-(Courtesy/Mandy Schmall)

Academy’s College Counseling department hosted its inaugural “pop-up shop” in the Senior Lounge on Wednesday, October 18, from noon to 2:00 p.m. to answer seniors’ quick questions as deadlines draw closer.

Many questions don’t require the twenty minutes that come with meetings, but seniors also find it troublesome to access their counselors throughout the day. As a result, Ms. Fitzpatrick conceptualized the event.

Common queries included completing SRARs (Self-Reported Academic Records) required by some schools, setting up and checking individual university portals, and how to submit to scholarship programs. Others were yes-or-no questions, like sending scores, but the shop didn’t include essay review, which the counselors redirected towards appointments. Booked the entire time, the counselors consider it a success.

Zaina A. said, “This shop was so helpful for me! I had some quick questions, and not needing to make a special appointment helped make the process a lot easier, something our college counselors are really good at!”

“We’d like to meet people in different ways, at different times,” said Ms. Heywood. The counselors hope to continue blocking a set amount of time to offer assistance for the upcoming regular decision round and future classes.