11th Grade Program Comparison
Which program is best for your student?
Successful college planning begins with intentional high school planning. Are you taking the right classes? Are you involved in enough extracurriculars? Are you seeking out meaningful experiences beyond the classroom? Great Expectations counselors encourage students to find academic and extracurricular pursuits that align with their general interests and showcase their strengths, ensuring that every hour spent is both rewarding and purposeful. At the end of the day, colleges want strong students, but they also want real people with real commitment to their interests, and our goal is to help you create a narrative that is both authentic AND unique.
Scroll down to explore each program and find the best fit for your student!
Scroll down to explore each program and find the best fit for your student!
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Fundamental Program
Fundamental programs are ideal for two types of students: 1) highly motivated, independent students who are already clear on their goals and interests, and who can complete strategic assignments between sessions to build/articulate/strengthen their personal brand and 2) students who simply want to make well-informed choices during high school and ensure they don’t overlook any important steps in the process. In both cases, after receiving personalized advice and instruction from their counselor, students are empowered to stay engaged, think critically, and give their best effort.
What's included in Fundamental?
• 2-year plan: strategic academic roadmap and course selection
Your counselor will help you map out an academic plan that ensures you reinforce your academic interests, meet graduation requirements, and complete the suggested coursework for your dream university.
• Completion of activities and awards worksheets
Your counselor will review your list of extracurricular activities, formatted as they are on the Common Application, to identify and address any perceived gaps or deficiencies.
• Profile assessment to identify potential strengths and weaknesses
Your counselor will evaluate your transcripts, standardized test scores, and extracurricular profile to identify strategies for highlighting strengths and addressing weaknesses.
• Extracurricular advising for the school year
Your counselor will help you explore and expand your involvement in extracurricular activities that strengthen your profile and support your unique application strategy.
• Identification of potential summer experiences/opportunities
Your counselor will identify competitive summer programs, internships, etc., that align with your admissions strategy and personal interests.
• Standardized testing game plan (with SAT and ACT diagnostic exams)
Your counselor, along with a GE College Prep tutor, will create a personalized testing timeline, help you sign up for SAT/ACT exams, and weigh in on your target scores so you’re prepared to achieve that goal.
• College list building
Your counselor will build a customized college list with a balanced number of safety, target, and reach schools based on professional evaluation of your profile and frequent input from you and your family.
• Introduction to potential majors
Your counselor will assist you in exploring available majors to decide which academic paths best align with your interests and career goals, as well as which can increase your chances of admission.
• Letters of recommendation strategy
Your counselor will help you select academic and extracurricular recommenders who can offer unique perspectives on who you are beyond your grades and coach you on when and how to ask for letters of recommendation so you don’t come across as insincere.
• Early Decision, Early Action, and Regular Decision game plan
Your counselor will walk you through the strategic advantages and disadvantages of each deadline, focusing on how to maximize your chances at the greatest number of institutions on your list.
• Scholarship research
Your counselor will help you locate scholarships specific to your profile.
• Progress reports with action items after each session
Your counselor will provide a detailed recap of each meeting in writing and assign concrete, achievable tasks for you to complete by your next session.
• Access to exclusive live webinars with our founder, specialists in niche areas, and college admissions officers
You and your family will have unlimited access to Great Expectations events, including live Q&A sessions.
• Access to month-by-month checklists and platforms
Your counselor will ensure consistent progress by establishing monthly checkpoints and introducing you to college counseling software with detailed college information and proprietary resources, including college research worksheets, campus visit questionnaires, university guides, and more.
Your counselor will help you map out an academic plan that ensures you reinforce your academic interests, meet graduation requirements, and complete the suggested coursework for your dream university.
• Completion of activities and awards worksheets
Your counselor will review your list of extracurricular activities, formatted as they are on the Common Application, to identify and address any perceived gaps or deficiencies.
• Profile assessment to identify potential strengths and weaknesses
Your counselor will evaluate your transcripts, standardized test scores, and extracurricular profile to identify strategies for highlighting strengths and addressing weaknesses.
• Extracurricular advising for the school year
Your counselor will help you explore and expand your involvement in extracurricular activities that strengthen your profile and support your unique application strategy.
• Identification of potential summer experiences/opportunities
Your counselor will identify competitive summer programs, internships, etc., that align with your admissions strategy and personal interests.
• Standardized testing game plan (with SAT and ACT diagnostic exams)
Your counselor, along with a GE College Prep tutor, will create a personalized testing timeline, help you sign up for SAT/ACT exams, and weigh in on your target scores so you’re prepared to achieve that goal.
• College list building
Your counselor will build a customized college list with a balanced number of safety, target, and reach schools based on professional evaluation of your profile and frequent input from you and your family.
• Introduction to potential majors
Your counselor will assist you in exploring available majors to decide which academic paths best align with your interests and career goals, as well as which can increase your chances of admission.
