Resources

Ninety percent of education
is expectation.
—Gregory Prince

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

Our Approach to College Counseling
We believe that the college search, admission, and financial aid process should not be overwhelming, anxiety-ridden, or a competition. Rather, it should be an enjoyable process of discovery and directed toward student autonomy and intellectual maturity. This involves thoughtful research to determine distinctions among colleges, as well as careful self-examination. Students tend to thrive when they attend colleges that best fit who they are.

Removing Barriers to Higher Education
Bridging opportunity gaps is a central component of Desert Sage High School’s mission. To facilitate this feature of our mission, our college admission processes is designed to recognize and overcome the obstacles that often interfere with college admission, enrollment, and retention. This includes demystifying how financial aid works, understanding the perception of prestige, investigating the testing industry and discovering how colleges view test scores, and developing personal expectations and goals.

Junior College Prep
In the spring semester, students in the 11th grade enroll in Junior College Prep, a course designed to help students learn about their interests, research colleges, think about developing their essay topics, and develop their initial college lists. Students engage in a case studies exercise in which they act as the admissions committee to select candidates for admission. A field trip to visit colleges is planned.

Senior College Prep
In the fall semester, students in the 12th grade take Senior College Prep, a course designed to walk students through the college application and financial aid process. By the end of the fall semester, all seniors will have applied to college and completed their applications for financial aid.