College Placement Program

As a college preparatory high school, we have created a successful college placement program, and it shows in our enviable results. Whether your daughter is interested in STEM, Fine Arts, Communications, Health, Business, or any other major, we guide and advocate for her to move on to the perfect spot to grow and thrive.

Our unique, robust, and personalized program gives your daughter a competitive advantage when it comes to the college exploration, application, and placement process. We know our program is successful because our 2023 graduates were accepted to 144 different colleges and Universities and earned $13,120,200 in scholarships. 

The Regina College Placement Program Advantage

The college planning process can be daunting, for both students and their parents. But after 60 years of helping young women get into college and pursue the future of their dreams, we have the process down pat, making it successful and easy for everyone.

For students, the advantage is personal attention and guidance. Choosing a college and a major can be an emotional and confusing time, and students can put a lot of pressure on themselves when trying to decide on their future at such a young age. They feel stressed and don’t want to make a mistake.

Our process helps alleviate that pressure because your daughter has a dedicated team guiding and advocating for her to make this hard decision. Over four years, our college counselors and teachers really get to know your daughter and her strengths. They work together to help her identify the best environment based on her career goals, strengths, and personality.

Throughout the process, students get exposure to different college options with visits to several different types of schools that vary in size, educational focus, and style of campus, so they can see where they feel most comfortable. Our college counselors have the experience to help your family through the testing, financial aid, application, and selection process to make a great final decision.

We bring the colleges and universities to our students, with numerous college reps coming to our campus to meet with students and answer all their questions about their school. College rep visits are open to all students, and Juniors and Seniors are especially encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to meet with, ask questions of, and become known by the very admissions reps who will be reading their applications and become their advocates.

Our annual College Fair attracts hundreds of colleges and universities who are happy to meet our students and parents because Regina Dominican students are held in the highest regard by these schools. Our reputation as a first-rate college prep high school with outstanding young women applicants precedes us.

For parents, the structure, personal attention, education, and level of detail involved in our college placement program makes it easier on you and gives you peace of mind that nothing in the process will be skipped, and we will help guide your student to the right college where she will truly thrive.

The foundation of our college counseling program is the premise that any successful college placement starts by ensuring that each student meets her academic goals to be successfully prepared for college. We’ve got that covered for you because our challenging academic curriculum, based on personalized academics, leads to amazing results.

During a student’s freshman year, her counselor introduces Naviance, a career and college readiness tool and creates an individual, four-year academic plan to prepare her for college success.

Experiential learning, leadership, and alumnae networking opportunities are offered all four years to help inspire your daughter and explore her interests for a future career.

During Junior and Senior year, college counselors work closely with students and parents to provide the guidance necessary in navigating the college application process, as well as researching colleges and universities that meet each student’s academic and career goals. College visits, athletic scholarship opportunities, and additional merit-based scholarship opportunities are explored to review options.

At the end of her four years at Regina Dominican, your daughter will be prepared and excited about her next step in life.

Year-by-Year College Preparatory Program

Her journey to college placement starts Freshman year.

Learn more about our college placement program with specific year-by-year activities and goals.

Freshman and Sophomore Road to College Focus

Our college counselors work closely with student and parents in addressing the importance of academic challenge, as well as involvement in clubs, athletics, and service opportunities.

• Freshmen and Sophomores use the career interests inventory tools through Naviance to explore the best college and career matches.
• All our 9th and 10th grade students sit for the grade-level appropriate ACT and SAT tests so that students and parents have an accurate picture of her strengths and needs, and can see how well she is progressing towards being college-ready. 
• Although many colleges and universities have become “test-optional” (not requiring an ACT or SAT score to apply), these tests are still an excellent indicator of high school progress and assuring that our students are on track for success in college. 
• Regina Dominican offers several experiential, leadership, and alumnae networking opportunities to inspire ideas and help narrow her interests.

Junior Year Road to College Focus

Juniors meet individually with the college counselor at the beginning of the year to:

• Provide an overview of the college process
• Review her high school performance to date
• Discuss her academic interests
• Explain standardized testing requirements and procedures
• Review specific college/University testing requirements

Second Semester, Junior students and parents meet individually with counselors to:

• Discuss family expectations
• Create a list of desired safety, target, and reach colleges/Universities
• Register for campus visits
• Review of academic progress and standardized test scores
• Apply for financial aid and scholarships

Additionally, all our 11th grade students sit for the official ACT and SAT tests during the school day. In the Fall of Junior year, all 11th grade students also sit for the PSAT NMSQT (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test). Taking this test on the national testing day is the only way for students to become eligible to be considered for National Merit recognition and scholarships.

Although many colleges and universities have become “test-optional” (not requiring an ACT or SAT score to apply), these tests are still important for opening doors of opportunity for offers of merit aid financial assistance, and can also bring a student to the attention of colleges and universities who actively search out and recruit students within a certain test score range. Therefore, we administer the tests onsite and during the school, and encourage all our students to take the tests and do their best on them.

To help our students prepare for the ACT exam, we offer an ACT prep class beginning in January of each year and ending the week of the Spring ACT exam. The course is designed and taught by our own subject matter expert teachers who know our students and care about their success.

Senior Year Road to College Focus

Seniors attend a summer workshop to review their journey thus far in the college application process.

• The workshop includes:
• Review of college choices and admission status
• Navigating the common application
• Identifying college application deadlines
• Tips for writing a strong college essay
• Process for requesting transcripts and letters of recommendations
• Applying for scholarships
• Financial aid process
• Mock admission interviews

Throughout the year, Seniors will have individual meetings with their college counselor to review the progress and results of the process. Counselors will then help students and their families evaluate options and make final decisions.