• Letters of recommendation strategy
Your counselor will help you select academic and extracurricular recommenders who can offer unique perspectives on who you are beyond your grades and coach you on when and how to ask for letters of recommendation so you don’t come across as insincere.
• Early Decision, Early Action, and Regular Decision game plan
Your counselor will walk you through the strategic advantages and disadvantages of each deadline, focusing on how to maximize your chances at the greatest number of institutions on your list.
• Scholarship research
Your counselor will help you locate scholarships specific to your profile.
• Progress reports with action items after each session
Your counselor will provide a detailed recap of each meeting in writing and assign concrete, achievable tasks for you to complete by your next session.
• Access to exclusive live webinars with our founder, specialists in niche areas, and college admissions officers
You and your family will have unlimited access to Great Expectations events, including live Q&A sessions.
• Access to month-by-month checklists and platforms
Your counselor will ensure consistent progress by establishing monthly checkpoints and introducing you to college counseling software with detailed college information and proprietary resources, including college research worksheets, campus visit questionnaires, university guides, and more.
Core Program
Core programs are intended for the average, yet diligent, high school student who has some general interests but needs strategic guidance on how to develop them in ways that will impress admissions officers. These students benefit from regular check-ins with a trusted mentor who will help them stay focused, refine their goals, and use their talents to make an impact on the world around them. The program provides the right balance of independence and counselor involvement, empowering students to deepen their interests while staying on track to build a compelling profile that helps them stand out from the crowd.
Includes everything listed in the Fundamental Program, as well as...
• Emphasis on personal branding and building your unique narrative
Your counselor will develop a personalized application strategy with you based on your genuine interests, showcasing who you are to admissions committees in a way that sets you apart from other applicants.
• Creation of formal resume
Your counselor will assist you in creating and refining a professional resume that effectively highlights your achievements and can be utilized for internships, job applications, and scholarship applications.
• Application guidance and support for up to three summer programs or jobs
Your counselor will identify competitive summer programs or jobs that align with your admissions strategy and personal interests, providing full support for all essays and application materials until submission.
• Access to strategic partners to land internships OR research/publication opportunities
Your counselor will assist you in locating relevant internships, crafting cover letters, and preparing for interviews. Alternatively, your counselor can connect you with programs where PhD students or professors will guide you to develop an independent research project and write an academic paper about your findings, aiming for publication in an academic journal for high schoolers.
• Passion project planning and execution
Your counselor will work with you to brainstorm, ideate, plan, and execute a long-term passion project that benefits a community and aligns with your intended major by helping you locate necessary resources and connect with key mentors or organizations.
• Awards profile support
Your counselor will evaluate your awards profile and recommend relevant competitions to enhance this section of your application, including essay contests, art shows, science fairs, music qualifications, academic bowls, leadership certifications, and more.
• Guided college research
Your counselor will assist you in researching schools to assess their suitability by exploring size, location, student demographics, specialized programs, campus resources, student organizations, campus traditions, and more.
• In-depth research and exploration of majors
Your counselor will collaborate with you to conduct thorough research into specific colleges and majors, as well as the profiles of admitted students, to suggest how to position your application and essay content to align with the university's ethos.
• Assistance with student questionnaires/brag sheets
Your counselor will work with you to fill out forms that give your recommenders a detailed understanding of who you are by selecting anecdotes and personal details that support your specific application strategy.
• As-needed access to specialized counselors
Meet with specialists who will provide detailed guidance on niche application elements (financial aid, athletic recruitment, arts portfolio development/review, audition preparation, etc.) to best optimize outcome.
• Mid-year progress review and Q&A with the Director of Counseling
Join our Director of Counseling for a mid-year progress review, where we’ll reflect on key achievements, challenges, and goals for the months ahead. This session will also include an open Q&A to address your questions and provide guidance on supporting your student effectively.
Your counselor will develop a personalized application strategy with you based on your genuine interests, showcasing who you are to admissions committees in a way that sets you apart from other applicants.
• Creation of formal resume
Your counselor will assist you in creating and refining a professional resume that effectively highlights your achievements and can be utilized for internships, job applications, and scholarship applications.
• Application guidance and support for up to three summer programs or jobs
Your counselor will identify competitive summer programs or jobs that align with your admissions strategy and personal interests, providing full support for all essays and application materials until submission.
• Access to strategic partners to land internships OR research/publication opportunities
Your counselor will assist you in locating relevant internships, crafting cover letters, and preparing for interviews. Alternatively, your counselor can connect you with programs where PhD students or professors will guide you to develop an independent research project and write an academic paper about your findings, aiming for publication in an academic journal for high schoolers.
• Passion project planning and execution
Your counselor will work with you to brainstorm, ideate, plan, and execute a long-term passion project that benefits a community and aligns with your intended major by helping you locate necessary resources and connect with key mentors or organizations.
