Celebrating College Successes

Brooks School’s class of 2026 was all smiles as they paraded out of the graduation tent and into the next chapter in their lives this May. They had a lot to celebrate, after all.

Watch livestream of the Commencement Weekend ceremonies and see who won awards.

Matriculated to 58 different colleges and universities from UCLA to the U.K., each had made the most of Brooks’ college counseling office’s support and found a “fit” school for them to continue learning at the next level, with many earning significant financial awards to support their next step, as well.

Matriculation details: See the academies, colleges and universities that Brooks’ class of 2026 will attend this fall.

“Our outcomes are impressive because every student and family comes into the college search with different priorities — athletically, financially, geographically — and the college office went above and beyond to mold every search to each particular family and student,” said College Counselor Cameron Segal.

The fact that Brooksians secured spots at institutions as varied as 1,700-student Grinnell College in Iowa to 30,000-student New York University — and liberal arts women’s colleges Smith and Wellesley to studying education at the Lynch School at Boston College — is a testament to the college counseling team’s “care, empathy and attention to detail,” he said. 

“Every college search is unique,” Segal added. “This is one of the most fun and inspiring parts about the job.”

LOW-STRESS START

The process starts during a student’s second year at Brooks, when each teen is assigned a college counselor with whom they work one-on-one, giving the expert greater insight into the student’s collegiate hopes, academic interests and goals so that the counselor can evaluate which schools will truly fit those credentials.

Director of College Counseling Brenna Kelly acknowledges that the beginning can feel daunting for students. “We like to remind them that they should not be thinking about college too early,” she said. “We tell them, ‘Enjoy your Brooks School experience, jump into your academics, try a new sport or be in one of our theater productions. The college process will be here before you know it.’”

THINKING IT THROUGH

Research, discussions, list building and advising fill the following year.

Students have three college counseling meetings with their counselor during the second semester of their fifth-form (junior) year, when thinking about institutional fit, a testing plan, courses for the following year and college-list building begins in earnest. 

FINALIZING LISTS

Starting off a student’s final (senior) year, they have the opportunity to meet on campus with college representatives. Nearly 100 admission officers from a variety of institutions visit Brooks to meet with students each fall to help the soon-to-be-grads finalize their application decisions.

REWARDING RESULTS

 “We're lucky that we’re able to guide students along the way but so many of the college results of our students are indicative of the work that they do in all aspects of their Brooks experience that eventually yields those results,” said Dean of College Counseling Andy Campbell.

“I think being in this environment, with a smaller school and class size, the kids really push each other to pay attention to detail, put time and effort in their apps, come to info sessions that are hosted here and give a lot of thought to the next phase of their educational lives.”

Ultimately, students learn a lot about themselves in the process and uncover many opportunities that they perhaps hadn't previously considered, he added. “It’s not unique to the class of ’26, but when I see students cross that graduation stage, it’s a great feeling to know that each one has accomplished a lot and has a great place to attend school in the fall.”

Go Inside: Brooks School’s College Counseling Program