Signature’s college counseling services and test prep services are set up to be flexible. Some students and families want Signature to guide all aspects of the college admissions process, even including travel planning for school visits. Others are looking for support primarily in college list development or essay-writing. As with all our offerings, the Signature team customizes services to meet each student's needs.

Standardized Test Prep

The Signature Academics test prep program starts with an analysis of any test scores a student may already have. For example, many high school students have already taken an SSAT, ISEE, PSAT, or ACT Aspire. After seeing past scores and discussing the differences between the SAT and ACT with the student, the first thing we do is practice testing to determine which test – SAT or ACT -- is the better option. Some students show a marked preference and higher scores on one versus the other. Then, depending on base scores from the practice testing and initial target colleges, we present, discuss, and agree to an  efficient weekly prep plan and schedule of official test dates that meet the academic needs of each student. Our goal is focused time and effort (one-to-one teaching of test-taking strategies, independent homework, timed practice testing) that enables a student to achieve marked improvement in test scores. 

College Counseling Services

College counseling and standardized test prep often go hand in hand. Signature’s process always begins by getting to know each student as an individual. The personal relationship between student and counselor helps them work together to define goals and processes, leading to an individual, year by year strategic plan. Our college counseling team works with students from rising 9th graders through senior year in high school. We are happy to work with students at any phase of the college process, from the incoming high school freshman who wants to begin planning a course of study and extracurriculars for his/her high school career through the juniors and seniors who are developing college lists, planning visits, and tackling the application. College counseling services are customized for each student, and often include all support for many school years.  In other cases, we come in later in the process to support the writing of personal statements and showcasing extracurriculars. And because equestrian sports are sometimes difficult to explain to non-horse people, Signature often gets involved to help equestrian student-athletes explain and describe clearly how important the sport is to them. 

NCAA Recruiting

The Signature team understands NCAA recruiting and guides students and families through the process. The NCAA process starts earlier and moves fast. As early in high school as possible, equestrian student-athletes who are interested in pursuing opportunities on Division 1 teams should:

• Register online at the NCAA Eligibility Center; and, 

• Be competing successfully in the equitation divisions (at least 3’3”, preferably 3’6”) by the summer after their freshman years in high school.