Waterford School, Class of 2020 

College Attendance and Acceptances 

The preparation and achievements of the 82 members of the Waterford School Class of 2020 have been recognized by these excellent colleges and universities. While their Senior spring on campus has changed, their readiness for future opportunities has not, and they will eagerly begin their college careers.

Perhaps more important now than ever is the liberal arts curriculum and interactive learning environment that they have experienced at Waterford. They will take their skills of analysis, their deep and broad knowledge of many disciplines, and their communication, reading, writing, and discussion skills into their lives as critical thinkers, scientists, humanitarians, artists, future teachers and leaders. Our graduates have come to know what it is to be taught and supported by caring teachers who expect integrity, excellence, and foster curiosity. They have sought these qualities in their colleges as they have searched for, found, and will attend the finest institutions in the U.S. 

College counselors and faculty at Waterford School congratulate the 82 members of the Class of 2020 who will attend the following 34 colleges and universities:

Brandeis University Brigham Young University  Brigham Young University – Hawaii Brigham Young University – Idaho Carnegie Mellon University Chapman University Colorado College Dixie State University  Lewis & Clark College New York University -Tisch School of the Arts Purdue University  Sarah Lawrence College Stanford University The University of Montana Trinity University Tufts University University of Arizona

University of California – Davis University of California – Los Angeles University of California – San Diego  University of California – Santa Barbara  University of Colorado – Boulder University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Michigan University of Notre Dame University of Pennsylvania University of Southern California University of Utah Utah State University Utah Valley University Vanderbilt University Westminster College Willamette University  Yale University

Waterford Seniors share their excitement about their next step, and their gratitude towards the college counseling office: 

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​"I feel incredibly grateful for all of the help that the College Counseling Office gave me. Coming from a family that had a limited ability to pay for a college education, financial aid was one of my most important criteria in selecting a college. Ms. Rauscher helped me find colleges I could afford and craft an application that would seamlessly present everything I had done during high school to admission offices, and gave me personalized help preparing for each interview. I’m thrilled to attend Yale University studying The History of Science, Medicine and Public Health in the fall. I could not have gotten there without the amazingly personal and qualified help of Waterford’s college counselors." – Gabe R. ’20, Yale University ’24

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​"I had a great experience with my college search and application experience. The college counseling office and the Waterford faculty members did a fantastic job making sure that we all felt supported with events like the Senior Write Night, college visits, and Alumni panels. One thing I feel grateful for is the excellent communication about upcoming college visits and deadlines– we as students were always kept in the loop. I received compassionate guidance from Mr. Grenoble during a demanding senior year which included several AP classes, Waterford Dance Academy, theater rehearsals, club meetings, and an afterschool job. He had a flexible and relatively open schedule that allowed me to attend regularly scheduled meetings that provided time and space to reflect and thoughtfully evaluate what I expected from my college experience. Mr Grenoble was also very warm and patient with me when I occasionally flagged him down in the hallway or library for an impromptu meeting.

I always felt safe and supported in the college counseling office especially through stressful mock interviews to prepare for scholarship and admission interviews. In that office I spent countless hours writing and refining my work, but I never felt alone. Mr. Grenoble tirelessly read and commented on each version, and I was privileged to draw upon the breadth of experience of other faculty members as well. 

Overall, I’m excited to attend Trinity University in the fall. I feel very well prepared. Mr Grenoble was actually the one who suggested I apply, and I am so glad that he did. My criteria for a college hinged on various factors: class size, school spirit, and the social scene as well as unique considerations: the desire to explore other geographical areas, proximity to extended family for support when I need it, climate, and hospitality. Mr Grenoble was able to take these criteria and find schools that fit all of these, which included Trinity among others. He then offered a logical approach to the application season which broke the application process down into manageable steps. I’m happy with my decision and proud of my wonderful merit awards." – Piper T. ’20, Trinity University ’24

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​ ​"I chose the University of Michigan because of their amazing academics and nursing program. I will have access to the resources of a large public university while still having the class size and attention of a small college. At the beginning of my college search process, I had no idea where I wanted to go. Waterford taught me that I learn best when I’m surrounded by other passionate students and caring teachers so that’s what I looked for in a college. Mr. Grenoble helped me build a strong college list of schools I’d be successful at. Then as I worked on my essays, he and the writing center helped me shape them and overall it made me a better writer. I am very grateful for Waterford’s education and support. I know I wouldn’t be attending the University of Michigan without it." – Madelyn S. ’20, University of Michigan ’24

 

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​"I plan on studying opera, economics and history in the fall. I chose Vanderbilt because it combines a top tier academic institution with a fantastic conservatory, Blair school of music, and I love being able to study both academic disciplines as well as sing through college.  The college counseling office was incredibly helpful in my applications, both in knowing all of the technicalities of the admissions process and helping me with the content of my application itself." – Owen P. ’20, Vanderbilt University ’24

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​"I chose USC for many reasons! a) I spent a month there over the summer for a creative writing intensive b) my family lives in LA c) USC is a strong school for job opportunities and internships d) I got into the honors program there and get to stay in the honors dorms in the village!

