Last week, members of the Command Education team traveled to New Haven, CT to host a college admissions workshop at ACES (Area Cooperative Educational Services) Educational Center for the Arts. A magnet school for the arts, the institution draws students from public high schools around the area and provides instruction in five primary departments: Music, Dance, Theater, Creative Writing, and Visual Arts. Because of ACES’ unique educational model, Command Education was able to reach students from a diverse range of schools with important information about college admissions.
The half-day event kicked off with a series of all-school presentations led by Command Education Senior Mentors and Senior Tutors: Kelly shared about how to build a strong academic profile; Sam provided tips on selecting extracurriculars and writing about activities on the Common App; Ethan presented on college list building; Kyle offered guidance for standardized testing; and Erin shared insights on scholarship applications.
Senior Tutor Kyle presenting on standardized testing.
From there, students were separated into grade-specific breakout groups, where Senior Mentors provided more targeted guidance for students of all ages, as well as interactive worksheets and resources. Ethan, Kelly, and Sam hosted workshops for 10th grade students on extracurriculars and college and career preparedness; Kyle, Lauren, and Vincent helped 11th grade students think critically about standardized testing and their arts-focused applications; and Erin, Lindsay, and Emily worked with 12th graders to brainstorm dynamic essay topics and craft eye-catching resumes.
Senior Mentor Ethan shared that the breakout groups were a particularly beneficial opportunity for students to ask questions and explore admissions-related topics in more depth. “We discussed what it means to develop an ‘academic hook’ and how being strategic with their extracurriculars is important to effectively convey their passions in college (and even professional) applications,” says Ethan. “It was wonderful to field their questions, talk intimately about what drives them, and help them ideate about how to make the most of their next few years of high school.”
“It’s so nice to see students in every grade receive something meaningful from this event,” says Principal Stefanie Savo. “Schools don’t usually offer college admissions guidance to underclassmen, but it is so important that they start early to build their ‘college admissions toolbox’—and that’s exactly what they got to do today.”
School counselor Julie Massaro echoed her sentiments, stating: “Any type of additional guidance and coaching that helps students understand the admissions process is a huge win.”
Since its founding, Command Education’s mission has been “to empower each individual to find their passion while developing valuable life skills for college and beyond.” The partnership with ACES offered a dynamic opportunity for the Command Education team to live out this mission and expand access to expert insights on the college application process.
Command Education team members that traveled to the New Haven, CT event.
Reflecting on the experience, event organizer Kelly shared: “The most meaningful part for me, beyond simply providing college counseling advice, was to see the students actively engaging in discussions about what it means to pursue their interests in ways that will also serve their community. Based on the excited conversations I heard, I’m confident that the ACES ECA students won’t just be prepared for college applications—they’ll be prepared to grow as individuals, students, and community leaders.”
