9th Grade Program Comparison
Which program is best for your student?
The best college applications don't start senior year—they start with the choices your student makes now. The students who stand out aren't the ones who’ve checked the most boxes; they're the ones who pursued their interests with genuine curiosity and took on challenges that mattered to them.
Great Expectations counselors help students make those choices thoughtfully—the right classes, the right activities, the meaningful experiences beyond the classroom—so that when the time comes, the foundation is already in place.
Scroll down to find the program that meets your student where they are and takes them where they want to go.
Great Expectations counselors help students make those choices thoughtfully—the right classes, the right activities, the meaningful experiences beyond the classroom—so that when the time comes, the foundation is already in place.
Scroll down to find the program that meets your student where they are and takes them where they want to go.
Fundamental: The Strategic Roadmap
The Fundamental program is ideal for two types of students: highly motivated, independent students who are already clear on their goals and want a blueprint for executing on them, and students who simply want advice to make well-informed choices throughout high school and ensure no critical steps are missed.
In either case, the counselor serves as the architect. They meet with each student monthly for strategic sessions designed to set direction, assess progress, and adjust the roadmap as needed. In Fundamental programs, the work students do between meetings is just as important as the meetings themselves, and that's by design. Students complete targeted assignments between sessions to build, articulate, and strengthen their personal brand, developing the independence and critical thinking skills that will serve them well beyond the application process. The result: students who are engaged, self-directed, and ahead of the curve.
Core: The Dedicated Partnership
Core programs are designed for hard-working students who have built a solid record—good grades and test scores, the usual mix of activities—but need strategic guidance on how to develop their interests in ways that will resonate with admissions officers. These students thrive with regular check-ins and close collaboration: the right balance of independence and counselor involvement to maintain momentum and build something meaningful.
In Core programs, the counselor serves as a dedicated mentor. Meeting twice monthly, they work closely with each student to build genuine rapport, understand what drives them, and craft an authentic personal brand and narrative. Core families also receive targeted access to our team of specialized counselors (athletic recruitment, performing arts, etc.). The increased meeting cadence creates the consistency needed to stay focused, make steady progress, and respond to new opportunities or challenges as they arise. The result: a student who has deepened their interests and built a compelling profile that reflects who they truly are.
Comprehensive: The Elite Concierge
Comprehensive programs offer the greatest depth and breadth of support and are ideal for many different types of students: those who have ambitious goals but difficulty staying on top of tasks and benefit from frequent check-ins to keep projects moving forward; those still in search of their personal brand who will benefit from guided self-reflection and brainstorming to find their direction; and those with niche paths—such as athletic recruitment, performing arts, visual arts, etc.—who benefit from unlimited access to our team of specialized counselors.
In Comprehensive programs, the counselor serves as a true partner. Meetings are scheduled based on the student's needs and the natural rhythm of the work, and the counselor will help the student complete tasks in real time—keeping the workload manageable and the strategy on track. For families who want peace of mind, this is our highest-touch experience.
The Fundamental program is ideal for two types of students: highly motivated, independent students who are already clear on their goals and want a blueprint for executing on them, and students who simply want advice to make well-informed choices throughout high school and ensure no critical steps are missed.
In either case, the counselor serves as the architect. They meet with each student monthly for strategic sessions designed to set direction, assess progress, and adjust the roadmap as needed. In Fundamental programs, the work students do between meetings is just as important as the meetings themselves, and that's by design. Students complete targeted assignments between sessions to build, articulate, and strengthen their personal brand, developing the independence and critical thinking skills that will serve them well beyond the application process. The result: students who are engaged, self-directed, and ahead of the curve.
Core: The Dedicated Partnership
Core programs are designed for hard-working students who have built a solid record—good grades and test scores, the usual mix of activities—but need strategic guidance on how to develop their interests in ways that will resonate with admissions officers. These students thrive with regular check-ins and close collaboration: the right balance of independence and counselor involvement to maintain momentum and build something meaningful.
In Core programs, the counselor serves as a dedicated mentor. Meeting twice monthly, they work closely with each student to build genuine rapport, understand what drives them, and craft an authentic personal brand and narrative. Core families also receive targeted access to our team of specialized counselors (athletic recruitment, performing arts, etc.). The increased meeting cadence creates the consistency needed to stay focused, make steady progress, and respond to new opportunities or challenges as they arise. The result: a student who has deepened their interests and built a compelling profile that reflects who they truly are.
Comprehensive: The Elite Concierge
Comprehensive programs offer the greatest depth and breadth of support and are ideal for many different types of students: those who have ambitious goals but difficulty staying on top of tasks and benefit from frequent check-ins to keep projects moving forward; those still in search of their personal brand who will benefit from guided self-reflection and brainstorming to find their direction; and those with niche paths—such as athletic recruitment, performing arts, visual arts, etc.—who benefit from unlimited access to our team of specialized counselors.
In Comprehensive programs, the counselor serves as a true partner. Meetings are scheduled based on the student's needs and the natural rhythm of the work, and the counselor will help the student complete tasks in real time—keeping the workload manageable and the strategy on track. For families who want peace of mind, this is our highest-touch experience.
What Your Counselor Can Help With:
• Strategic high school academic roadmap
Your counselor will craft a personalized course sequence that looks beyond graduation requirements to build an academic narrative that ensures your transcript reflects the focus and rigor sought by your dream universities as well as your dream majors.
• Basic overview of college knowledge and admission trends
Your counselor provides a comprehensive briefing on the current state of college admissions, including shifting trends and committee evaluation metrics. They translate complex timelines and terminologies into a clear, actionable plan, ensuring you understand exactly how decisions are made.
• 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
Your counselor will evaluate your transcripts, standardized test scores (if any), and extracurricular profile to identify opportunities to highlight strengths and address weaknesses.
