Juniors are experiencing an abrupt change amidst the beginning of their college processes. After 20 years, Amy Selinger will depart the Upper School (US) for a teaching, coaching, and college counseling job at Lawrence Academy. In her place, US College Counselors Sharonda Dailey Thompson and Julia Kobus ’05 will become co-directors of the College Counseling Office.
“In the College Counseling Office, we have a student-centered approach that meets each student where they are, and that will remain the same as Ms. Kobus and I take on our new role,” Ms. Dailey Thompson said. “I look forward to partnering with my colleagues to brainstorm new and interesting ways to bring more ease and excitement to the experience.”
Ms. Dailey Thompson has learned from Ms. Selinger, she said.
“Ms. Kobus and I are fortunate to overlap with Ms. Selinger as it allows us to meet regularly and learn the ins and outs of the co- director role,” she said.
Through outside factors such as the change in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, this year has been challenging, Ms. Selinger said.
“The whole timeline has been a little bit of a scramble because of this one change. Now, instead of trying to decide where they’re going to go by May 1, some people have May 15 deadlines and June 1 deadlines.”
As the summer approaches, the College Counseling Department is in the final stages of hiring the fourth college counselor who will be taking over Ms. Selinger’s caseload, Ms. Selinger said.
“In our profession, it is common for new counselors to begin mid-process. Because we operate as a team, the person who joins us will have the benefit of direct mentorship and support from everyone in the College Counseling Office, and I’m confident that the transition will be smooth. In addition, the school has robust programming for new faculty, which will support the new counselor in getting to know all things BB&N.”
The College Counseling Office has scheduled meeting times with Ms. Selinger to discuss her caseload.
“When we hire that person, we will build in time for me to meet with them to go over every single student in my current caseload and say, ‘this is where we are, this is what we’ve talked about, or are thinking about,’” Ms. Selinger said. “Additionally, there are some things I will work with that person on to help with the counselor letter or the counselor statement that goes in with the application,” she said.
Every year, at the end of May or the beginning of June, the whole College Counseling Office meets to talk about each student in detail.
“We look at their lists, what they’re interested in, and we all work together to say, ‘Have we forgotten any colleges? Is this list balanced appropriately? What comments should we make on the list?’ That structure allows for a change in counselor to be supported going forward.”
Depending on the new hire’s schedule, they may attend the full office meeting in addition to the individual meeting with Ms. Selinger.
“Whoever’s new will walk into a place where the students are already known and their processes are already known.”
The College Counseling Office has faced transitions before, such as Ms. Kobus’s arrival in 2022 and Ms. Dailey Thompson’s several years prior, or counselors who’ve gone on maternity or medical leave, so they have experience transitioning the office and mitigating the effects, Ms. Selinger said.
“Even though to the students and families moving through it at this exact moment, it feels wonky and weird, to us it’s something we do, and we’ve done a lot as a whole group,” she said. “We know where the sticking points are, and we’ve already adjusted for that, like spending the extra time talking about my students, making sure we have that overlap, pre-populating the counselor statement.”
For current juniors, college counseling will add some additional meeting times in late August or early September. Ms. Selinger’s caseload of students will have extra time built-in to ensure they can have a longer initial meeting with the new person.
Although the transition is planned to be smooth for students, it still is daunting, Aanika Mohta ’25 said.
“I feel like there’s a lot of different steps in the college process already, and having to transition to a new counselor in the middle of that is definitely nerve-racking, but I also feel confident that whoever comes next after Ms. Selinger will be a great addition to this community,” she said.
Ms. Kobus is not worried about the transition, she said.
“Ms. Dailey Thompson and I have both transitioned to new schools a few times at this point in the college process, so we are well- equipped to support someone going through the same thing,” she said.
As co-director, Ms. Kobus hopes to find new ways to support students through their process, she said.
“I am excited to continue the great work that our office has been doing in supporting students and families in the college process,” she said. “The college process can sometimes feel complicated and stressful for students, so Ms. Dailey Thompson and I are eager to think about new ways to support and counsel students as they navigate this exciting next step in their educational journey.”
For Ms. Kobus, Ms. Selinger has been a presence in her life for a long time, she said.
“I have known Ms. Selinger since I was 18, and she has been a constant source of inspiration and support in the 20 years since. She has taught me to be strong, to be kind, and to be unafraid in standing up for what you feel is right and best for the students in your care.”
Richelle Chang ’24, one of Ms. Selinger’s counselees, reflected on her impact.
“Throughout the scary college process, she trusted me so I could trust myself,” Richelle said. “She provided so much support throughout my entire college application process and continues to be one of the faculty at BB&N with whom I will always spark a conversation. Ms. Selinger has been a crucial part of college counseling and of our community for many years, so I know lots of students and faculty will miss her.”
