College Placement

SAT Prep and ACT Prep are an important component of any college preparatory program. St. Benedict's recently partnered with Winward Academy to prepare our students for these standardized entrance exams. Students formally begin preparing for a spring SAT or ACT in the fall of their UD2 year (junior year) using self-guided lessons in the Winward Academy platform. In the spring and summer, students have the opportunity to participate in a live (in person or virtual, depending on the public health circumstances) SAT prep course to prepare them for later administrations of the SAT during their junior year and in their senior year.

Winward is an award-winning e-learning platform founded by Dr. Jennifer Winward, a renowned 20-year veteran of tutoring and a highly-regarded instructor at University of California, San Diego.Through the generosity of Winward Academy and other benefactors, access to the platform is free, and the cost of the live classes is greatly subsidized.

St. Benedict’s taps into its extensive alumni network when organizing campus visits during Summer Phase and Fall Term. We like to take our students to the colleges and universities attended by recent graduates who understand where our seniors are coming from, and provide the "straight scoop," on academics, campus life, diversity, inclusion, and more.

The "College Tour Bus" will accumulate thousands of miles traveling throughout New Jersey, the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions. A wide range of colleges and universities also visit St. Benedict's and seniors are regularly notified of these visits through the College Placement process. 

During Summer Phase of senior year, students get a head start on the college application process in the Senior Portfolio Class. The class is a team taught and students work with different faculty members and counselors to begin ideas and drafts for the Common App essay. Seniors also develop a list of best fit colleges to apply to, and organize their college application to-do list.

The Office of College Placement devotes a great deal of time and energy to the college essay. The intensive process produces essays that reveal our students best qualities, and is a vehicle for helping Gray Bees stand out from other applicants.

Seniors begin drafting the Common App Essay in the Summer Phase Senior Portfolio Class. The process continues into Fall Term; College Placement team members meet students in small groups for constructive feedback. Then, individual appointments are scheduled to review progress, rewrites and revisions. Every College App Essay is reviewed by the Dean of Seniors and College Placement before it is submitted with the student's application.

Affordability is a big part of choosing the best-fit school. We know that when our graduates don't have to stress about paying for college, they excel in college. That's why St. Benedict's places added focus on the financial part of the college application process.

Members of our College Placement team work closely with students on submitting timely FAFSA applications and other financial aid paperwork. When seniors receive their acceptance and financial package, we review all the details — scholarships, grants, loans, terms and obligations — so each student can make the decision that works best for them.