Postsecondary Planning:

The Leelanau Way

by Angela Repke, Learning Specialist (Senior Class)

It’s no secret that The Leelanau School often feels like a cozy nest for our students. We provide them with support, guidance, and encouragement to take healthy risks in academics—and life. As they enter their senior year, though, we prepare our students to learn to fly from this cozy haven. We don’t completely unfurl the nest; we’re always a soft landing place. But before they walk across Grad Green, they’ll know where the next part of their adventure will begin. This journey is guided by postsecondary counselor Katlyn Martin and her trusty sidekick, me.

When helping seniors think about their life after Leelanau, first and foremost, we consider the whole person. This means that we’re not just looking at numbers. Grades and test scores are definitely not all that should be considered because numbers don’t always tell the whole story, do they? We always take a holistic approach, supporting students and families when they explore the student’s strengths, goals, and interests. 

Katlyn prefers to begin this process near the end of junior year. She meets via Zoom with the student and their families to start or continue a conversation about hopes and dreams for the student’s future. Sometimes, this means college; other times, a gap year, work, trade school, or travel. Like the academics at Leelanau, postsecondary guidance is not a one-size-fits-all approach. 

When the students arrive in the fall as seniors, Katlyn and I get right down to business. Some students know what colleges they want to apply to; if they don’t, that’s okay. We get them going and organized to meet their application deadlines. To accomplish this, we provide CommonApp support and several one-on-one conversations. While we do guide them in this process, we hope that applying to school is student-driven. As Katlyn says, 

“I can’t want this more than the student.” This means that some tasks are on the students, giving them practice at both initiative and independence.

For example, students create profiles and plug their personal and academic information into their CommonApp accounts. Further, they ask their teachers for letters of recommendation for college, work, and gap year programs. They’re responsible for starting the drafts of their application essays or resumes and polishing them with my help. Students are also encouraged to plan their own college or trade school visits to get an accurate idea of what feels right for them. 

Between the CommonApp and all the work that needs to be done before the big application send-off, Katlyn and Angela partake in a healthy dose of family communication. We understand that it’s tricky to be far away during this integral part of a child’s life, so collaboration is imperative. A parent can expect thorough email updates from Katlyn, phone calls, and in-person meetings or conferences when needed. Katlyn is beyond organized, so parents can expect professionalism, care, and knowledge about schools or program deadlines. 

Finally, we serve as a sounding board for students as acceptance letters trickle in and decisions must be made. We urge students to trust themselves so they can make the best choice for their future. Postsecondary planning is a true partnership with families we take seriously with love, care, and encouragement. We hope this process allows our students to search for what’s right in order to soar from the nest with ease and confidence.