NORWALK, Conn. — The Coast to Coast College Tour—featuring five prestigious schools from across the country, including the University of Southern California and Princeton University—will make a stop at Norwalk High School on Monday, April 28.
Representatives from Princeton and USC, as well as Dartmouth College, Vanderbilt University, and Northwestern University, will visit Norwalk High School at 7 p.m. next Monday to talk about the admissions process at each school.
The program is free to attend, but anyone planning on doing so must register at coasttocoasttour.org.
“Coast to Coast is really for those kids who are looking or considering the more competitive college or just have questions about what that’s like and where they fit in on that continuum,” said Norwalk High School Assistant Principal Dan Sullivan, adding that the program is geared toward students in grades 9-11 and their families.
“We have so many talented students and so many talented first-generation students, and this helps open up access to schools of this caliber, because it’s important they understand the roadmap, if you will, because these schools are so competitive,” added Sullivan.
According to the Coast to Coast tour’s website, “Because each of our institutions practices holistic admissions within a highly selective environment, we have partnered to offer insight into the seemingly complex admissions process.”
The program at Norwalk High, which will run from 7 to 9 p.m., will feature a presentation from each college rep, with an opportunity for students and families to ask questions afterward.
“There’ll be a panel up front, they’ll introduce themselves, tell a little bit about their school, and present a little bit on that,” said Sullivan. “And then there will be an opportunity for dialogue and questions afterwards.”
The representatives will also discuss “the admissions process and the unique characteristics of their schools,” added Sullivan.
“It’s going to be about helping students and families understand this process because the nice thing about these schools is a lot of their admissions components are pretty similar, in terms of how competitive they are, what they’re looking for, what does that profile look like of a student that maybe applies to these schools—those kinds of things,” said Sullivan.
“And I think it’s good, especially the competitive schools, that they are doing outreach in the communities, even outside their geographical sort of area,” he added.
Sullivan said five students in the Norwalk High School Class of 2024 were accepted into at least one Ivy League school, which he said was “unheard of.”
He added, “I think we are on the map now with a lot of prestigious colleges that are now reaching out to us and are more willing to come here because of our postsecondary outcomes.”
For students interested in ultra-competitive schools like those coming to Norwalk on April 28, Sullivan said it’s never too early for them to start thinking about the future and building up their resumes.
“You have to start planning with these students, sometimes even in middle school, leading into high school so they’re taking the right program, building their resume with leadership and service activities or passion projects,” he explained.
For students in their junior year of high school, they’ve reached a point in the process where “it’s real now,” as Sullivan put it.
“We have had a number of activities now leading them up to this point, including some developmental guidance lessons in the classroom; meeting with college reps during our college rep season, which is in the fall every year; the college night program we had in February; and the College Fair [at Norwalk High April 23],” said Sullivan. “So, all these activities are sort of leading them there, so they can start actualizing this process and the many options that they have.”
Sullivan also talked about how the program on April 28 can help parents plan for having a student in college.
“I talk to parents all the time—the process has changed so significantly since they went to school, and it continues to evolve. So, I think it helps parents just to understand what it’s like today, what they can expect and helping them set goals and helping them in their planning, because it’s a process,” said Sullivan.
“And while a lot of it is driven by us at the school, there is a significant amount, as a dad of three sons who went to college, there is a lot of planning on the family side as well and having those conversations about admissions goals, money, all those things,” Sullivan added.
While students can attend Coast to Coast on their own, it is recommended they do so with a parent or guardian.
For more information or to register, visit coasttocoasttour.org.
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