College Counseling

About our program

The college preparation process is a four-year journey at SMCA involving counselors, faculty, coaches, and families. Students embark on adventures of self-discovery, allowing them to follow their passions and find their strengths.  
The College Counselors support and guide students toward selecting colleges that are an appropriate fit to create self-directed, happy, and self-sufficient students along the way.  

Our program includes:
  • 3 full-time college and academic counselors assigned to students by alphabet in 9th grade
  • Individual appointments required each year, but the opportunity to visit with counselors as often as needed
  • Classroom activities to encourage thoughtful engagement in their future options
  • Evening programs for parents and students 
  • YouScience career and aptitude assessment and monthly career speakers
  • A personalized college list in 11th grade
  • Teacher and counselor support with the resume and college essay-writing process
  • We host the Hills of Austin College Fair (150 colleges), the Catholic College Fair and 80 plus college representatives visit our campus.

Four-Year College Counseling Process

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  • Freshmen

    In the ninth grade, students are busy acclimating to high school through study skill development, extracurricular exploration, and social interaction.  We offer targeted programming to freshmen to provide them a glimpse of important choices they can make to better prepare themselves for college, but much of the first year is focused on freshmen becoming engaged learners.  However, all freshmen participate in a college campus visit program in the spring as a part of the school day. 
  • Sophomores

    In the tenth grade, students take the PSAT and continue to develop academic and extracurricular interests they would like to pursue during the remainder of their high school careers. We ask students to complete the YouScience aptitude and career assessment, which has proven to be a catalyst for additional career research for many of our students.
  • Juniors

    By the junior year, the college counseling program begins in earnest.  We start the year with Mock SAT/ACT tests, followed by individual counseling with students and families which enables us to create a personalized college list for each student. Students are required to complete a resume in the Fall and a college essay-writing series in the Spring, and all are encouraged to visit college campuses throughout the year.  With respect to the SAT and ACT tests normally taken in the junior year, St. Michael’s brings in a test preparation company specializing in these exams to teach on-campus courses to students during the Winter Term. 
  • Seniors

    For seniors, our annual summer College Boot Camp officially launches the final stages of the college application process.  College counselors continue to work with seniors in groups and individually during the fall semester.  The Writing Center encourages students to bring in their college essays for review as needed. We love celebrating our seniors for their hard work throughout the year, including the annual No Treat Until You Complete party on Halloween.

OUR TEAM

List of 4 members.

  • Photo of Shannon Hudson

    Shannon Hudson 

    Director of College & Academic Services
  • Photo of Sasha Spear

    Sasha Spear 

    Associate Director of College & Academic Counseling
  • Photo of Brad Cake

    Brad Cake 

    Associate Director of College and Academic Counseling
  • Photo of Rae Harrison

    Rae Harrison 

    Registrar
The decision of where to enroll is a very personal one made for a variety of reasons by each student and family. All graduates had wonderful college choices and will follow in the footsteps of St. Michael's previous classes to extraordinary educational experiences. We share this extensive and diverse list to celebrate every college to which our students are admitted.  We honor each senior’s college choice, recognizing that where a student enrolls is their "best fit" and the most important factor is how they engage with their college experience.

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  • We are a

    Family of Families