This is a busy time of year in the Hutchison college counseling office. As we prepare and send recommendation letters, transcripts, and work with girls as the application deadlines quickly approach, it is important to reflect on the relationships we build with each girl. Because of our one-on-one college counseling, we are able to vividly describe each girl in our letters of recommendation. Yet, our work does not start a few weeks before an application deadline; it starts years before. In fact, our relationship with each girl begins during her freshman year. This is the Hutchison difference.
Because we assist with upper school course advising in addition to college counseling, we have a full picture of a Hutchison girl’s experience. We know how much she loved AP US History, even though it was the hardest course she took. We know her Hutchison Leads internship revealed her passion for biomedical engineering. We know how her Hutchison Serves project inspired her to become a servant leader in the community. Because of the relationships we forge with each girl, we are able to highlight her uniqueness and tell her story in a way that stands out.
The college process is stressful, and we will never tell you otherwise. Because all of our college counselors have previously worked in college admissions, we are able to bring that perspective to our conversations with our girls. We know what works, and more importantly, what does not work. To alleviate some of the stress about essays, we lead a workshop to brainstorm ideas with the seniors in August before school starts. Additionally, during the first semester we meet in small groups with the seniors once in every six-day rotation. They have dedicated time at school to work on their applications or essays with one of the college counselors ready to help. We host workshops about using the online college application tool (Naviance), building a strong resume, and making the most of college campus visits. Last month we hosted our largest college fair to date with 44 colleges joining us.
We are a resource not only for the girls, but also for Hutchison parents. Our door is always open to our families who have questions about the college admissions process.
ABOUT LAUREN COLPITTS
Lauren Colpitts is our college counseling director. She joined Hutchison in 2013 as a college counselor. Prior to Hutchison, Ms. Colpitts served as the associate director of admission at Ohio Wesleyan University for seven years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Government from Ohio Wesleyan University.
Anywhere She Can Imagine
Check out this video of collegiate alumnae sharing how Hutchison prepared them for success in college and beyond.
Hutchison Now highlights graduates early in their careers who embody how a Hutchison education can lead anywhere you can imagine. We spoke with Mary Catherine Hughes ’10, a development associate at the Nashville Repertory Theatre.
Through Quiz Bowl, Hutchison middle school girls are focusing on academics and becoming stronger students while gaining teamwork and leadership skills.
When she was 15 years old, Shea Sisk and her family picked up and moved from Marianna, Arkansas, to Memphis. “It was a significant life change, to say the least … academically, socially, leaving behind all of my friends and coming to a new city,” Shea Sisk Wellford ’87 said. She said her parents empowered her to choose the school she would go to, and she picked Hutchison, but admits it was daunting. “My school in Arkansas was completely fine, but it was not a challenge.”
The March 2024 issue of Memphis Magazine celebrates the work of Ebet Roberts ’63, who has photographed many famous musicians over the past four decades.
Audsley Dunavant Carr ’08 delivered a special Cum Laude address to this year’s Cum Laude Society inductees. She spoke about how Hutchison taught her to become a lifelong learner and how it laid the foundation for her career.
Junior kindergarten girls are learning all about the heart, and they got to hear from a special visiting expert: cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon Dr. Ed Garrett, grandfather to June ’37.
Our girls arrive in early childhood equipped with tremendous potential for learning, and we believe that learning is more meaningful when their interests are explored.
Hutchison Now highlights recent graduates early in their careers who embody how a Hutchison education can lead anywhere you can imagine. We spoke with Gabi Stein ’15, a product manager for Reddit in Seattle, Washington.
The road to recovering from a horrific injury has been a long one for Tyler Jones ’25, but 16 months later, she is helping lead the Hutchison Sting to victories on the basketball court.
Hutchison Now highlights recent graduates early in their careers who embody how a Hutchison education can lead anywhere you can imagine. We spoke with Daisye Rainer ’17, Program Associate for Social Impact, a global development management consulting firm.
Stephanie Park '25 organized Hutchison's blood drive to help fight the national ongoing blood shortage. With her efforts, blood donations at the Hutchison blood drive could have saved as many as 96 lives.