Set Sail at Marymount

The Set Sail Program is an extremely valuable opportunity for all rising senior students to work with their College Counselors to get ahead of the college process, so that it does not get ahead of us.

We believe that college applications do not have to be difficult; it simply is about giving our students enough time to plan and prepare for the task at hand.




Summer College Prep

List of 3 items.

  • Program Details

    This summer program jump-starts the college application process.  Marymount students enter the summer with a solid list of prospective colleges to further evaluate based on what is important to them. Students are also asked to brainstorm ideas for the Common Application essay, and the University of California personal statement prompts. As students work through collegiate research and exploration, as well as ideas for their essays, Marymount College Counselors are available all summer to vet these ideas, and review drafts as the student moves through the process.

  • Working With the Common Application

    When the Common Application is made “live” on August 1, the Marymount College Counseling Department sends out a document to all rising seniors with important information and pointers for completing the application.  With these tools in hand, students are asked to spend a few additional hours further building out their Common Application, ahead of their official "Set Sail" session.

  • Personalized Session With Marymount College Counseling

    In mid-August, a few weeks after the Common Application has gone "live" and a few weeks before classes begin for the fall semester, Marymount hosts two sessions of the Set Sail Workshop.  This is an intensive 15-hour program over two and a half days where students will:
    • Meet and work with three current college admission representatives
    • Polish their Common Application
    • Edit their Common Application essay under the guidance of a college admission and/or college counseling professional
    • Meet individually with their college counselor and ask candid questions about the college process
    • Participate in workshops about writing the University of California personal statement, college visits, and college interviews
    • Begin working on the University of California application and personal statement
    • Write supplemental essays
    • Refine their college list

Sailing Toward Success

Annually over 80% of the rising Senior class participates in the Set Sail Workshop. As a result, we enter the fall well on our way to hitting the first set of application deadlines with deep preparation, and more excitement than stress about the college process overall. Students also empower themselves to hone their college list early, enabling them to confidently apply to their top choice schools through early decision and/or early action programs!