Frisch’s College Guidance program supports each senior throughout the admissions process and helps students identify and gain acceptance to the college or colleges which meet their academic, lifestyle and religious needs. The College Guidance process at Frisch is comprehensive, as counselors work closely with students and their parents throughout all four years of high school.
A mid-year parent meeting with our Director of College Guidance serves to help parents of freshmen begin thinking about the college admissions process. While we remind freshmen of the reality that the grades they earn in Grade Nine do play a large part in the cumulative GPA that will someday be reported to college, and, as appropriate, we inform students and parents about the SAT Subject Test in Biology, we do our best to minimize any focus on college and instead emphasize students’ acclimation to high school and integration into all that Frisch has to offer.
Sophomores take the PSAT and Practice ACT in March and receive their scores mid-April. Once the scores are in, our College Guidance counselors meet with the students with whom they will be working during the next 2+ years to discuss the implications of the scores for future standardized testing requirements. A group meeting early in the year begins to inform parents of the realities of the college admissions process, including the choice—which takes place in the spring—of electives and course levels, standardized testing, and the creation of a college admissions resume.
The intensive relationship between the students, parents and the College Guidance office begins in the fall of junior year with a meeting with students and parents to introduce them to the selection and application process. The College Guidance counselors meet with each student to discuss the implications of the PSAT and PACT scores for SAT and/or ACT preparation and to set up an individualized SAT, ACT and SAT Subject Tests schedule, as well as to discuss summer plans.
At the first “formal” group meeting for both students and parents in March, we help our students begin the process of gathering recommendations, thinking about essay topics, researching college possibilities and completing and submitting to us the information which will facilitate the writing of personalized letters to demonstrate the unique skills, talents and strengths of each and every Frisch student. In the spring, a college fair and a panel bring together college admissions officers from several schools who discuss a series of admissions issues and answer parents’ questions about the entire process from the perspective of the colleges. Students and parents meet additional times, to begin drawing up a list of colleges and to make other specific plans. A major component of each meeting is a discussion of observant Jewish life on the college campus. College Guidance counselors also advise students about the choice of appropriate senior year electives.
The College Guidance office helps our students find summer internships and opportunities in areas they may be interested in pursuing in college and in the workplace.
Each year, the Frisch Parents Association, in conjunction with the Department of College Guidance, organizes an alumni college fair for our juniors. At the fair, the juniors have the opportunity to hear from and speak with Frisch alumni from a variety of colleges. The event includes a panel discussion about Jewish life on campus which focuses on the size of the Jewish community, davening, Jewish programming groups, Shabbat on campus and Israel advocacy programs. (Many of our alumni are extremely active in leadership roles on their college campuses.) Juniors also have an opportunity to circulate to booths manned by the alumni to informally ask questions about their college experience. Frisch facilitates a connection between our underclassmen and our alumni on campuses to build a relationship with the alumni and help our students navigate through the college admissions and decisions process. For years after graduation, our alumni maintain a close connection to our yeshiva and return to participate in many programs and co-curricular activities.
During the course of the application period, from September through February of the senior year, each student’s counselor works with him/her on myriad issues such as the implications of early decision, crafting of the student’s extracurricular resume, campus and alumni interviews (including mock interview sessions which are conducted by experienced interviewers who work with the Frisch Parents Association), teachers’ recommendations and financial aid. College counselors, English teachers and administrators work with students throughout the fall as they complete and perfect their application essays. Throughout the fall, representatives of many of the colleges to which our students apply come to Frisch to meet our seniors. College Guidance personnel visit colleges and meet personally with college admissions officers, advocating for each of our applicants.
Mr. Mitchell Lipton
Director of College Guidance
201-267-9100 x204
mitchell.lipton@frisch.org
Mr. Josh Gombo
201-267-9100 x246
josh.gombo@frisch.org
Mrs. Esther Genuth
201-267-9100 x287
esther.genuth@frisch.org
Mrs. Marissa Guijarro
201-267-9100 x289
marissa.guijarro@frisch.org
Mrs. Erin Stahl-Kiefer
201-267-9100 x276
erin.stahlkiefer@frisch.org
Mrs. Deborah Pearlman, Secretary
201-267-9100 x228
danielle.tamir@frisch.org