College Counseling

The internship program is the best thing Sayre School does to prepare for college. You are on your own schedule and need to hold yourself accountable.

Bennett Grau '26, biology/pre-dental, Wofford College

 Services 

Sayre’s College Counseling program includes the following services:

• Alumni panel: Each winter, Sayre alumni return to campus to share tips with juniors and their parents on the college search experience.

• Campus visits: During Sayre’s annual class trips in the fall, juniors may participate in a college tour hosted by our college counselors or arrange their own. In 2025, a group of juniors visited Clemson University, the University of South Carolina, Wofford College, and Vanderbilt University, where they met up with Sayre alumni to get students’ points of view. 

• College application support: Our college counselors help students navigate the entire admissions process, from curating school lists, to managing deadlines, to  finalizing their decisions. 
• College essay summer workshops: Designed for rising seniors, these workshops help students brainstorm, draft, and refine their college application essays or personal statements. Our counselors also work one-on-one with students as needed.
• Financial aid workshops: Targeted at parents of juniors and seniors, these workshops walk parents through grants, scholarships, and loans. Topics include the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid; and the CSS, the College Scholarship Service Profile, which is used by colleges and scholarship programs to award non-federal institutional aid. 
• Free online test prep: Practice tests, video lessons, and interactive questions can help students improve scores. Through subscriptions to test preparation platforms, we offer no-cost resources for the SAT, ACT, AP, and college placement exams. 
• Mock interview sessions: Simulated practice interviews are designed to mirror the structure and tone of a college admissions interview. Through these dress rehearsals, students improve their confidence and receive constructive feedback in a safe, low-stakes environment before meeting with an admissions officer or college alumnus. 
• Resume writing: A well-crafted compilation of activities and honors that highlight students' interests, involvement, and impact, will elevate student applications in a competitive pool. 
• Senior internship program: Our annual internship program runs at the end of the school year. Seniors wrap up coursework early and spend several weeks interning at organizations such as veterinary practices, medical offices, the court system and non-profits. The experiences help to cement students’ career aspirations and give them a competitive edge for college internship opportunities.

The college counseling office really helped me lower my anxiety about applying to schools because they had an answer to any question I had.

Sayvion Staley ’26, pre-law, University of Cincinnati

 Family connections 

Sayre's college counselors help parents align academic goals, budget realities, and college dreams to ease the path to higher education. Parent programs include: 

• Cup of College Counseling
  • For sophomore parents 
  • Topics include college counseling software, upcoming standardized test dates, and application strategies
• Financial Aid Workshop, for junior/senior parents
• College Application Season: It's Game-Time!
  • For junior parents
• Senior Parent Transition Night
  • In the spring

Thank you so much for including UNC in Sayre's College Admissions Forum. It is always such a pleasure...to interact with your always courteous and bright students. UNC-Chapel Hill Admission Officer