Knightly News

The Episcopal College Counseling team launched a new effort to boost the school’s connections with universities, ultimately giving Episcopal students more exposure and resources on their college admission journey. The College Advisory Council brings college admission experts together on Episcopal’s campus. Council members are admission directors, associate deans and executive directors from the Louisiana State University Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College, Mercer University, Louisiana Tech University and Sewanee: The University of the South.

College Counseling Director Justin Fenske says these types of advisory groups are becoming a best practice among college preparatory high schools across the country. The council provides valuable insight into the application process, including how students can best highlight their experiences and how they can stand out in a crowded admission field. “This partnership helps our college counseling team better guide students through the admission journey so that they ultimately gain admission to the right fit school for their long-term goals,” says Fenske.

The inaugural council meeting highlighted Episcopal’s signature academic programs, ESTAAR and Thesis. Science Department Chair Sarah Pulliam and Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Director Katie Sutcliffe shared the goals and processes of both programs. In addition, a panel of students shared their experiences and answered questions from council members. “The colleges were wowed by the programs,” says Fenske. Providing council members with a more in-depth understanding of ESTAAR and Thesis benefits all students applying to a range of universities because, as Fenske says it offers experts a sense of the rigor and value of an Episcopal education. He also says that while it would be difficult to have such an in-depth meeting with every college admission team, the college counselors received valuable feedback from the council on how students should present their program experiences in their applications, highlighting their research process, papers studied and projects completed.

Fenske is pleased with the first council meeting and looks forward to next year’s discussion. He says going forward, the counselors will select specific programs or topics to present for additional feedback. The team may also invite additional universities to participate. “The connections and resources available through this council are exciting,” says Fenske. “We look forward to expanding our efforts and gaining more insight to refine our processes.”

Advice from the Experts

As a bonus for students, Advisory Council members participated in a panel discussion with the entire Upper School community. Council members offered a range of advice to help students put together a strong college admissions application. Seniors were advised to finish strong, while ninth, tenth and eleventh graders were advised to be a sponge in classes and truly soak up as much information as possible. Council members encouraged students to keep an open mind in the college search and explore a variety of campuses. They also encouraged students to participate in activities and classes they truly enjoy rather than participating to boost their application. On a foundational level, council members reminded students to regularly check their email and double-check their social security numbers when entering them into the application.

Spring College Tour Announced

In addition to the recent Advisory Council meeting, the college counseling team offers a variety of other resources for students. The team regularly hosts coffee discussions with students and families and welcomes college representatives for on-campus visits. Next semester, the college counselors will also lead the annual college tour to Georgia. The visit will include the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Mercer University, Emory University, Berry College and potentially Morehouse College and Spelman College. Fenske says they intentionally plan visits to a variety of schools, from large and small to suburban and urban. The counselors then model for the participating sophomores and juniors what to do and ask on a college tour. This tradition began in 2022, and previous tour locations have included Memphis, South Carolina, Texas, Philadelphia and New York. Interested students can contact their college counselor or register using the link below.

January 20-23, 2027
Georgia College Tour
$650-950 per student, depending on attendance.
Register here.

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2025-2026 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the private school, contact us at [email protected] or 225-755-2685.