With the 2025-2026 school year in full swing, the senior class of 2026 is well on their way with the college preparation process. Between polishing college essays, senior planning meetings, and utilizing the Common App, the seniors are hard at work. The college application process can sometimes be very intimidating. Lucky for students here at Morgan, there is a whole family of staff and administrators willing and ready to help.

Seniors scheduled their senior planning meetings with their guidance counselor in the beginning of 2025-2026 school year to get their toes dipped into the water on post high school plans. The meeting consists of filling out the questionnaires on Common App and exploring college searches on Naviance. Completing senior planning meetings is a big step in the right direction on the journey of applying to colleges. 

Since the college application process is a new thing to many students, senior planning meetings are important for students and their parents to ensure they are properly filling out application forms. Guidance counselor Mrs. Joni Zdunzyck, who helps dozens of students plan for the future every year, acknowledges that “the nuances of all the different platforms and parts of the application, and [how] it is so individual to each student, it’s impossible for someone who doesn’t do it on a regular basis to navigate without some sort of streamlined cheat sheet.” Senior planning meetings are also vital to connect parents to their children’s futures, as Ms. Zdunzyck considers “a lack of communication between the student and the family” to be one of the most recurring issues during the college application process, and wishes more students would “loop [their parents] into the conversation.” 

Over the course of the past three months, seniors have been working on finalizing their college essays in their full year English classes. Guidance counselors have also stepped in to English classes sporadically to guide students and help them in areas that are needed. Most seniors started their college essays in their Junior year English classes. Senior Kate Gardner found starting her college essay before walking into senior year to be very helpful and less stressful. Gardner submitted a college essay draft as her final project in her junior year AP Language English class. This was a huge help to her as she started back up again earlier this school year. 

As English teacher Mrs. Auger carves out class time for her students to work on their college essays, she recommends to “make it easy to read and hard to forget. Something really meaningful about you or a story to tell.” Auger is passionate about this because the topic of the essay does not have to be a life-changing experience in order to convey meaning and represent who you are as a person. She shows her students examples of essays that conform to this standard to refute the stereotype that the essay has to be about a monumental experience. 

State colleges have visited and are scheduled to visit Morgan in the upcoming months. They intend to inform junior and senior students about the schools they represent as well as the education they provide. Colleges like University of Connecticut, Connecticut State University, Southern Connecticut State University, and more, will be attending. Students get an email from guidance office supervisor, Mrs. O’Beirn, about the colleges that will be attending. Students are then eligible to sign up to listen to the representatives speak in the auditorium. Students also have the opportunity to sign up for state college visits on Naviance if they choose to do so. 

Seniors are provided with an informational link sent from the guidance counselors filled with information that will help them with all of their college search needs. This link: ALL Senior Information, directs students to Common App (where they can fill out all college applications), Naviance (to sign up for college visits and search all about the colleges they are interested in), and where they can inquire about letters of recommendation, college essay advice, financial aid support, and more. 

FAFSA is a huge puzzle piece to a seniors’ college application. Morgan provides in person visits with seniors and their parents to speak all about what FAFSA has to offer. FAFSA comes at different times in the fall and early winter to provide support before you finalize your decision.

 

Dates that FAFSA is available at Morgan:

• Wednesday, October 8th, from 9:30 am – 1:30 pm and 5:30 pm -7:30 pm 

• Wednesday, November 5th, from 9:30 am – 1:30 pm and 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

• Wednesday, December 10th, from 9:30 am- 1:30 pm and 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

• Wednesday, January 7th, from 9:30 am – 1:30 pm and 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

• Wednesday, February 11th, from 9:30 am – 1:30 pm and 5:30 pm-7:30 pm

 

Into the Future night is an event held for senior parents to provide them all the information they need to know about their senior’s college process. College state representatives like UConn, Salve Regina, Iona, and more speak to parent guardians in the Morgan auditorium, telling them all information relative to their school and college application process. After the auditorium session takes place, there are all different sorts of breakout sessions to attend that are held for 30 minutes each. Breakout sessions vary from addressing senior concerns, to learning more about FAFSA, NCSA (sports recruiting), college essay planning, the good and bad of SAT’s. The main point of this night is to inform seniors and their parents on the college process. Into The Future night will be taking place this winter. According to Mrs. O’Beirn from the guidance department, an official date for this event will be released in the next couple of weeks.  Information on Into The Future night as well as additional information for parents can be found in the Weekly Blast.

Many students pursue a different path post-graduation. Even if that’s the case, it’s still important that students schedule senior planning meetings with their guidance counselors. “Planning for the future is so important,” says Ms. Zdunzyck, “it doesn’t matter what path you’re going for. Making a plan… it’s more about helping someone educate themselves, be aware, and explore opportunities.” 

As the Class of 2026 navigates the often overwhelming journey of college applications, they do so with a strong support system behind them. The guidance office has many goals, and one is “…to help seniors support their post high school plans for themselves and be as supportive as we can on their journey. We are very understanding and are highly supportive of the stress and overwhelmingness,” said Mrs. O’Beirn. 

From dedicated teachers offering in-class guidance to thoughtful advice that helps shape unforgettable essays, Morgan ensures that no student is left to face the often daunting process alone. With continued encouragement and resources, this year’s seniors are not just preparing for college -they’re learning how to tell their stories, advocate for themselves, and take confident steps toward their futures. 

So, as the seniors here at The Morgan School are all presented with the overbearing question of what they wish to do with their lives, they are ready to take steps towards finding an answer, and they will not be doing so alone.