College and Career
Trinity Oaks’ College and Career Planning exists to help students as they plan for the future. It fosters a commitment to wise and faithful life and career stewardship.
Academic counseling is provided for each high school student. Students are assisted with their course selection for each new school year. The administration and faculty work closely together to ensure appropriate placement in regular, honors and/or AP courses.
Choosing a college raises questions for parents as well as students. Parents want to know how to best help their children prepare for college life, and how Trinity Oaks equips them for a successful transition.
Trinity Oaks provides comprehensive help to students and parents, so they can choose a college wisely and faithfully. Mrs. Shelly McCarthy offers college and career guidance for our high school students and answers some key questions below regarding the college counseling Trinity Oaks offers.
- What makes your college counseling program different from other high schools?
Our Christian worldview. Like other schools, we provide interest surveys, ACT preparation, help with the Common App, and more. But we also build into students the understanding that God will direct and guide them where He wants them to go. Wherever our students enroll – and they enroll in a wide variety of colleges – they are there to make an impact for Christ, and to utilize the unique gifts, talents, and abilities God has given them. - What is one of the greatest strengths of your college counseling?
We help students identify colleges that are the right fit for them. Students may feel pressure to be accepted at the “best” colleges. But there are hundreds of great four-year colleges and universities. We help students discover how they were uniquely created by God. If they better understand that truth, they’ll make wiser decisions about which colleges fit their personality and preferences. - What practical help will you give my child during the college search?
Each year we meet individually with each student and their parents (if they desire). We cover college preparation tips appropriate for each year, from reviewing time management and study skills with incoming freshmen to discussing the nuts and bolts of transcript requests and admissions deadlines with seniors. - What advice do you have for choosing among the different types of colleges – Christian or secular, large or small, private or public?
Students can thrive at any of these types of schools. Knowing the pluses and minuses of each is important. Ultimately, students must consider what they’ve learned in high school about what they personally need in order to flourish, and match those criteria against their list of possible schools. Then they can narrow their selection through research, campus visits, and committing the matter to prayer.
In the words of TOCA Alumni:
When I was given the opportunity to be a teacher's aide, it helped me find my passion and what I wanted to do as a career. Without that opportunity, I wouldn’t be who I am today.
TOCA created a strong foundation for my faith that really prepared me for college life and beyond.
The rigorous academics I experienced at TOCA set me up for success in my college classes.
TOCA taught me how to study and keep track of my academic pursuits and I believe this has put me ahead of many other students academically.
I loved that the teachers pushed me to do better all the time. They prepared me well for my college classes.