Shady Side Academy College Counseling

Part 2 of our backyard college exploration! Remember - visiting campuses can give you a better idea of what attributes you like and don’t, even if these colleges don’t end up on your list. These colleges range from small to large, rural to urban, public to private. Finding your fit is more than just a name brand or UNWR ranking!

As we move into the summer months, many of you are thinking of campus visits and building your list. Luckily, you don’t have to go far to learn about your college preferences. We’re highlighting 24 (!!!) colleges that are within a 2-hour drive from SSA that you can visit to see what you like and don’t like about potential campuses. Part 2 coming later this week!

Seniors, we loved celebrating you today! Congratulations on all you have accomplished this year and across your time at SSA! Good luck on finals and immersives/senior projects! 💙💛

Congrats, 2026 seniors! You are heading off to 75 different colleges this fall so we wanted to hand out some superlatives. We can’t wait to hear about the new adventures you have beyond the Mellon gates of SSA!

hi! my name is Orion Kolek (SSA ‘25) and i’m so excited to be doing the takeover today! I’m a current freshman at Wesleyan University in Connecticut studying Government (concentration in American Politics) and minoring in Human Rights Advocacy. I can’t wait to take you through my day!

Hi everyone! My name is Neyla Hinedi (‘25) and I’ll be doing today’s takeover. I’m finishing up my first year at McGill University in Montreal, QC. I’m technically undecided, but plan to major in linguistics. I’m excited to take you on my day. Feel free to DM me with questions about McGill or college life in general!

Hi!! My name is Mary Boyd Barker (SSA ‘25) and I am currently a freshman at the University of Georgia planning to study finance and international business. So excited to take yall along on my day and please reach out with any questions!

Hey everyone, I’m Carson Davis, (SSA Class of 2025) and i’m excited to have the opportunity to show you a Thursday at the University of Richmond. I’m currently double majoring in PPEL (Philosophy Politics Economics and Law) with a concentration in Political Science as well as Chinese Studies on a Pre-Law Track.

Hi!! My name is Stella Kaufman (SSA Class of 2025) and I am a freshman at Indiana University Bloomington! I’m majoring in Accounting with a minor in Economics. I’m so excited to do today’s takeover!!! Go Hoosiers🦬🦬