Academic & College Counseling
Discipling curious and thoughtful Christian leaders
The VCHS Counseling Team’s mission is to partner with students, teachers, and parents to prayerfully identify each student’s social, emotional, and spiritual needs; their interests and aptitudes; and their evolving goals. Through thoughtful academic, college, and career planning, we strive to support students throughout all four years of high school as they prepare to serve God, support their families, and make a meaningful impact in their communities and the world.
Students are assigned a counselor who will support them throughout all four years of high school. This long-term partnership allows counselors to develop a deeper understanding of each student’s academic progress, personal growth, and evolving goals. By building consistent and meaningful relationships with both students and families, counselors are better equipped to provide individualized guidance and care throughout the high school journey.
High School Profile
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Design Your Blueprint
The counseling team provides strategic programmatic education followed with individualized coaching and support through the academic and college planning process. The following is a summary of planned counselor touchpoints for our students.
- Counselor Connect is a presentation for new families to learn about class selection and what to expect in high school
- New Student Sunrise is a specialized orientation event offered in August for incoming ninth-graders to prepare for high school
- Individual Freshman Family meetings in Q2 are a time for students and families to have an informed conversation developing a four-year academic and spiritual plan based on each student's goals and abilities.
- Four years of Cialfo (our college & career readiness platform) training to assist students with the career and college search, preparation and application process
- Individualized counselor support meetings to review academic performance and post-secondary goals
Valley’s Academic and Counseling Department led our entire family through high school. Our son’s counselor calmed us and educated us in choosing ideal high school classes and navigating the college admissions process. He was the confidant and spiritual leader our son needed to thrive during high school and begin his college experience. Their friendship will undoubtedly continue.-Chris Janssen, VCS Parent
Navigate the College Process
The transition from high school to college marks a significant point in a student's experience, and the VCHS counseling team is dedicated to educating and empowering students to take ownership of their own self-discovery and college search and application process.
Below is a list of services designed to guide students and parents through the college search and application process:
- Family workshops and webinars designed to provide education addressing a variety of college admissions topics
- College tours led by VCHS counselors. Past trips include Boston, New York, Philadelphia, the Pacific Northwest, the Southeast, and Southern California
- Cialfo offers students and parents interactive surveys, college search and comparison tools, college profiles with VCHS data, scattergrams of past applications from VCHS, scholarship opportunities, and much more
- Over 250 college admissions representatives are scheduled throughout the year to visit campus and meet with students
- Annual Christian College Fair and Out of State Local Representative Fair held at VCHS
- Guest speakers addressing topics such as college essay writing tips and applying for financial aid and scholarships
- Recommendation Letters and Secondary School Reporting
- Summer webinar series and application workshops to give seniors a solid start on applications before the school year begins
- College Application and essay assistance available for rising seniors throughout the summer and fall
- Individual freshman family, junior family, and senior student meetings to discuss college goals and to create a plan for the college application process
- Grade-level in-person Family Night presentations provide a broad overview of best practices in the college application process
- Test Prep Seminars offered throughout the year, including SAT and ACT seminars. Benchmark tests are administered at the start of the class, followed by a diagnostic test at the end of the course to evaluate student improvement
- Periodic practice SAT/ACT tests on campus in conjunction with Revolution Prep