Gray Bees Prevail 

In a rocky admissions season affecting students nationwide

The Hive’s one-on-one college placement was put to the test in 2023-24 when the error-ridden rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, caused significant delays in financial aid processing that put college decisions on hold nationwide. Gray Bees were among the hundreds of thousands of low-income, college-bound seniors affected.

“We’re not going to lose kids to college because the federal government, in all its best efforts, still couldn’t figure out what to do,” said Dean of College Placement and Career Development Susanne Mueller in an interview about the new FAFSA in May. “This is an instance where seniors really need someone in their corner to figure out what’s going on with their financial aid package and have conversations with the colleges. We do not want our kids leaving in June without knowing where they are going to school.” 

Despite the rocky admissions season, College Placement and Career Development reported on June 15 that 88% of graduating seniors in the Girls and Boys Prep Divisions were headed to their best-fit college. 

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We’re not going to lose kids to college because the federal government, in all of its best efforts, still couldn’t figure out what to do.

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Alan Mba ’24 will attend Northwestern University on the QuestBridge Scholarship, the ninth Gray Bee to receive the prestigious scholarship in the last three years. The NJSGA awarded the Evans Scholarship to Mason Adão ’24 and Jhann Torres ’24, who will attend Rutgers University-New Brunswick with all costs covered. Gray Bees are also headed to Boston College, The College of Holy Cross and Saint John’s University (Minnesota) with generous packages that meet their financial need. 

The litmus test for choosing colleges at The Hive is that students assume no more than $30,000 in debt over the course of their college career. Ms. Mueller noted that the expansion in eligibility for New Jersey’s College Promise program in 2023 has encouraged more Gray Bees to attend college in their home state. “If you’re making below a certain amount, you are guaranteed zero college tuition through a combination of community colleges and state institutions. More and more of our students are choosing the New Jersey route.” 

Indeed, approximately 63% of college-bound seniors will attend a range of public and private schools in New Jersey, including NJIT, Rutgers University-Newark, Kean University, Montclair State University, Caldwell University, Drew University, Monmouth University, Saint Peter’s University and Seton Hall University. A smaller percentage, 37% of college bound graduates, will matriculate to out-of-state institutions. As has been the trend for the past few years, 12% of graduates have committed to serving in the military, completing a post-graduate year or enrolling in trade school. 

The college admissions process is already underway for the Class of 2025. In addition to Ms. Mueller, the team includes college placement counselors Marcus Morales and Alyssa Aveloski; Noreen Connolly H’11, who guides seniors through essay writing; and Dean of Administration Michael Scanlan H’97, coordinator of college visits.