You Can Get There From Here!

Academic & College Counseling

The mission of the Academic and College Counseling Office “The ACC” is to ensure that EC students receive comprehensive academic, college, and career advisement throughout their time in high school. Partnering with parents, faculty, and administration, we strive to provide excellent and timely resources for students so that they feel well informed and prepared to pursue the postsecondary path of their choosing.

Recent College Acceptances

Meet Our Counselors

Program Overview

Helpful Links

You Can Get There From Here!

Eastern Christian graduates pursue a wide variety of postsecondary endeavors, including enrollment at some of the finest colleges and universities in the world. This list is a glimpse of where EC students have been accepted over the last five years.

and many more!

Meet the Academic & College Counseling Team

Our academic & college counselors meet with students beginning in eighth grade to develop academic plans aligned with their interests, abilities, and aspirations. Each spring, we revisit these conversations and help students select appropriate courses for the upcoming school year. As students progress through high school, they interact with our office with increasing frequency.

Stephanie Lim

Associate Director of Academic & College Counseling

Stephanie Lim

Associate Director of Academic & College Counseling

Start Date: 2021

Education: B.A. Psychology, Rutgers University
M.A. School Counseling, Montclair State University

Deep Hope: My deep hope is that students will embrace their God-given gifts and convictions to confidently discern God’s call for their future, and boldly engage the world through the lens of the gospel.

Bio:
Before joining the EC family, Stephanie worked in various public schools in Bergen County, New Jersey. Even from a young age, Stephanie knew she wanted to work with students as she walked alongside them to achieve their God-given potentials–she is so excited to be a part of this community to do exactly that! She recently celebrated her marriage to her husband, Peter. During her downtime, she enjoys baking and convincing Peter to foster a puppy. The Lim family enjoys serving at their church, The Church Gathered & Scattered.

Jesse Struck

Director of Academic & College Counseling and Honors Academy Advisor

Jesse Struck

Director of Academic & College Counseling and Honors Academy Advisor

Start Date: 2012

Education: B.A. - Psychology, Duquesne University
M.S. - School Counseling, Gwynedd-Mercy University

Bio:

A proud Philadelphia native and NJ transplant, Jesse has held college counseling positions in a variety of schools including The Stony Brook School, Mahwah High School, and a prior term at Eastern Christian (2012-2018). As the Director of Academic and College Counseling at EC, Jesse is committed to providing comprehensive resources and strong support for students throughout their academic progression and postsecondary transition. Jesse also serves as the Advisor for the Eastern Christian School Honors Academy. These complementary roles align with Jesse’s passion for building relationships with students and helping them discern and follow the Lord’s leading in their lives. He is also passionate about Liverpool Football Club, but in a different way. Jesse is married to Lindsey Struck and they have three young children.

ACC Program Overview

What follows is a brief outline of the resources and support we provide for students during their junior and senior years in effort to guide them through their postsecondary transition.

College Representative Visits

Each fall, over 50 colleges and universities send admissions representatives to Eastern Christian School. Held in the Academic & College Counseling Office, these small group meetings are a great way for students to learn more about prospective colleges, particularly schools that may be too far to visit. Additionally, these representatives are usually involved in the application review process for EC students, so this is an important opportunity to make a connection and positive impression.

College Campus Tours

Academic and college counselors lead a multi-day, multi-campus college road trip each year, typically in November. Open to juniors and seniors, this is a fun and affordable opportunity for students to visit a variety of colleges (large vs. small, Christian vs. non-Christian, etc.) to better discern their preferences. The ACC team also leads one or two single-day campus visits throughout the year.

College App & Essay SOAR

Juniors and seniors are encouraged to utilize our in-school “SOAR” period to work on college applications and essays with support from the ACC team and high school English teachers.

“Junior Parent Night” ( January/February Event)

Students and parents, especially juniors, are invited to attend this evening program which provides a broad overview of the college admissions process and other postsecondary pathways.

