College Counseling

College Counseling

At Providence Academy, we have taken a cue from our very name in crafting a college counseling program for our students.  If it is the goal of a Catholic education to help students learn to desire the perfection that God desires for them, then we must affirm that the college search and application process is a critical period of discernment that is fully part of God’s plan for achieving this perfection.  As a college preparatory school, our specific aim is to instill in our students the ardent desire to develop their gifts through postsecondary education in order share these talents with the world.

The College Counseling program at Providence Academy has a twofold mission.  The first is to educate students (and their families) about college preparation (including academic planning, college entrance testing, and extracurricular development), the college search, the application and selection process, and financial aid with expert advice and perspective that leads to the selection of a best-fit college choice.  The second is to serve in an integral educational role that helps students grow in personal responsibility and initiative while building skills in self-reflection, self-advocacy, communication, and decision-making that are critical for emerging adulthood.

The college counseling program spans all four years of Upper School and includes annual information nights for each class, regular programming that addresses various college-related topics, college visit programming including 90+ individual college visits each fall and an annual College Day each April, individual meetings beginning in winter of Grade 11, and much more.  Please explore the links to learn more about our programs and staff.

Check out the College Visit Users Guide to see when college representatives will be at Providence Academy.

 

College Counseling eBulletin

Click here for the complete eBulletin

College Counseling Staff

Mrs. Sarah Hogan

Mrs. Sarah Hogan

Director of College Counseling

Phone: 763-258-5508 

Biography

Mrs. Hogan brings nearly a decade of college administration experience to Providence Academy, having served most recently as Director of Alumni Relations and previously as the Associate Director of Admission and Financial Aid at the University of Dallas. As a college admission professional, she coordinated strategic planning efforts in student recruitment, supervising travel, programming, admission and financial aid policies and practices. She conducted numerous presentations nationally at high schools, colleges, churches/parishes, corporations and conferences. During her college admission tenure, she provided counsel to college applicants regarding admission and financial aid, academic advising and career options. She also contributed as a writer and editor of various publications, such as viewbooks, catalogs, and alumni/donor publications. She is a current member of the National Association of College Admission Counselors (NACAC) and the Minnesota Association of College Admission Counselors (MACAC) with certificates from the Rice University Workshop on College Admission and the Harvard Admission Institute. Mrs. Hogan holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Dallas.
Mr. Brian Estrada

Mr. Brian Estrada

Associate Dean of College Counseling

Phone: 763-258-5514

Biography

Mr. Brian Estrada has served as Associate Dean of College Counseling since August 2013. He worked in college admissions for nine years, first at Vanderbilt University and then at Dartmouth College. As an admissions officer, he was directly responsible for reviewing student applications and for training and supervising admission readers.  He has given talks on college admissions and college counseling at secondary schools and professional conferences throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. He graduated from Texas Christian University with Phi Beta Kappa honors and also holds a Master of Science in Education from Indiana University-Bloomington and a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from Dartmouth College.