Serious business. Serious results. Serious fun!
We believe the college process should be exciting and collaborative (and dare we say, fun!). At Westridge, the process is not a competition, but rather a continuation of students’ journeys of self-discovery, exploration, and empowerment.
At the center of our College Counseling program is the knowledge that there is no “cookie-cutter” version of a Westridge student. Our personalized program is designed to help students learn about themselves and their needs, and present their unique stories authentically to their best-match schools.
Our team of counselors thoughtfully guide students in identifying institutions well-suited to their goals for the future in a process that showcases their strengths, celebrates their dreams, and supports them in their transition to the next stage of their lives.
For College Representatives
College representatives are invited to visit Westridge and meet with our students. Find more information on scheduling a visit below.
In my experience with Westridge girls, I have found them to be both intellectually curious and bold. They are innately driven and lead with compassion. They are standouts at Pitzer!
—Yvonne Berumen
Vice President of Admission and Financial Aid at Pitzer College
College Counseling provided all of us with step-by-step guidance and mentoring to help ease the stress that comes with the college application process. Beginning with the exercises to discover our character traits and values to brainstorming on personal statements to narrowing down the perfect college list, they guided and supported us each step of the way.
—Isabella Kedikian
Class of 2023
The Westridge College Counseling team is a group of real-life superheroes. During my college process, I knew I had support available 24/7, which is definitely a perk of going to a smaller school where counselors can offer individualized attention. Not only did the counselors provide me with all the information and resources under the sun, but they also became my personal cheerleaders.
—Gracie Bender
Class of 2020
About the College Process
After several touchpoints with families earlier in high school, we prepare juniors, seniors, and parents with the resources required for the application process and transition to college. Westridge College Counselors work one-on-one with every Upper School student starting in her junior year and provide intensive guidance through semester-long seminar courses for both juniors and seniors.
Additionally, the College Counseling team hosts more than 30 events each year. In the fall, representatives from more than 130 colleges and universities visit campus to meet with seniors. Evening forums for families, financial aid workshops, and a comprehensive “case study” featuring dozens of college representatives are also offered. In their final year, seniors and their parents take part in Next Steps Workshops that guide them through the transition to independent living with presentations and hands-on workshops on topics like “College Living 101,” finances, time management, and more. Click here to view a full list of our workshops.
Our results speak for themselves:
Westridge graduates end their time in Upper School well-prepared and excited for whatever college experience they have chosen. Our matriculation list is as varied as our students; 70 members of the Class of 2024 earned 453 acceptances to 153 colleges and universities (and 91% gained early acceptance).
In the past three years, our students have been admitted to:
Art Schools
INCLUDING:
ArtCenter College of Design, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Otis College of Art and Design, Pratt Institute, Rhode Island School of Design, Savannah College of Art and Design, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, University of the Arts
STEM Schools
INCLUDING:
California State University-Pomona, California Institute of Technology, Colorado School of the Mines, Harvey Mudd College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Rochester
Liberal Arts Colleges
INCLUDING:
Babson College, Claremont McKenna College, Colorado College, Connecticut College, Hamilton College, Haverford College, Macalester College, Oberlin College, Occidental College, Pitzer College, Pomona College, Reed College, Skidmore, Vassar College
Private Colleges & Universities
INCLUDING:
Boston University, University of Chicago, Duke University, George Washington University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Northwestern University, Pepperdine University, University of Southern California, Stanford University, Tulane University, Washington University in St. Louis
Ivy League Schools
INCLUDING:
Brown University, Columbia University in the City of New York, Cornell University, Harvard College, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, Yale University
Public Universities
INCLUDING:
California State Polytechnic University-San Luis Obispo, University of California-Berkeley, University of California-Irvine, University of California-Los Angeles, University of California-San Diego, University of California-Santa Barbara, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, University of Virginia-Charlottesville
Music Schools & Conservatories
INCLUDING:
Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Cleveland Institute of Music, Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester, The New England Conservatory of Music, Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, University of Southern California
D1 Athletic Programs
INCLUDING:
California State University-Long Beach, University of California-Berkeley, Florida State University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Long Island University-Brooklyn, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, Santa Clara University
Women's Colleges
INCLUDING:
Barnard College, Bryn Mawr College, Mills College, Mount Holyoke College, Scripps College, Simmons University, Smith College, Spelman College, Wellesley College
International Schools
INCLUDING:
The American University of Paris, Bard College Berlin, University of British Columbia, Columbia University International Dual BA Programs, King's College London, The University of Edinburgh, McGill University, New York University-Shanghai, University of St. Andrews, University of Toronto, Trinity College Dublin
Meet Our College Counseling Team
Our world-class College Counseling team wears many hats; our counselors are enthusiastic cheerleaders, reliable and supportive coaches to Westridge families, and knowledgeable sources of information and tools. While students are each assigned to a main counselor dedicated to working with them one-on-one throughout their junior and senior years, our counselors work as a highly collaborative team who all genuinely care about every student that walks through their doors.
The College Counseling team's motto of “honesty, support, and consensus” captures the essence of their process. We recognize the deeply personal, emotional, and financial considerations that play significant roles in the college process, and our commitment to discussing all perspectives and addressing every expectation honestly and compassionately, sets up each student and their family for success.
College Counseling Team
MONIQUE EGUAVOEN, Ed.D.
Director of College Counseling
JANN LACOSS, Ph.D.
Assistant Director of College Counseling
KATHLEEN O'REILLY
Senior College Counseling Associate
PAM WHITE
Administrative Assistant to College Counseling
Contact the team at collegecounseling@westridge.org.
The College Counseling Team at Westridge School has each student’s best interest at heart when it comes to the university advising process. Having worked directly with the team for years, the caring excellence in advising the Westridge team provides families is comprehensive, student-centric, and oriented towards individualized success.
—Mark E. Butt
Director of Admission at Emory University