College Acceptances

Transition to College

Many of our students enter ASR having developed apathy towards academic success, believing college unattainable. One of our greatest strengths is how we engage these students, getting them reinvested in their academic careers, including the college preparation, selection, and application process.

College Board Testing

ASR is an approved test site for both the SAT and ACT. (The SSAT, which is the entrance exam for private- and boarding-schools, is also available on campus.) The tests are offered throughout the year, on the same dates as national testing. The Academic Office frequently publishes information on Parent Check-In on the registration process for these tests.

Princeton Review Test Preparation

Several times a year, the Princeton Review offers a "Beat the SAT" course on campus. This course includes 18 hours of direct test preparation instruction, as well as 3 full-length, diagnostic, mock SATs. The courses are calibrated to begin about three months prior to an SAT date. The Princeton Review is also available for individual tutoring for ACT, SAT, and SSAT test preparation. Detailed information about the Princeton Review courses and tutoring program, including fees and schedules, is available through the Academic Office.

College Selection and Application Support

There is a college out there for every ASR graduate. Many, many colleges are impressed with ASR applicants and are not daunted by the reality that the applicant is in a therapeutic boarding school environment. The college counseling process teaches students how to turn this experience into an admission advantage. This takes time and it is a counseling process, requiring patience on the part of both student and parent. We offer an excellent college advisor on site and work closely with educational consultants during this process. Our responsibility includes guiding students towards colleges and universities that are most appropriate for them, taking into consideration: the student's academic history, his or her academic progress at ASR; what teachers have to say about the student; what therapists have to say, and his or her emotional and personal issues, including learning issues and/or substance abuse issues.

Parents are invited to offer input and to join in the process, but our focus is primarily on the student's welfare. The academic office provides focus services for the search and application process, and ASR teachers and therapists provide recommendations and references. A School Report accompanies each application, together with a narrative profile of the individual student, an evaluation of academic and personal achievements and traits, and a professional recommendation for that student for each specific college he or she is applying to.