My college counselor was Ms. Rauscher, and she was so helpful and supportive in my process! She always made time to review my application and supplemental essays, and really pushed me to make my personal statement as great as possible." – Katie S. ’20, University of Southern California ’24

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​"I want to work in the field of robotics, so Carnegie Mellon’s robotics major really stood out to me. Carnegie Mellon’s also always one of the top 5 engineering schools in the nation, and because of the smaller size of the school, I’ll be able to connect with the professors. The Waterford faculty, especially the college counselors were always so helpful when I needed someone to look over my essays. Even though there were a lot of students, they always found time to look at whatever I sent them." – Sammy S. ’20, Carnegie Mellon University ’24

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​ ​"I chose U of A because it has strong physics and astronomy programs, there are plenty of research opportunities, undergraduates are able to take graduate courses, I have a lot of control over my own program, and the community is authentic and accepting.

I remember that at the beginning of the college search process, I was terrified of making the wrong decision and I had no idea where to start. The college counseling program helped every step of the way. They helped me to realize what I wanted in a school (a strong physics program, great access to faculty, the opportunity to take graduate courses, the ability to control my own education, and a community that I could find my place in), discover plenty of potential options, and rule out colleges that wouldn't be the best choice for me. In addition to the college search, both college counselors worked tirelessly to assist me with writing and revising essays, preparing for interviews, and every other aspect of the process.

I applied to nine colleges/scholarships in total, and I was confident in sending every one of my applications. Not necessarily confident that I would get in or receive the scholarship, but confident that I had put in my best effort to the application, confident that it was as good as possible, and confident that the school I was applying to was a good fit for me. All of that confidence is thanks to the college counselors. Without them, I would have turned in rushed applications to more schools than was worth applying to. More importantly, I only considered the University of Arizona because of the guidance of Mrs. Rauscher. I'm forever grateful for all the college counseling office has done to support me and my classmates through this crucial, complicated step of our journey."  – Evan L. ’20, University of Arizona Honors College ’24

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The Class of 2020 students were accepted at 113 Colleges and Universities. See the full list here. 

 

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​Sari Rauscher, the Director of College Counseling at the Waterford School, earned her BA at Dartmouth College in Government, where she also competed as a two-time NCAA All-American in Alpine Skiing. She has gained college counseling expertise through the Harvard Summer Admissions Institute, annual professional development conferences, and working with hundreds of talented Waterford students. She has visited over 50 colleges and admission offices in her fifteen years of college counseling at Waterford. Sari has served as a National Delegate for the National College Admissions Association (NACAC) as well as on the Board of the Rocky Mountain Association of College Admissions Counseling. She currently serves as Chair of the Utah RMACAC College Fair. Sari began at Waterford in 1998 as part-time ski coach, while doing post-grad pre-medical coursework, and soon started teaching Senior English electives and Class X Writing Colloquium. She liked it so much she stayed, coaching, teaching PE, English electives and ancient history, and serving as community service advisor and college counselor. She became Director of College Counseling in 2004. She enjoys a good read about U.S. history and explorers, and has recently taken courses in Contemporary China and India. She enjoys hearing from Waterford alumni, and staying up to date on interesting new opportunities in higher education and careers. She enjoys outdoor adventures with students, and makes time for hiking, mountain biking, running, and skiing with her husband and two daughters, current Class VIII and X students. She is a fan of Waterford sports teams, and especially Waterford Ballet, Music and Theater programs.

​Nick Grenoble, Associate Director of College Counseling, graduated from Connecticut College summa cum laude with a B.A. in Economics and International Relations and earned a Certificate in College Counseling with distinction from UCLA Extension. After a year of teaching Language Arts in Bogota, Colombia, Nick moved to Jackson, WY, where he founded Teton Educational Services, a college counseling, test preparation, and tutoring company. In addition to assisting families through the match, application, and financial aid processes, Nick developed and taught exam-preparation courses for students with learning differences and English Language Learners. He also offered college guidance, workshops, and courses on behalf of the Teton County Library from 2012 – 2018. Nick has been a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling since 2015. He is a co-founding member of Shelter Jackson Hole, a housing advocacy non-profit. In his free time, Nick can usually be found following his dog into the mountains, skinning his knuckles in the garage, or attempting to touch his toes in a yoga studio.​