College Counseling
College Counseling and Transitional Guidance
The goal of transitional guidance at Bridges is not simply to help students gain admission to a college or identify a postsecondary placement. Rather, we seek to help each student identify and pursue a meaningful path after Bridges, one that builds upon their strengths and interests while providing the appropriate level of challenge, support, and opportunity for continued growth.
- The guidance process extends beyond postsecondary educational placement. It is an opportunity to support the talent development and transition planning of each gifted, 2e student across Middle School (7–8) and High School (9–12), while helping students develop the skills and self-awareness they will need to continue growing after graduation.
- Bridges recognizes that the transition to college is not a single event, but an ongoing process that extends well beyond admission and enrollment. Through our partnership with Rising Tide Educators, students can receive continued support from the transition into college through college graduation. Rising Tides provides individualized executive functioning and college navigation support, helping students develop the skills needed to manage academic responsibilities, navigate college systems and resources, communicate with faculty and staff, and increasingly take ownership of their educational experience.
- As students progress through high school, guidance becomes increasingly focused on self-advocacy, independence, decision-making, and preparation for life beyond Bridges. Students are supported in understanding their learning needs, communicating those needs to others, evaluating potential college and career environments, and identifying the resources and supports that will help them succeed.
- Ultimately, our goal is for Bridges students to leave high school with more than a college acceptance or postsecondary plan. We want students to understand themselves as learners, recognize and advocate for what they need to be successful, identify environments in which they can thrive, and feel prepared to navigate the academic, social, and practical demands of life after Bridges.