Finding Your Fit

Kimball Union Academy’s College Advising Office strives to educate, guide, support, and advise students as they navigate the process of self-assessment, research, application, and college choice. We honor the diversity of achievements, interests, aspirations, and backgrounds our students represent.

The College Advising team works with students and parents in all grades through college matriculation.
 
Colleges and Universities - Schedule a Visit!

Kimball Union Academy is now scheduling for the 2023-24 school year through SCOIR. We can accommodate both in-person and virtual visits. Find a date and time that works for you.

The College Advising Timeline

List of 4 items.

  • Ninth Grade: Building a Solid Foundation

    Ninth grade may feel a long way off from college, but this foundational year of high school sets the stage for success in high school and ultimately college. We encourage all ninth-grade students to develop the skills and habits to be good students and good people.
     
     
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  • Tenth Grade: Continuing to Grow

    Building upon the focus on “doing KUA well” in the ninth-grade year, students in the tenth grade will have four full class meetings with the topics outlined below. While students are not assigned to their counselor until the junior year, all members of the office are available to meet with students and parents about the process.
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  • Junior Year: Looking Inward

    This year will be one of self-exploration, helping each student examine who they are and understand their aspirations. Students are assigned their individual college advisor to assist in this process.
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  • Senior Year: Moving Beyond

    The senior year is dedicated to the college-application process. Our deep knowledge and lessons learned from previous graduating classes and student searches inform a balanced list of recommended colleges and universities that aligns with a student’s need. We also assist them on the college application and advise them during the final decision process.
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Support for Students
Students should see their college advisor as a partner in working their goals. While the search is a collaborative experience, ultimately, all decisions in the process reside with the student. We encourage and expect students to lead the process and commit the time and energy necessary to identify the best opportunity for their needs.

We support students to:
  • Identify a group of colleges that meet their needs – academically, socially, athletically, artistically, or geographically.
  • Find colleges based on fit rather than name recognition.
  • Understand that a great school will be a great match for the individual.
  • Take standardized testing on campus at a convenient time and location.
  • Admission essay feedback, standardized testing strategy and possible test prep opportunities, review admission applications before submission, reviewing the transcripts and plan out possible course selection, and work with student to identify appropriate teachers to ask for recommendation letters.
 
Support for Parents
Parents, like students, play a critical role in the college search process. We recognize that a family’s perceptions, expectations, and hopes for their student’s future play a significant role in identifying the right college. We invite, welcome, and need parents to play as active a role as possible throughout the process.
 
We support parents by:
  • Sharing our insights about their student is and what the student wants and needs from the search process.
  • Communicating frequently about their students search and application process.
  • Providing a customized, secure website that supports college planning and helps families make an informed decision.
  • Facilitating open and frequent communication between students, parents, and the college advisor.
  • Offering access to resources and news about the college-search process.
  • Offering information and resources around affordability and the financial aid application process

Our Team

We have more than 70 years of combined experience working in college advising and college admission offices. We work alongside students as teachers, coaches, advisors, and dorm parents, providing valuable insight into our students’ lives.

List of 4 members.

  • Photo of Gunnar Olson

    Gunnar Olson 

    Director of College Advising
    603-469-2175
    Bio
  • Photo of Derek Gueldenzoph

    Derek Gueldenzoph 

    Senior Associate Director of College Advising
    (603) 469-2171
    Bio
  • Photo of Chloe Prudden

    Chloe Prudden 

    Assistant Director of College Advising
    603-469-2173
    Bio
  • Photo of Dory Psomas

    Dory Psomas 

    College Advising Office Manager and Testing Coordinator
    603 469-2170