• Awards profile support
Your counselor will evaluate your awards profile and recommend relevant competitions to enhance this section of your application, including essay contests, art shows, science fairs, music qualifications, academic bowls, leadership certifications, and more.
• Guided college research
Your counselor will assist you in researching schools to assess their suitability by exploring size, location, student demographics, specialized programs, campus resources, student organizations, campus traditions, and more.
• In-depth research and exploration of majors
Your counselor will collaborate with you to conduct thorough research into specific colleges and majors, as well as the profiles of admitted students, to suggest how to position your application and essay content to align with the university's ethos.
• Assistance with student questionnaires/brag sheets
Your counselor will work with you to fill out forms that give your recommenders a detailed understanding of who you are by selecting anecdotes and personal details that support your specific application strategy.
• As-needed access to specialized counselors
Meet with specialists who will provide detailed guidance on niche application elements (financial aid, athletic recruitment, arts portfolio development/review, audition preparation, etc.) to best optimize outcome.
• Mid-year progress review and Q&A with the Director of Counseling
Join our Director of Counseling for a mid-year progress review, where we’ll reflect on key achievements, challenges, and goals for the months ahead. This session will also include an open Q&A to address your questions and provide guidance on supporting your student effectively.
Comprehensive Program
Comprehensive programs offer additional depth and breadth and are ideal for students who benefit from a more hands-on, collaborative approach and want a strategic partner from start to finish. These programs are a great choice for two types of students: 1) those who have difficulty staying on top of tasks but have ambitious goals, needing regular check-ins to ensure their projects move forward, and 2) students who lack a clear sense of their personal brand and benefit from guided self-reflection and brainstorming to find their direction. Counselors will work closely with students during sessions to complete key tasks—and if something doesn’t get done between meetings, the counselor will help ensure it gets done together.
Includes everything listed in the Core Program, as well as...
• Application guidance and support on an additional two (up to five total) summer programs or jobs
Your counselor will identify competitive summer programs or jobs that align with your admissions strategy and personal interests, providing full support for all essays and application materials until submission.
• Campus visit preparation and tour/info session sign-ups
Your counselor will help you sign up for campus tours and information sessions, formulate questions to ask school representatives, and take meaningful notes during your visits so you can reference these details in future school-specific essays.
• Strategic contact with admissions representatives
Your counselor will help you connect with local or national admissions representatives, either in person or in writing, to demonstrate interest in their universities and introduce yourself as a serious candidate for admission.
• Scholarship application support
Your counselor will assist you in completing application forms, writing essays, preparing for interviews, and securing letters of recommendation for scholarships specific to your profile.
• Hands-on support for in-session task completion
Your counselor will provide you with real-time guidance and support to complete tasks during sessions, ensuring nothing gets overlooked or delayed. This approach helps streamline workflows and build confidence in managing responsibilities efficiently.
• Personality and career assessments
Your counselor will guide you through career/behavioral assessments and use the results to suggest potential majors, concentrations, or careers based on your unique personality, interests, and intellectual strengths.
• Soft skill development and guidance for high school
Your counselor will guide you in developing and enhancing your interpersonal skills, leadership qualities, creative problem-solving abilities, independence, and self-confidence.
• Quarterly progress reviews and Q&A with the Director of Counseling
Join our Director of Counseling for quarterly progress reviews, where we’ll reflect on key achievements, challenges, and goals for the months ahead. This session will also include an open Q&A to address your questions and provide guidance on supporting your student effectively.
Your counselor will identify competitive summer programs or jobs that align with your admissions strategy and personal interests, providing full support for all essays and application materials until submission.
• Campus visit preparation and tour/info session sign-ups
Your counselor will help you sign up for campus tours and information sessions, formulate questions to ask school representatives, and take meaningful notes during your visits so you can reference these details in future school-specific essays.
• Strategic contact with admissions representatives
Your counselor will help you connect with local or national admissions representatives, either in person or in writing, to demonstrate interest in their universities and introduce yourself as a serious candidate for admission.
• Scholarship application support
Your counselor will assist you in completing application forms, writing essays, preparing for interviews, and securing letters of recommendation for scholarships specific to your profile.
• Hands-on support for in-session task completion
Your counselor will provide you with real-time guidance and support to complete tasks during sessions, ensuring nothing gets overlooked or delayed. This approach helps streamline workflows and build confidence in managing responsibilities efficiently.
• Personality and career assessments
Your counselor will guide you through career/behavioral assessments and use the results to suggest potential majors, concentrations, or careers based on your unique personality, interests, and intellectual strengths.
• Soft skill development and guidance for high school
Your counselor will guide you in developing and enhancing your interpersonal skills, leadership qualities, creative problem-solving abilities, independence, and self-confidence.
• Quarterly progress reviews and Q&A with the Director of Counseling
Join our Director of Counseling for quarterly progress reviews, where we’ll reflect on key achievements, challenges, and goals for the months ahead. This session will also include an open Q&A to address your questions and provide guidance on supporting your student effectively.
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