• Academic-year extracurricular advising
Your counselor will help you explore or expand your involvement in extracurricular activities that strengthen your profile and support your unique application strategy.
• Identification of potential summer programs or jobs
Your counselor will identify competitive summer programs, internships, etc., that align with your admissions strategy and personal interests.
• 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.
• Planning systems and tools
Utilize a structured framework for success through month-by-month milestone tracking and access to our dedicated counseling platform. Our suite of proprietary resources – including research frameworks, campus visit guides, and essay brainstorming tools – is designed to ensure organized, consistent progress throughout the year.
Your counselor will craft a personalized course sequence that looks beyond graduation requirements to build an academic narrative that ensures your transcript reflects the focus and rigor sought by your dream universities as well as your dream majors.
• Basic overview of college knowledge and admission trends
Your counselor provides a comprehensive briefing on the current state of college admissions, including shifting trends and committee evaluation metrics. They translate complex timelines and terminologies into a clear, actionable plan, ensuring you understand exactly how decisions are made.
• 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
Your counselor will evaluate your transcripts, standardized test scores (if any), and extracurricular profile to identify opportunities to highlight strengths and address weaknesses.
• Academic-year extracurricular advising
Your counselor will help you explore or expand your involvement in extracurricular activities that strengthen your profile and support your unique application strategy.
• Identification of potential summer programs or jobs
Your counselor will identify competitive summer programs, internships, etc., that align with your admissions strategy and personal interests.
• 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.
• Planning systems and tools
Utilize a structured framework for success through month-by-month milestone tracking and access to our dedicated counseling platform. Our suite of proprietary resources – including research frameworks, campus visit guides, and essay brainstorming tools – is designed to ensure organized, consistent progress throughout the year.
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...
• Access to specialized counselors
Meet with specialists who will provide detailed guidance on niche application elements (financial aid, athletic recruitment, arts portfolio development, audition preparation, etc.) to best optimize outcome.
• Introduction to potential colleges
Your counselor will outline the functional and cultural differences between state systems, urban research hubs, and rural liberal arts enclaves. This initial discovery phase is designed to help you reflect on where you will thrive, ensuring your future college list is built with intention.
• Introduction to potential majors
Your counselor will help students move beyond common career titles to find specific majors and minors that resonate with their intellectual curiosities and professional aspirations.
• Emphasis on personal branding
Your counselor will develop a personalized application strategy with you based on your genuine interests and strengths, 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 submitted for internships, job applications, and scholarship applications.
• Curated summer experiences and application support (up to 3)
Your counselor will source competitive research, internships, college programs, and community service that align with your specific admissions narrative. They provide end-to-end support for all essays and application materials, managing the process from initial research through final submission.
• 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.
Meet with specialists who will provide detailed guidance on niche application elements (financial aid, athletic recruitment, arts portfolio development, audition preparation, etc.) to best optimize outcome.
• Introduction to potential colleges
Your counselor will outline the functional and cultural differences between state systems, urban research hubs, and rural liberal arts enclaves. This initial discovery phase is designed to help you reflect on where you will thrive, ensuring your future college list is built with intention.
• Introduction to potential majors
Your counselor will help students move beyond common career titles to find specific majors and minors that resonate with their intellectual curiosities and professional aspirations.
• Emphasis on personal branding
Your counselor will develop a personalized application strategy with you based on your genuine interests and strengths, 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 submitted for internships, job applications, and scholarship applications.
• Curated summer experiences and application support (up to 3)
Your counselor will source competitive research, internships, college programs, and community service that align with your specific admissions narrative. They provide end-to-end support for all essays and application materials, managing the process from initial research through final submission.
• 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.
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...
• Curated summer experiences and application support (up to 5)
Your counselor will source competitive research, internships, college programs, and community service that align with your specific admissions narrative. They provide end-to-end support for all essays and application materials, managing the process from initial research through final submission.
• Unlimited access to specialized counselors
Meet with specialists who will provide detailed guidance on niche application elements (financial aid, athletic recruitment, arts portfolio development, audition preparation, etc.) to best optimize outcome.
• Hands-on support for in-session task completion
Your counselor will provide as-needed guidance and support to complete tasks during sessions, ensuring nothing gets overlooked or delayed. By managing technical requirements and administrative hurdles in real time, they ensure uninterrupted momentum and empower you to produce high-quality work without the stress of a growing "to-do" list.
• Soft skill development and guidance for high school
Your counselor will help you develop and enhance your interpersonal skills, leadership qualities, organizational skills, creative problem-solving abilities, independence, and self-confidence.
• AP diagnostic exams
Your counselor will coordinate practice exams for your APs in the early spring, and you will review the results with a GE College Prep tutor to ensure you are on track for the official May exams.
Your counselor will source competitive research, internships, college programs, and community service that align with your specific admissions narrative. They provide end-to-end support for all essays and application materials, managing the process from initial research through final submission.
• Unlimited access to specialized counselors
Meet with specialists who will provide detailed guidance on niche application elements (financial aid, athletic recruitment, arts portfolio development, audition preparation, etc.) to best optimize outcome.
• Hands-on support for in-session task completion
Your counselor will provide as-needed guidance and support to complete tasks during sessions, ensuring nothing gets overlooked or delayed. By managing technical requirements and administrative hurdles in real time, they ensure uninterrupted momentum and empower you to produce high-quality work without the stress of a growing "to-do" list.
• Soft skill development and guidance for high school
Your counselor will help you develop and enhance your interpersonal skills, leadership qualities, organizational skills, creative problem-solving abilities, independence, and self-confidence.
• AP diagnostic exams
Your counselor will coordinate practice exams for your APs in the early spring, and you will review the results with a GE College Prep tutor to ensure you are on track for the official May exams.
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