recently built Engineering facility includes two computer labs with interactive Promethean boards. These computer labs are connected by a high tech Engineering Lab to provide an environment for hands-on learning. This lab is equipped with the latest technology including a rapid prototyping system that takes a 3-D design a student has created and automatically makes a prototype of it. Every faculty member has been issued an iPad which connects wirelessly to their classroom screen. Teachers can sign out an iPad cart so that they may incorporate iPad based lessons into their curriculum. Our Library/Media Center houses over 150 computers; 4 technology integration labs equipped with interactive Promethean boards serve to incorporate technology into every upper school classroom; 12-foot tables, equipped with electric and data ports are available for collaborative research and study, and similarly equipped, lighted carrels are provided for individual study. Added features include wireless Internet access across campus, a professional staffed reference desk for optimum assistance, a separate station to monitor database progress and provide research guidance and a fully-automated circulation desk.

Evening Programs

Family Connection

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, ACT, or to improve scores. Online test preparation is also available to all students in grades 9-12 through Family Connection.

Interview Specialist

Colleges On Campus

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

College Fair/Tours

Each fall, 10th through 12th grade students from both Heritage campuses come together at the Broward campus to participate in the annual College Fair that 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.

College Corner

Scholarships