Jennifer Gautier
High School Registrar
Start Date: 2022
The mission of the Academic and College Counseling Office “The ACC” is to ensure that EC students receive comprehensive academic, college, and career advisement throughout their time in high school. Partnering with parents, faculty, and administration, we strive to provide excellent and timely resources for students so that they feel well informed and prepared to pursue the postsecondary path of their choosing.
You Can Get There From Here!
Eastern Christian graduates pursue a wide variety of postsecondary endeavors, including enrollment at some of the finest colleges and universities in the world. This list is a glimpse of where EC students have been accepted over the last five years.
and many more!
Are you a College Rep?
We love hosting college reps and giving our students the opportunity to ask questions as they explore college options! Please give us a call or use the link to schedule a visit to EC.
Meet the Academic & College Counseling Team
Our academic & college counselors meet with students beginning in eighth grade to develop academic plans aligned with their interests, abilities, and aspirations. Each spring, we revisit these conversations and help students select appropriate courses for the upcoming school year. As students progress through high school, they interact with our office with increasing frequency.
Stephanie Lim
Associate Director of Academic & College Counseling
Start Date: 2021
Education: B.A. Psychology, Rutgers University
M.A. School Counseling, Montclair State University
Before joining the EC family, Stephanie worked in various public schools in Bergen County, New Jersey. Even from a young age, Stephanie knew she wanted to work with students as she walked alongside them to achieve their God-given potentials–she is so excited to be a part of this community to do exactly that! She recently celebrated her marriage to her husband, Peter. During her downtime, she enjoys baking and convincing Peter to foster a puppy. The Lim family enjoys serving at their church, The Church Gathered & Scattered.
Jesse Struck
Director of Academic & College Counseling and Honors Academy Advisor
Start Date: 2012
Education: B.A. - Psychology, Duquesne University
M.S. - School Counseling, Gwynedd-Mercy University
A proud Philadelphia native and NJ transplant, Jesse has held college counseling positions in a variety of schools including The Stony Brook School, Mahwah High School, and a prior term at Eastern Christian (2012-2018). As the Director of Academic and College Counseling at EC, Jesse is committed to providing comprehensive resources and strong support for students throughout their academic progression and postsecondary transition. Jesse also serves as the Advisor for the Eastern Christian School Honors Academy. These complementary roles align with Jesse’s passion for building relationships with students and helping them discern and follow the Lord’s leading in their lives. He is also passionate about Liverpool Football Club, but in a different way. Jesse is married to Lindsey Struck and they have three young children.
ACC Program Overview
What follows is a brief outline of the resources and support we provide for students during their junior and senior years in effort to guide them through their postsecondary transition.
College Representative Visits
Each fall, over 50 colleges and universities send admissions representatives to Eastern Christian School. Held in the Academic & College Counseling Office, these small group meetings are a great way for students to learn more about prospective colleges, particularly schools that may be too far to visit. Additionally, these representatives are usually involved in the application review process for EC students, so this is an important opportunity to make a connection and positive impression.
College Campus Tours
Academic and college counselors lead a multi-day, multi-campus college road trip each year, typically in November. Open to juniors and seniors, this is a fun and affordable opportunity for students to visit a variety of colleges (large vs. small, Christian vs. non-Christian, etc.) to better discern their preferences. The ACC team also leads one or two single-day campus visits throughout the year.
College App & Essay SOAR
Juniors and seniors are encouraged to utilize our in-school “SOAR” period to work on college applications and essays with support from the ACC team and high school English teachers.
“Junior Parent Night” ( January/February Event)
Students and parents, especially juniors, are invited to attend this evening program which provides a broad overview of the college admissions process and other postsecondary pathways.
Junior Meetings
Academic & college counselors meet with all juniors individually during their spring semester. Parents are strongly encouraged to attend. Meetings are typically held during school hours, but morning, afternoon, and evening meetings may be arranged upon request. Meetings include:
- Discussion about possible career options
- Discussion of related majors and minors and/or training programs
- Recommendations for college research and planning
- Review of high school transcript
- Review of Scoir tools and features
- Overview of college admissions process, components, and timeline
- Overview of financial aid process
- Creation of an individualized standardized testing plan (SAT and/or ACT)
- Discussion of college application strategies (early action, early decision, regular decision, rolling, etc.)
- Development of preliminary college list
- Brainstorm recommendations letters
- Discussion of senior schedule
- Academic and College Counseling Office procedures (required forms, transcript requests, timeline, etc.)
“College App Boot Camp” (July/August Event)
During this intensive summer session, rising seniors will make meaningful progress on their Common App, personal statement, and supplemental essays. Students will also build balanced college lists and have the opportunity to tour a college campus.
“College Application Night” (September/October Event)
Students and parents will have the opportunity to learn about the college application process from the perspective of a college admissions office.
“Financial Planning Workshop” (October Event)
We invite a financial aid specialist to this event to assist students and parents through the financial aid process. This event is not reserved for juniors and seniors, ALL EC students and parents are invited and encouraged to attend.
Senior Meetings
Academic & college counselors meet with all seniors individually during their fall semester. Parents are strongly encouraged to attend. Meetings are typically held during school hours, but morning, afternoon, and evening meetings may be arranged upon request. Meetings include:
- Review of items discussed during junior meetings
- Review final list of colleges
- Application progress, completion, and questions
- Revisit application strategies (early action, early decision, regular decision, rolling)
- Review of test scores and discussion re: test-optional strategies
- Review of high school transcript
- Financial aid and scholarship procedures (FAFSA, CSS Profile, etc.)
- Follow up on overall progress
“Senior Celebration Night” (May/June Event)
Parents and seniors are invited to attend this community celebration of the highlights and achievements of the senior class.
Additional Resources & Links
The following links are great resources for students and parents.
Standardized Testing
What tests are out there and which is right for you?
Scholarships
What opportunities exist and how do you go about applying?
Financial Aid Process
What is the process and how do you begin applying for aid?
College Planning Timeline
How do I prepare well and what do I need to do when?
Additional Links for Students
Scoir – Our comprehensive college and career readiness solution that helps our students with research and the college application process.
Big Future – The College Board’s college and career research tool.
College Navigator – Cut through the advertising clutter and get the stats with this tool from the US Department of Education
College Scorecard – An easy to navigate website to see interesting facts like the average salary and average debt after graduation.
My Blueprint Story – If you are interested in studying a christian college, this site is a great place to start.
Niche – This is the “Yelp” of college searches. It is very subjective, but can be helpful and interesting.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook – This is provided by the US Department of Labor. It contains comprehensive information about nearly 95% of all jobs, including salary information, job outlook, and more.
NCAA Eligibility Center – Students who are interested in participating in Division I or II sports in college need to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center
Collegexpress – Contains a lot of the usual college information, but check out the “Lists & Rankings” feature.
YouVisit – Virtual college campus tours.