Junior Meetings

Academic & college counselors meet with all juniors individually during their spring semester. Parents are strongly encouraged to attend. Meetings are typically held during school hours, but morning, afternoon, and evening meetings may be arranged upon request. Meetings include:

Discussion about possible career options
Discussion of related majors and minors and/or training programs
Recommendations for college research and planning
Review of high school transcript
Review of Scoir tools and features
Overview of college admissions process, components, and timeline
Overview of financial aid process
Creation of an individualized standardized testing plan (SAT and/or ACT)
Discussion of college application strategies (early action, early decision, regular decision, rolling, etc.)
Development of preliminary college list
Brainstorm recommendations letters
Discussion of senior schedule
Academic and College Counseling Office procedures (required forms, transcript requests, timeline, etc.)

“College App Boot Camp” (July/August Event)

During this intensive summer session, rising seniors will make meaningful progress on their Common App, personal statement, and supplemental essays. Students will also build balanced college lists and have the opportunity to tour a college campus.

“College Application Night” (September/October Event)

Students and parents will have the opportunity to learn about the college application process from the perspective of a college admissions office.

“Financial Planning Workshop” (October Event)

We invite a financial aid specialist to this event to assist students and parents through the financial aid process. This event is not reserved for juniors and seniors, ALL EC students and parents are invited and encouraged to attend.

Senior Meetings

Academic & college counselors meet with all seniors individually during their fall semester. Parents are strongly encouraged to attend. Meetings are typically held during school hours, but morning, afternoon, and evening meetings may be arranged upon request. Meetings include:

Review of items discussed during junior meetings
Review final list of colleges
Application progress, completion, and questions
Revisit application strategies (early action, early decision, regular decision, rolling)
Review of test scores and discussion re: test-optional strategies
Review of high school transcript
Financial aid and scholarship procedures (FAFSA, CSS Profile, etc.)
Follow up on overall progress

“Senior Celebration Night” (May/June Event)

Parents and seniors are invited to attend this community celebration of the highlights and achievements of the senior class.

Additional Resources & Links

The following links are great resources for students and parents.

Standardized Testing

What tests are out there and which is right for you?

Learn More

Scholarships

What opportunities exist and how do you go about applying?

Learn More

Financial Aid Process

What is the process and how do you begin applying for aid?

Learn More

College Planning Timeline

How do I prepare well and what do I need to do when?

Learn More

Additional Links for Students

Scoir – Our comprehensive college and career readiness solution that helps our students with research and the college application process.

Big Future – The College Board’s college and career research tool.

College Navigator – Cut through the advertising clutter and get the stats with this tool from the US Department of Education

College Scorecard – An easy to navigate website to see interesting facts like the average salary and average debt after graduation.

My Blueprint Story – If you are interested in studying a christian college, this site is a great place to start.

Niche – This is the “Yelp” of college searches. It is very subjective, but can be helpful and interesting.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook – This is provided by the US Department of Labor. It contains comprehensive information about nearly 95% of all jobs, including salary information, job outlook, and more.

NCAA Eligibility Center – Students who are interested in participating in Division I or II sports in college need to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center

Collegexpress – Contains a lot of the usual college information, but check out the “Lists & Rankings” feature.

YouVisit – Virtual college campus tours.

Would You Like to See More?

We believe that the best way to see if Eastern Christian is right for your family is to stroll by our brook, walk our halls, meet some of the wonderful teachers who would be working with and mentoring your teen, and get a true feel for our community. Schedule an in-person or virtual tour of our North Haledon campus to get started.

Schedule a Tour

Academic & College Counseling

You Can Get There From Here!

and many more!

Are you a College Rep?

Meet the Academic & College Counseling Team

Stephanie Lim

Associate Director of Academic & College Counseling

Stephanie Lim

Associate Director of Academic & College Counseling

Jesse Struck

Director of Academic & College Counseling and Honors Academy Advisor

Jesse Struck

Director of Academic & College Counseling and Honors Academy Advisor

ACC Program Overview

College Representative Visits

College Campus Tours

College App & Essay SOAR

“Junior Parent Night” ( January/February Event)

Junior Meetings

“College App Boot Camp” (July/August Event)

“College Application Night” (September/October Event)

“Financial Planning Workshop” (October Event)

Senior Meetings

“Senior Celebration Night” (May/June Event)

Additional Resources & Links

Standardized Testing

Scholarships

Financial Aid Process

College Planning Timeline

Additional Links for Students

Would You Like to See More?