Admin-University Counseling - SCIS 2027

Essential Questions

• How do counselors and administrators talk about the university counseling program and its hopes and goals for each student?
• How can we better advise and manage expectations and anxieties surrounding the college admissions process from both an administrator’s and a counselor’s perspective?
• How do counselors and administrators communicate the power of school-based advocacy in the university admissions process—a form of advocacy that outside agencies cannot provide?
• How do we conclude the college process for each student and ensure robust data collection at the end of each year?
• What can we teach our admissions and marketing teams and our board or school owners?

Over-Arching Goal

By the end of this workshop, participants will leave with stronger goals for their university counseling programs, strengthened internal collaboration, identified areas for future growth, and clear next steps for ensuring consistent and aligned messaging to students and families about the university admissions process.

Target Audience

This workshop is intended for school counselors and colleagues in relevant leadership roles, including:

• Heads of School and School Directors
• Deputy Heads
• Principals and Associate or Assistant Principals
• Academic Deans and Directors of Teaching and Learning
• IBDP Coordinators
• AP Coordinators
• CAS Coordinators
• Admissions Directors
• Marketing and Communications Directors

Administrators in lower and middle school divisions may also benefit from connecting their work to the preparation students need for future university pathways.

Workshop Outcomes

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Understand what universities in different countries and institutions are looking for in applicants, including why universities may contact high school counselors and administrators for additional or clarifying information.
• Compare the holistic American admissions process with the UK’s UCAS system and other university admissions processes worldwide.
• Understand how counselors and referees can continue advocating for students after applications have been submitted.
• Practice how administrators and counselors can encourage self-reflection and self-discovery so students can present their authentic selves in their applications.
• Understand the advocacy that school administrators and counselors need to provide throughout the university admissions process.
• Identify the critical information schools need to provide to colleges and universities worldwide.
• Develop robust internal policies and protocols that support applications and conclude the college process effectively.

Workshop Information & Price

Workshop Preparation

Schools are strongly encouraged to register participants as a counselor–administrator team.

Each team should include a school counselor or faculty member who advises students and families through the university application process, together with at least one administrator who directly or indirectly supervises the university counseling function.

Teams should be prepared to reflect on their current:

• University counseling program goals
• Communication with students and families
• Roles and responsibilities across leadership and counseling teams
• Internal application policies and procedures
• Year-end processes and data collection
• Relationships with admissions, marketing, board, and ownership groups

Facilitator

Dr. Grace Cheng Dodge

Education: Harvard University; MS in Accounting, MBA, and EdD from Northeastern University

Career: Head of School, Director of Admission, Associate Director of Admissions, College Counselor, and Director of College Counseling

Read Grace's Biography

Dr. Grace Cheng Dodge retired as Head of School of Taipei American School in Taipei, Taiwan. She is also a former Director of Admission at Wellesley College.
Before joining Wellesley in 2015, Grace was an Associate Director of Admissions at Harvard University, where she was responsible for training admissions officers to assess applications.
From 2009 to 2012, she took professional leave from Harvard and spent three years at Taipei American School as a college counselor and Director of College Counseling.
Approximately 70% of Taipei American School students applied to colleges in the United States.
Grace returned to the school’s College Counseling Office in 2018 before becoming Deputy Head of School during the 2019–2020 academic year. She served as Interim Head of School during the 2020–2021 school year before being selected as the school’s 15th Head of School.
While at Wellesley, Grace was selected as a US Department of State Office of Overseas Schools and College Board Overseas Schools Program traveller to Western Europe. In this role, she visited international and American schools and presented to lower, middle, and upper school communities about developing the whole child and building the foundations for success within an American school system.
Grace has presented worldwide on topics including college application essay writing. She has been active in the East Asia Regional Council of Schools, the National Association for College Admission Counseling, the International Association for College Admission Counseling, and national College Board forums. She was Chair-Elect of the New England College Board Regional Council before relocating to Taiwan.
Grace graduated cum laude from Harvard University with a degree in applied mathematics. She holds an MS in Accounting, an MBA, and an EdD from Northeastern University. She is certified as a PreK–12 administrator by the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education.
Before entering education, Grace worked for PwC as an auditor of independent schools. She remains a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Grace is currently an independent consultant supporting international schools. She works with counselors, heads of school, directors, and boards to strengthen their understanding of university admissions processes around the world.

Recommended Hotel - TBD

Host School

Daniel Eschtruth

Director

Shanghai Community International School – Hongqiao Campus

1161 Hongqiao Road, Shanghai