Over our March Spring Break, five Trinity-Pawling students hit the road with Director of College Counseling Slade Mead for an unforgettable college tour. In just six days, the group logged 1,600 miles, visiting Marist College, Colgate University, Syracuse University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Union College, Trinity College, Skidmore College, UMass Amherst, Northeastern University, Boston University, Boston College, Tufts University, Brandeis University, Babson College, and Bentley University.
The goal of the trip was simple but important: help students discover what type of school feels right for them. “By visiting a mix of large and small, rural and suburban, liberal arts and STEM-focused institutions, students develop an understanding of their preferences — an essential first step in the college search process,” Mead said. “We visited every type of school out there.”.
Highlights included watching a Syracuse basketball game at the Dome, grabbing pizza at the famous Pepe’s, and enjoying personalized campus tours from Trinity-Pawling alumni Sean Wyman ’24 (Bentley) and Michael Dearborn ’24 (Skidmore).
According to Mead, the most rewarding moments were hearing students climb back into the van after a visit and say, “I really liked that school.”
The Spring Break College Tour complements the year-round work of Trinity-Pawling’s College Counseling Office, which is uniquely supported by the entire faculty. Unlike many schools where college counselors alone write what is known as the Secondary School Report (similar to a teacher recommendation, but reflecting on a student outside the classroom), “Trinity-Pawling teachers, who know the boys best, write the official Secondary School Reports (SSR). This personalized approach gives colleges a deeper, more authentic understanding of each student’s character, strengths, and growth. It’s a distinctive part of the Trinity-Pawling experience and a true advantage in the college admission process,” Mead commented. “Colleges love our SSRs!”
This year, Trinity-Pawling seniors submitted over 800 college applications to a wide range of schools, highlighting the diverse paths and bright futures ahead for the Class of 2025. View the Class of 2025 matriculation list on our website.
by Missy McCluskey