Knightly News

For students who missed the recent college tour, there will be another tour next year.  The college counseling team is also hosting the seventh annual College Fair and Case Studies on Sunday, March 26th, with over 50 colleges and universities sending representatives to meet with Episcopal students. All sophomore and junior students and parents have received registration information. For tips on making the most of a college fair, click here.

In January, twenty-one Episcopal sophomores and juniors smiled for a photo alongside students from Metairie Park Country Day School in New Orleans. They stood on the edge of the Cistern at the College of Charleston, surrounded by a beautiful campus greenspace that serves as the front entry to campus. They had just learned that walking across the cistern could jinx their chances of graduating if they chose to attend CofC, so each student stayed on the edge in a cautiously optimistic pose. After the picture, the group ventured to Port of Call in downtown Charleston where they enjoyed lowcountry fare with new friends and live music (by a one-man-band hailing from Lafayette, LA). Their trip was full of college tours, admissions data, and information sessions but also a taste of culture in South Carolina.  

Every spring, when college counselors meet with juniors, they ask students if they have visited any colleges. These first hand experiences can provide unique insights to jump start the college application process.  From “It felt too spread out” to “the students were so friendly” or “I loved the sporty atmosphere”--comments about campus visits can reveal student interests and priorities, which help shape the counselor’s recommendation of other colleges. Counselors can also help students understand their experiences by adding data, facts, and personal experiences for individual institutions. For instance, a counselor could point out that a student seems to prefer urban environments or that a college’s enrollment is actually a lot larger than it might have seemed when walking around.  

These discussions of college features, types, and cultures were the main course of study during the Episcopal College Tour this January. This year’s group traveled to Spartanburg, Clemson, Columbia, Conway, and Charleston, SC, visiting five colleges in three days. Director of College Counseling Justin Fenske and I accompanied the students with Danielle Staggers and Nicole Turner from MPCDS.  South Carolina was a top-ranked location on student and parent surveys in the fall, so the trip was planned with the intention of visiting a variety of college types in the Palmetto State.  

Despite a rocky start caused by a flight delay and lost luggage on Wednesday, the students remained in great spirits for tours of Wofford College and Clemson University on Thursday. The visits included an information session with admissions representatives followed by a campus tour led by current students. After the first day, students were able to compare and contrast a small, private liberal arts college in the middle of a small city with a larger public institution in a suburban location. 

On Friday, the tour resumed with a look at the University of South Carolina in the morning, featuring modern buildings, a more urban setting in Columbia, and a dorm room viewing.  Students spent the afternoon at sunny Coastal Carolina University, where they experienced a mid-sized campus with new brick buildings (The college was founded in 1954). On Saturday, the group made their final stop at the College of Charleston, the thirteenth oldest college in the country.  

Junior Skylar Rattler attended last year’s tour of colleges in Mississippi and Tennessee as well as this year’s trip. She reflected, “Before the tours, I didn’t really know what I wanted out of a college. Compared with rep visits to Episcopal and virtual visits, you get a much better idea when you’re actually on the campus. Getting to visit the cities was super cool too, and I now have a much better idea of what I am looking for in my college experience.” 

The College Counseling team is already making plans for the next tour during the 2023-2024 school year, and they look forward to guiding more students through this meaningful learning experience. 

Mark your calendars!
2023 Episcopal College Fair and Case Studies
Sunday, March 26th
Sophomore and junior students and parents are encouraged to attend and have received registration information.

Julia Spaht

A veteran Episcopal educator, Julia Spaht is now the Assistant Director of College Counseling. Spaht previously worked as the Episcopal Writing Center Director and an Upper School English and Art History teacher. Most recently, she was the Admissions and Enrollment Director at St. James Episcopal Day School, where she helped boost enrollment by 10%. As an independent college counselor and essay coach, Spaht worked with students from a variety of backgrounds and circumstances as they pursued their long-term education goals. Spaht grew up in Atlanta, Georgia where she attended the Westminster Schools. During her undergraduate studies at Washington and Lee University, she studied in Italy and interned at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Spaht later earned a master’s degree in English education from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Arts in English from Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English.

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2024-2025 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the private school, contact us at [email protected] or 225-755-2685.