Guidance Curriculum by Grade

Fairfield Prep offers a specific guidance program for each class year which is designed to meet the needs of students in that particular stage of development. Counselor assignments are arranged by alphabet and by class.Guidance seminars are set up by classification and topics for discussion, targeting those issues which affect students at each academic level and level of personal development.

The frequency of the guidance seminars vary by grade. Freshman and sophomore seminars meet once each cycle for the academic year, while junior and senior guidance seminars are less frequent but leave more room for individual planning with guidance counselors.

You can read through a full breakdown of the guidance programs below.

2018-19 Guidance Counselor Seminar Information

Freshman Guidance Program

Transition to high school, with particular focus on transition to Fairfield Prep.
Examination of Prep's mission and its implications for Prep students.
Familiarizing students with academic support systems at Fairfield Prep - the Academic Center and Peer Tutor Program.
Study skills, goal setting, academic review and evaluation.
Self esteem and personal development.
Preliminary college exploration using Naviance.
Drug and Alcohol education.
Tolerance: respecting and valuing others.
Academic review and course selection for sophomore year.

Freshman Parents Guidance Evening 2017

Sophomore Guidance Program

Introduction to the academic and personal challenges of sophomore year.
Drug and Alcohol education.
Personality and career investigation.
Preparing for the PSAT.
Review of PSAT results.
Administration and discussion of ACT practice test..
Preliminary college search using Naviance.
Sexual responsibility.
Academic review and goal setting.
Course selection for junior year.
Review of files with junior/senior counselor and transition to junior/senior guidance program.

Sophomore Parents Guidance Night - Spring 2016

Junior Guidance Program

Readiness for college search process - review of essential factors in college admission. Importance of: academic success in junior year, refining of interests and talents through academics and activities, success on standardized tests (SAT, ACT).
Preparing for the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test.
Review of Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test results.
Getting to know the value of Naviance and engaging college search through Naviance.
Discuss of standardized test options - SAT/ACT or both.
Establishing an SAT/ACT strategy.
SAT Subject Tests
Refining of college lists using Naviance (semester two).
Academic review and course selection for senior year.
Review of the essentials of the college search process: the campus visit, admissions interview, essential factors in college admissions decisions, personal essay, accessing teacher recommendations.
The "Junior Interview" - one on one interview with advisor and identification of appropriate colleges.
Review of suggested tasks for Junior/Senior summer: practice essay, campus visits, refining college list, readiness for application procedures in fall of senior year.

Senior Guidance Program

Getting ready to apply: final SAT/ACT, teacher recommendation requests, finalizing college lists, outline of College Advising office procedures for transcript request, the personal essay, the admissions interview, accessing college visitors to Fairfield Prep, establishing an application strategy.
Successful transition to college life - managing the academic and personal challenges ahead.