Defining the Gold Standard of College Guidance

In many ways, Beth Tfiloh’s College Guidance Department has created an ideal college guidance program that many, including BT alumni and admissions officers from the nation’s top universities, consider to be the “gold standard.” BT parents and interested members of the community learned the fundamentals of Beth Tfiloh’s College Guidance program at “Navigating the Road to College Acceptance,” a recent public forum held in the Mintzes Theatre. The program, moderated by BT Director of Education and college advocate-in-chief Mrs. Zipora Schorr, featured a panel discussion with BT’s four college guidance advisors. 

Mrs. Schorr emphasized that the college guidance process’s overarching goal is to find the right school for each student. “We are so proud of how much we do for our kids and the great success they achieve,” remarked Mrs. Schorr. BT Director of College Guidance Mrs. Halaine Steinberg described the four-year college guidance process, which begins in 9th and 10th Grades with exploration and investigation, and culminates in 11th and 12th Grades with implementation and applications.  

Mrs. Susanna Smith, Mrs. Caryn Lerman and Mrs. Loryn Strauzer described the key components of BT’s program: serving as a valuable and supportive resource for students and their parents; creating a college application list; college visits and interviews; writing the all-important college essay; and a high level of personal advocacy for each student. Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Strauzer, who both previously served on college admissions staffs, emphasized the importance of self-advocacy, as well as the advocacy that regularly takes place by BT faculty on behalf of our students. They explained how students can show “demonstrated interest” in a specific college, and why that can benefit an applicant.  

A highlight of the program was BT alumna Emma Silverman ‘16, currently a freshman at Brown University, who described her college guidance experience. She mentioned how Mrs. Steinberg helped her come up with a novel approach to her college essay, and encouraged her to personally meet college representatives. 

In response to a parent’s question about how Beth Tfiloh compared its program to that of other school’s, Mrs. Susanna Smith told her "I truly feel that BT's program sets the gold standard.”